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Small Business Doer
Ben Mitchell of Growing Free Gardens, O'Connor W.A.
Name: Ben Mitchell
Business: Growing Free Gardens
Location: O'Connor, WA
(design work and speaking: Australia-wide)
Length of time Growing Free has been in operation: 3 years
A little about Growing Free: Gardener (State Winner of 2010 WA Nursery & Garden Industry Award)
Everything we do is based on sustainable principles and a triple bottom line. We consult with our clients about the environmental, social and economic aspects of their garden so they can have the beautiful garden they have always wanted.
Here are some of the things we are good at;
- Growing our clients an endless harvest of food so that they can eat the sweetest produce every day;
- Making their garden look great so that their home always looks the best on the street;
- Capturing their vision for their dream garden and turning it into the dream garden they've always wanted;
- Fashioning to the highest standards a sustainable garden that suits their style
- Giving them the best advice on their garden
We work on a proactive and consultative based system so that our customer’s needs are clearly communicated. Our practices are sustainably based.
I grew up in the nursery industry as my grandfather bought a garden nursery when I was 8 years old. I have worked with plants ever since. I try to look at each garden and find a balance. This is something that all great gardens have.
Aside from all of that I perform public education workshops and do public speaking on gardening, sustainability, and home food production. I also write my own newsletter, The Antidote and write for SPICE Magazine, Australian Horticulture, Grow - the state industry magazine
I won Young Leader of the Year award for WA, was shortlisted for Terra Madre by Slow Food in WA and have been asked to be part of a panel on food ethic for them later in the year. I am also a board member of NGIWA (Nursery & Garden Industry of WA).
The BEST business tip I've ever been given:
Your wife is probably right.
I hate to admit this one but a business coach I knew said it as a throw away statement and it stuck in my head. My wife now knows my content better than me sometimes and when I’m that tired I can’t move she reminds me what I’m on about.
If I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently?
Specialise earlier, seek professional help quicker, never trust a bookkeeper to look at my figures like I do, outsource wherever I could to create better systems, stay smaller smarter and quicker.
The biggest BUZZ about Growing Free?
I have talked to over 7000 people, done work for some of the most prominent, wealthy people and am now am advising top restaurants on how to grow their own food. When the phone rings and a customer asks, "Can you do that?" And it’s something I have always wanted to do, I punch the air!!! ... silently, then laugh and can’t stop smiling.
The ‘silly’ question my customers ask me all the time?
Are there any trees that don’t drop leaves? [!!!! ] One that’s good near a pool...
How do I use ‘technology’ for the benefit of my business and customers?
I have recently been targeting restaurants and real estate agents on Twitter, with good success. I now have a veggie garden to install in 1 of Perth’s top restaurants and have to go see the owner of Perth’s highest rated restaurant next week.
My admin is outsourced to the Phillipines and run completely online and via skype, Google docs and a number of other systems.
I have a 1300 number which goes straight through to a virtual office which emails straight to my VA (Virtual Assistant).
I have a newsletter on icontact with over 1000 subscribers which I think I can easily double if not triple numbers annually.
We have a Growing Free facebook page which is in the process of being updated and to be used as a marketing tool.
The website has a landing page and the site is in the process of being done, but I have a link on it to my newsletter, facebook and Twitter which works quite well.
I have a friend who moderates a home improvement site who regularly refers people through to my newsletter
My team onsite all have camera and video phones and images get sent to customers as do videos if we encounter problems so that they can see exactly what is going on. When a job is finished they use a service called mbox and follow a script to send all info to a mp3, leaving the admin VA to follow up on.
When my VA needs me fast she DMs me on Twitter. Instant contact!
Biggest future trend in my industry?
Localised Marketing
In the food industry you can buy Capel Vale butter, Ferguson Valley Milk etc. When you go to a garden nursery you get a Jervis Bay Gem Westringea but the label says nothing about where Jervis Bay is! Or the features and benefits of that plant. That will all change.
Who has had the most impact on my life, to date, and why?
My Family including Parents, Wife and Children. I was raised to be creative, to be able to write or express myself however I wanted. When my business is in trouble they help and when I succeed they are always proud of me. My mum taught me how to garden, my Dad to write, my wife to be "me" and my kids to do the right thing. They all allow me to be passionate about what I want to do.
What or who makes me laugh?
WC Fields, The Goons, Yoko Ono, The Mighty Boosh
What am I currently reading?
Irvine Welsh, Crime
A bunch of stuff on the history of market gardening in WA that I just researched for an article
Favourite music?
The Pogues, Rum Sodomy and the Lash was bought for me by my mum at 9 or 10 years old. My life was never the same again.
Too many other to mention- have more CD’s Cassettes and LP’s 45’s than I can count
My earliest music memories are my mum playing Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee and Leonard Cohen. I was obsessed with German marching bands and The Chieftans.
Favourite quote:
Every time I open up my mouth these days I throw up all of the clean living. Shane Mcgowan, The Pogues
If you’re looking for the Latest, Greatest, Sexiest weekly gardening tips, so that you can become a great Sustainable Gardener in your home, subscribe to the Antidote www.growingfree.com.au
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Facebook: Growing Free Gardens
Twitter: @Growing Free
Gardenjot.com Bens garden
Comments
Thanks so Much
position as I have a very strong retail background and live across the road... Good Luck :)