August 2023 - 50

5 MINUTES WITH ...
5
MINUTES
WITH
By Teresa McPherson
Ken Lain is president and owner of Watters
Garden Center in Prescott, Arizona.
What is your biggest goal for this year?
In business, our goal is strengthening the management
team, increasing sales training of the crew and getting
back to pre-pandemic inventory controls.
A personal goal is to spend three additional weeks on
What brought you to the green industry?
The corporate rat race zapped my energy, talents and
soul. I was the marketing director for Equifax, selling credit
reports to bankers before they issued a new car loan or
mortgage, before joining the family garden center. Banking
is a cutthroat business. As a garden center owner, I enjoy
working with vendors, building teams and selling plants to
appreciative gardeners. Introducing the latest new petunia
to gardeners is like selling candy to children - so easy and
fun! I love going to work every day.
What do you love most about your job?
Every new plant delivery feels like Christmas morning
as a kid. My parents wanted my siblings and me to enjoy
Christmas together that morning. The tree was magical,
with presents piled high, trains running around the tree
and bicycles gleaming against the wall. I will always
remember those first 11 Christmas mornings. Every new
plant delivery from the farm feels like those mornings.
Thirty springs later, my heart palpitates in expectation. It's
magical. I never tire of the plant side of our business.
Lake Powell with a new Yamaha 275 SDX in tow.
If you weren't in this profession, what would
you be doing?
I am a salesperson at heart. Selling jewelry was my
profession throughout college; it paid for my business
management degree from Arizona State University. I still
enjoy sparkly baubles, gold, silver and fine watches.
What's something that few people know
about you?
I am professionally dancing in " Dancing for the Stars " to
raise money for the Boys & Girls Club on Aug. 25 and 26. My
goal is to raise $100,000 for the kids this year. Dancing is fun.
Favorite plant to grow? Why?
Dahlia. I am a flower grower. Deadheading my flowers each
morning while sipping coffee is therapy. Losing track of time,
admiring hummingbirds while butterflies float across the
gardens. Flower gardens are magical.
50 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | AUGUST 2023
Ken Lain

August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2023

Editors' Letter
Table of Contents
Headlines
Calendar
Editors' Picks
Innovator of the Year: Meet the Lawn & Garden Retailer Innovators of the Year!
Special Advertising Section
Technology: Open-to-Buy Inventory Management Key for Retailers
Green Goods: Trial-Proven Produce
Product Focus: Garden Pharmacy
Marketplace
Ad Index
5 Minutes With ...: Ken Lain
August 2023 - 1
August 2023 - 2
August 2023 - 3
August 2023 - Editors' Letter
August 2023 - 5
August 2023 - Table of Contents
August 2023 - 7
August 2023 - Headlines
August 2023 - 9
August 2023 - 10
August 2023 - Calendar
August 2023 - Editors' Picks
August 2023 - 13
August 2023 - Innovator of the Year: Meet the Lawn & Garden Retailer Innovators of the Year!
August 2023 - 15
August 2023 - 16
August 2023 - 17
August 2023 - 18
August 2023 - 19
August 2023 - 20
August 2023 - 21
August 2023 - 22
August 2023 - 23
August 2023 - 24
August 2023 - 25
August 2023 - 26
August 2023 - 27
August 2023 - 28
August 2023 - 29
August 2023 - Special Advertising Section
August 2023 - 31
August 2023 - Technology: Open-to-Buy Inventory Management Key for Retailers
August 2023 - 33
August 2023 - Green Goods: Trial-Proven Produce
August 2023 - 35
August 2023 - 36
August 2023 - 37
August 2023 - 38
August 2023 - 39
August 2023 - 40
August 2023 - 41
August 2023 - Product Focus: Garden Pharmacy
August 2023 - 43
August 2023 - Marketplace
August 2023 - 45
August 2023 - 46
August 2023 - 47
August 2023 - Ad Index
August 2023 - 49
August 2023 - 5 Minutes With ...: Ken Lain
August 2023 - 51
August 2023 - 52
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/september-october
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/thrive-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/lgr-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/lgr-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/thriveguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/thriveguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/november-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/september-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/november-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/september-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/LGR/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com