Page 33 - Westman Business 2019

OCTOBER 2019 • WESTMAN BUSINESS • THE BRANDON SUN 33
» Continued from Page 32 And execute on that decision.” deserves to a certain degree,” Chris said. something back to Mother Earth. We’re
As mentioned, the company has ex- “Because as I said before, it’s changing giving back to what the earth has given
“Our team came up with ‘Superior panded in terms of scope and acquisitions people’s lives. to us.”
workmanship by people who care’ togeth- over the last few years, but their roster of “And the beauty of it is, it’s going to In order to maintain their high stan-
er. And we’ve built our core values around employees has grown as well. Rather than grow with you, your family, your life. So dards, Chris said they are “never not hir-
it. My point is I believe that’s what allows 10 or 15 people, they now employ 75 to if you’re doing an interior renovation, ing” — that they’re always looking for
us to do the things we do.” 90 during their exceedingly busy summer they’re not growing any further after the great people.
And while they’re pleased to have such months. contractor leaves. Whereas when you do a “We believe that if the people that
a successful business, it’s more than that “We’ve grown very quickly, and the landscape renovation, if it’s done properly work for a company are successful, then
for them. growth trajectory hasn’t been about being and it’s planned out properly, every year the company will be successful. Surround
“I think it’s a passion,” Karin said. “And the biggest,” Chris said. “When we made it’s growing and different. You get a dif- yourself with great people and great things
when you’re passionate about something, the decision to move out to this new lo- ferent feeling from a different perspective. happen. It really is that simple. We focus
you’re passionate! So, everything is done cation six years ago (the southeast corner And our goal has always been, on a de- on the little things so the big things can
because you care, and you like it when you of 34th Street and Patricia Avenue) and sign/build side and the landscaping side, happen!
do it.” build this facility, it was about how we whenever we’re doing a design and we’re “We’re very high on safety,” Chris said.
“Karin has always said if you love what could add to the industry.” doing an installation, if we’re looking “We were one of the first landscape com-
you do, it’s not work,” Chris added. “At People told them they were nuts to from one corner of the yard to the other panies in Manitoba — the first one out-
the end of the day, we’re a little bit of expand from a contracting business to a corner of the yard, it should all be consis- side Winnipeg — to be COR certified. So
an anomaly to a certain degree, because garden centre instead of the other way tent and have continuity, but the goal is to we’ve driven that through our whole orga-
we’re partners at work and there are a lot around, but for the Griffins, it just seemed get a different approach. To get a different nization. And every week we have a safety
of things we agree on, and there’s certain a logical move. And as far as integrating look and the same feeling.” meeting — we use those for communica-
things we don’t. But we’re also partners in different services and expertise, they’d al- Alternative has made several contribu- tions, incentives — we have employee of
our life, and I think that that passion does ready done that in Alternative Landscap- tions to the community by offering their the month, paid birthdays off, staff barbe-
add. And I think when we have some- ing right from the beginning. expertise on projects that are mostly fo- cues and family functions.
thing that’s a challenge — if somebody “We’d been doing gardening and yard cused on kids and families and building “We believe doing things like that, so
has a complaint, let’s say, we go back to maintenance for years,” within our land- communities. They’ve also been recog- they understand how much they’re appre-
that same mission statement and go back scaping,” Karin said. “And I think this was nized by the Indigenous community be- ciated, but also it’s part of building our
to our teams and ask, ‘Was it superior just the right fit. We love what we do.” cause of their sensitivity to the planet, culture as well. And I can’t say it enough:
workmanship?’ And it’s a pretty yes-or-no And really, what they do by creating something Chris thinks is pretty special. We could not to do what we’re doing to-
question. their living art and in some cases making “They talk about Mother Earth,” he day if it wasn’t for phenomenal people —
“And if they say, ‘Well, maybe not, then something out of nothing is make people said. “And I think that’s kind of a cool phenomenal clients, and such a dynamic
we say, ‘Well then, do we care?’ And the happy. thing, because from that perspective and community to support and to be support-
answer is of course we care. So, then we “I think the whole industry, the green their elders’ perspective — I had never ed by, we are truly thankful and very ap-
figure out what we’re going to do about it. industry, is not given the attention that it looked at it this way — you are giving preciative.”

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