Originally, Marcus Jones set out to be a music teacher. Now, he is the director of systems for Landscape Workshop.
“The only constant is change,” Jones says. “You have to stay flexible because things rarely unfold exactly as you expect.”
Like many others unfamiliar with the industry, Jones says before joining Landscape Workshop he thought landscaping was simply mowing, edging, and debris removal.
“I had no idea how much skill, strategy, and knowledge the industry truly requires,” Jones says. “It’s hard work but deeply rewarding. I have tremendous respect for the professionals who bring properties to life every single day. As I learned more about the business, the systems driving it, and the evolving market, it became clear that I had been given an incredible opportunity — one that would challenge and grow me in all the right ways.”
Jones was the general manager of a SaaS company when he met Landscape Workshop’s CEO J.T. Price in 2015, when Price still managed a sister company of Landscape Workshop.
“As time went on, J.T. fully committed himself to Landscape Workshop, and about four years ago, he invited me to join his team for what promised to be an exciting and challenging journey,” Jones says. “Having already experienced his leadership style and the culture of performance he promotes, I jumped at the opportunity.”
When he first joined Landscape Workshop, Jones was the supply chain, data analyst, and systems program manager. He says overseeing these three areas early on helped him develop a well-rounded understanding of the business and shortened his learning curve.
Jones says the entire executive team has mentored him with their openness, sound advice and knowledge sharing.
“As someone who came in from outside the industry, I leaned heavily on our operational leaders for insight into how our systems could best support their efforts,” Jones says. “Our C-suite has also provided invaluable guidance to help scale the business effectively.”
Jones says his favorite thing about working with Landscape Workshop is the people he gets to work alongside.
“They’re incredibly smart, talented, and deeply committed to making Landscape Workshop the best landscaping company in the world,” he says. “It’s not about any one person — everyone here shares the same goal. Every opinion matters and is highly respected across the organization.”
In Jones’s role, he oversees two teams responsible for managing both their operational ERP and telematics systems. He says they support all 45 branches in the organization, and their goal is to leverage data and give every user an accurate, clear view of their performance and operational health.
“We look at questions like: Are we completing our daily tasks as scheduled? What trends need attention to improve our bottom line? Where are our biggest opportunities — and why?” Jones says. “Good analysis doesn’t just report what happened; it helps explain why it happened and how to improve going forward.”
Jones recommends that other businesses looking to create systems start by defining what ‘good’ looks like for your company.
“Identify the behaviors that drive those results and then build systems that make those behaviors visible and repeatable,” Jones says. “No matter the platform, remember that a system is just a tool — the quality of your inputs determines the value of your outputs.”
The biggest challenge Jones faces is scaling processes and procedures as it can be hard to convince people to consistently log data uniformly.
“It’s not about any one person — it’s about seeing the bigger picture and moving together toward a shared goal,” he says.
Jones is excited by the pace of change the industry is experiencing.
“Technology is transforming this industry faster than ever, and it’s exciting to be part of it,” Jones says. “From autonomous mowers to data automation and AI, I get a front-row seat to innovations that are redefining how landscaping operates.”
In five years, Jones sees himself in command of the key drivers of the industry, particularly with how technology can be used in value-adding ways to strengthen operations.
“My goal is to be a trusted strategic partner for Landscape Workshop and a reliable resource for our vendors and partners, helping them navigate the evolving intersection of technology and business,” Jones says.
If Jones could change one thing in the industry, he’d like to see it be recognized more.
“It may not be the flashiest line of work, but it’s challenging, rewarding, and deeply satisfying,” Jones says. “The people in this field — some of the hardest-working Americans you’ll ever meet — deserve every bit of recognition and respect for the pride and excellence they bring to their craft each day.”
This article was published in the January/February issue of the magazine. To read more stories from The Edge magazine, click here to subscribe to the digital edition.
