Green Side Up

In this episode, we welcome Matt from The Grass Guys LLC, who shares his journey into the green industry. Matt discusses his focus on high-end, detail-oriented lawn care, the challenges he's faced as a solo operator, and how he's built a niche serving clients who value quality over price. He provides insights into his unique approach to leaf cleanup, managing the seasonal nature of his business, a...

This Thanksgiving, we're grateful to welcome a very special set of guests to the Green Side Up podcast - Jordan's twin children, Axley and Sawyer! In this heartwarming episode, the 7-year-old twins share the excitement of their upcoming birthday, from the bouncy house surprise to the sprinkle cookies they'll bring to school. As the family gathers to celebrate, we get a glimpse into the twins' live...

In this episode, we sit down with Kory Ballard, the founder of Perficut and Ballard Products. Kory shares the inspiring story of how he built his landscaping business from the ground up as a teenager, growing it to over 75 employees before transitioning to focus on his product company Ballard. Kory provides valuable insights on managing growth, building a strong company culture, and the challenges...

In this episode, Jordan and Jason discuss the intersection of opportunity and preparedness, and how it has led to their success. They share stories about a unique land clearing project, the challenges of implementing new software, and Jordan's candidacy for Vice President of the ISA Florida Chapter. Throughout, the hosts emphasize the importance of being ready to seize opportunities when they aris...

In this episode of the Green Side Up Podcast, we sit down with Tony Bass, the founder of Super Lawn Trucks, to discuss his mission to eliminate trailers from the landscaping industry. Tony shares the personal experiences that led him to develop these innovative work trucks, designed to be a warehouse on wheels and improve efficiency, safety, and profitability for lawn and landscape companies. We d...

In this episode, Jordan and Jason discuss the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the extensive tree damage and cleanup efforts Jordan's company has been dealing with over the past few weeks. Jordan shares harrowing stories of yellow jacket attacks, massive tree removals, and the emotional toll of helping a grieving customer. The guys also touch on Jordan's own home damage and flooding,...

In this episode of the Greenside Up Podcast, host Jason Lee is joined by fellow landscapers Matt Hiner and Mark Smith for an exciting discussion about their recent alligator hunting adventure in Florida. The trio share their expectations, experiences, and the thrill of hunting these prehistoric creatures, providing listeners with a glimpse into the unique world of Florida gator hunting. Beyond the...

In this episode, we sit down with Freddie Lewis, a former professional baseball player who found his way into the landscape industry through a connection with our hosts, Jason and Jordan. Freddie shares his journey, from playing for the New York Yankees to working alongside Jason and Jordan in their early landscape business ventures. Freddie recounts the valuable lessons he learned from Jason and...

In this episode, Jordan and Jason speak with two experienced arborists, David and Carson, at the Saluting Branches event in Florida. They discuss their backgrounds in the tree care industry, the differences between tree climbing competitions in the north versus the south, the challenges of working with cranes and crane operators, and the importance of effective project management and communication...

In this special on-location episode, we're joined by Florida State Representative Doug Bankson at the Florida National Cemetery for the Saluting Branches event. Rep. Bankson shares his personal connection to this meaningful day honoring fallen veterans, as well as insights into the important work being done by the arborist community. The conversation also covers critical issues impacting Floridian...

In this episode of the Greenside Up podcast, hosts Jordan and Jason are joined by representatives from Heritage Landscape Supply Group and FIS Outdoor to discuss their industry-leading Early Order Program (EOP). James Bennett and PJ Watson provide an in-depth overview of the EOP, highlighting the significant savings, extended payment terms, and rebate opportunities available to landscape contracto...

In this special episode of the Greenside Up Podcast, hosts Jason Lee and Jordan Upcavage are joined by returning guest Adam Jackson and his wife Danae Jackson to discuss the 10th anniversary of Saluting Branches, a nationwide event where tree care professionals volunteer their services to maintain and beautify veteran cemeteries. The group is on location at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnel...

