Why Small Businesses Matter

Shop small, do big things for your community

Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!

You’re IT Ridgefield landscaping!

Three questions with Miquell Davis, founder of Ridgefield landscaping

Why did you start your business?

I have always had a passion for helping others since a young kid. I’ve always enjoyed seeing people smile due to a service that was completed by me. Most importantly, I took on the role to protect and provide for my family. I’m a great team player but I’m an even better leader. I am the first business owner in my immediate family, giving me a set of responsibilities that only I could handle. The reason I started my business is to share with my nieces and nephews the life I never had growing up.

What is your best selling product/service?

I cannot name one service I consider the “best” because my company does not offer only one service. Customers tend to name us a “one-stop shop” but we are a full-service company. We offer services other landscaping companies do not offer. Year-round property maintenance, (spring through winter) moving, painting, masonry, tree services, boat, and furniture winterizing/shrink wrapping, handyman services, etc. we are the guys you can call for any help you need no matter how big or small the job is. And that is what customers love most about Ridgefield Landscaping.

How many local businesses do you use to support your business (products and services) and can you name them?

I use a few local businesses to support my business. Ridgefield Hardware, Napa Auto, Keough’s Paint and Hardware as well as Decker Tool Rental and United Rentals in Danbury.

Miquell would like to nominate EZ Moving to be featured next!

Ridgefield landscaping is located at 79 Danbury Road in Ridgefield. Visit them online here, and make sure to check out their Facebook page as well!

HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!

Why Small Businesses Matter

Shop small, do big things for your community

Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!

You’re IT Ronald Lima Landscaping!

Three questions with Ronald Lima.

Why did you start your business?

We started our business to become financially free and because we could help other people in the county doing what we love to do, which is Landscaping.

What is your best selling product/service?

Our best-selling services are property cleanups which we do all year round and lawn mowing. We also offer holiday lighting, snow removal, leaf blowing, and planting!

Have you “reimagined” your small business?

I want to see our business succeed and continue to grow while healing whoever may need our services.

Visit Ronal Lima Landscaping online here, and check out their Facebook, and Instagram pages as well!

HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!

The owner of a Leicester landscaping company was killed after he was trapped under a small construction vehicle Friday in a garage that housed the business, officials said.

The victim was identified as Robert Stuart Jr., 51, in a statement released by the Worcester district attorney’s office Saturday. His death appears to be a tragic accident, according to Leicester Police Chief Kenneth Antanavica.

Leicester police, fire, and EMS went to 66 King St. for a report of a man trapped under a piece of equipment at about 11:49 am Friday, the statement said.

Stuart was found trapped under a skid steer loader, which is often used for digging. The machinery was stabilized before he was removed, but first responders discovered he had succumbed to his injuries, the district attorney’s office said.

Stuart had been working on a piece of equipment in his garage that houses Evergreen Lawn Maintenance & Landscape Corp., the district attorney’s office said. Stuart owned the business, according to state records.

The garage was on a commercial part of the property and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was also called to the scene, the statement said.

“All of the town of Leicester first responders offered their thoughts and prayers to the victim’s family and friends,” the statement said.

On the company’s website, Stuart wrote that he has owned and operated the company for over 25 years.

“I am driven and dedicated to my work and have a strong desire to continue to learn and grow with each new endeavor,” he wrote.

The company has worked on numerous commercial and residential projects, including some with the Worcester Housing Authority and the Worcester Parks Department, according to the website.

The incident remains under investigation.

Breanne Kovatch can be reached at breanne.kovatch@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @breannekovatch.

NUR-SULTAN – The Nur-Sultan Akimat (city administration) announced plans to plant some 600 hardwood trees at an eco-park near Small Taldykol lake (Malyi Taldykol) on Aug. 28, following the residents’ long-running campaign to save the Taldykol lake network and green spaces from urban construction, reported the city administration’s press service.

Ecopark project near Small and Big Taldykol lakes in Nur-Sultan. Photo credit: city administration’s press service

An eco-park near the Small and Big Taldykol (Bolshoi Taldykol) lakes will be built to integrate the urban area with the capital’s park regions utilizing eco-urbanism principles. The first stage worth 1 billion tenge (US$2 million) is already underway. The city authorities promised to develop an eco-climate with vegetation and fauna.

