The Perfect 100 | Unlocking Leadership Potential: CliftonStrengths and Business Growth

Episode 39: BNI The Perfect 100 Podcast with Tammy Zurak

🎙 GUEST: Jennifer Lawhon of Lawhon Landscape
🌐 Website: https://www.lawhonlandscapedesign.com/

CliftonStrengths: Jennifer Lawhon: Responsibility | Developer | Harmony | Positivity | Belief

In this episode of The Perfect 100, Tammy Zurak sits down with Jennifer Lawhon to discuss how strengths-based leadership and intentional BNI networking can unlock real business growth strategies for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Jennifer shares how understanding your CliftonStrengths can transform leadership, improve communication, and strengthen relationships that generate referrals. The conversation explores how personal branding for business, authentic connections, and ongoing professional development help entrepreneurs grow their influence and visibility.

📚 Topics Covered

• How to leverage CliftonStrengths in business for leadership clarity
• Why networking for referrals drives sustainable growth
• Practical networking tips for small business owners
• How to build your personal brand with strengths
• Ways to improve team performance using strengths
• Leadership insights that help entrepreneurs thrive

👉 If you're focused on business success strategies, stronger relationships, and long-term growth for business owners, this conversation offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

👉 Subscribe for more conversations on BNI networking, CliftonStrengths leadership, and business growth strategies.

🔗 Websites: https://bnitheperfect100.com, www.tammyzurak.com
📩 Coaching Inquiries: tammy@tammyzurak.com
💡 Free Resources: www.tammyzurak.com
🎯 Book a Zoom to discuss Strengths and Coaching: Book a Strategy Chat
📸 Instagram: @zbusinesscoach
🔗 LinkedIn: Tammy Zurak on LinkedIn
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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jennifer and Her Journey
03:35 Growing Up and Family Background
07:43 Unexpected Path to Family Business
13:45 Legacy of Lahan Landscape Design
19:37 The Emotional Dynamics of Working Together
25:44 Nurturing People and Plants in Business
28:18 Mentorship and Member Success
31:02 Adapting to New Member Needs
32:23 Landscaping Insights and Community Value
35:46 Understanding Landscape Design
37:38 Power of One: Metrics and Reflections
42:48 CliftonStrengths: Personal Insights
47:45 Balancing Responsibility and Growth
50:58 Positivity and Mindset Management
51:29 Generational Presence and Business
55:44 Advice for Couples in Business
56:06 Legacy Beyond Business
57:35 Quickfire Round: Fun Insights

Creators and Guests

Host

Tammy Zurak

With 10+ years in BNI, I've experienced both the franchise and company-owned sides as a member, Director Consultant, Chapter Success Coach, and Managing Director. I've proudly maintained a perfect Power of One score of 100 for the past six months in the East Memphis Chapter (something that very few of BNI's 300,000+ members worldwide can claim!). I'm also a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and I'd like to give you an overview of how you might use your personal Strengths to maximize your BNI experience!

Guest

Jennifer Lawhon

What is The Perfect 100?

Hosted by longtime BNI leader and CliftonStrengths Coach Tammy Zurak, this podcast is your weekly boost of insight, inspiration, and action. Whether you're brand new to BNI or a seasoned member, these conversations will help you take your chapter engagement — and your business — to the next level.

Hello and welcome back to The Perfect 100.

Today's guest is someone who represents steadiness, legacy, and heart.

I've known Jennifer for many years through BNI.

When I served as president of the chapter that we were both in together, she was the
mentor coordinator, faithfully guiding new members and making sure people felt supported

from the start.

Back when I was in full-time photography back then, and she was actually a portrait client
of mine.

So I've had the privilege of seeing her in multiple seasons of her life.

And Jennifer and her husband, John, run a Lawhon landscape design together.

I've been to their home for chapter picnics by the lake under their pavilion, complete
with a Civil War cannon nearby, which tells you a little bit of something about their love

of history and tradition.

She loves flowers, beautiful spaces, and most of all her grandchildren.

And if a new one is on the way, she's gonna tell you she's having a baby.

herself.

So today we're going to talk about marriage and business leadership and building something
that lasts.

Jennifer, welcome to the perfect 100.

Thank so much for having me.

It is my pleasure.

Let's go ahead and tell everybody a little bit about who you are with your uh 45 seconds.

Go ahead when you're ready.

Yeah.

We are a family landscape design build company.

We have been serving the Metro Med South for uh over 40 years.

We specialize in creative, thoughtful, custom landscape designs, uh whether it's planting
plants, seasonal color, drainage solutions, or an outdoor feature to enhance the space.

It's our job to uh

do something for our customer that truly fits their unique needs.

For us landscaping, especially for our residential clients, it's not just about curb
appeal, but it's designing a outdoor space and making memories.

We have a client that told us that we created for him a private happy place.

Wow, right?

So that's what we do.

We create happy places for our customers.

Awesome, love that.

All right, so before we talk landscaping, tell me a little bit about you growing up.

What was your childhood like?

What kind of environment that brought you to who you are today?

Well, there you go.

Okay, so I grew up in Vero Beach, Florida, a block and a half away from the beach.

So I spent most of my childhood at the beach.

We would leave at nine o'clock in the morning and we'd take our lunch and we'd be gone
till four o'clock.

And we were with a lifeguard most of the time and he kept his eye on us.

So ah we're very fortunate to grow up uh so close to the ocean and the beach.

And the ocean and the beach means so much to me.

even now.

I just can't wait to get there.

Anytime I can, I go.

ah Then I went to the University of Florida and I met my husband, John Lawhon, and we were
in Latin class and uh we happened to live at the same apartment complex.

We kept seeing each other in different places and we think it was meant to be.

ah So we got married and then we moved over to LSU.

where John got his degree in landscape architecture, then moved to Memphis where he's
actually from and um just started the landscape division of Rex LaHan Horticultural Spray

Service and we've been doing that since 1984.

my, okay.

Well, there was a lot in there.

That was a lifetime in two minutes or less.

