Landscape Design Studio Resources

Hey guys, David here!

Being a small business owner is one of the most rewarding things you can do. 

I spend a ton of time with other small business owners. Jumping from coffee shop to coffee shop, I love to share my experiences. I think I share because I know it helps my fellow man. The consulting industry tends to be a cottage industry, working diligently alone from our home-based studios yet continually interested in how others are figuring out their day.

I have found that surrounding myself with those who share their resources makes a big difference. Hearing about another's similar journey helps promote encouragement and a sense of success in my own.

That's why I originally decided to start sharing my own journey. I am not sure exactly how yet but I want to begin by providing my own take on what I have done so far in my own small business. I want to provide a roadmap to encourage others and provide hope that it is possible. Sure there will be many screw-ups along the way but I will learn from them and I intend to share them here on this blog. More than anything I want to provide a resource for other small business owners to learn from my mistakes and see that we all have something to share. 

Below is a small list of what I call Landscape Design Studio Resources. From computers to online training, the list is by no means complete but a great start nonetheless. As my business grows I will share more about what resources I have used and provide pieces of training but for now, this will have to do.

Hardware

Computer / PDA: iMac (27-inch)

Processor: 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory: 8GB 1600MHz DDR3

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M 2048 MB

iPad Pro

iPhone

Software

• Google Business Apps - Email, Contacts, Calendars, Spreadsheets, General Documents, Presentations, and Advertising
• Adobe Creative Cloud - Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and Bridge
• AutoCAD (2015 or Newer) - Construction drawings and details
• Irrigation F/X (AutoCAD Plugin) - Conceptual site planning, planting design, and irrigation design
• SketchUp - 3D models
• Google Earth Pro - Site locations and aerials
• Pipedrive - CRM and Sales Tracking
• Asana - Task Management for Projects

Books

• How to Win Friends & Influence People - https://itun.es/us/wnC2w.l - This book revolutionized David’s way of thinking when it came to how to treat those around him. He highly suggests this book for anyone in a management role or for those who wish to run their business with a sense of honesty and integrity.
• The E Myth Revisited - https://itun.es/us/VRwRv.l - This is a fantastic book for any small business owner. The practices in this book will show the correct and healthy way of running a small business.
• Residential Landscape Architecture: Design Process for the Private Residence (6th Edition) - http://amzn.com/0132376199 - This book covers the residential design process from the ground up. Basically, a how-to guide for those interested in residential design.

For a more comprehensive list of books I suggest seeing the links below...and yes I have read them all :) 

• Small Business - http://a.co/8yLp3eh 
• Land Planning - http://a.co/dQ03Lf2 
• Landscape Design - http://a.co/6ABx616 

Online Training

Lynda.com - http://www.lynda.com - This is the very best resource online for training videos on software and business skills.

Hope this helps. Talk soon!