I was asked to be on a 3 member panel at a trade show in Chattanooga this week. BWI  is my main supplier of Hardline products like fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, potting soils etc.  They wanted me to introduce myself and tell the audience about my business. I prepared my comments but neglected to get the exact statistics on our sales percentages among our three main categories. I called my daughter, Kelly, and got the percentages, through August, from the computer. Trees and Shrubs 31%, Bedding plants 29% and Hardines 30%. I was taken back by these statistics.  Trees and Shrubs have always been #1, Bedding plants #2 and Hardlines have been #3. I watched my daughter Sherri, who buys and manages the hardline category, eyes light up when I repeated the stats. She was very proud... and rightfully so.
         Sherri and I did the trade show and flew back Wednesday. I checked September's sales and Hardlines will be our leading category at the end of this month. All three categories are at record sales levels. No fluke. Sherri admitted today that her goal was for Hardlines to be the leading category. She kept that to herself and snuck up on Kelly who buys and manages the other two categories. She has succeeded. Congratulations Sherri on a job well done!   Kelly says "Game on!."   I say  "I'm one very lucky nursery owner."