So did your parents work or what was, kind of, while you're growing up, what did they do
for work?

Um, my father, um, was retired actually.

He was in business, uh, in property management.

He owned a lot of different rental properties in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and, um,
moved to Florida to retire.

And, um, my mother was a stay at home mom.

Um, you know, so he was retired most of my life and he was a little bit older, uh, than my
mother.

And so he was able to retire, but, and I feel like.

I learned this strong work ethic from him because he always worked, whether it was
volunteering or helping any kind of organization.

He was always busy and I think that's what kept him living until he was almost 91 years
old.

so yeah.

Well, that's lovely that he got to retire and, you know, have time to do those things.

Did you have siblings also?

do have a brother and a sister and my brother still lives in Florida.

My sister has followed us around uh from Florida to Baton Rouge and then she had a short
stint in Texas and then back to Baton Rouge and she's been living here on our property for

about eight or nine years.

So yes, family is everything here for us.

yeah, I know we're gonna hear more about your family, I'm sure.

um And it's a family business, so that's what we're gonna talk about.

were you, so when you were growing up, were you the responsible one, the peacemaker, the
encourager?

What kind of role did you play in the family?

all of the above.

I am the oldest.

So I am very, I was always responsible uh and peacemaker and making sure everybody did
what they were supposed to do.

I'm trying to keep everyone uh going.

And, and like I said, behaving, I guess too, you know, my sister and I are only 14 months
apart.

And so we're very close and she pretty much hung out with my friends.

And when we were, you know,

in Florida together.

Still now, I guess she does too.

ah But anyway, but yes, definitely responsible.

Definitely.

ah I know one of my strengths is harmony.

Definitely trying to keep the peace in our family uh and uh positive, uh you know, with my
parents and my siblings.

So yes, yes, that's definitely me.

My strengths are definitely me.

So yeah.

and we're gonna talk more about those strengths later.

And we're gonna hear how they build up over time here.

did you uh grow up imagining that you'd be working in a family business or did that path
just sort of unfold unexpectedly?

It absolutely unfolded unexpectedly.

ah My degree from University of Florida is in political science.

I intended to go to law school.

ah So I met John and instead of going to law school, we went to LSU.

So uh where I worked in a bank and then John's parents had uh the parent company and they
said, would you work for us?

And I said, sure.

My husband was like, are you sure you want to work for my parents?

I said, yes, I would love to work for your parents.

so we worked together for Mrs.

Lajon and I probably worked together for about 25 years before she retired.

And so we were in the same office and we got along very well together.

Well that's, think, generally you hear all the sort of stereotypes about mother-in-laws,
so it doesn't sound like you had sort of that traditional little adversarial type role.

Oh, absolutely not.

I had the most wonderful mother-in-law in the world.

I was very, very fortunate.

That's awesome, love that.

uh When you think about when you were growing up, was there an experience that shaped how
you take commitments today or did that kind of just evolve over time?

Well, uh as I mentioned before, my father had a very strong work ethic and he passed that
on to us.

I worked in high school, after school, I worked in college.

I worked all the time.

Even one Christmas, I was working for a law firm at the time, just after school, like a
gopher kind of thing.

And my parents being from Pennsylvania, they left, they went to...

Pennsylvania they left me at home so I could continue to work for the law firm until they
closed for Christmas and then they flew me to Pennsylvania because they wanted me to do a

good job and work hard so I I yes I learned that commitment very early on.

Okay, awesome.

And I think that you're fairly deeply involved with your kids and grandkids now.

um What feels familiar about watching them grow up and connect to you back to how you were
raised?

Well, our family, uh growing up, were, my parents were very involved with us and our
activities.

uh We went to, uh we had, in Florida, uh you can go anywhere in about an hour or two, uh
Palm Beach to South, Orlando, Daytona.

So we went away on the weekends a lot and explored those different cities.

and we spent a lot of time together, a lot of time in the summer.

My father loved the beach, so he went to the beach with us you know, we went all the time
and he went just about every day to get that ocean water on him to keep him, keep that

fountain of youth, right.

I know, so I hope, I hope so.

I try to get to the beach as much as I can and I just, you know,

let the water roll on me, because I know it's the salt and the ocean and the breeze and
all of that sort of thing.

But yeah, we spent a lot of time together uh as a family.

And for our family, uh we spent a lot of time together.

uh Growing up, our kids were involved in soccer.

Well, two of three were involved with soccer.

My other son, my oldest son, did track.

did a lot of different things in his high school.

did track and cross country and plays.

And so we were very supportive of all the things he did as well as our other kids.

But as you know, with soccer, you're traveling all the time because they were on
competitive teams.

And so we spent a lot of time with them traveling.

now all three of my kids have left me.

There's, know, I don't.

The boys, I don't think the boys really intended to leave, but their significant others
are in other cities.

So my daughter always intended to leave, but fortunately for us, she's not in California.

She's only three hours away in Nashville.

So, but yes, family for us is everything.

You know, my husband and I have worked together for over 40 years and ah it's really been
a blessing.

uh One thing, you know, we talk about, well, should I have gotten a different job, you
know, or this, that and the other, but.

working together has given my husband and I time together, but more importantly, freedom
to spend time with our kids.

I could be the PTA mother, I could go to their programs, know, leave early for a soccer
tournament or whatever.

I had a lot of freedom, uh you know, being in a family business.

So very, very fortunate, but yes, yeah, family is everything for us.

Well, and to work with your spouse for 40 years and still be married.

yeah, yeah, and when I tell people how long we have been married, I usually tell people
that I got married when I was 12 because it just makes me feel so old to be married that

long, right?

My parents, know, my parents were married that long.

I mean, how can I be married this long?

but that's a blessing also.

So, you know, and a good uh thing really.

I get that having to tell people what reunion just passed from my high school.

I won't say the number out loud, but it's very similar to the number we just said and it
makes me feel really old.

ah Yes, I feel you.

I've got one coming up in April and in certain it's probably longer than yours.

uh But it's an opportunity to go back to my hometown of Vero Beach and see people I
haven't seen for long time.

