JUSTIN : I think , at least for me , the business started in Grade 6 because we still work with a bunch of friends from back then . We built long-term relationships , and we ’ re basically family . It really gives you an idea of who you can trust right out of the gate . For someone you have just met it takes time to get to know them and trust them at the same level as a childhood friend . There ’ s nothing better than being able to work with your friends and to see the people you love rising with you . That ’ s what excites me every day , being able to build something bigger than myself with my closest friends .
How has it evolved over the years ?
STEVE : The industry in general has changed dramatically over the years , so the business also had to adapt to be a reflection of that . When you factor in the speed at which things change — because of changing laws , social acceptance , and social media — the company has also turned into a place that can adjust quickly . The company is now large enough that it ’ s no longer about you as a business owner anymore , but I guess it never was to begin with . I never thought about raising the flag or being the hero , as it ’ s always been about how to help employees , business partners , or customers deal with the adaptation and enhance their capacity . It may sound cliché , but our wives and the roles they take on allow us the ability to do what we do . My wife looks after the kids and makes sure I have a solid foundation at home , and without that foundation , I ’ d be lost and my business would suffer for it in the end . Justin ’ s wife does the same for him , too . You wouldn ’ t think how crucial that role could be , but it allows us to be sane in an insane industry . Both our wives come to trade shows and work the booth and help out here and there in any way they can . We couldn ’ t ask for better partners .
JUSTIN : You ’ ve got to have thick skin to be in this industry . People are always talking about businesses that are “ overnight successes ”, which is just completely untrue . We never walked in somewhere , opened a store and had success ; any business that is successful really takes a minimum of 10 years to get going , and you ’ ve got to add blood , sweat , and tears in that equation . It ’ s a constant battle , the willingness to push forward and make sacrifices .
What is your company ’ s philosophy ?
STEVE : Family is crucial . My mother Willy has been working with us for about 20 years . We also treat our employees as family . [ One ] thing that makes the family so tight is that we are not absentee owners .
Anything new and exciting at the research and development stage you can tell us about ?
STEVE : The release of our newest threepart base nutrient system GP3 was an exciting launch for us . We had been researching for years , testing it on the biggest gardens around , and it ’ s blowing away our predictions for how well it is being received by growers . One of the hardest things to accomplish is to get people to try something new , but this product is changing that .
JUSTIN : We get incredible results from GP3 with growers growing plants far larger than they , or we , even thought possible . I ’ ve seen growers using GP3 that have accomplished plants as tall as trees that normally don ’ t get that big . It ’ s pretty extraordinary .
WHEN SOURCING nutrients we go to great lengths to find the cleanest possible ingredient and ensure the ratio of each element is spot on for maximum absorption for your plant .”
What makes Green Planet Nutrients unique from other brands ?
STEVE : We have multiple chemists on staff and we have gone to great lengths to source the finest nutrients . All of our nutrients are formulated by on-staff chemists and go through extensive lab analysis , batch testing , and quality control . We even test individual samples in an incubator for a year to see what happens . If something doesn ’ t work , or doesn ’ t meet our standards , we scrap it and go back to the drawing board .
JUSTIN : We stick to our words . If we claim we have the world ’ s finest nutrients , we are going to be truthful to that . We want to educate people that there is a difference between fertilizers and the technology that goes into making them . For example , we use no food coloring or dyes in our products and very low levels of preservatives compared to other nutrient brands . When sourcing nutrients we go to great lengths to find the cleanest possible ingredient and ensure the ratio of each element is spot on for maximum absorption for your plant . When it comes to blending , we mix the exact ratios to ensure the most complete diet for your plant . Our quality control is second to none . I don ’ t make a product I wouldn ’ t use myself .
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