In this episode, we sit down with Kim and Janeen from the UF Physical Therapy Department to discuss their research study on addressing low back pain among nursery and landscape workers. They share the motivation behind the study, the data collection and training methods, and the challenges and barriers they've encountered in implementing practical solutions. The conversation explores how physical...

In this episode, Jordan and Jason discuss the challenges of running growing landscape and tree care businesses. They share stories of dealing with difficult employees, navigating staffing issues, and the constant grind of managing the day-to-day operations. Despite the struggles, they remain committed to improving their business and finding ways to work smarter, not harder. This honest and relatab...

In this episode of the Greenside Up Podcast, hosts Jason Lee and Jordan Upcavage sit down with Michael and Ben from Best Human Capital and Advisory Group, a recruiting and HR consulting firm focused on the Green Industry. They discuss the challenges of finding and retaining top talent in the landscaping, nursery, and tree care sectors. Michael and Ben share their expertise on the hiring process, i...

In this episode, we sit down with David Font, the owner of David Font Designs and the US master distributor for Schaffer articulating wheel loaders. David shares his fascinating journey from pursuing music in college to finding his passion in landscape architecture, including his foray into TV appearances on HGTV. The focus of our conversation is David's discovery of the Schaefer loader brand and...

In this episode, Jordan and Jason discuss the challenges they faced during a recent vacation and tropical storm, including equipment issues, storm damage, and managing their business remotely. They also share some entertaining employee stories and update listeners on their upcoming appearance at The Landscape Show in Orlando. Throughout the conversation, the hosts provide insights into the day-to-...

In this episode of the Green Side Up podcast, hosts Jason and Jordan are joined by special guest Tony Bass, a true green industry veteran and entrepreneur. They discuss the keys to building a successful landscaping or tree care business, including the importance of developing written policies, procedures, and systems. Tony shares insights from his experience growing a multi-million dollar lawn ser...

The Green Side Podcast is a show that features interviews with entrepreneurs and business leaders in the Green Industry. In this episode, the hosts sit down with Tequila Steve, who works with the software company Single Ops. Steve shares his background in the landscape and irrigation industries, and discusses how Single Ops has helped streamline operations and improve efficiency for his customers....

In this episode of the Green Side Up Podcast, Jordan discusses his struggles with high blood pressure and caffeine intake while working long hours trimming trees. Jason explains his use of plant growth regulators to maintain hedges and shrubs. Jordan shares an experiment with using PGRs to control growth on his lawn. The hosts talk about Jordan's efforts to launch a new plant healthcare division f...

In this episode of the Green Side Up podcast, hosts Jason and Jordan welcome Chris from Brothers Pest Control. Chris shares insights on growing a successful lawn care and pest control business from the ground up, emphasizing the importance of quality service, hands-on management, and organic growth through referrals. The conversation covers topics such as employee training, chemical application te...

Jordan and Jason recap their recent trip to the Trees Florida conference, where they networked with arborists and tree care professionals. They discuss the busy schedule of events and interviews they conducted. The hosts also provide updates on their businesses, including new hires and training plans. Jordan talks about bringing on his personal trainer Brian to help employees and take work off his...

In this episode of the Green Side Up podcast, hosts Jordan and Jason welcome special guest Travis Owen, a Navy veteran and entrepreneur. Travis shares his incredible journey from military service to running a successful pawn shop and eventually transitioning into healthcare management. Listeners will hear captivating stories about Navy rescue swimmer training, the gold-buying business, and unconve...

On this episode of the Green Side Up Podcast, Jordan and Jason sit down with friend and tree climbing legend Adam Jackson. Adam shares his journey from starting in landscaping in England to running a major tree division for the largest landscape company in the country. They discuss Adam's 13 years leading the annual Florida tree climbing competition and innovations that have advanced safety. Adam...

Addiction, Discipline, and Freedom in the Workplace Jordan and Jason sit down with personal trainer and addiction recovery advocate Brian Belling to discuss the challenges of addiction in the tree care and landscape industry. Brian shares his journey of overcoming addiction through a Salvation Army program and how he now helps others. The hosts also explore strategies for identifying employees str...