So I'm gonna go.

Yeah, and they all look young because they grew up at the beach.

Exactly, right?

Exactly.

So I feel I look young for as old as I am, right?

Right?

Yeah.

All right.

So your business, Lawhon Landscape Design, traces back to 1958 when Rex and Beth started
it.

How does it feel to be part of a business with that kind of history?

amazing.

It's amazing.

uh Beth and Rex were amazing teachers to myself, my husband, and at the time uh John's
brother worked with us as well.

And we learned so much about how to treat customers, how to be organized, how uh to be
very responsible in satisfying our customers.

We're blessed.

mean, we were blessed to not only spend time with them in the business, but in spend time
with them as a family because we lived a pasture away from them.

So we were very, very fortunate.

Our kids got to spend time with their grandparents.

We did too in a family atmosphere rather than just a business atmosphere.

You know, to be in business since 1958, that's 67 years going on 68.

That's a very long time for a business.

uh you know, that says a lot for stamina and uh our reputation as well.

For sure.

Yeah, and you and John eventually took it over.

uh You kind of stepped more into the operational side, is that fair?

Okay, and how did you decide what your role would be?

Um, well, originally Mrs.

Lohan decided what my role would be and that would be, um, you know, customer service
basically and data entry and all of that sort of thing.

Um, but the way John and I operate in our private, in our home life and business life is
that, um, I'm the boss.

No, just kidding.

Uh, I tell him what to do.

That makes me responsible, right?

So, um, I make sure that things keep going.

ah And we're on track and we're doing our landscape designs ah efficiently and in a timely
manner.

And I have taken that role on uh for many, many years now here in our business as well as
at our home because someone has to be the organizer and keep things going.

So that's me.

Well, I feel like that's many, many, many people, right?

That's ladies.

It sometimes just works out that way.

I don't know why that is.

All right.

And when you have a family business that spans all those generations, there's a sense of
pride, I'm imagining.

So does that ever feel heavy that you're keeping an ongoing legacy or what does that feel
like?

Well, it does.

uh When uh Lawn started their spray service business in 1958, they were basically the
pioneers oh for spraying.

And spraying, when I say spraying, they were spraying for weeds in lawns and fertilizing
and all of that.

And there weren't a lot of companies doing that at the time.

And they had many, many customers ah that they kept happy.

And then we continued to keep them happy ah as well.

So we do have a lot of pride.

We have a lot of pride too because uh one of our first customers uh was a spray service
customer and we did a landscape for their yard and then they moved to their to a new house

and we did a landscape for them at their new house.

Oops at their new house and then we did one of their son's houses and then we did another
son's house and a second house for that son.

And then more recently we did their granddaughter's house.

So we are, it's generational for us.

uh And it started, you know, with the spray service getting our, uh you know, having that
first customer.

And we've done numerous uh customers that way.

You know, we do the entire family.

And so we do, we do take great pride because we know that these customers learn to trust
us and know that we do good work and

So they refer to family, but they also refer to their friends.

And so we really appreciate that.

Yeah, it's amazing.

There's gotta be, so I recently found out, I was a portrait photographer full-time for 12
years, and I just recently found out that someone I had photographed had passed.

And yeah, and it was a shock because they weren't, it wasn't where they were just a normal
lifespan thing.

I mean, they were definitely a little older, but not, it was just a shock to hear.

And for me having...

photograph them that last forever, right?

For family members that always exists and it's, you know, kind of takes the breath out of
you a little bit when you can feel that.

But I think there's that where you've built something that grows, you know, I mean, you
guys grow stuff that grows, but you also are building a business that grows, you know, and

has roots to make all the parallels.

um So, you know, I think that that's amazing that you can, you know, sprout something in
generations that continues on and you can drive by someone's home and see like, you know,

it's got to be cool.

I know that when we moved into our house, it's been, it'll be 18 years in the spring and
to see, we planted trees, you know, that were babies and now they're full, you know, I was

marveling at the size of our.

Magnolia tree in my front yard the other day and how gorgeous and beautiful and huge it
is.

And when I look back at pictures and it's just this little tiny little, you know, like
little stick with some leaves on it.

And now it's this full grown thing.

It's got to be pretty cool to be able to see the fruit of your work, you know, long term
too.

Oh, absolutely.

It's like a baby.

Like when you planted your tree, you nurtured it, you fed it, you you watched it grow, you
trimmed it, you did whatever until it grew into a big, beautiful tree.

And uh we've done that all over the Mid-South.

And uh we do enjoy looking at some of our work all around town because we see we start
with the plants and then we see them grow.

uh the way my husband designs is

he designs the plants for what they're going to become.

So in other words, if there's a plant that grows three feet or four feet, he spaces them
so that eventually they will grow to the proper size and not be overgrown.

So that's really important.

And so we have been all over town looking at some of our work and we do take great pride
in seeing our work.

Well, and that's the thing that sets you all apart is that he has a degree in that, right?

And he thinks about those things.

And I think that, know, I didn't plant that magnolia, the builder did, but they also
planted, I planted a whole bunch of crepe myrtles, because we didn't, I come from the

North where we don't have crepe myrtles.

And I love trees that flower all summer long.

But the builder put bushes in that were supposed to be bushes, which are now trees.

uh And they certainly, I don't think thought, cause some of them are actually bushes and
some of them are trees.

And I don't think that was their intention.

Probably not and see that's the thing there has to be maintenance You know people have to
trim and take care of their their plants and a lot of people You know, we try to tell our

customers, you know trim this every year trim it back trim it You know an inch or two or
whatever we give them details on how to take care of their their newly newly planted

landscape uh so that it doesn't become overgrown and

and it still looks nice.

Yes.

All right, so working alongside your spouse has got to have some requirements emotionally
that you would not have working with just a co-worker.

So tell me a little bit about that.

that a harder thing or just because you guys kind of figured it out, it's okay?

think we figured it out.

uh I learned early on what to say and what not to say.

