Angelique Robb, owner of SYNKD, and Aimee Almaguer, Sales & Trade Show Coordinator at SYNKD, sit down to discuss how SYNKD came about and their vision for the future.
Angelique
Welcome to our inaugural SYNKD On Air episode. Thank you for joining us. I am Angelique Robb.
Aimee
And I am Aimee Almaguer.
Angelique
We are your host for SYNKD On Air
Angelique
Thanks for joining us. Really excited to do this, although it is a bit nerve racking.
Aimee
We are super excited.
Angelique
But just wanted to first off start with who we are because I know we have a weird name and what we're about. And yeah, Amy and I thought we'd we'd kick off the series of podcasts with saying a little bit about us. So I'll go ahead and and get started. Amy jump in as you see fit. But yeah, just wanted to say we are synched. And what is SYNKD?. It is about connecting the industry, we spent a while coming up with a good name. Our previous name was proud landscaper didn't really like that. But now we are SYNKD as in synchronized. And what we're aiming to do is bring the industry together, like a connector of sorts. So connecting landscape architects, designers, landscape construction, horticulture and maintenance or facility services, you know, really the lifecycle of any landscape project from start to finish. So go ahead and jump in.
Aimee
Yes. So we had, it was really fun. Coming up with our name, we try to, you know, think about everyone, you know, we want to connect with all the different fields and trades that make up the landscape industry. You know, you have your landscape architects, your builders, you have, you know, specific field and builders. Exactly, you have pool builders, and kind of figuring out how can we come up with a name that doesn't, you know, alienate anyone, or, or make them feel like they can't be part of the SYNKD community. Ideally, I had said "in-sync". But that's just because I'm privy to the band. But so we decided SYNKD, and I love it. I think it's just it, it says what we want to do, although it does take a little bit of explaining, but we we don't mind explaining it a million times if we have to. And then now we have a year later, we are SYNKD. And we had our first event which was SYNKD Live. And we also decided in order to make it easy for everyone. No matter where you look us up, whether it's this podcast, whether it's our event, online, you'll find that it's SYNKD at the beginning of everything we do.
Angelique
Awesome. Yeah, yeah, I think it, it has been a turning point really to develop our own brand. I think it makes it more real to us because it was the same team that had, you know, gone through the learning curve of of starting a publication and event company, and then rebranding it ourselves. So I think that really, we own the brand, we we live it and we all believe in it. Even though it is sometimes hard to say over the phone.
Aimee
Most of the times we have to spell it to make sure that you know, it's not saying like you're sinking. But that's fine. We can spell.
Angelique
I think, yeah, and raising the bar.
Aimee
And it's a little it's not spelled you know, as you typically as you typically spell synchronized the short way, but it's our own spelling and and yeah, I mean, it's, I'm super excited about it, we we get to at least, you know, get people intrigued, just with our names. So that's, that's always fun and with what you said Angelique about, you know, it being our own brand. You know, I think that's one of the best things about it. We're not generic, you know, you can't find what we do and how we do it in the style that we do it anywhere else in the industry, because it comes from a little bit of all of us.
Angelique
And we're making lots of connections across the board. I actually recorded a podcast yesterday with an arborist that you know, is very opinionated. He has been in the show a long time. And he has some opinions to share on how we can make the industry better. And it's really exciting to talk to those people that are very passionate about what they're doing. And also passionate about educating those who aren't doing it as well as they could do. Because it is about raising the bar in the industry, and that that means educating, and explaining and taking time out of your day to day, which I mean, we're all really busy taking that time to go, hey, you know, you aren't doing things as well as you could let me, let me tell you how we can all raise the bar together. And I think that that's what we want to showcase is is those that want to give back and, and make sure our industry does have the best reputation. And, you know, the best view from other industries and people outside of our industry, I think we know that it's a great industry, if you're in it, and you believe in it. But there's, there's people as in any industry that maybe they don't know what a quality job is, and what you know, we have people that want to help and explain that. And so, I'm really excited to get these kinds of people on our podcast in our publication, maybe at our event two, that are passionate and want to help the rest of the industry. I think, also the goalposts are changing every year, you know, so if you're not keeping up to speed with the newest products and services, the you know, Software as a Service, there's so many things that are coming out now. I think, you know, let's hear it from those people who, who try it out the first adopters and, and, you know, learn from them. So we don't have to learn and go through all the pitfalls, if somebody's already done it, you know, and they're willing to share with the rest of the industry, let's get them on. And, you know, let them tell us how to do things better, and what they used and how they transform their companies by using new products or services. So, yeah, a lot, a lot to share. And you're also going to do a part of each podcast, right?
