MEMBER OF THE MONTH
From One Joanne to Another: A Journey Toward Fulfillment
By: Joanne Taranto
Joanne Neale is a woman of power, of vigor, of strength. Who knew that this small town Jersey girl would make it big in the business world? She did! From a very young age, Joanne knew that she wanted to help people. She wanted, in some way, to leave her mark within the lives of others. Ambition was her driving force to push the envelope and evolve into her own.
As a young woman, she felt oppressed by the male figures in business. After being married and graduating from Georgian Court undergraduate program, she felt the itch to break the mold. She wanted to do something different and pave her own path. Upon acceptance to Boston University Law School, this independent woman took a leap of faith. She packed up herself and her gorgeous five-year-old daughter and headed to Boston where she would focus on legal matters pertaining to business.
Following her graduation from law school she was hired at a prestigious law firm in downtown Boston. Initially she focused on consumer protection and anti-trust issues. This work was arduous and held long hours. It quickly became apparent that she wasn't fulfilling her dream of helping people. Instead, she found herself defending the likes of egg farmers who were in severe violation of health and safety guidelines. Not exactly what she had hoped for. This lead her to open her own private law practice and eventually became part-time council for Working Family Directions. In this role she was tasked with helping families obtain services and connect with professionals that were pertinent to their family needs. For twelve blissful years, she helped connect families and professionals to meet the requirements of children and adults in need of services..
As a busy professional, Joanne still found time to raise her daughter, meet the man of her dreams, purchase their first home in Brookline and enjoy the beginning of a full passion for plants. She recalls seeing the yard for the first time and thinking of all the possibilities. As a young girl she spent afternoons tinkering around in a garden full of petunias, 4 o'clocks, tomatoes and asparagus. Her parents paved the way for Joanne's love of gardens.
She and her husband eventually relocated their family to Needham in 1984. On her first day standing in the backyard, she was overlooking all of the shrubbery and thinking, "This is a blank canvas!" She spent countless hours picking through what was there, finding several hidden gems along the way. From that time, she decided that she would make her garden as beautiful as the one she recalls from childhood.
"I can really zone out when I'm in my garden. It's a peaceful place for me to spend my time." Time in the garden isn't the only thing that inspired Joanne to open her business, Garden Mentors. It was classroom education, long walks in the Arnold Arboretum, and lots of research that have helped to perfect her craft. Joanne's business focuses on building sustainable, low maintenance and environmentally responsible gardens. She believes that gardens can be beautiful throughout the year and easy to maintain by using the proper plantings. You may think this is impossible but allow Joanne to prove you wrong!
Her process begins with an initial consultation. It's a time to review what current plantings are in place, get to know her client and set their list of priorities. After that, it's a trip together to purchase the appropriate plants and supervise their professional installation. Joanne spends time educating her client on the appropriate ways to care for their new plantings. By using plants that are low maintenance, it's a matter of discussing what should be done from season to season. Since Joanne offers hourly rate consulting, a client can call her back several times throughout the year to review the progress of the garden and ensure it's proper growth.
A great referral for Joanne is a homeowner, with an established home within 20 minutes of Needham, who is open to new ideas and being kinder to the environment. No fancy chemicals in Joanne's plans; just gorgeous plantings to be enjoyed without the hassle. Take some time to learn more on the Garden Mentor website at www.gardenmentor.net or sign up for her bi-annual class taught for the Needham Adult Education Program.
When asked if she could give one piece of advice to others she proclaimed, "Your plants want to grow - no need to kill them with excessive water and fertilizer!" |
uild and foster relationships within the group and the larger business community. I hope everyone had a nice well-rested summer and is ready to go!