When he was just 10 years old, Wes Shelley unknowingly launched his horticulture career by helping his dad, Eric Shelley, who worked at one of the world91裸聊视频檚 most famous gardens. But despite those early years at The Butchart Gardens, Wes never planned to follow in his father91裸聊视频檚 footsteps.

91裸聊视频淚 never really thought much about horticulture and gardening when I was helping my dad,91裸聊视频� explains Wes, co-owner of . 91裸聊视频淚t was something I just did to help him out.91裸聊视频�

But after studying music composition in college and doing a stint at a recording studio, Wes changed his mind.

91裸聊视频淚 was hoping to have a career in music but I decided that would be a pretty tough life,91裸聊视频� the 35-year-old says. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檇 always wanted to be my own boss, so I asked my dad what he thought of me starting a landscaping company. He initially said he thought it was a really bad idea!91裸聊视频�

But Wes was determined to make it work, so Eric gave him his first truck, a mower and the basics to get him going. He was only 20 years old at the time, and he admits he had a lot to learn.

91裸聊视频淚 was pretty young and inexperienced in life and sort of relying on my own gumption to figure the whole thing out,91裸聊视频� Wes recalls. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檇 picked up a lot working with my dad but I realized there was still a huge amount I had to learn.91裸聊视频�

And that91裸聊视频檚 when his passion for horticulture really started to grow.

91裸聊视频淎s I started doing it, I realized there was quite a strong connection to what I learned in music in that there91裸聊视频檚 an endless depth of knowledge,91裸聊视频� Wes says. 91裸聊视频淭he amount there was to learn was so great and that actually made it more stimulating than I expected it to be when I started out on my own. And that propelled me onto a mission.91裸聊视频�

As the business started to flourish, Wes realized he could help others find their passion by exposing staff to a field with limitless learning and the potential for career growth91裸聊视频攊ncluding paying for their Red Seal training at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a common misconception that it91裸聊视频檚 just a labour job or outdoor janitorial work, but the amount that our supervisors and staff need to know and understand is huge, and it91裸聊视频檚 constantly changing because we91裸聊视频檙e working in a living environment,91裸聊视频� says Wes. 91裸聊视频淲e have lots of staff who have come from other industries and found their passion.91裸聊视频�

Believe it or not, Fallingwater Landscapes doesn91裸聊视频檛 actually hire anybody with landscaping experience. Instead, it recruits people from other industries who are looking for a positive change. And while it might sound counterintuitive, Wes says it works.

91裸聊视频淰ictoria has one of the highest concentrations of landscaping companies in Canada,91裸聊视频� he explains. 91裸聊视频淭here are over 400, and most are really small. Because it91裸聊视频檚 such a low barrier to entry business, you get a lot of people that just don91裸聊视频檛 have the sort of depth required.91裸聊视频�

In the past, when they91裸聊视频檝e hired professional gardeners who have the knowledge, Wes says, they found they often didn91裸聊视频檛 understand the pace required for a residential and strata environment. As a result, they91裸聊视频檝e developed a strong training program, and they can get people to the pace and knowledge needed relatively quickly.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 worth it for us to take that time to train people right and get them excited,91裸聊视频� Wes says. 91裸聊视频淭hat initial investment pays off because we end up keeping people for a long time and we don91裸聊视频檛 have to worry about re-training bad habits.91裸聊视频�

Much like learning about plants, growing a business has been a big learning curve, and everything was put to the test four years ago when his father decided to retire from the landscaping company he started after he left Butchart.

91裸聊视频淲e were operating as competition for 10 years and he kept saying he was going to retire in a couple years, but never did. And then he called me one day and said, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 retiring in six months91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频攕o we scrambled to deal with that.91裸聊视频�

Both companies had about seven employees at the time they merged, and Wes was in talks to buy a small irrigation company.

91裸聊视频淲e tripled in size and it was a messy year,91裸聊视频� he admits. 91裸聊视频淚 learned that I didn91裸聊视频檛 want to do that again! We were just overwhelmed in how much shifting we needed to do in the way the business was run and there were a lot of dropped balls and a lot of unhappy clients and it was a really difficult period of time.91裸聊视频�

Tough as it was, it taught Wes and partner Drew Coleman an important lesson. It changed their perspective on how they wanted to cultivate the business.

91裸聊视频淚t made me look at where the next phase would be, and where the next breaking point would be in growth. It91裸聊视频檚 at about double where we are now,91裸聊视频� says Wes. 91裸聊视频淪o we91裸聊视频檝e kind of set that as the cap. We91裸聊视频檙e not interested in infinite growth.91裸聊视频�

Instead, they91裸聊视频檙e focusing on mentoring their 21 staff and building client relationships with their high-end residential and strata customers, including dream client Dockside Green. They91裸聊视频檝e also restructured so supervisors have more autonomy.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e really been able to step away from that dictatorial, 91裸聊视频榗ommand and control91裸聊视频� business structure, which is how so many businesses are run,91裸聊视频� he says. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e learned how strong a company can become when everyone buys in.91裸聊视频�

For Wes, it91裸聊视频檚 all about getting people passionate about something. And he91裸聊视频檚 the first to admit, most of the staff are now more capable than he is when it comes to horticulture.

91裸聊视频淚 think as humans we just thrive when we91裸聊视频檙e given opportunities to learn and grow.91裸聊视频