Aimee
Yes, I will be, I'll be summarizing the podcast in Spanish. And I'm excited. I mean, as you know, Angelique, Puerto Rican and Cuban and, um, sir, as you know, any Hispanics will, who will be listening to this know that there's a lot of different ways of speaking Spanish, when it comes to the different nationalities, I think, um, you know, super excited about, you know, being able to translate what we do, and just expand the audience. And, you know, I'm going to do it in a way that's, you know, just overall, across all boards, Spanish, you know, so my Cuban-ism, might not come out too much, or my Puerto Rican side. But, you know, if you, if you call me on a, just a casual way, you'll see that, you know, within the first five seconds, you'll be like, Ah, she's Cuban. But I'll make sure to make it understandable for everyone across the board who speaks Spanish. So they can, you know, kind of get a feel as to what it's about. And then, of course, if anybody is interested in more information, or you know, even doing, you know, an interview with us, or being a part of our community in Spanish, you know, please reach out and, you know, we'll make it up.
Angelique
You've offered to do interviews in Spanish haven't Yeah, so I think that's great. I can't do that. I can only speak in Scottish-English instead of American English. If I talk funny, sometimes it's because I've not picked the right English.
Aimee
And with what you were saying about, you know, all these professionals that are, they're interested in, in doing things better, you know, not necessarily stating that they want to change how they do everything, but always having an open mind to the possibility of providing more, you know, a better quality product or using something that could elevate their business in whichever aspect that solution provides. But I think my biggest, what I love most about what we're doing is from everyone that I've spoken to, is all of these professionals, they value communication and they value education. And most importantly, helping one another. And it's crazy to think that no matter, you know, they can be the owner of the company, the CEO, the Vice President, the most busy person within that company, they'll, they'll state that, you know, they're because they're passionate about what they're doing. It's something that they enjoy, you know, sharing their insights, you know, and going back to what you said about, yes, we do like to interview and highlight what these people are doing.
And these businesses, I'm a firm believer, the first thing I do whenever I go try anything is looking at reviews, because I want to see what real people said, about, you know, something that I'm potentially interested in. And that's why I think, we like to say that we are a community, you know, we're not just a platform, we're not just a network, were a community of people who are willing to take time out of their day to share their, you know, their setbacks, their improvements, their achievements. So hopefully, you know, a few people can resonate with that, and, and, you know, see things in a maybe a more positive way, maybe make a tiny shift that could really elevate what they're doing. And hopefully, you know, that's what we aim to do is provide that, that kind of atmosphere to everyone that's involved with SYNKD.
Angelique
No, that's a really good point. Because I do think from the start, we've always focused on, how can we build a community. And it's not all, you know, let's say, you're a landscape designer, you're more drawn to talk to landscape designers. But you know, what a landscape designer does. And that's why you're more comfortable talking to a landscape designer, but if you talk to somebody who's in maintenance, and try to see things from their perspective, you will actually, you know, it'll open your eyes to looking at things in a different way.
And say, Well, you know, why did you put that edging there, because when I strum, or weedy, you know, it gets, you know, it stains the edging, and so what, you know, and I'm just throwing out some things, but, you know, really understanding from a landscape designer to understand the pet peeves of a maintenance company, and or a person that does the maintenance and says, you know, this is really hard to keep clean for this reason, how I have to move it. And then you can go, oh, you know, that can actually be designed out, or I can design that differently?
Or I can, when I do the construction drawings, I can, you know, change the levels of the edging to make it easier to strim or mow or weeded? Or, you know, I know that I've learned a lot from talking to maintenance, personnel and construction. People, and, you know, just understanding Oh, you can't do it like that, for this reason. Okay, well, I don't want it like this, you know, how can we modify it, and really, you open your eyes, it's almost like traveling, you know, if you're, if you're from one place and you never move, then you never can see things from another from an outsider's point of view, by going to another state, you see things in a different light, and it makes you see, when you go back home, you can see your home in a new way. And and that perspective can help you in your job, it can help you design a landscape better, or even, it helps you, you know, open up more to the landscape construction team, let's say and say, Okay, I want it to look like this, how do you build it?
So that, you know, maintenance isn't an issue, or water doesn't sit here or, you know, the paving doesn't go green? You know, are the plants even overgrowing the sidewalk, you know, the combination of softscaping and hardscaping and how it goes together? Those little details? You know, planning it right from the start means liaising with with all the other sectors of the industry.
So really, to elevate the industry and build that community where where you have people to reach out to, even if it's from a different company. Okay, you know, I'm in maintenance. I want to want I wonder why this has been designed in a certain way. Well, now that you build a community of people, you could ask a landscape designer that You've met through our community and go, Why do people do it like this? I don't understand. And you might learn something, you might learn something that isn't the way you want to do it.
But, you know, you can learn something that's an improvement on the way do you think so? I feel like it can only help to, to learn more about other people's roles. So when you hand over your piece of work to the next group, you know, you've done the best you can do to, you know, get that project on the best footing, and see it through to completion. And, hopefully, whoever the client is, be it residential or commercial client, they will have a better product at the end of the day, because of that.
Aimee
With with your ending point there, I, I mean, I've been blown away, I've seen I've seen a lot of publications that highlight commercial spaces. I mean, they're beautiful, they're huge, they're public, they're usually massive, but I'm so blown away by all, you know, the, the residential projects that we featured, and I'm like, Oh, my goodness, I have to, you know, have to consider putting some of this stuff into, you know, my when Aimee gets to buy a house and do landscaping in the background.
