VKA Landscape - Books, Videos and Tapes

Section I, Estimating, provides you with a complete estimating process developed by Charles Vander Kooi who has personally bid over a billion dollars in work over his career, and who has lectured to over 90,000 contractors worldwide.
Section II, People Management, explains The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly bonus systems, what an egg sucking dog is, how to deal with attitudes that cost you money, and job and people scheduling just to name a few.
Section III, Charting The Course, is a goal setting, visionary section that will help you focus on an end result while answering questions such as, "Why isn't everyone in this firm on the same page?" and "Why must we always appear to be 'rowing upstream' against the flow of business?"
Section IV, Administrating, Management, and Finances, will help you determine whether you are "Lean & Mean or Fat and Sassy." Just a few of the topics covered in depth are: Cash flow management, understanding and using a financial statement, and how much administration is too much, and how much is not enough??

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Labor and Equipment Production Times for Landscape Construction

by Charles Vander Kooi - $22

Chapter 1 Gives you labor and equipment production times for the following types of work: grading, irrigation, planting, lawn work, maintenance and hardscapes.
Chapter 2 presents average COSTS per hour that other contractors feel their equipment costs them.
Chapter 3 covers different tables used to commonly estimate quantities and volume.

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Employer, Customer and Equipment Systems

Organize your company, increase your productivity, super charge your marketing efforts! add profit now! here's how. Tony Bass of Vander Kooi & Associates has spoken at numerous national trade shows and educational events, as well as building his own landscaping company to $2 million in annual sales, plus taking eight weeks of vacation a year. You can now improve your company in three key areas that he has concentrated on and developed books on.

Employee Systems $199
Customer Systems $199
Equipment Systems $199 or all three books together for $595!!

Each book is $199, or for the BEST VALUE you can order the system on CD ROM (including all three books) for $595!! With the CD Rom you can copy and paste all of the charts, create company manuals, marketing pieces, organizational charts, training manuals, proposals, contracts, job descriptions and more!!! This three book system comes with a free audio training tape. 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!!!

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The Complete Estimating Book with Labor & Equipment Production Times for the Green Industry

by Charles Vander Kooi - $45

This book consists of the Estimating section of the "Complete Business Manual.." as well as "Labor & Equipment Production Times..." to form a complete estimating manual. (note - if you have the two above mentioned books, you do not need this one)

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If I Had To Do It All Over Again

by Charles Vander Kooi - $25

This book is a collection of personal experiences of different clients and acquaintances of mine. These people share things they are glad they did, things they would have done differently, and decisions they wish they never would have made. Just some of the topics include: "I Bought A Business and Lost," and "I had to rid myself of a partner."

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Landscape and Sprinkler Care Guide"

by Charles Vander Kooi - $7

This book is a perfect "thank you" to give to your customers to provide them with the information they need to maintain that beautiful landscape which you constructed, or the irrigation system, which you installed. (Hint - stamp the cover with your company logo for an added marketing tool!)

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Growing & Staffing A Business

by Howard Eckel in conjunction with Charles Vander Kooi - $18

Prior to his retirement from the Green Industry, Mr. Eckel was the director and Executive Vice-President of the Davey Tree Expert Company, and was responsible for the total operations of a company, which did over $120 million dollars in sales. Howard shares his expertise in this book with topics that include: Selling and Managing People, Some Things to Unlearn, and Success is Spelled POSITION.

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The Employees Packet Sample

by Charles Vander Kooi - $13

An important guide to help you put together or improve your employee packet, this book contains info on:

General company information
Forms to be filled out by new employees
Employee safety handbook
Company rules and regulations
Job descriptions

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The Idea Book, Volume I & II

by Charles Vander Kooi - $21

These books were compiled over a seven-year period and contain many new and innovative ideas concerning this business that we have gleaned from our many clients and contractors across the United States, Canada and Australia. These ideas could save you thousands of dollars and help make your business more efficient for you to run.

