Given the record-breaking heat we have experienced this summer, the enterprise value specialists at Ceibass want to draw attention to and celebrate the end of these “Dog Days” in a meaningful way.
“The end of the “Dog Days of Summer” is not a widely recognized or formalized occasion for celebration in our industry. Typically, “Dog Days” are from July 3 – August 11, and given your specific location you could still be into “Dog Days” for a while. The name “Dog Days” comes from the ancient Greeks and Romans, who observed that during this time, the star Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, rose and set in conjunction with the sun.,” said Tom Fochtman, Ceibass CEO. “But here is why we believe it is important to reflect on “Dog Days” … the current period of hot and oppressive weather has been the most intense and extreme in history. The dogiest. What does it mean for our industry? What changes should we be making, if any? It’s time to reflect, to speculate and celebrate.”
Here are some thoughts from the team at Ceibass:
Reflect:
As the climate changes, what new threats arise for our customers, for our employees, for our business? What new obligations do we have for landscape design, heat abatement, water conservation, flooding, and protecting employees? What new opportunities arise for new services, new products, new tools and new knowledge and training that we may need?
Speculate:
Write your thoughts down. Get on it. Produce a competitive advantage for yourself by being the first to market ways to cope with the threats, fulfill the new obligations and take advantage of the new opportunities. But don’t do
it alone. Work your networks. Check with NALP. Talk to peers throughout the country. We are in this together.
Celebrate:
As it cools down in your area, celebrate the end of “Dog Days” with your employees and customers. Consider spa days, gift cards for ice cream, water and pool events, climate / landscape awareness events, plant a tree days, sustainable picnics, water conservation awareness, flood prevention awareness, note/bonuses expressing your gratitude, sustainable landscape practices for your customers, solar workshops, dog day events with real dogs, community clean-ups and donating to local environmental groups. Really, do something to celebrate, get creative. You and your team deserve it.
