Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Thomas Vogelsang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Thomas, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
Someone once said to me, “Thomas, everybody is scared. Everybody.” On the surface, that may seem simple, if not perhaps silly, but it’s actually quite profound. New ideas, death, isolation, money, harm, inadequacy, love… Everybody is scared of something. Many of the most confident people in your life are putting on an act, Many are completely unaware of the act. It doesn’t really matter either way.
The important part is this fear extends beyond the person. It permeates into worldviews, trickling into reality. The fear of not “fitting in” or being a “black sheep” in particular puts a ceiling on the possibilities of yourself and the world around you. Fear manifests as hate, naysaying, name-calling and many other negative things.
The hate you receive for your ideas and passions can therefore be seen in a whole new light. It’s not really about you! It’s about them and their inability to see what you see, live as you do, or build what you’re building. Are you really going to let someone’s limited imagination dictate your reality? No!
So when someone tries to change my course, calls me an idiot or tells me they don’t see it, I just smile and move on. Your energy is better spent quietly building your vision. When you make it they will say they believed in you the whole time.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
We design and build ecological landscapes, gardens, and green infrastructure. Using sustainable materials and processes, we combine ancient techniques with modern science to build habitat, enhance landscapes, and rekindle the fundamental relationship between humans and nature.
Our projects mix creativity and practicality, fashioning living pieces of art that create a greater sense of peace and connection. This year we are expanding from residential to include commercial and public projects. I’m so excited to be doing this. It’s transformative.
Our industry is growing. There’s a movement happening. What is most exciting about that to me is that it’s a reflection of changing awareness and values. You’re already involved more than you know. But we still have a ton of growth to make, physically and culturally. Our food supply chain is dependent on pollinator species, for example. If you want fresh fruits and vegetables, you are interested in ecology. I strongly encourage any reader to look into ecological collapse statistics — then go get some native plants for your yard and stop using pesticides!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
As cliché as it sounds, learning to sell. That was a huge milestone. I mean that as a means to drive results, behaviors, and revenue, but also even more so as a mental breakthrough. It’s so important to be able to demonstrate value that isn’t initially seen, push past no, and keep going after rejection. There’s a lot of rejection out there. You will be rejected. That is part of the journey. When you find or create something that has a genuine potential to change lives, give consistent effort. This is a giant piece to any endeavor. Keep going!
Another is developing a higher emotional intelligence. The power of a high EQ is incredible. I didn’t really understand this fully until my 20’s. I used to blaze my trail with intellect, nearly singularly, which often backfired. We aren’t computers, we’re living, emotion-filled beings. Learning emotional regulation and awareness is essential. Be genuine and pleasant, but also tactful and observant in your interactions. It can be great fun learning what makes others tick. It’s the best way to find mutual ground.
Lastly, I’m a continual learner. New information is synthesized every day. There’s so much to learn. You never know what you may discover. An open, curious mind ready to apply learning is incredibly powerful. You can always find a better way to do something, make improvements, challenge the status quo, and learn from the past. Every design or installation I do I strive to make at least one small improvement to the process or product. Every project is better than the last. This frees up time, reduces waste, enhances efficiency, improves outcomes, and feels great!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Absolutely! I’m always in search of creative partnerships and collaborative efforts. I’m a strong believer in interdisciplinary action and learning. The more realms of knowledge and expertise we can include the better.
If you work in city planning, civil engineering, architecture, landscaping, green building, ecology, gardening, or have any sort of overlapping interests in what we do or how we could collaborate, I want to hear from you.
Whether you own land or a business, are a stakeholder in a project or group, have a bright idea or simply desire to play a part in something bigger, we should talk. I’m all ears.
Let’s make it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.therootdesigncompany.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/root.design.co/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?viewas=100000686899395&id=100083304038885
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/root-design-kansascity/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.