The capital’s administration committed last year to enhancing the city’s ecological environment by planting 1 million trees in 2021 and closely supervising the progress of the Nur-Sultan – the City of Comfort urban plan.

Dinner en plein air tastes better. A summer breeze is as healing as a hot bath. And little competes with sipping a cold beer on a grassy lawn. Simply put, life outside is unparalleled in the warmer months. And a backyard, whatever the size, is a dream. The challenge is how to best design this space to maximum effect. Luckily, as these small backyard design ideas prove, you don’t need an endless grassy expanse to reap the benefits of outdoor living.

In truth, even a patch of turf or grass can deliver joy. The key, as designers Bobby Berk and Liza Reyes share with us below, is to view your backyard (or patio or lightwell) décor as an extension of your living room. “Treat the outside as though it were the inside but with resilient materials,” says Reyes, whose tips make designing this area seem much easier. The same for Berk, who believes the backyard is underutilized. “I love bringing the inside out and often use the same color scheme,” he says.

Since we’re burning summer daylight, let’s get to Berk and Reyes’s small backyard design ideas. Each proves less is more. (And that we’ll always need more sunscreen.)

Featured image by Michelle Nash.

Keep scrolling for 8 inspiring small backyard design ideas.

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Image by Nikole Ramsay.

How do you maximize a small backyard space?

Tip #1: Outline your goals.

Like any other room, a little planning goes a long way for a backyard or outdoor space. Reyes suggests first considering how you want to use your outdoor area. Do you primarily want to eat outside? Do you want to lounge? Maybe both? “Depending on the size of the space, a full eight-to-10-person table or a small bistro table for sipping coffee or cocktails can be equally charming,” says Reyes. Just take a beat to envision how you want to live outdoors.

Tip #2: Define the space.

Create a setup just as you would a living room. This calls for anchor items, such as a rug, lighting, and sun coverage. Will you be eating in the darker hours or lounging during peak sunlight? For both—and more—think about items that take care of bare feet and provide shade when necessary. “Coverage can be a vine-covered pergola or a wonderful umbrella,” says Reyes. “For lounging, a few pillows and cushions go a long way in making outdoor seating an inviting spot to sit.”

Tip #3: Utilize dual-purpose pieces.

With a small outdoor space, the biggest hurdle is where to store items, says Berk, who suggests using furniture or multi-purpose accent pieces. “Instead of cluttering your space with many tables and chairs, you can use stools as tabletops and extra seating.” And opt for built-in storage wherever possible.

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Image by Michelle Nash.

Tip #4: Stick with a tonal palette.

Staying with the same color scheme makes any space feel larger—including one outdoors. It also helps keep a small backyard from looking disjointed and clustered, says Berk.

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Image by Nikole Ramsay.

How do you make a small backyard look good?

Tip #5: Add accent pieces.

Here’s the relief: You don’t need to overhaul your current outdoor setup. Take it slow, says Berk. Add smaller décor items to freshen up the space. This can be in the form of small pillows for chairs or placing table linens on your outdoor table. “This changes the look and feel of your space without breaking your bank,” Berk adds.

Tip #6: Use what you have.

Chances are, there is a botanical bounty or two already thriving in your backyard. “Whether it’s greenery from your garden or a plant or flower that’s in season in your area,” consider how to spotlight those, recommends Berk. Use colorful planters or small lighting to showcase any natural greenery.

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Image by Marta Xochilt Perez.

Tip #7: Incorporate small plants and flowers.

Smaller plants like succulents and mini cactus are easy to care for, says Berk. Add them to an outdoor tablescape or atop smaller stools or tables. “They never block your view from the person sitting across from you.”

Tip #8: Make what you need.

When Reyes needed something for outdoor lounging, she opted to stretch the possibilities of what was already inside her home instead of purchasing overpriced outdoor furniture. “I used the extra twin mattress from my son’s room, previously used for sleepovers, and covered it with a sturdy textile I could wash regularly,” she says about her “Donald Judd-style” makeshift daybed. After tossing on a few pillows, it turned out to be an ideal nap spot and “the best place to hang out with friends”—all for less than $300, she says.