I know that each person has triggers and certain things you say triggers that person and
so I've learned not to do that.

uh In marriage as well as business together.

Also I know that uh timing, it's all about timing uh when you say things uh and how you
say it.

We have this thing in our family, it's called tone of voice.

And I always tell my husband, watch your tone of voice.

so, you know, so he's worked on that over the years.

I kind of failed, but still working on it after all these years.

But, you know, we have a certain dynamic and it works for us.

But we did have to work on it in the beginning, but now we've been working together for so
long.

I know what he's thinking, I can finish his sentences and he can almost finish mine.

He's still catching on over, uh he's almost getting there.

uh And what have you learned through running a business together that, what would you have
learned about yourself?

I've learned a lot.

I've learned, uh well, first of all, I learned how hard it is to run a business yourself.

mean, you have to spend lots and lots of time, well, not just together, know, John and I
together, but on the business.

mean, you know, working hard to make a successful business, working hard to satisfy our
customers and please our customers.

ah So I've learned a lot.

that I'm able to do it.

I'm able to be optimistic and positive with our customers and friendly and I'm able to uh
know that we are gonna do what we say we're gonna do.

So yes, I have learned a lot over the years.

and when I first met your husband, he was the member in my chapter.

And then you all swapped out, you did a little tag team and I think you came for a while
as a sub and then next thing you know, you made the transition to being the member.

How did that go?

Tell us about that.

ah Well, when we first started in BNI, uh was interesting how it came about because we had
somebody come in to check our security system.

And uh he said, are you, we told him what we did.

are you in BNI?

Are you familiar with BNI?

And we're like, no, what's it all about?

ah So he told us and we visited and it happened that we knew a few people uh at the time,
our accountant.

CPA firm was represented at the time and ah so we knew them and ah you know they were very
encouraging.

ah But John went and ah after a year or two, he probably says three or four, ah he said
you know I'm really too busy.

I cannot, I cannot do this every week.

I've got to run crews, I've got to meet with people.

If you think this is important then you need to do it.

And I'm like what?

Because

First of all, I'm not a morning person, okay?

I'm not a morning person.

And I, at the time, I was not a very good public speaker, but guess what?

On Thursdays, I'm a morning person.

And I'm a much better public speaker than I was.

So I've learned a lot.

And ah still, John will sub for me if I'm traveling or can't make it.

So, you know, people still see him.

And our chapter has a lot of events and I usually take him with us.

So.

people get to see him and they're always asking, how's John, how's John, how's John?

So we're a team basically in BNI and we're just each other, I guess.

If I'm not there, he's there and so we can support each other in that respect.

Love that.

And you served as mentor coordinator.

I don't know what you're doing currently if you're still in that role, but I know you were
that a lot.

And um what does nurturing plants in a greenhouse teach you about nurturing people in
business?

So much, so much.

um Because when I was a mentor, uh I'm on membership committee now and events.

And um as a mentor, I learned so much because I wanted uh the new members to be
successful.

And so we spent a lot of time talking about BNI dynamics and all the things.

And um that's what we did with our business.

We started small and we did good work and we built and built and built and we continue to
do good work.

ah you know, we not only have nurtured our plants because we do have greenhouses here with
lots and lots of plants.

So we nurture them, but we nurtured our business.

ah We did whatever we felt we needed to do to be successful.

ah We always feel we should do the right thing by our customers.

and we have always striven, stroven to do that for our customers because we feel it's very
important.

Yeah, and I know you and I, because I was president and you were a mentor coordinator, we
had a lot of conversations about how do we help people be more successful.

And I know you were a big part of that.

I really tried to.

I really, really enjoyed being the mentor because I really felt like I helped people be
successful in BNI because as much as we went over in the beginning when they did their

orientation, we covered so much information.

But only because I wanted to tell them all the things that they really needed to be
successful.

The one-to-ones, all the things.

um We are doing it a little differently now, uh which I think is uh successful as well, uh
because, you know, it's nothing wrong with trying new things.

If something works better than one thing, that is great.

so we're just trying to make sure that all of our new members are nurtured and um ready to
be a member of our.

chapter because there's a lot involved in being in VNI, a lot of responsibility and a lot
of activity.

Yeah, I was just talking to my husband the other day about, and I don't remember why we
got on the topic, but how, you know, it's a, I'm a CliftonStrengths coach, so people have

different strengths and people learn in different ways, right?

So sometimes I'm the kind of person, give me all the information I want to know,
everything upfront, and I'm going to figure out, you know, from there.

Other people, that's an overwhelm for them, right?

So.

not that adjustment over time.

Sometimes it could just be individual people, right?

As they just, I need one thing, the next person needs something else in order to pick it
up and be successful.

But that's why we have a team of people helping, right?

Exactly, exactly.

And we have good leadership in our chapter.

uh They are really trying to meet with the new members and get them on board.

That is actually part of our Passport to Success, um which I know you're familiar with and
anybody in BNI is familiar with.

I'm thinking that they still do the Passport Success in corporate, uh but we absolutely
do.

We absolutely do the Passport to Success.

It kind of forces people to meet with people and learn more about the dynamics of BNI.

And that's really important.

When you meet with people, which in BNI is what we call one-to-ones, uh you you learn
about each other and you're not only learning about BNI, but you're learning about each

other.

And that's where you develop the relationships where you know, like, and trust these
people and you can refer them.

And in BNI, that's what it's all about is referrals.

sure.

So landscaping is a hands-on seasonal and dependent on crews.

What systems or rhythms keep things steady?

Well, for us, oh we like to design when the weather is, like in January, February, we
encourage our customers to contact us, even if they're thinking about doing a landscape in

the spring, uh so that we can be designing their landscape ah and get it ready.

And then that way, when they're ready, we're ready.

because January, February is a much slower time for us.

uh We don't mow or any of that sort of thing uh or do leaves or any of that.

So we're not having that instant constant income.

