We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laura Neff. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laura below.

Laura, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Thank you!  I feel that communication, follow through and attention to detail are the most important for me, but of course there are many more.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Sure! After college in the 80’s, I briefly tried the corporate life and decided the day to day routine was not for me. Since I inherited my late grandmother’s love of all things green, I decided I wanted to work in the gardening industry. I scored a job as a newbie, learned the business, and a few years later, jumped feet first into my own gig. The first years were just me and my 4-Runner pulling a tiny trailer. I weeded, trimmed and planted a lot of flowers, shrubs and a few trees. Then, in 1996, I was introduced to Lalo Jimenez, my foreman. With his help, I was able to go big! I bought a truck and real trailer and hired two more men. Lalo is still with me today, 26 years later. (We are both a little older and rounder.) My company is now a full service landscape company offering everything the big guys do but since we are small, I can personally still visit all my customers, old and new. We offer a complete line of landscape, design/build, and maintenance services which include landscape design, installation, hardscapes, irrigation, drainage, seasonal color, and tree care. We are known for our attention to detail and dedication to our customers. I am proud that my company has continuously grown without losing sight of our main goal. We proudly set ourselves apart from others by being members of Houston’s growing organic community. As members and sponsors of OHBA, Organic Horticulture Benefits Alliance, we strive to educate our clients the importance of organics and sustainability. We teach clients about soil and its importance to having healthy plants and vegitables. We spend a great deal of time researching materials for shade gardens, native plants and now frost proof plants and trees for the Houston area. No two of our landscapes are alike. When I design a landscape, it is from the clients wish list, photos and ideas. I like to see how they live indoors as well as out. It’s important to get to know your client to be able to give the garden their personality, not mine.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” – Dale Carnegie

Starting, running and keeping your own business is never smooth sailing. When I first started, there were a few challenges. Obtaining vendor credit, finding honest contractors, getting paid by clients, making payroll, taxes… but I never dreamed that I would be taken advantage of by a friend, helping me in my business twenty five plus years ago, he was doing some design work early on and running some jobs for me. Behind my back, he had his own clients, using my accountsto buy plants, leaving me with the bills. This created a law suit, a judgement and years worth of feeling like an idiot. It wouldn’t be the only time I had poor judgement, but you have to wipe off the dust and keep going. Learning from mistakes is the best way to improve and be resilient.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I have always been blessed by having wonderful referrals from clients. Several years ago, a local nursery in my area interviewed me and put me on their list of preferred landscapers that they give out to customers. This has been great as we have met all kinds of wonderful people. We also get a lot of referrals from neighborhood social media. So again, all referrals, those are the best.

Contact Info:

• Website: riceorginc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thericeorganization/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Rice-Organization-Inc-1715006562110735/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-neff-ba86b770
• Twitter: https://plus.google.com/+TheRiceOrganizationIncHouston
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/thericeorganiza/