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BUSINESS FEATURE

STARTING, RUNNING AND

SELLING A LANDSCAPING

AND SPORTS TURF BUSINESS

Dave Kirkby, founder of the Top Turf Group, recently
published a book entitled “Stars, Blinks and Dots.” With
his permission, the article below is based on extracts

from the book that pertain to the starting, running
and selling of a landscaping and sports turf business.

T ogether with his (then) business International, Sol Kerzner and Patrick
Power,
Kirkby
partner
Jimmy
Watson) changed the previously linear
founded Top Turf Lawns in 1976 on
a dairy farm south of Germiston. The two expansion. It sped up the evolutionary
process and two types of expansion
agreed that whatever money each one took place: locally in southern Africa
invested in the business, the other would and offshore, mainly in the Indian Ocean
match. Once they had the funds to get islands.
started, they purchased a second-hand
Massey Ferguson 240 tractor, a sod cutter Management
and a mower. The company was registered Kirkby states that what was required in
in 1977, with the two partners holding the evolutionary/ expansionary process of
equal shares in the business. Kirkby took the business was management skills and
on the role of MD and Power was his 2IC. although he had not had any management
A while later, a 42 ha farm in Bapsfontein training, he knew that he had to change
came onto the market, with eight hectares from “being a grass farmer to being a
of established kikuyu lawn, and the pair professional manager”. The traditional
purchased it. Over time, they bought or management philosophy, as espoused
hired additional property on which to by Louis Allen, requires that managers do
expand their lawn production, mainly the following: plan the work, organise the
around the head office in Germiston. resources, lead (train and teach) the staff the concepts and principles he believed
and finally, control (measure) the results. appropriate for the business, and the HR
Business evolution and expansion If a business owner gets this right, he or team was charged with spreading the
Kirkby says he wanted to establish a she gives the business room to flourish in message throughout the organisation. In
company that would be “world class, a sustainable manner. this way, the staff was encouraged to live
deliver quality products and services, “the Top Turf way”.
and have a long-term future”. This meant Kirkby enrolled in a course to learn more
that constant research and development about these principles and implemented Building a sustainable company
would be required, as well as training, in them within the business. Over time Kirkby believes that the more one puts in,
order to keep ahead of the game. however, he realised that the system did the more one gets out – both professionally
not capitalise on the enormous, often and personally. Also, to attract good people
As more products and processes were hidden potential of individual employees to the company, the environment needs to
added to the business, Kirkby began and it was necessary to empower them to be one of hope, professionalism, integrity
to develop the concept of business be responsible and accountable for their and fun – and where there are opportunities
evolution, similar to the evolutionary performance, their jobs and their lives. for employees to achieve their goals.
process in nature: gradual, logical change,
one step at a time, over a period of time As the business progressed, he constantly Key elements to ensuring a sustainable
and in reaction to external forces. looked for simple, practical ways to company are:
improve Top Turf without disrupting • having strong strategic support;
Without money to spend on expensive what had already been put in place. “If • unlocking human potential by
marketing campaigns, Kirkby and Power something I read resonated with me, I education, training and good human
relied on signwriting for marketing would always look for ways to incorporate resource practices;
exposure. “Wherever there was an it and implement the teachings in the • creating a strong mission, defining the
opportunity, there was a Top Turf Lawns company.” He created a programme called company’s culture and agreeing on core
sign with its recognisable three-sod logo”, In Pursuit of Great, based on the work of values;
says Kirkby. Jim Collins, and says: “We didn’t necessarily • appointing the right people and a
need to be the best, we just had to be as strong management team;
In the process of expanding the company, good as we could be”. • building a motivated and diverse team;
landscape construction was a new and
product for Top Turf Lawns and its success On an ongoing basis, he developed • celebrating and recognising their
at Sun City (and its relationship with Sun policies and procedures to support all achievements.

18 Landscape SA • Issue 113 2022