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Wow?EUR??,,????'?????<????So much is happening these days with the economy, with the presidential elections, with the housing market, with the industry and with the magazine, it is hard to figure out just where to start.
So I?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ll start with the new tag line/motto that accompanies LCN?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s logo, premiering on the cover of this issue: Equipping Landscape Business Owners for Success.
Now entering the 12th year of publication Landscape Contractor National has worked consistently to qualify the readership and now boasts that more than 90 percent of its readers are Landscape Business Owners.
While it is still true that, according to the old tag line, LCN reaches Landscape, Irrigation and Maintenance Contractors Nationwide, we felt the old line was more directed to the advertisers than the readership. So we looked at the editorial content, looked at the surveys (LCN conducts many readership surveys throughout the year) and looked at the purpose of the magazine and realized that what LCN really does best is equip its readership with the knowledge, products and techniques needed to run a successful landscape business.
Virtually every LCN reader does installation work and more than 77 percent of the readership has a maintenance division as well. Still, while most of you install Hardscapes (69.9 percent), most of you install Lighting (66.2 percent), most of you install Irrigation (62.5 percent), and most of you install Water Features (59.5 percent), more of you asked LCN to write about running the business side of things than any other particular subject.
Since your wish is our command, you will begin to see several changes in the magazine . . .
First of all, rather than having a bunch of short articles on nearly every subject within the industry, LCN has cut the regular departments from eight (8) down to ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Hardscapes?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?, which is all things site surfacing; ?EUR??,,????'?????<?HorsePower?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?, which is all about the equipment; and what we call the ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Random Ditch?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR? which is all about, well random elements that will impact the success of your business. This will allow LCN to focus more energy on getting more in-depth with the feature articles, which is what you have asked us to do?EUR??,,????'?????<????To this end, the 2009 Editorial Calendar is now available and can be found at landscapearchitect.com (just click on the ?EUR??,,????'?????<?Research?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR? link and follow the prompts.)
Having your project appear in LCN is like winning a National Award. LCN reviews dozens of projects for every issue and can only move forward with the best of the best. Don?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?t be shy, though?EUR??,,????'?????<????Submitting materials for editorial consideration is very easy to do. If you have a project that you think has potential, simply email the editorial staff three or four pictures of the project (see the masthead to the right>>>) and include about 50 words on the scope of the project. If we select your work for a feature, we will contact you and since you are the Landscape Business Owner and we are the writers?EUR??,,????'?????<????I think you get the picture . . .
Additionally, starting next month, LCN will feature at least one article/interview with highly successful Landscape Contractors from across the country. These articles are designed to give you insight as to what it takes to bring your company to the next level of success. In these crazy economic times, we anticipate that these articles will be both timely and helpful as you navigate the rapids ahead . . .
Anyways?EUR??,,????'?????<????On to the economy?EUR??,,????'?????<???? Sorry but with things changing on a day-to-day basis and since this will not hit your door step until about 14 days from today (10/8/08), all I can say is with all the bad news of today the silver lining is we are seeing housing prices begin to stabilize and that, if the lending industry can get it together, will mean the inventory of 400,000 new homes will begin to diminish and the real estate market will begin to climb out of its hole over the next several months.
As far as the election is concerned, I?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?m leaning towards McCain. It?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s true that I am a tried and tested Republican, but I am also a little suspicious of a democratic congress that: 1) knows a bad economy could help their guy get elected, 2) have been running congress for the past two years and 3) are heading all the committees that are overseeing both the failures and the bailouts?EUR??,,????'?????<????To me, change would be to get rid of the likes of Pelosi, Schumer, Frank and Dodd.
In any event, we?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?ll all know the outcome in a few weeks, so get out and vote and remember in these serious times the running of our country is more than just a sound bite and a good speech?EUR??,,????'?????<????It is serious, serious business ?EUR??,,????'?????<????
God Bless?EUR??,,????'?????<????
George Schmok, Publisher
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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