Top May articles: Leadership, growth and innovation

By Jenny Yu.  

From profitability habits to artificial intelligence, OutdoorCoffeeShop™ readers prioritized insights for long-term success. 

As outdoor living professionals look for strategies to navigate growth and change across the industry, OutdoorCoffeeShop™ readers gravitated toward content about leadership, growth and innovation in the month of May. 

The top article of the month was “Seeing the big picture” by Emma Petersen, which explored how contractors can move beyond daily operations to focus on long-term vision and sustainable business planning. The article resonated with readers looking to strengthen leadership skills while managing growth in a competitive market. Similarly, Emma’s article “When your company grows beyond you” examined how successful contractors can adapt as their companies expand, emphasizing delegation, trust and building systems that support long-term scalability. 

Another standout was “Beyond the roof: Taking care of families in need,” also by Emma, which highlighted the importance of community involvement and giving back. Readers connected with the message that strong businesses are built not only on profitability but also on supporting the communities they serve. 

Artificial intelligence stayed a hot topic throughout May, making “Is AI coming for our jobs?” one of the top-read articles. Emma's piece explored how AI is changing the trades while reinforcing the importance of skilled professionals and human expertise in the outdoor construction industry. 

Rounding out the top five was “The operational habits that separate profitable contractors from busy ones” by Cotney Consulting Group, which focused on the processes and discipline required to turn activity into profitability. The piece inspired discussions around efficiency, accountability and operational consistency. 

Find the top 5 articles here! 

5 - The operational habits that separate profitable contractors from busy ones by Cotney Consulting Group. 

4 - Is AI coming for our jobs? by Emma Petersen 

3 - When your company grows beyond you by Emma Petersen 

2 - Beyond the roof: Taking care of families in need by Emma Petersen 

1 - Seeing the big picture by Emma Petersen