In this conversation, Rob Murray, the founder of Intrigue Media, shares his journey in the marketing industry, focusing on how he built a successful marketing firm tailored for landscape entrepreneurs. He discusses the importance of community engagement, effective marketing strategies, and the need for a solid sales process. Rob emphasizes the significance of content marketing and long-term strategies for sustainable business growth, while also providing insights on measuring marketing success a...
Aug 14, 2025•46 min•Ep. 258
In this episode with Scott Frampton, co-founder of Landscape Renovations in Minneapolis, MN, we delve into the intricacies of bid build and design build, two pivotal approaches in the construction industry. Join us as we explore the strengths and challenges of each method, featuring insights from industry expert Scott Frampton. Discover how choosing the right strategy can impact your business growth and project outcomes. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the field, this episode of...
Jul 24, 2025•50 min
John Munie is our guest, owner of Focal Pointe, a $55M company with branches in KC, OK and MO, a thriving company with 625 employees and seven branches. Discover how John started small and scaled his business to $55 million, focusing on emotional connections with stakeholders and maintaining quality and culture. Learn about his unique approach to leadership, the importance of a strong balance sheet, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Key Takeaways: The significance of connecting emotion...
Jul 10, 2025•58 min•Ep. 256
Christian Ruf owns Uncommon Elite, an Executive Recruiting firm. In this conversation, Christian Ruf shares his journey from military service to becoming a niche recruiter for veterans in the business world. He discusses the unique skills and attributes that military veterans bring to civilian roles, including leadership, resilience, and the ability to navigate chaos. Ruf emphasizes the importance of assessing talent based on attributes rather than experience and highlights the challenges vetera...
Jun 20, 2025•41 min•Ep. 255
Matthew Knick is the founder and president of WillowGrove Landscape in Mandeville, Louisiana. His company does $4M in revenue with 40 employees and a 50/50 split between high-end maintenance and design-build. In this conversation, Matt shares his powerful personal journey from battling addiction to building a values-driven company. He talks about the habits that keep him grounded—like meditation and journaling—and how they help him manage the stress of running a business in a high-pressure indus...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 10 min
Marcus Sheridan is the author of “They Ask, You Answer” and “Endless Customers, ” which show you why and how to use content marketing to become the go-to company on the internet. In this conversation, Marcus discusses the evolution of marketing and sales in the home improvement industry, emphasizing the importance of understanding today’s buyers, building a trusted brand, and implementing effective pricing strategies. He shares insights from his journey with River Pools and the principles outlin...
May 22, 2025•44 min
Jeffrey Scott interviews Jon Rick, the Owner of two landscape firms totaling $3.5M in revenue: J. Rick Lawn & Tree in Colorado Springs, CO, and Dakota OutdoorScapes in Bizmark, N.D. Jon shares insights into his diverse business ventures, including a couple non-landscape companies. He discusses the challenges of finding the right operations manager, his approach to financial management and profit setting, and strategies for scaling both businesses. He emphasizes the importance of professional...
May 08, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 252
In this conversation, Jeffrey Scott talks to Mary Vales, Chief People Officer at Schill Grounds Management. She shares her secrets to success in HR, recruiting tips, software support, onboarding processes, and of course the importance of company culture. She discusses her career journey, the need for great processes in HR, and the challenges of HR in the field of mergers and acquisitions. She shares the significance of hiring practices (do’s and dont’s) in shaping a successful organization. Mary...
Apr 17, 2025•44 min•Ep. 251
In this conversation, Jeffrey Scott interviews Dave Leff, ex-co-owner of TLC Landscaping (Ontario Canada), and regional manager of Schill Grounds Management. They discuss the journey of Dave’s business over 35 years. They explore the growth strategies, the importance of account management, and the impact of diversification in the landscaping industry. Dave shares insights on the significance of (Jeffrey Scott’s) peer group, the story behind their safety training company Greenius, and the lessons...
Apr 10, 2025•35 min•Ep. 250
Jono Fries, VP of Operations for Schill Grounds Management based in Cleveland, OH. Schill is a multi-state 31 branch landscape firm. In this conversation, Jono shares his journey from the restaurant industry to the landscaping business, discussing the challenges and lessons learned along the way. He emphasizes the techniques he learned in restaurants, namely how good systems build good culture. He also discusses team dynamics in achieving success. Jono reflects on his landscape experiences first...
