The LeanScaper Podcast

Discover where the landscaping industry is heading next. In this panel discussion recorded live at our Dallas event, six industry leaders share practical insight into the forces reshaping the future of landscape businesses: technology, private equity, M&A, scaling, leadership, and long-term value creation. Whether you’re building toward an exit, planning your next growth phase, or trying to fu...

If you’re a landscaper trying to grow your business, content isn’t about going viral—it’s about becoming the obvious choice in your market. In this episode, Benji sits down with Brian Fullerton to break down what actually matters when it comes to content, social media, and long-term brand trust in local service businesses. This is not an episode about algorithms or posting hacks. It’s about credib...

Why do so many business owners achieve everything they set out to build… yet still feel a quiet emptiness underneath it all? In this conversation, Benji sits down with Philip McKernan to explore why success often feels misaligned, why old wounds silently shape our ambition, and what it takes to shift from proving yourself to actually living in alignment. This episode is a grounded, honest look at...

In this episode of the LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Justin White , CEO of K&D Landscaping, to break down what actually drives revenue growth in a landscape business. Justin shares his journey from being thrust into the CEO role at 25 years old to scaling K&D from ~$1.5M to over $20M in annual revenue. Together, they unpack the boring but powerful principles that create predicta...

What if the biggest growth driver for your landscaping business isn’t ads, equipment, or even skill—but partnerships ? In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Kevin Scott reveals how 90% of revenue comes from partnerships with architects, builders, vendors, realtors, municipalities, and even customers. Expect to learn: -Why you should never email proposals again -How nagging a single architect...

What if the key to keeping more money in your landscaping business isn’t selling more work—but finally building a budget you’ll stick to? In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast , Benji sits down with Meaghan Likes —entrepreneur, financial educator, and owner of multiple home-service companies—who has built hundreds of budgets and helped contractors hit double-digit net profit with simple system...

The old marketing funnel is broken (or at the very least has some holes in it). In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Marc Levesque of Webrunner Media to break down why contractors keep wasting money on leads, how to actually generate AND capture demand, and the exact steps to fix your “leaky funnel” before you pour more money into ads. Timestamps: 0:00 – Why the old mark...

In this episode, Benji sits down with serial entrepreneur and podcaster Dwayne Kerrigan, who has owned 35+ businesses across 14 industries. From road building to landscaping to restaurants, Dwayne shares the 5 fundamental business skill sets that span industries. You’ll hear: Why vision is a muscle anyone can build The 20-minute “think time” writing exercise that forces breakthroughs The shocking...

Unlock the hidden metrics that actually drive profitability in contracting and landscaping businesses. In this episode, LeanScaper CEO Mike Lysecki breaks down why profit numbers lie, how throughput reveals the truth, and the exact ratios you should track to make more money. Expect to learn:   The “labor efficiency ratio” and how it instantly shows if your crews are productive How mowing can look...

In this episode, Benji Carlson sits down with Brian Kaskavalciyan of The Wealthy Contractor to uncover why so many landscapers and contractors struggle with scarcity thinking—and what it really takes to build wealth in business. Brian shares powerful mindset shifts, personal stories, and practical tools that help entrepreneurs overcome fear, reprogram limiting beliefs, and finally give themselves...

Hiring in the trades is broken. Too many contractors “post and pray,” hoping the right people show up. In this episode, Benji sits down with Naomi Pitt and Josianne Gaudette from CrewHR to break down what real recruitment looks like in 2025—from building pipelines, referral programs, employer branding, and even using AI without losing the human touch. If you’re struggling to attract and keep top t...

Marketing is the lifeblood of every small business — yet most entrepreneurs waste thousands chasing shiny objects, outsourcing to the wrong people, or tracking the wrong numbers. In this conversation with best-selling author Allan Dib ( The 1-Page Marketing Plan, Lean Marketing ), we unpack how to eliminate waste, focus on what matters, and build a marketing engine that works. 👉 Subscribe for mor...

 Learn More About Our Accelerator Programs: https://leanscaper.com/programs In this episode of the LeanScaper Podcast, Benji Carlson sits down with Mark Bradley to break down the five stages of scaling a landscaping business —from startup hustle to legacy enterprise. Mark shares raw stories, painful lessons, and powerful frameworks that every entrepreneur needs to hear. Whether you’re stuck at $50...