So we take that time to uh design and uh do work around our place, our farm and our
greenhouses so that we're ready for spring.

uh We have different companies that we work with to

do our that does our labor that does our planting and all our projects and so we get with
them and let them know what our projects are and then we schedule and um Keep up with our

customers in that respect

You know, I don't know why this thought just came to my head, I, as I walk, I walk my dogs
every day.

My husband and I walk together with the dogs and I look at the various houses.

I look at everything because I'm trained to now, right, for BNI is I'm looking at roofs to
see if shingles are missing.

I'm looking at peeling paint.

I'm looking at yards.

I'm looking at all the things because I'm looking for referrals for people.

And I noticed some people have a very minimal

you know, sort of existence.

Others, you know, my yard was a blank slate when we moved in and we bought it from a
builder and all they had was one tree.

That one magnolia tree and a few bushes around the front and that's, you know, the
requirement.

And we planted, I've lost count how many trees, I like trees, so, and flowers and all the
things.

But some of my neighbors have almost nothing and I wonder what the difference is for

value in people's homes when they have no landscaping or they have a great deal of
landscaping, although it has to be maintained, you know, to look nice.

is there a, have you looked, is that something that you guys look at and talk to people
about?

We do it's called curb appeal Because when people drive up to your house, what do they see
they see a beautiful landscape?

They see they think wow they take care of their yard.

They must take care of their home and You know, know of people that actually have moved to
houses because of their landscape uh you know because it's been done for them and it's

just landscape

You know, not important to everybody, obviously, for the people that, ah you know, have
landscape that you've noticed in your neighborhood.

ah But, you know, sometimes people can't handle more than they can handle, you know, and
it's not important to them.

ah For me, personally, I love driving up to my house and seeing ah maintained,
well-maintained beds.

ah And we always have flowers, some sort of flowers.

When John does a design, he puts uh

know, pansies in this time of year or dianthus in this time of year.

So we have color, of course, and I can't say this very well, but they're yellow and
they're facetia and they're blooming right now.

The tulip magnolias are blooming right now.

Yeah, so, you know, so when he designs, he puts different plants in that will bloom at
different times.

So the yards will have color, you know.

mostly year round.

But yes, I think we feel a landscape really does a lot to raise the value of a home and
might have a son that's in real estate and he agrees.

A lot of times they'll say, okay, mom, what should I put there for this customer so that
the house might sell better?

Because some people just don't have a vision and they can't see that

This could be a beautiful home.

I mean, it could be a beautiful house, but it could be a beautiful home with a fresh
landscape.

And we're fortunate to have many customers that feel and know the value of a good
landscape.

What do you think customers underestimate about what goes into a good landscape design?

ah Well, I think they don't realize really what goes into a good landscape design.

ah You know, we do what we call mapping.

We get out into the property and we measure.

uh There's a way to do it online now, but we are old school and we still get out and
measure.

So we know the exact measurements of the beds, where the existing plants are and all of
that.

So we do that and then we do a landscape and it takes a lot of thought.

You know, when I say we specialize in thoughtful, creative, custom landscape designs, we
do.

Because it takes a lot of thought.

You are married to an artist and I think you do some painting as well or you're a
photographer.

So you know, you know the creative thought that has to go into the projects, right?

And this is the same with designing a landscape.

ah You know, you have to come up with different ah textures and colors and sizes and all
the things and a lot of thought goes into that.

uh When we plant, we put in a lot of soil amendments and till it in so that if there's the
soil is not that great, even if it is, we still put soil amendments into uh the beds so

that the plants have a greater chance of living.

Okay, then we fertilize everything ah and then we mulch and then we also put a
pre-emergent down to help keep the weeds down, which I say in the landscape world there's

two things that you need.

You need an irrigation system to water those plants that you just invested in and then you
need a pre-emergent on the beds to keep the weeds down so you're not spending all your

life pulling weeds.

So there you go.

No.

anyway.

All right, let's take a turn and let's talk about your power of one.

So I'm gonna read for those that cannot see the screen from left to right.

Jennifer has a score of 75 in the green.

She has 20 points for attendance in the green, 15 points for referrals in the yellow.

Zero points in the gray for visitors, 20 points in the green for one-to-ones, and 20
points um in the green for CEUs.

And we have your palms report up as well.

uh You have no absences, a few subs in there, which is not considered an absence.

Referrals given inside two, referrals given outside 18.

Referrals received inside one, referrals received outside five.

uh Visitors one.

And I'm not sure what the time, think we've got about, it started in August through end of
January.

So however many weeks that is, didn't actually tell, oh, it says 21, I think.

And then let's see, one to ones 52.

Thank you for closed business given $11,587 and 23 CEUs.

So what do you think about all of that?

Well, honestly, the thank you for closed business is a little more because I did not enter
some that I should have until after the deadline.

It's very hard for me to get a visitor.

I do not know why, but I did have a visitor in February.

and I think I might be like you in February.

I might have a hundred.

I might have the, you know, the perfect 100 like Tammy Zyrack.

So I'm striving to be like you, Tammy.

That's right.

So have, I have a problem, not a problem, but I can't seem to get the visitors that I need
to get because in BNI.

uh They would like you to have at least one per month and I'm not good at that, but I am
very good at doing my CEUs.

I walk so I'm listening to CEUs.

uh One-to-ones, I love doing one-to-ones and the one-to-ones are so important as we know.

uh And then I'm there uh and in attendance and I'm a little low in that timeframe mainly
because I have a daughter that got married.

in December and so I'm usually a little higher in than 75 and I'm always in the green ah
but I did have to say okay I did not get that fourth referral this month or I do not have

time for this third or fourth CEU because I just had so many things to do but I really do
strive to be in the green and uh one time, one time I was in the yellow and I said never

again and that was when I first started.

And I said, I'll always be in the green.

I may be in the lowest green, but I'm going to be in green.

Yes, well, it's an ongoing, you're not the first guest who said, you know, I'm usually a
little higher, but 75 is, you know, right smack dab in the middle of green, you're know,

you're good.

uh And things fluctuate because people have lives and that's also okay.

uh You know, you're doing your part and that's what matters.