Mar 27, 2025•38 min
Todd Hardy is the Director of Sales for Schill Grounds Management, a 31 branch company across the Midwest US and Canada. Todd shares his extensive experience in the landscape business, focusing on the importance of servant leadership in sales (business development), the dynamics of managing a sales team, and the significance of company culture and core values. He discusses the challenges of hiring and onboarding business developers, the need for performance management, and how to navigate person...
Mar 20, 2025•46 min•Ep. 248
In this conversation, Jerry Schill, CEO of Schill Grounds Management, shares his journey from starting a small landscaping business to leading a company with 31 locations. He discusses the importance of team culture, setting big goals, and the challenges of integrating new acquisitions. Jerry emphasizes the value of mentorship and continuous learning, as well as the entrepreneurial mindset required to navigate the complexities of business growth. He expresses excitement for the upcoming Summer G...
Mar 11, 2025•33 min•Ep. 247
Derek Wells is CEO of Wells Lawncare and Landscaping in Bloomington, IN. They do 3M in revenue of a mix of commercial and residential, and are growing over 30%. For more information on Derek Wells and Wells Lawncare and Landscaping in Bloomington, Indiana, visit their website . In this conversation, Derek Wells shares his journey as a business owner detailing the challenges he faced when he made the difficult decision to let go of half his staff. He discusses the impact of this decision on his b...
Feb 20, 2025•54 min•Ep. 246
Donn is the owner of 14 yr old Vidosh North, Petoskey, MI, 10M in revenue with 63 employees. Jeffrey and Donn discuss his journey in the landscaping industry, discussing his leadership style, the impact of sports on his business philosophy, and the evolution of his company. He emphasizes the importance of team building, diversifying services, and learning from mistakes, particularly in hiring and financial management. Donn also highlights the significance of implementing profit-sharing structure...
Feb 06, 2025•53 min•Ep. 245
In this conversation, Zech Strauser shares his journey from struggling in school to becoming a successful entrepreneur in both the landscaping and apparel industries. He discusses his current ventures, including his real estate business, a farm, and the Urture apparel brand. Zech emphasizes the importance of financial accountability, community engagement, and having a clear vision for the future. He also provides valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting the significance of knowin...
Jan 09, 2025•56 min•Ep. 244
Kristi Delima (owner of Snips Landscaping in Ontario Canada) shares her inspiring journey of resilience and determination as she faced a breast cancer diagnosis while managing her landscaping business. She discusses the challenges she encountered, including navigating her health, family dynamics, and business operations. Kristi emphasizes the importance of mental resilience and visualization techniques to beat her cancer. She also shares the support she received from her community and her peers ...
Dec 12, 2024•38 min•Ep. 243
How To Successfully Transition Your Landscape Business. Should you plan to sell your business, or to retire-in-place? Either way, you will need to transform the business in many ways, from accounting to leadership and operations. Plus you will need to negotiate the sale, if you decide to go that route. In this conversation, Jeffrey Scott (interviewed by Kelly Dowell) discusses the intricacies of selling a landscaping business, including understanding buyer motivations, common myths about selling...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 242
Jeffrey Scott is joined by client Desiree Bouchard, General Manager of Great Lakes Landscape Design, in Oak Park Michigan. And by Sean Baxter, owner of Lawn and Landscape Solutions (KC) and he is also an Executive Coach at Jeffrey Scott Consulting. In this episode, Jeffrey Scott discusses the pivotal role of seconds in command with Desiree and Sean. They explore the journey of becoming a second in command, the importance of trust and communication in leadership, and the dynamics of managing team...
Oct 24, 2024•58 min•Ep. 241
Join John Phillips (owner, Gardens For Living, Asheville, NC) and his son, as we discuss how they survived the 500+yr flood that hit Asheville, and how they and their landscape team are powering through it. Their company’s GoFundMe is https://gofund.me/f5ed660d In this episode, they share their experiences during Hurricane Helene, detailing the unprecedented rainfall and flooding that devastated their community. The conversation covers personal stories of loss, the impact on their business, and ...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 239
Jeffrey Scott is interviewed by Kelly Dowell (owner of Keldo Digital) where Jeffrey discusses various aspects of converting design-build into maintenance clients. Jeffrey touches on topics such as the role of the enhancement salesperson, the timing of introducing the maintenance account manager to clients, and strategies for kickstarting a weak maintenance division. They also explore marketing methods for maintenance services and ways to showcase the long-term benefits of maintenance. Jeffrey Sc...
