While there isn’t one simple formula for growing a successful lawn or landscape business, there are some common pieces of advice that leaders in the industry have found to play a major factor in the growth of their companies.
NALP’s Titans share their guidance with others looking to scale their business up to the next level.
Surround Yourself with Great People
One of the most frequently shared recommendations is the importance of surrounding yourself with great people.
“You see guys or women that get to a certain size in their business, and they’re stuck,” says Jennifer Lemcke, CEO of Weed Man, Mosquito Hero and TurfBot, based in Ontario, Canada. “They can’t grow beyond that because they haven’t stepped back and proceduralized what they know how to do, so the business is all about them. They’re the salesperson. They’re the customer relations person. They got to be involved in everything. There’s nothing that can happen that they can’t be involved in. That limits your growth.”
Lemcke says when you surround yourself with good people and create repeatable processes, you can hand tasks off to others so the day-to-day work doesn’t fall on you all the time.
Brian Helgoe, CEO, founder and a member of the board of Monarch Landscape Companies, based in Los Angeles, California, says that they are able to achieve accountability and autonomy on their team by surrounding themselves with people who demonstrate great values, work hard, make smart decisions, and are willing to be demanding of themselves, their bosses, and their people.
Take Care of Your Team
Once you have found the right individuals to make up your team, you have to show your appreciation by taking care of them.
Lee Edwards, president and CEO of The Greenery, Inc., based on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, says while some owners view their people as a cost, he views them as their best asset.
“Pay them well,” Edwards says. “Share the equity, and they will reward you for it.”
Pat Covey, chairman, president and CEO of The Davey Tree Expert Company, based in Kent, Ohio, agrees the key to growing as successful business is focusing on your people.
“Build trust, invest in their development and create a culture where they feel valued,” Covey says. “Also, remember to listen thoroughly, whether it’s to your clients, your team or your community. The best ideas often come from the ground up.”
Be Open to Change
Carmine Schiavone, CEO of SavATree, based in Bedford Hills, New York, also stresses the importance of listening to the voice of the customer.
“Understand what your customers are saying about you through reviews and customer satisfaction surveys – when you don’t deliver, run towards the problem, own it, and learn from it,” Schiavone says.
He encourages being committed to change, as even good processes can be made better.
“To make the business grow, you need to have creative ideas on new offerings, new ways to market the business and new ways to look at the customer experience that don’t stray too far from core competencies,” says Chris Senske, acquisition ambassador for the Senske Family of Companies, based in Kennewick, Washington.
Find Your Niche
While you should seek ways to improve and explore new ways to serve your customers, it’s best to find your niche and perfect it.
“If you try to do it all, you will be average at all,” says Bob Grover, founder and chairman of Pacific Landscape Management, based in Hillsboro, Oregon. “If you specialize, you can become an expert. You will be rewarded if you become an expert and will suffer by being average. And when you become an expert, do not be afraid to charge appropriately for your expertise. If you are worth it, you can charge for it. Live by price and die by the price if you lower yourself to play the price game.”
Senske says in the past, he was guilty of trying to chase dollars by doing things they had no expertise in.
“In the 70s, during the energy crisis, there were significant subsidies and a drive to upgrade insulation in homes,” Senske says. “It looked like pretty easy money! Then next up, we were distracted with landscape maintenance, and that spawned design and bid build landscaping. All those $100,000 to $300,000 build contracts we were missing out on were going to make us a fortune. Not so much on any of these projects. I left those businesses behind and went back to focusing on lawn care. When we did, we were profitable and growing year after year. The lesson: focus on your core competencies.”
Get Involved in NALP
Lastly, Phil Key, CEO of Ruppert Landscape, based in Laytonsville, Maryland, encourages other owners to reach out local competitors or bigger players in the industry for advice or guidance.
“Joining associations like NALP or local associations is a great way to expand those industry relationships,” Key says. “The green industry is supportive, and most companies are either struggling with the same challenges or have figured out a way to move past those challenges and are happy to share their experience.”
Mike Bogan, CEO of LandCare, based in Frederick, Maryland, also recommends joining NALP.
“You’ll meet so many professionals who have faced challenges similar to yours, and they are famously willing to share their knowledge,” Bogan says. “It is a uniquely open and candid group that will invite you to visit, open their books and share their resources. The conferences provide tremendous learning opportunities both in the presentations and networking after hours. All around, you won’t find a better place to foster growth and advancement.”