But definitely residential shouldn't be overseen, I mean, it's still a huge opportunity to implement your, your, you know, your techniques, the quality that you do. And if anything, it's closer to home, right. As to the lives that it affects.
Angelique
Well, I've heard some people say that they feel like you can be more creative with a residential design, and, and push the boundaries a bit more. But again, to each their own, I think you probably have bigger budgets in general with commercial work, but you know, we've featured projects that are a million dollars, and their residential design and build project are actually quite regularly. So yeah, pretty big budgets there too.
Aimee
Our idea of connecting the sector's, I just feel like, if anything in this industry, it's very important, because when you're in the landscape industry, you're working on, you know, what you do in the design phase, what you do in the construction, and then the maintenance and the overall sustainability and long lasting product that you're producing.
You know, it's just important to be aware, you know, of all the different parts that affect it, because incense you are, you're modifying or creating something that's living, you know, it's not. So you know, I don't know, and it's not like something plastic, that'll never change, you know, the landscaping is going to change throughout the months, the years, if this kind of weather keeps going on, who knows what, you'll have to be ready for it. And wherever you're at, you know, you might have never experienced snow, and then all of a sudden, it's snowing in your area, you know, so it's, it's, it's a, it's a living industry.
And just like humans, you have to always, you know, kind of adapt, yeah, adapt and be open to new solutions, or new way of, of doing things better way of doing things because it could make a difference, you know, even at the smallest level. So that's super exciting.
Angelique
The paving is not living everything. But you're right it, what's a phrase on day one of finishing, you finish the project, and that's the best, the hardscaping, whatever, look, and it's the worst the soft scaping or whatever, look, you know, so the soft scaping grows into its own and fills in because it looks very empty to start with, and the hardscaping has the Battle of fighting the elements and the weather. So, it is a challenge, I think, but but it's also, you know, we can, we can make our environment and outdoors, we can entice people to spend more time outside, you know, we can make sure our kids get off screens and go outside and do more things. And with a lot more creativity, then, you know, just just a parking lot, you know, we can we can do so much with the landscape. And it's healthy to be out in the landscape and, you know, so I think it's a great industry.
Aimee
And there's so many options. It's like it's it's limitless, you know, what if whether you're someone who's just diving into, you know, participating in their backyard, you know, there's so many options, even if you have certain things that you cannot deal with, you know, if there's heat, there's, you know, if you're one of those person I can't deal with heat is too hot, like here in Louisiana, and it's like 2000 degrees outside with 100% humidity.
And, you know, I would definitely understand why someone's like, I cannot be outside their Aimee, I can't breathe, you know, but there are solutions, there's shading systems, there's misting cooling solutions. You can even put, like a modular pool, if you just have a small space, and you can, you know, freshen up so many ways that, you know, the industry can promote just the, you know, everyone to partake in the outside space.
I remember when I first the first actual real home that I rented, that wasn't an apartment, we had a beauty, this was like, I don't know, six years ago, beautiful backyard. I was like, I'm gonna do so much in here, we're just so much outside. And the first thing I saw, when I walked back in the backyard was a trillion tiny hopping spiders. And I'm like, I can't deal with this. And this was, you know, years ago, so Well, before I met you, Angelique, and actually, you know, fell in love with the outside in this industry, and everything you can do with it.
But yeah, that I saw that, and I never went outside ever again, for the whole two years, I was renting there. But now I know that there are solutions for that, you know, like, could have done maybe some kind of paving in the backyard to where it wasn't just a bunch of tall grass, you know, maybe kind of lowered my anxiety a little bit. But there's just so it's such a creative industry, it's not black and white, there's so many multitudes of colors, and different ways you can do things, that why not be open to new ways of doing things, you know, especially quality, which is what we like to push, you know, quality.
If you have quality in what you do, then, you know, you're you're going to have a good outcome to some measure in some degree. But everything you should try to produce, especially in the kind of industry that this is, should be quality, because it does affect multiple people's most of the times, you know, a project typically will affect at least two people, maybe one, but that's a little sad, but you know, might be like a family of five, or six, or just a couple of two, or if you're doing a commercial project, you know, might be an area where hundreds of people go and interact with it on a weekly basis or daily basis. So there's a lot to consider.
So new options, new ways of doing things and new connections, you know, being everyone that I've spoken to always says, communication and education is the key. So, you know, and we're very friendly people come and communicate and, and help educate the industry with sinks, you know, why not?
Angelique
Well, good. I think we've, we've filled people in on what we're about, what, what we're going to be talking about in future podcasts. Or, you know, a lot of great people that have, you know, joined us for either our event, or contributed to our publication, or webinars we have so many people to call on. We're booking podcasts like crazy now. So hope you'll all join us. We're going to be on Mondays at 11 each week, and you can download it anytime on the podcast platform for Turfs up radio. And we shall talk to you soon.
Aimee
Yes, that knows. Yes, of course, if before we let you go, please, we are on all social media platforms. So you know, please go to our LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, give us a like give us a follow show that you're supporting and enjoying what we're doing. Because we're trying to do it all for you guys. So we're excited and we'll be chatting it up here on SYNKD On Air on Turfs Up Radio.