Oct 03, 2024•57 min•Ep. 239
In this episode, Mitch Katz and Sean Baxter (Executive Coaches at Jeffrey Scott Consulting) discuss the critical aspects of hiring in the landscape industry. They explore the common pain points business owners face when considering new hires, the benefits of proactive hiring, and the importance of defining roles and responsibilities. The conversation emphasizes the need for a clear vision, effective onboarding, avoiding burnout and the potential advantages of hiring from outside the industry. Th...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 238
Craig is the founder and co-owner of Green Side Up Landscaping based in Richmond VA, with a branch in Williamsburg. He has 36 employees and makes 5M in revenue. He started cutting grass at a young age and eventually decided to start his own landscaping company. He brought on two partners who complemented his skills and helped grow the business. Craig’s goal was to create a business that allowed him to have more free time, and he has been able to achieve that by being intentional with his schedul...
Sep 05, 2024•59 min•Ep. 237
Bryan Stolz, CEO of Winterberry (Southington, CT), shares his journey from being a junior garden designer to running the company. Winterberry is a diversified company that offers maintenance, fertilization, irrigation services, landscape design, and golf course irrigation installation. They have grown from a $10 million company when they were first my client, to a $33.5 million company with 240 employees. The ownership team consists of three partners who have different skill sets and work well t...
Aug 22, 2024•51 min•Ep. 236
Greyson Walldorff is the founder of Lawn Capital in Decatur, Georgia. He shares his journey of developing an all-electric landscape business dedicated to zero gas, zero toxins and zero noise. His 8 yr old company has 3M in revenue with 25 employees. We discuss his company’s focus on sustainability and their new product, Plan Zero, which is a 100% electric, zero chemical maintenance service. We also talk about the challenges of integrating electric equipment into their operations, and of transfor...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 235
Ivan Katz, founder of Great Lakes Landscape Design, near Detroit, Michigan, shares his experiences in the landscaping industry, including overcoming embezzlement and a major accident. His firm will hit close to 10M in 2024. He emphasizes the importance of trust, loyalty, and investing in employees. Katz also discusses the value of customer service and the impact of his personal mission on his business. The conversation covers topics such as financial management, employee development, and creatin...
Jul 11, 2024•50 min•Ep. 234
Jim and I discuss his history and background in the landscape industry, and his career extensions into property development and consulting. We discuss his “visionary” appraoch to consulting and the impact it had on his business and life. We discuss his latest book, “The Depressed Motivational Speaker”, and his own struggles with depression and how he overcame them. This podcast is a discussion between the old guard (Jim) and the newer guard (Jeffrey) that came up in his wake. Jim also shares ide...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 233
Ted Carter, is President of Pinehurst Landscape Company in Glen Arm, Maryland. They focus 85% on residential landscape design, build, and maintenance. The company employs around 40 people during peak season and aims to surpass $6 million in revenue this year. Pinehurst was founded by Carter’s father in 1964. Initially a lawn mowing business, it evolved into a landscaping company. Ted Carter formally joined the company in 2009, following a significant revenue drop during the recession. We cover m...
May 23, 2024•53 min•Ep. 232
My guests on this podcast are the real deal: Nag Murty is an aerospace engineer turned serial tech entrepreneur. Jarrett Herold is co-founder and COO of VC-backed startup Electric Sheep , the first large-scale outdoor maintenance company powered by artificial intelligence and robotics. This company is acquiring traditional outdoor service providers and progressively transforming operations by deploying proprietary AI software and robots. Electric Sheep’s approach is designed to automate various ...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 331
Chad Simmons is owner of Playrite, a small but powerful $2M profitable artificial turf company in Knoxville, TN Regarding artificial turf, we discuss his proactive hiring strategy, how he uses competition to drive his business, and how his vendor relationships give him a strategic advantage. Chad is also a BBQ expert, and shares some tips and tricks. You will enjoy our business and personal conversations, and you will be very hungry by the end of this special podcast. The post Artificial Turf &a...
Apr 11, 2024•55 min•Ep. 230
Larry Ryan is founder and owner of Ryan Lawn & Tree, based near Kansas City, KS, a 37 yr old company. Larry and his team have grown their firm organically and through acquisition to approx $75M with more growth planned this year. Jeffrey and Larry discuss the 5 most valuable growth strategies that Ryan undertakes, plus many more facets of the business that everyone can learn from. Ryan Lawn & Tree will be the host company for our upcoming Summer Growth Summit in August. For more info, vi...
Mar 22, 2024•57 min•Ep. 229
