Spring 2020

INSIDER
SPRING 2020
HOW
TO LIVE
WITH NO
REGRETS
WHAT’S INSIDE | THIS ISSUE
IMPORTANCE OF TONE
NEW FACES
UPS GROUND COVER

The Importance of Tone
This essay came in our inbox the other day, and we thought we’d share an excerpt of it. The author is
Robert Rose from the Content Marketing Institute.
After 26 years of marriage, there are
very few things my wife Elizabeth
and I still fight about. But when we
do fight, it’s rarely about something
one or the other said, but rather the
way it was said.
It’s really not the tone itself that
causes the argument. It’s the
meaning the listener infers from
the speaker’s tone – which might
or might not be the actual meaning
that was intended. I can tell you
from experience that my first name
can mean many things, depending
on the tone in which it’s said.
Beyond communicating meaning,
tone of voice also contains strong
signals about who we are and
whether we’re believable. Audiences
can pick up on clues about where
speakers (and writers) are from, their
education level, age, values, sincerity,
and authority simply from their
tone.
Of course, it’s possible to misinterpret
every one of those things.
That’s where the depth of trust
between speaker and listener is
helped by using a variety of tones of
voice. As Stephen M. R. Covey said
in his book The Speed of Trust, “In a
high-trust relationship, you can say
the wrong thing, and people will get
your meaning. In a low trust relationship,
you can be very measured,
even precise, and they’ll still misinterpret
you.”
How we speak, listen, and associate
meaning with communication is
influenced by our experience and
our recognition of tonal patterns.
When brand communicators
struggle with what to say, it’s not
that we’re always seeking the right
words. It may be because we don’t
have the right way to say it. If we
work on developing multiple tones
of voice, we’ll develop deeper
trust with our audiences. And then
everything from the goofiest tweet
to communicating the actions we’re
taking in a global crisis will land better
– both because of what we say
and the way we choose to say it.
It’s your story. Tell it well.
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Greetings!
In this newsletter, we’re going to
do our best to carry on as normal
without giving any more space to
the current disruption to normal life
than we have to. It’s not because
we’re not taking it seriously; we just
believe that our readers have had
more than enough communications
about it and, like
us,
would like to
see a newsletter
that helps them
escape all that
for just a few
minutes. That’s
all I’m going
to say on that
subject
We’re excited
to be building a
tremendously
talented team,
and we’ve got
some new
faces you can
read about
on pages 6
and 7. We are
pleased to have
been able to really enhance our operations
side with a new assistant
nursery manager as well as a new
nursery specialist, who bring more
than 50 years of combined nursery
experience to help out Tom and the
crew.
We also have recently published our
latest availability list with help from
our new marketing
specialist, Brie
Stevenson.
At the nursery, we
have recently put in
a new shade structure
and are improving
our receiving
pad operations.
When plant materials
are delivered
to the nursery and
shipped out to our
customers, they first
come to the receiving
pad where we do
an extensive quality
control. We inspect
each plant for accurate
measurements
and plant health.
This is also where we check our
inventory numbers and label every
plant and pot that comes in and
goes out of the nursery. Our new
shade structure will also expand
our ability to provide the best plant
care while improving the accuracy
of our shipments. We believe an
increased focus on improving our
operations will better serve our
boss – YOU!
Gabriel Curry
President
G&S Nursery
386 754-0161
gabriel@gsnursery.com
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Someday I hope you get the chance...
To live like you were dying
Most of us, when we’re young,
prefer not to think about our
eventual death. We are aware
in some sense that this life has
to end at some point, but it’s a
long way off, and what good is
to be gained by dwelling on it?
Some of us live so close to
death that its familiarity forces
us to face its implications, and
we are surprised to discover
life can be even more fulfilling
when we make peace with that
knowledge, because it forces
you to re-order priorities and be
more purposeful while you live.
Such is the story of Bronnie
Ware, a palliative nurse who
tended to the care of dying
men and women in hospice.
Certain patterns began to
emerge as she became friends
with hundreds of elderly
patients facing their final curtain.
She collected her findings
and published them in a book
called The Top Five Regrets of
the Dying.
Reading this book has
been life-
changing for my wife Betsy and
me. We recently celebrated
our 25th wedding anniverary,
and that, along with numerous
other milestones we’ve recently
passed, has put us in a frame of
mind to assess our priorities. I
find myself squarely in the middle
my life expectancy. Knowing the
common regrets of folks at the
finish line is helpful to see what
adjustments, if any, I should be
making to avoid having those
same regrets as I round the final
curve on my way to eternity.
We’ve all heard the familiar saying
that nobody ever said on their
death bed, “I wish I had spent
more time at the office!” In fact,
that sentiment is number 2 on
Ware’s list of regrets.
A list of top 5 regrets appears on
the opposite page.
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Make a difference in the lives of the