Yahoo Life Videos

Ana Kasparian on her viral pro-choice video and why religion and politics should remain separate

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24 2022, social media quickly erupted, and a video of journalist Ana Kasparian’s impassioned pro-choice speech resurfaced. In the clip from 2018, Kasparian is talking with her co-host on The Young Turks, when he mentions the Bible’s stance on abortion. Visibly frustrated, Kasparian shoots back with her take on the role religion should play in reproductive rights. ‘I don’t care that you’re a Christian, I don’t care what the Bible says,’ Kasparian says in the viral video. “You do not get to dictate how I live my life based on your religion.” Today, Kasparian stands by the comments she made in 2018. She says that Americans are taught to fight for religious liberty, and she takes issue with a single belief system carrying so much weight in a political conversation. “What the religious text of one particular faith indicates does not apply to the rest of the population in a country that has Constitutional protections against church and state,” Kasparian tells Yahoo Life. “Once we get into the weeds of what the Bible permits, we’re allowing them to frame it as if their particular religion rules us all, and I’m sorry, our Constitution says the opposite of that.” “Even as an atheist, I support people of faith. I think that it’s an important part of their lives, an important part of their communities. And I would never in any way want to violate that.” After Roe v. Wade was overturned, Kasparian felt a range of emotions.”Once it really sunk in, I felt an overwhelming sense of rage, just this anger and rage, and also embarrassment on the international stage,” says Kasparian. “What we’re seeing with this rapid fire round of terrible rulings that chip away at our rights, that intentionally misinterpret what our constitution says — I think we’re in for a lot of pain and suffering unless we somehow persuade the Democratic party to grow a set and fight on behalf of the people who put them in this position of power to begin with.”

Not everyone wants a large lawn. Sometimes a small and tidy street-facing yard is all you need to feel like you have your own space, but without sacrificing your Saturdays all in the name of upkeep. These small front yard landscaping ideas will help maximize your space, regardless of whether you are content with your small yard or wish you had more to work with. From hardscaping to lush lawns and romantic-looking curb appeal, the right landscaping can catapult your small front yard to the envy of the neighborhood.

Start by considering the style of your home and what type of maintenance and upkeep you’re willing to take on. From there, you can consult the experts at your local garden center who can help determine the elements that are best suited for your yard. Professional landscaping companies can see your vision through from start to finish, but coming up with a plan and executing it on your own can be a rewarding experience if you’re up for getting your hands dirty.

No matter which route you take, inspiration is key. Use these small front yard landscaping ideas to help get you on your way.

F.For many US small businesses, 2020 was not a fun or fun year at all. It’s hard, in a year where a pandemic caused the deaths of more than 300,000 people, destroyed jobs for more than 12 million people, and ruined countless restaurants and other small businesses in the fitness, art, travel, and retail industries, to find a sense of humor.

But last year, a small company gave us all a laugh. The small company is Four Seasons Total Landscaping in my hometown of Philadelphia, of all places.

Four Seasons Total Landscaping became a global story when President Trump’s campaign announced a surprise press conference – on the day the election results for Pennsylvania and other states were released – in their parking lot on State Road in the northeast of the city. The announcement confused supporters and opponents alike. The press conference, like so many others in this administration, was a confused, rambling affair. Nobody knew if this was actually planned or just a mix-up with the Four Seasons Hotel near Broad Street. Nobody could find out if Trump even knew what was going on. It happened anyway. And the whole thing was very funny.

It was funny because of the pictures: Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani was fighting for his boss’s political life surrounded by other small businesses typical of State Road – a sex shop and a crematorium – and of course with the Four Seasons Total Landscaping sign in the foreground. It was funny because it was absurd and surprising and curious. It was funny because nobody admitted that this was a mistake. Was it? It was funny because the incident happened in a city where Trump recently warned that “bad things are happening”. For him, apparently.

But the real reason this story was so funny is Marie Siravo, the owner of Four Seasons Total Landscaping. She and her team were not partial to what had happened. It was an entirely American lesson in business. Siravo saw the humor. She also saw the dollar signs.

