New direction, new future, new gardener.

As part of the 'restructuring' of a prominent Cornish nursery (I'm not allowed to ever say which one for contractual reasons) I'm being made redundant. 10 years of experience and quality plantsmanship doesn't come to much when the company is dishing out payments, but the meagre payout is enough to buy me some decent tools to get started in garden maintenance in my area. I'm lucky that two people have recently retired in the area, leaving a handy gap- I know this is one hell of a lucky break!

One thing that has always astonished me about horticulture is just how cooperative and friendly [nearly] everyone is. Nurseries have rivalries, but don't seem to have the cut-throat attitudes of estate agents, accountants etc. Similarly local gardeners/landscapers have been VERY enthusiastic about me starting up on their patches; one local landscaper has actually been one of the loudest voices telling me to use this opportunity wisely and go out on my own! Collectively we face a lot of challenges in our work, but with very few exceptions we can all get on and help each other out.

This principle of course is what makes LJN work.

So now I'm changing direction... gone are the pots and polytunnels, and now I'm looking forward to my new future as an independent gardener.

Replies

PRO

Gary RK October 16, 2014 at 8:36pm

Ben, one door closes and another better one opens :-)

From what I know of you via LJN I am sure you will be successful and there is something invigorating about being in control of one's own destiny.....
Eugene Baston October 16, 2014 at 8:37pm

Ben - you'll have great luck and fortune in your approach!

Carpe Diem!
BensBotanics October 16, 2014 at 8:39pm

Thank you very much. I'll be honest I go in waves of excitement and dread, but once I've got the next few weeks out of the way I can focus on the future.

Gary RK said:
Ben, one door closes and another better one opens :-)

From what I know of you via LJN I am sure you will be successful and there is something invigorating about being in control of one's own destiny.....
Ben Marshall October 16, 2014 at 8:39pm

Good Luck with it Ben, im another Ben who started out pretty much the same way (actually i walked out of a job for being taken for a ride) and ive never looked back! A word of advice- if you can speak to the guys who've retired, ask them if they wouldnt mind giving their ex clients your business card asap, they will need a new gardener, so your the obvious choice! Also, no matter how much you spend setting up your business, try to hold some money back, as at first you will find it slow going, but soldier on and it will repay you. Any questions, just ask the guys on here, always happy to help!
BensBotanics October 16, 2014 at 8:42pm

Thank you for your enthusiastic responses.

Ben, thanks for that tip- my business cards arrived today and I can get them to one of the two guys who've retired this weekend.
Paul McNulty October 16, 2014 at 8:51pm

Good luck, but I don't think you'll need it based on the way you post here. You seem to have a good business head already. :-)
J S CountryTools October 16, 2014 at 8:54pm

Hi Ben,

I wish you all the best with your new venture!!

If we can help just message me and Ill see what we can do ref: hand tools.

All the best.

J S Country Tools
Ben Marshall October 16, 2014 at 8:57pm

Great, strike while the iron is hot, if you get some customers from him, be sure to get him a nice bottle of whiskey at christmas! Once you get into your stride, your dread will go replaced by the smug knowledge that your the Boss now! Your actually in a better place than a lot of us when we started out, nothing existed like LJN, we just had to make the mistakes and learn by them, but you can sidestep any major hiccups by asking our opinions before the decision is made.

BensBotanics said:
Thank you for your enthusiastic responses.

Ben, thanks for that tip- my business cards arrived today and I can get them to one of the two guys who've retired this weekend.
Jez Young October 16, 2014 at 9:45pm

Good luck Ben,... with your encyclopedic plant knowledge and enthusiasim you should be hot property. :)
BensBotanics October 18, 2014 at 12:07pm

Thank you all for your kind wishes. Really excited to be doing something new! Just three weeks to go now...