Steve Bousquet and his team at American Landscape and Lawn Science recently celebrated 35 years in business. Congratulations, Steve!
To mark the occasion, Steve threw a party for his team to celebrate. It was a simple celebration, that turned into a great team-building experience.
Steve discovered that many of his team members did not know the history of the company. “It was great for the team to see where we started 35 years ago, with 5 mowers, 6 weed whackers, a rickety old 2 bay garage, and dented trucks. None of the trucks matched.”

Then…
They enjoyed seeing pictures of their supervisors working in the field when they were younger.
“Red faces, sweating, digging a hole…they realized their supervisors understand what they go through every day.”

Now…
Steve didn't just invite his team to the celebration. He also invited vendors. “They were really touched. I received heartfelt ‘thank you's' later that evening and into the next day.” One commented, “It means a lot. My other customers don't do those things.” They also mentioned how much they enjoy working with us and seeing how far the company has come over the years.
To thank the team members, each received a big Yeti cup with their name and years of service.
Steve told me his team and he had so much fun, he's already planning ahead to the 40th Anniversary Celebration!
Great Place to Work Tips:
Capture photos of your team at work. Start a photo album or scrapbook that is left in a common area for team members and customers. You'd be surprised at the changes that happen over time. Start capturing these now and document the history of your team as your company grows.
Invite your vendors to celebrations. This is a great way to build your relationships with your vendors. It's hardly ever done so you will stand out in their mind.
Put team members' names on gifts to commemorate the occasion and their service to the company.
The Tap the Potential Great Place to Work Spotlight features small businesses intentionally creating a great place to work by nurturing their company culture.
At Tap the Potential, we love helping small business owners create Great Places to Work. We encourage our clients to share best practices to support other businesses in doing so, as well.
Thank you for sharing with us, Steve!
About the Author
Dr. Sabrina Starling, The Business Psychologist™ and author of the How to Hire the Best series is the founder of Tap the Potential.
At Tap the Potential we specialize in transforming small businesses into highly profitable, great places to work and sending business owners on 4 Week Vacations to celebrate that achievement.
Never one to accept the status quo or back down from a challenge, Dr. Sabrina’s How to Hire the Best series grew from her desire to solve the toughest hiring challenges interfering with her clients’ growth and profitability. What sprang from her experience working with entrepreneurs in rural areas catapulted her into becoming the world’s leading expert in attracting top talent in small businesses — no matter what hiring challenges those businesses are facing — and earned Tap the Potential’s reputation as the go-to resource for entrepreneurs committed to creating Great Places to Work with thriving coaching cultures and highly engaged team members working from their strengths.
With her background in psychology, and years of driving profit in small business, Dr. Starling knows what it takes to find, keep and get exceptional performance out of your biggest investment — your team members.
Access Dr. Sabrina Starling's How to Hire the Best Masterclass and team building tools at www.TapThePotential.com