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Systems For Success

by Dwight Hughes - $30

Dwight Hughes is a third generation nurseryman who founded Dwight Hughes Hughes Nursery in 1978. His 83-page book provides a thorough look at different systems to provide maximum efficiency in landscape installation and nursery production. Just some of the chapter titles are:

Landscape Time Management I: Material Handling Systems
Landscape Marketing
Nursery Production I: The Closed System
Managing People: Your Most Valuable Asset

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The 90 Minute MBA

by Arnold Grundvig - $39

This very practical book is designed to improve the way you do business. Arnold accurately and efficiently cuts through the overwhelming abundance of information involved in running a business and details 22 core areas that are vital to running a business. Topics include: embezzlement, accounting, growth, profit vs. cash and more!

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Sell Yourself! 501 Ways to Get Them to Buy from YOU!

by Fred Berns - $25

The blow-your-horn, toot-your-flute success textbook that adds power to your personal sale. This book will help you differentiate yourself, communicate with confidence and double your income.

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Celebrate Marketing

by Fred Berns - $25

An anthology on networking, marketing, referrals and more. Includes a computer disk with tips from some of Americans best marketing minds.

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Dare to Be Different Self Promotion

by Fred Berns - $15

Turn your differences into diamonds. Learn how to promote your uniqueness. Dare to Be Different Self Promotion helps you discover how important it is to marketing yourself effectively.

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Handyman In Your Pocket

$12.95

Finally, THE building and maintenance reference book you have been looking for… information galore! Let us introduce you to this amazing new shirt pocket reference designed specifically for handymen, maintenance people, engineers, scientists, industrial workers, contractors, and builders. It contains 768 pages of facts, tables, and vital information AND it fits in your shirt pocket.

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Audio Tapes Details

People Management in Construction 2 tapes - Charles Vander Kooi - $40

Recorded live in Atlanta, this seminar has been ranked in the top five at the World of Concrete for 11 years running.

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Estimating Strategy" 1 tape - Charles Vander Kooi - $25

This audiotape was recorded live at a convention for Canadian Contractors. It will give you insight and ideas about things you MUST consider in your estimating.

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How to Find, Train, Motivate, and Retain Employees 3 tapes - Monroe Porter - $59

Addressing proven recruiting methods, leadership skills, productivity enhancement, and motivational techniques, this program is designed for anyone who manages people. PROOF speakers have taught this program for over 45,000 people at numerous seminars and national conventions, and has proven to be a number one convention program.

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How to Get the Job at Your Price 3 tapes - Monroe Porter - $59

This series goes in depth on the four important quarters of the entire circle of a strong company: Estimating, Field Performance, Administration, and Financial Management.

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Making the Numbers Work 3 tapes - Monroe Porter - $59

This cassette program offers detailed solutions to the number one problem encountered by failure to charge enough and know the numbers. More than just an accounting program, it covers how lack of income and the stressful nature of an unsuccessful business affects family, personal, and professional life. The subject matter makes this program a must for owners, spouses, and partners of contracting firms.

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Business Listening 1 tape, Monroe Porter - $29

This program offers proven techniques utilized by successful professionals such as therapists, policemen, doctors, sales and managers. Owners, administrators, sales people, foreman, service techs or any other employee who interacts with people will benefit by attending this workshop.

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Video Tapes Details

People Management 2 videos - Charles Vander Kooi - $59

Recorded live at a company meeting it is the same material covered in the audiotapes.

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An Overview of an Estimating System 4 videos - Charles Vander Kooi - $99

Recorded live at one of Mr. Vander Kooi's estimating seminars.

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Systems for Success 1 video - Dwight Hughes - $59

This detailed video shows examples of numerous labor saving systems such as: tree handling and planting, vehicle customization, and field nursery production. Different pieces of equipment used include: "The Tree Boss," hydraulic dump trailer, power auger and trencher, articulated back hoe loader, power wheel barrow with lift capacity, etc.

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