And visitors are seemingly hard for most people.

It used to be hard for me and I kind of figured out the vibe.

Mm-hmm.

I just go places where people like to network that are not BNI.

And it makes it easier because they're willing to, know, all I gotta do is say, hey, what
are you doing?

And on this day, and they show up, mostly, it's weird.

um I just have cracked, I finally cracked the code.

So I have an abundance of visitors um by, especially compared to when I, you know, was
just a regular member before I was really doing this and making sure, I mean, I wanna, we

all wanna do well.

uh But I've really, it wasn't, you know, I've come through seasons, I've been in BNI for
12, almost 12 years now, and you know, it wasn't as easy as it used to be, so you're good.

uh What habits do you do that protect that score to kind of keep you where you want to be?

Kind of week after week.

ah I make sure that I get my one-to-ones.

I really try to do them at the beginning of the month to make sure I at least get my four.

ah More recently with events committee and different things I've had, you know, a lot
more.

But I always try to get my four in the beginning of the month and I really try for my CEUs
in the beginning of the month as well.

I don't always, you know, get that but...

I do try and then that way I know that if I don't get any more I'm still good.

But I make sure that I have my one-to-ones and my CEUs as soon as possible.

Then I don't have to worry about it the rest of the month but even though I still continue
to have one-to-ones.

uh Last night I listened to some of your podcasts.

I have three CEUs from last night.

I haven't entered them yet but I've got three CEUs just like that.

In the BNI world, all we need is four CEUs a month.

We have some in our chapter that might have, I don't know, they might have 20 in a month,
but they have a lot of what they call windshield time and they listen while they're

traveling here or there.

uh So anyway, but that's what I strive for.

And when I was a mentor, that's what I've told people.

Just get your one-to-ones, get your CEUs, and then think about the visitors and ah make
sure you come.

You come to each meeting.

And for me, I like the meetings.

I enjoy the meetings and so I really try to go if I can't.

And like I said, I had a wedding, so I traveled a lot and my husband filled in for me, but
he and I are the same, so it didn't matter.

Right, well, and you said something important there.

You said, I'm involved in your, so it's easier to do those things when you're involved.

You were a mentor coordinator, you are events, you are, so when you're doing those things,
you're naturally, you know, being more ingratiated into the process that brings all of

those things together, right?

Oh, absolutely.

mean, in membership, you have a membership meeting and we have those once a month.

That is a CEU.

ah You know, you interview uh new members or you have reviews for uh current members.

Those are CEUs or they are one-to-ones.

uh So it's a great thing.

And honestly, for BNI, as far as BNI goes, if you are involved and you do the one-to-ones,

then you will be successful in D &I.

But you have to do the work.

You have to do it.

right.

Let's transition over to your CliftonStrengths.

So We have your top five.

Your number one is responsibility.

You take psychological ownership of your commitments.

You are dependable and embrace values such as honesty and loyalty.

Your number two is developer.

You recognize and cultivate the potential in others.

You spot the signs of each small improvement and love when you see someone make progress.

Your number three is harmony.

You look for consensus.

You have no use for unnecessary friction and guide others towards practical solutions.

Your number four is positivity.

You have contagious enthusiasm.

You are naturally upbeat and can energize others.

And your number five is belief.

You have certain core values that are unchanging.

These values provide direction and a strong sense of purpose.

So you have three in the relationship building uh theme and you have two in the executing
theme, which I think we've heard a bunch of things about already so far, right?

So how did you feel about once you saw your results?

Quite honestly, I thought they were spot on.

uh I am a very responsible person as we talked before.

I feel responsible even in BNI for showing up or working with new members or trying to
help other uh members get to where they need to be.

ah know, like, you know, in BNI we have a...

system.

We have a metric where we have green, yellow, red, and gray.

We don't like our members to be in the red and the gray.

And so uh I try to do my one-to-ones with them so that I can learn more about them.

They can learn more about me and maybe we can have a referral from that.

We have a member in our uh chapter that says if you don't get a referral out of a
one-to-one then you've just had coffee.

So um we always try.

I always try to uh encourage these people that are in the red and the gray uh to do better
and how can I help them.

So I think that might be part of the developer as well, right?

ah You know, so and I uh do like to put people together.

Like if I think this person has a lot in common with another person, then I will make sure
that they meet.

so that they can uh talk, have their one-to-one, and get to know each other.

uh I'm all of the above.

I am all of the ones.

uh I have developed a lot of relationships, a lot of friendships in BNI, and I really
appreciate that.

uh I wouldn't have known you.

I wouldn't have known many, many people had I not been in BNI.

And so it's really been a good thing.

Yeah, and I know you reached out to me after you took it.

You were concerned because you were sort of neutral on some of the questions.

because you can, it's either you agree to disagree or sort of in the middle and you were
worried that that was not going to give you the results, but it sounds like it played out

still, right?

All right.

Clifton's strengths are spot on.

Awesome.

So responsibility being number one, do you ever struggle with carrying too much?

Sometimes, sometimes I do feel overwhelmed.

ah But then I, you know, then I compartmentalize and not saying that, that one, that one,
and uh I'm able to deal with it.

You know, I have this right here or this right here and I'll say, okay, I'll get this
done.

I'll get this done.

And so, and I'm, I like to make lists and write things down.

I love to.

those things off my list and that makes me feel a lot better and that helps me not be as
overwhelmed in whatever I'm doing.

Yeah, that sounds like um typical responsibility behavior.

Checking a list or making it twice.

I don't know whatever that is.

Making a list, checking it twice.

um Yes.

And with the developer, you're cultivating, right?

Which is kind of translates again to what you do um actually in your work, what your
business does.

But what's more satisfying, growing a business or growing people?

People really, mean, I'm glad we're successful in business, but people really.

uh I love to see people, ah I love to encourage people and let them know that yes, they
can do this, that, or the other, and maybe they need a little push, uh and maybe they feel

one way, and ah I try to encourage them that this is the way to go, and if you do this,
then this will happen.

um I do love cultivating people, um encouraging people, right?