In this episode, Benji sits down with Isaac Barlow, founder of BusyBusy, one of the first time-tracking tools purpose-built for the trades. Isaac is a visionary entrepreneur and technologist who transformed the way contractors capture and use jobsite data.   Isaac shares his deep insights on the power of “jobsite intelligence,” the critical field data that helps contractors make smarter, more prof...

If your business can’t run without you, it’s not a business - it’s a bottleneck. Barry Hartman built 505-Junk into a 7-figure operation because he built leaders - not just labor. In this episode, he shares the hard-won lessons behind building a leadership team that drives growth without bloated overhead. ✅ When to begin designing and building a leadership team (hint: sooner than you think) ✅ How...

Hiring your first salesperson can feel like pulling the cord on a chainsaw that won’t start; over and over again. In this episode, Benji sits down with Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency, to unpack why this hire is so hard and why most business owners get it dead wrong. Asad has helped 1,500 companies make over $1 billion in sales hires, and he’s here to deliver hard truths and practical steps...

Private equity is flooding into the landscaping industry, but why now? In this episode, Morgan from Breakwater M&A breaks down the massive shift in investor focus and what it means for blue-collar entrepreneurs.  We talk about:  • Why landscaping is suddenly a hot investment target  • How AI is pushing investors out of tech and into real-world businesses  • The “golden era” of exits—and how to...

What happens when you hire a software programmer, not a landscaper, to help run one of the biggest jobs of your career? In this live talk turned podcast episode, Mike Lysecki reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how systems, transparency, and accountability became the backbone of TBG’s success and eventually the foundation for LMN and LeanScaper. From a $5M residential project that ballooned int...

You don’t run a profitable landscaping business by accident. In this episode, Benji sits down with Robert Gauvreau - CPA, author of The Wealthy Entrepreneur , and founder of Gauvreau Accounting, Tax, Law, Advisory - to expose the eight most common financial mistakes contractors make and how to avoid them. Robert’s firm has worked with over 4,000 businesses across North America, including 700+ cont...

In this special episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Benji Carlson takes the stage to deliver one of his most impactful talks yet: how to build a one-year people plan that actually works. Most contractors love strategy - it’s fun, exciting, and creative. But sooner or later, every great plan must run through people… and that’s where the real challenges begin.  In this live session, Benji shares the...

In this powerful episode, Benji sits down with Jon DeWaal, Executive Director of Liminal Space , to unpack burnout from the inside out - what it feels like, why it happens, and how entrepreneurs can break free from the grind that’s stealing their energy and purpose. Expect to learn: • What “functional burnout” feels like and how it traps leaders in a life they can’t escape • How burnout hijacks yo...

What’s holding landscapers back from their true potential? In this episode, Justin White (CEO of K&D Landscaping) brings raw energy to his keynote in Charlotte. He shares how “sweat equity,” a championship mindset, and bold long-term vision can transform not just your business but your entire life. Justin doesn’t just talk about growth; he proves it by living it. From nearly losing his family...

Sometimes it’s not your systems holding you back, but your mindset. In this episode, Benji sits down with Tom Reber - Marine Corps veteran, business coach, speaker and founder of The Contractor Fight - to unpack the real work contractors need to do: winning the inner fight. You’ll learn: • Why fear is the #1 limiter of growth - and how to beat it • The daily habits top contractors use to stay shar...

On Thursday July 24th, LeanScaper’s Founder Mark Bradley unveiled LeanScaper.ai , the first and only AI platform built for landscapers and their teams. Lana, the chat agent inside LeanScaper. AI, which you’ll see demonstrated in this video is available to you now for free. Just click here to create an account in less than one minute.  In this groundbreaking keynote from the Lawn and Landscape Tech...

The era of order-taking is over and if your sales team is still sitting around waiting for the phone to ring, you’re in trouble. In this episode, Benji sits down with Ryan Groth, CEO of Sales Transformation Group, to unpack what today’s high-performance contractor sales orgs actually look like and how you can build one from scratch. You’ll learn: • Why “sales culture” is your biggest lever in toda...