She did her best to stay out of politics and doubled the unprecedented exposure her small business received. Siravo updated their website immediately. She posted a politically smart Facebook message that any veteran PR professional would be proud of. She sold funny shirts that read “Make America Rake Again” and “Lawn and Order” and embossed phrases like “In Sod We Trust” on other promotional items. She took part in the quickly organized Fraud Street Run, which attracted 2,100 participants and started from her parking lot. She hugged the crowd and the people who stop by to this day for a quick picture of the political history. “We don’t make political statements,” she told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We run with it and enjoy it. It’s like a magic carpet ride. “

Four Seasons Total Landscaping is the definition of the typical American small business. The media likes to glorify these tech-savvy, venture-capital-backed entrepreneurs who are starting the next big thing in Silicon Valley and Austin. But there are 30 million small businesses in this country. Most, like Siravos, are family owned and operated. They usually offer a not sexy but necessary service … like landscaping. Much like Siravo, they typically employ fewer than 30 full-time workers and are usually located on the state highways of their home towns. You know these businesses. These aren’t companies Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and James Corden would be talking about. Or profiled by the BBC. Or on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live. Or written about it here in the Guardian.

But this company was. And that’s funny too.

So Siravo – like so many smart entrepreneurs who find their way through the changing dynamics of 2020 – turned around. She converted her conference room into a fulfillment center, not for landscaping, but to assemble and sell more than 35,000 T-shirts, sweaters, and face masks, generating more than $ 1.3 million in sales to clients like Jake Tapper, Mike Myers and Emma scored Watson. She appeared on TV and other media outlets because like a smart small business owner, she wouldn’t miss a good PR opportunity. “You know, a lot of companies don’t do snow, irrigation, or planning,” she reminded us in an interview. “So that’s where ‘totally’ came from.”

I did not know that. Now i do. This is funny.

The whole story is funny because it came at a very uncomfortable time. Everyone was nervous. Everyone was fed up with the pandemic, worried about the elections, and generally stressed out about the future. And then we heard about that weird presidential press conference at a landscaping company on State Road that sounded too much like the five-star hotel in town, and … we laughed. We read about this small business owner’s lighthearted, entrepreneurial response and giggled. We admired their courage, selfless humor, and ingenuity.

It was a fun story and we were reminded that we all – Democrats and Republicans – can appreciate a fun story. More importantly, we were reminded of how much we, as Americans, value our country’s small business owners.

SAN FRANCISCO, December 21, 2020 / PRNewswire / – Janet Moyer Landscaping (JML), a full-service landscaping company based in San Franciscoreceived the CLCA Trophy Award for small residential complexes, which was presented at its annual meeting in mid-November.

The hotel is located in the mission district of San FranciscoThe winning garden was designed by Joe Couture, for customers who want a new look in the rear of their Victorian two-unit unit. The design maximizes space by using diagonal lines in the fence and patio area to expand the visual feel of the room. By collaborating on the selection of complementary plants, containers, and furniture, designers and homeowners have been able to create a warm, welcoming, and fun environment. Couture and the rest of the JML design team are delighted with the recognition of this prestigious annual competition, which adds to the awards received in previous years.

About Janet Moyer Landscaping
Janet Moyer Landscaping is an award-winning, full-service landscaping company based in San Francisco, CA. It has designed and installed more than 1,300 unique and bespoke gardens in San Francisco varied terrain. For more information, please visit www.janetmoyerlandscaping.com or call 415-821-3760.

Contact: Michael Padgett

Janet Moyer Landscaping
San Francisco, California
415-821-3760
261793@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Janet Moyer Landscaping

Here is a creative idea for a small backyard design with a pool from Bestor Architecture. Notice how the pool and house are positioned at an angle. This formation effectively divides a small and very private back yard into two separate areas. One side for after pool lounges and campfires at night and the other for friendly gatherings and meals. What’s also great is that the roof hangs clearly from the house and offers protection on both sides. At night, this cozy garden turns into an illuminated pleasure. The large full-length doors and windows let in the warm interior light, while the pool lights and the flames of the fire provide attractive kinetic lighting and create an inviting, relaxing mood. The layout and design elements of this outdoor area are exemplary of thoughtful planning and creative thinking when constrained by the shape of the property. See Bestor Architecture for more information.
about At Casa.