That's really the better word, right?

Encouraging people.

Well, I don't know a coach, so it is really about cultivating, you know, someone's ability
to uh grow.

You you can't see what they don't know.

So it's just like putting, you you mentioned mulching and see, you know, all the things
that cause a plant to grow are the same things.

You've got to, can't just plop it in the ground and hope it works.

It, you know, it.

it will sometimes take root, but a lot of times it won't.

So, which is why I think small businesses often fail is they don't know all the
extraneous, you've got to have good soil and you've got to have an irrigation system and

you've got to, you know, all the other things that you're not knowledgeable about can sink
you if you're not, you know, paying attention.

yeah, that's a, we love our developers.

How about positivity?

can be, uh sometimes being the positivity person uh can be a lot.

So how do you protect your mindset to stay that way?

uh Well, go out to the lake and cry.

No, but I am a very uh positive person and uh I try to see the positive in every person
themselves.

oh you know, so I again try to encourage them, but I always try to be positive and and
hope that my positivity rubs off on them and then they can see that they are able.

you know, and they have the ability to do whatever it is they're trying to do.

ah So, so yeah, I mean,

I'm a glass half full.

uh you know, I really try to motivate people.

I try to uplift people.

uh I know a lot of things about how people are, uh what they're capable of, and I really
try to encourage them to do that.

So I feel that's all part of uh positivity.

So I'm definitely a positive person and I like to be around positive people as well.

Yes.

All right, so you are involved with your children and your grandchildren.

How do you stay present across generations while running a business?

that's tough.

um Honestly, and ah grant, well, let me say, let me rephrase that.

Grandchildren come first.

Okay.

I will always leave if I'm needed or wanted.

I will always leave the business ah and go see my grandchildren.

They are number one.

ah And ah I have a phone that can move.

move over to my cell phone so if the phone's ringing I can always catch the call.

But for the most part our customers have our cell numbers and so they call us anytime so I
can still keep up with them.

But yes, uh my children, uh we have a joke in our family and uh my daughter was at the top
of the totem pole and ah when my first grandchild was born he moved to the top and she

moved to second.

My second child

My second grandchild was born and she moved third.

yeah, so grandchildren and it's just a joke in our family that my daughter is the
favorite, okay?

But now the grandchildren are the favorite and uh I think she understands that now, so
that's good.

Well, I'll never forget when you said, I'm having a baby.

And then it was, I can't remember what lineup the grandchildren that was, but that stuck
with me obviously, because that's been many years ago.

That's right.

Well, I, I'm, you know, I feel a very big part of their family and I want to be a big part
of the grandchildren's life and I will do whatever, you know, whatever they need me to do,

whatever they asked me to do.

When my first one was born, I, they said I could come once a month and guess what I did
because they don't live here.

So I certainly, I traveled once a month to see him and I don't go as much now because with

weddings and this that and the other we're seeing it we see each other a lot now so so
anyway yeah grandchildren number one um i say that the grandparents club is the best club

ever so um you know that's for me anyway that's right

that works.

All right.

And you know, my husband and I, we don't work together, but you know, I'm in his business.

I take, I'm a student in his business and he, we certainly talk about my business a lot
together.

What advice would you give couples who go into business together does not necessarily like
us, but just want to go full in like you and John.

think that you have to listen to each other and I think you have to uh learn to respect
each other as far as, you know, maybe you don't agree with the other one saying, but you

have to respect what they say and think about it.

Like I said, you may not agree, but let them have, you know, let them say what they're
going to say and listen and compromise.

think compromise is a really big deal.

mean, not only in business, but in marriage.

I think listening, think respect, uh compromise are so important in a relationship.

And a marriage, ah professional relationship, they're all so important.

So I would say to always respect and um think about the other person and listen to that
other person, even if you don't agree.

And many times I don't, but it's okay.

They think they're right or...

or whatever and you just let things go.

You kind of argue about every little thing ah because otherwise you could be arguing all
the time and that's not a good healthy relationship so let it go.

No, not at fun at all and have fun in a relationship.

That's important too.

You've got to have fun.

It can't be all about work.

You just have to have fun and enjoy each other.

ah I think that's also another ah

another reason for a long-lasting relationship and marriage fun.

Awesome.

All right, and when you think about the next generation, what do you hope they inherit
beyond the business itself, if they're even going to inherit the business?

ah We have three children, like I said, and none of them want our business.

So, ah you know, we talk about retirement mainly because, you know, of our grandchildren
and spending more time with them.

And hopefully one day we'll have more grandchildren.

Like I said, my daughter just got married in December and so hopefully we'll have more.

uh But we also enjoy what we do.

ah We enjoy the relationships that we cultivate with our customers.

And so we are not quite ready to give that up.

As far as generational, mean, our kids are not going to be in the landscape business.

all have, ah well, they don't all have corporate jobs, but they all have good jobs that
they're very successful at, and that's what they like.

I mean, it's hard work owning your own business.

It's hard work in a landscape business.

I mean, because you have a certain, you know, certain periods of time where you work
harder than others.

And, you know, they saw what we went through.

and that was not their thing.

um So not really sure what will happen to our business.

We do have a couple of people that we work with and there's been interest in working with
them until we actually do retire.

uh But we've been making Memphis beautiful for over 40 years and we're just not ready to
stop.

Yeah, sounds good to me.

All right, so let's go ahead and roll into our quick fire edition, I guess.

All right, so these are just quick, fast answers, fun, you want to make it.

So what flower matches your personality?

Oh, I think a Xenia for sure.

Bright and colorful.

And what's the word?

Very, you throw the seed, plentiful.

Is that what you said?

Plentiful.

Abundant, yeah.

Yeah.

So a Xenia for sure.

Now I do love roses.

I specifically love pink roses, but I do love the Xenias too.

So colorful.

Colorful is my personality.

I love that flower in particular for its ability to just continue growing.