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself,
not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realise
that their life is almost over and look back clearly on
it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled.
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices
along the way, it is possible to not need the income that
you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you
become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones
more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep
peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre
existence and never became who they were truly capable of
becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness
and resentment they carried as a result.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old
friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible
to track them down. Many had become so caught up in
their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by
over the years. There were many deep regrets about not
giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved.
Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until
the end that happiness is a choice.
people that you touch... 5

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
G&S is delighted to introduce you to our newest team members!
Stacey Hamil—Assistant Nursery Manager
stacey@gsnursery.com
386 754-0161
Stacey Hamil joined the G&S team in February of 2020
and brings 25 years of nursery experience with her.
She is a FNGLA Certified Horticulture Professional
and also holds certification with Green Industries Best
Management Practices. She operated her own green
house from home, working in both sides of the industry
– retail and wholesale.
With 10 years of managerial experience in nurseries,
Stacey said, “There’s many things I could be doing,
but I wouldn’t be happy doing them. There’s nothing
like getting your hands dirty and it’s rewarding to watch stuff grow!” She is
a native of Georgia but has spent the past 6 years in Florida, after moving
from Tennessee. She and her husband Brian Hamil now reside in Jacksonville,
FL and have been married for two and a half years. She is the
mother of four adult children – Zach (24), Haley (22) and twin boys, Peyton
and Dylan (18). Besides her passion for plants and the nursery industry,
Stacey said she is fascinated by chemistry, loves to paint, go fishing and
is learning to play the cello. We are thrilled to have her join the team!
Aubrey Medaries—Driver
Aubrey joined the G&S team as one of our courteous
delivery drivers in January of 2020 and has held
a Class D license for the past 4 years and a Class A
license for one and a half years. He is a native of Lake
City, FL and a proud father of five children. Aubrey
officiates high school basketball and has coached
football for kids in the local area for over 15 years. In
his free time, he enjoys drag racing motorcycles. We
are happy to have Aubrey on the G&S delivery driver
team!
“No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
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386 754-0161

Rose Craig-Kinnon—Nursery Specialist
rose@gsnursery.com
386-754-0161
brie@gsnursery.com
386 754-0161
Rose joined the G&S Team in March of 2020 as our
Nursery Specialist, assisting our nursery managerial
staff with a variety of tasks, from plant care to streamlining
inventory. Originally from Arizona, Rose has lived
in Florida since 2010 and currently resides in Ocala.
She has been in the nursery and landscaping industry
since she was 19 years old and has 28 years of experience
in the business. An admitted adventurist and
outdoor enthusiast, Rose enjoys cycling, horseback
riding, kayaking and volunteer work. She is the mother
of two adult sons, Mick and Emmett, and one stepson, Garrett. We are
excited to have Rose on the team!
Brie Stevenson—Marketing Specialist
Brie joined the G&S team in February of 2020 and
brings her creativity and background in marketing,
writing, advertising and graphic design to the table.
Previously employed by a local newspaper, she was
able to gain experience working with many local businesses
in developing their marketing strategies and
designed marketing materials for them. She was also
a reporter while working at the newspaper and uses
this to enhance the content of her work at G&S. Brie
lives in Live Oak, FL and is the proud mother of a one
year old son, Wyatt. In her free time, she loves to play bass and sing with
her band, performing in the local area whenever they can.
NOW YOU CAN GET PLANTS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR!
Here’s an idea: get the groundcover you need in two days or less with a phone call!
Take advantage of our UPS program, shipping 54-pack cases of our four best-selling
ground cover material in 3.25” pots. Visit our e-commerce page at https://www.
gsnursery.com/ups-shipments/ to find out more!
Asiatic Jasmine Big Blue Liriope Mondo Grass Dwarf Mondo Grass
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www.gsnursery.com

1550 SW Bedenbaugh Ln.
Lake City FL 32025
‘I went skydiving.’
‘I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named
Fumanchu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I’d been
denying’
And he said...
‘Someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying’
—Tim McGraw
RIDDLE OF THE MONTH
The monthly riddle is going away
until further notice
LAST ISSUE RIDDLE:
What was the world’s deepest trench
before the Mariana trench was
discovered?
ANSWER: The Mariana trench!