Smart Business Magazine, April 2019
56 Smart Business Cleveland April 2019 I started working when I was about 7 says Petitti Dad would take me in on the weekends and I worked all the way through high school and college when I was back in town I came straight into the business after college We opened up Strongsville and that set the foundation to grow the retail side of the company to where it is now Today there are nine locations across Northeast Ohio where customers can find more than 7000 varieties of plants and flowers The company owns Casa Verde its greenhouses in Columbia Station where annuals and perennials are grown In Lake County five farms comprise Willowbend where trees and shrubs come to life It all adds up to 9 million plants in production and an estimated 600000 customers each year Its impressive but Petitti says customers expect more than beautiful flowers when they come to a Petitti store When customers walk in they often know what they want to have addressed and what issues they are having he says But a lot of times they dont know the right way to address those issues Whether its in the store online or through one of the companys sponsored radio or TV programs Petitti has made customer education a top priority Its a key factor in the companys enduring success of an issue good or bad When we celebrate we celebrate together When we face difficult situations we try to handle them in the best possible way The more you do that the more you build a legacy of strong culture It helps you attract and retain great people Petitti and his father who still serves as owner and CEO each drive about 50000 miles a year traveling to and from each of the companys stores on a regular basis Its not about micromanagement its about being part of the team and creating an environment where everyone has the same knowledge and expertise to share with customers Petitti says We both spend three or four hours in the office every morning and make sure thats taken care of he says Then we spend a lot of time outside Just managing from your office for our business doesnt work Well go from facility to facility to see whats happening So much changes in our day especially early in the season but really any time of the year To get the quality you really need to be focused on the details COVER STORY PETITTI GARDEN CENTERS When you walk out here and youre surrounded by flowers all day and you see what youre creating its a wonderful feeling AJ PETITTI PRESIDENT PETITTI GARDEN CENTERS Sowing the seeds The workforce at Petitti encompasses about 720 employees across all 17 worksites during peak season with 255 employees working year round Finding the right people to fill key roles at each location comes down to a leaders ability to clearly understand the work theyll be doing We address issues not as employer employee Petitti says You have to look at things through a 360 degree lens If I was in your position would I be happy Would I be satisfied with the resolution
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