It's like, even when you don't plant them, if you planted them before, they just keep
showing up.

They keep showing up.

You are absolutely right.

And that's me.

I'll keep showing up.

And I didn't know, and this is a, I'm uh extending the short quickfire round here, but I
didn't know until a years ago that you could pluck the petals and that's where the seeds

are.

So once they die, you can just pluck the petals and that little, for people that don't
know this, the little triangular thing at the bottom is actually the seed.

So you just save those and you've got a whole new round of zinnias.

So you never have to buy more.

That's right.

Absolutely.

Love that.

All right, What's one plant that you can't keep alive?

Oh boy, well, um I am having a hard time with the ficus and that's an indoor plant.

And I think that I love them in the summertime and I actually keep them outside in the
summertime and they do fine outside, but you bring them in for the winter and I'm losing

leaves like crazy.

So I'm having a hard time with my ficus.

uh I'm trying to think if there's anything else that I can't keep alive.

I have beautiful, uh

Christmas cactuses that bloom at Christmas.

We have bromeliads that we brought from my parents' house actually in Florida that are
still alive after 30-something years.

So I enjoy those and I can't seem to kill those and I don't want to kill those.

So yeah, so ficus is what comes to mind, but like I said, it's an indoor plant.

The plants that we use in our landscapes are hardy for this area so they don't usually
die.

So yeah.

but I know you take care of it even if they do.

do.

We guarantee everything that we plant.

Yeah, and I may, can't keep an orchid alive to save my life.

I've got a pretty green thumb, but man, those orchids are tough.

And I think my Christmas cactus, one of my Christmas cactuses is a little um feeling, it
must've been a little sleepy around the holiday, because it's blooming today.

I walked by it, was like, what is happening?

it's mixed up in there.

Right.

is.

It's like, hey, maybe we're going to be an Easter cactus this year.

I don't know.

All right.

What's one BNI habit everyone should master?

ah showing up on time and coming or going to the meetings every single week, staying for
the entire meeting and doing the one-to-ones.

I know that's more than one, ah but those are important.

Showing up and doing the one-to-ones, that's so important, I feel.

All right.

Spring rush or fall cleanup season, which do you prefer?

Okay.

If your business was a tree, what would it be?

What kind?

Let's see, probably would be a magnolia or an oak tree, a live oak tree, because oh they
are very stable and sturdy and they grow and they grow and they live and they live.

So that would be us.

Alright, love that.

uh One thing grandkids teach us about leadership.

Oh boy.

um Well with grandkids, know, you're supposed to say no every once in a while.

um However, that is not in my vocabulary with the grandchildren.

But I do try to, you know, as far as leadership goes, I do try to say, okay, well, you
here's your, you know, here's your shorts, put them in the laundry basket, you know, and I

try to.

you know, encourage them to do the chores because chores are important I'm not sure what
I'm teaching them about leadership, ah but fun is the name of the game and uh behaving and

doing what you're supposed to do.

uh And uh

Like I said, I don't know what I'm teaching them about leadership, but hopefully I'm a
good role model to them.

So there you go.

Alright, and what's one landscaping mistake homeowners make?

uh digging a hole and just sticking a plant in there.

That's not the way it needs to be done.

know, they also, so digging a hole, when you dig a hole, you dig it bigger than the plant,
you put soil amendments in there.

ah They make that mistake by just sticking it in because a lot of times ah the dirt is not
hardy enough for the plant to grow.

Also homeowners

Yeah, they just might get a plant that they love that's beautiful, but they put it in the
sun and it's supposed to be in the shade.

So they don't really pay attention to that kind of thing.

oh Somebody told me he planted four hollies and I said, well, where did you plant them?

And he said, well, I planted them in the dense, dense shade.

And I think it was hollies.

It could have been something else.

And I said, well, no, those belong in the sun.

So people just don't, they don't know that.

uh And that's okay because that's what we're here for.

Yes.

All right.

Best referral you've ever received.

Wow, uh we received uh a complete landscape design uh for a backyard.

It was a new patio, new sidewalks, new irrigation system.

We did an arbor uh in the back as well.

All new plants.

so what was so great about that is the homeowners really, really enjoyed their new outdoor
space.

They invited us for dinner.

We became friends with them.

ah So that was so good.

But also what they did is they referred us to some of their friends.

And that's what it's all about, right?

The referrals, it's what it's all about.

So we were able to please them.

And because of that, we got

several more referrals and so we really appreciate them and like I said they became our
friends so that was our best referral.

No koi pond?

No koi pond.

You know the story on uh that one.

we did a landscape for someone in their backyard that had a koi pond.

And they didn't want their koi pond.

So we filled it in and put a new landscape over that koi pond.

Now uh we did safely uh move the koi uh fish to a new home.

They were not damaged or

Yes.

You went to a happier home.

All right.

And finish this sentence.

Longevity in business requires.

Let's see, it requires a lot of hard work and a lot of um satisfying customers.

Alright, and I have one last question.

If your grandchildren were watching this episode one day, because you know these things
live on, what would you hope they learn about how you built your life?

I would hope that they learn that they're JinJin, because that's what they call me, built
my life with lots of love and gratitude and lots of fun.

Well, Jennifer, thank you so much for sharing all of that with us.

There's a heart behind all of the things that you guys do and so hopefully you've been
able to reach some new people and hear about the wonderful journey that your, you know, 40

some years have made in this business um and looking towards the future.

So thank you for being here.

Thank you so much for having me.

I've really enjoyed this time with you, Tammy.

I really do.

We don't get to see each other that often.

um But I'm glad we did get to spend this time together.

So thank you so much for having me today.

My pleasure.

And for our listeners, especially our fellow BNI members, remember to give yourself a CEU
credit.

And if you think that this conversation resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it.

Love for you even more to become a subscriber, make comments, like the episode, all of
those things make it so that YouTube, if you're watching it there or wherever you are, but

ideally on YouTube, you're doing all those things because that will allow other BNI
members to find us.

So thank you and we'll see you again next time on The Perfect 100.