Green Profit Academy Pros Podcast

In this enlightening episode, we welcome Leslie F. Halleck, a distinguished Certified Professional Horticulturist with a notable 27-year career in the horticulture industry. Leslie's extensive experience ranges from botanical field research to public gardens, landscape design, and horticulture consulting, making her an invaluable resource for both businesses and home gardening enthusiasts. A...

In this insightful episode, join hosts Christeen Era and Steve Bousquet as they delve into the critical topic of pricing strategies to ensure profitability in your business. As they navigate through the nuances of pricing markups and margins, they share a five-step approach designed to help businesses identify, understand, and rectify common pricing pitfalls. Whether you're grappling with und...

Christeen Era & Steve Bousquet delve into the powerful and life-changing "Profit First" methodology. Join us as we examine the core principles of this innovative approach that promises to turn traditional accounting on its head, by putting profit at the forefront of your business strategy. Steve and Christeen launch into an insightful discussion on how the Profit First system can shi...

Hosts Christeen Era and Steve Bousquet delve into the evolving landscape of sales in the lawn care and landscape industry. They reflect on the changing dynamics brought about by technology and discuss the pitfalls of relying solely on digital methods for sales. Steve shares insights from his 41 years of experience, emphasizing the importance of personal interactions and the pitfalls of a "laz...

Dive into an engaging episode with hosts Christeen Era and Steve Bousquet as they unravel the art of effective communication by leveraging Gallup’s CliftonStrengths. Discover how understanding different domains—Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking—can transform the way you connect with your team and loved ones. Christeen and Steve share personal anecdotes and profe...

Join hosts Christeen Era and Steve Bousquet in an engaging conversation as they unravel the art of navigating employee performance. Discover insightful strategies for determining when to coach, support, or make the tough call to terminate. They share the secret sauce for creating a dynamic workplace: clear, written expectations paired with regular check-ins that supercharge productivity and slash...

In this episode, Steve Bousquet hosts Ben Stimler from One Thing Marketing, located in Louisville, Kentucky. The discussion revolves around strategic marketing, particularly for trade and home service businesses. Ben shares his journey from New York to Louisville and emphasizes the importance of a holistic marketing approach. One Thing Marketing offers a free strategy session to understand clients...

In this insightful episode, Christeen Era and Steve Bousquet delve into the often-overlooked but crucial topic of labor burden in the green industry and beyond. They begin by defining labor burden, highlighting it as more than just wages, and encompassing taxes, benefits, training costs, and unbillable hours. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding labor burden for accurate prici...

In this episode, Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era discuss the importance of strategic planning for lawn care and landscape businesses during the fall season; exploring the significance of fall services such as aeration, overseeding, and irrigation blowouts, emphasizing the need to evaluate service offerings for profitability and market demand. The conversation delves into maintenance checks, inven...

In this insightful episode, hosts Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era delve into the concept of triangulation and its impact on interpersonal dynamics within the workplace. Christeen shares her experiences with triangulation, emphasizing its often sneaky and invisible nature that can wreak havoc on team relationships and business operations. The discussion highlights how unresolved issues and indirec...

In this engaging episode, Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era delve into the transformative power of turning core values into boundaries within small businesses. As the autumn leaves start to turn, the hosts draw on their experiences to discuss how fundamental principles, referred to as "immutable laws," can guide strategic planning and establish a robust company culture. Christeen emphasiz...

In this engaging podcast episode, Steve and Christeen dive into the significance of understanding and leveraging Gallup's Clifton Strengths. Steve shares his observations on the power of strengths-based leadership and management. With the recent launch of Gallup's leadership, manager, and sales reports, Steve emphasizes the importance of aligning one's natural talents with their rol...

In this insightful episode, Steve and Christeen return to the recording studio after a brief hiatus, inspired by their recent leadership training they delivered to a client. They delve into the art of handling difficult conversations, a skill that's essential in both personal and professional settings. Drawing from their leadership training with a client, they emphasize the importance of addr...

Join Steve and Christeen for an engaging and insightful discussion on leveraging Clifton Strengths to enhance team dynamics and business efficiency. In this episode, our hosts reflect on their recent trip to Ohio, where they worked with a team to explore the power of the Clifton Strengths assessment. Through real-world examples and personal anecdotes, they delve into how recognizing and utilizing...

In this lively episode, Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era explore the intriguing world of "know-it-alls" in the business landscape. Inspired by interactions at trade shows and on social media, they dive into the behaviors and psychology behind individuals who always seem to have all the answers but often lack curiosity and factual backing. Christeen shares insights on the emotional needs...

In this episode, Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era dive into the core elements of strategic business planning, sharing insights from their extensive experience working with small to mid-sized businesses. Fresh off a productive workshop in Ohio, they discuss the positive feedback they've received from listeners and emphasize the importance of sharing valuable content with a broader audience. St...

In part two of their discussion on scalable growth, Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era dive deep into the strategies that can transform your business. Focusing on the principles outlined in Chapter 8 of "Profit First for Lawn Care and Landscape Businesses," they discuss the significance of understanding financial percentages and the necessity of being intentional about scaling. Christeen h...

In this episode of our business-focused podcast, hosts Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era dive deep into the intricacies of mastering growth using the Scalable Growth Business Model Dashboards. They discuss how this model is essential for achieving long-term success in competitive sectors, particularly in the lawn care and landscape industries. The conversation highlights the importance of distingui...

Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era dive headfirst into the exhilarating world of change management. They unravel the mysteries behind why business owners often cling to outdated goals and how this reluctance to adapt can stifle innovation and growth. Through lively anecdotes and personal stories, they reveal the pivotal moments when they realized their business models weren't working—and the bo...

In this insightful episode, Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era delve into the crucial distinction between working on your business and working in your business, offering real-life experiences and practical advice for small business owners. They emphasize the importance of strategic planning, empowering emerging leaders, and process improvement to ensure sustained business success. Christeen shares h...

In this enlightening episode of the Green Profit Academy Pros Podcast, hosts Steve Bousquet and Christeen Era delve into the often overlooked but critical topic of the owner-driven mentality in small businesses. Steve and Christeen unpack the various dimensions of this mentality, starting with defining what it is and examining its financial, mental, and personal costs. They highlight how an owner&...

Steve dives into essential topics for companies entering the commercial landscaping market, addressing questions submitted by Rae Lynn Whitfield from Whitfield's Lawn and Garden. Steve shares his 40 years of expertise, covering both the commercial maintenance and installation sides of landscaping. He highlights the unique challenges and strategies for success in commercial maintenance, emphas...

In this episode, Christeen Era, founder of Core Growth Strategies and co-founder of Greenprofit Academy, dives deep into the vital discussion of internal versus external bookkeeping and what is best for your business. Christeen explains the critical role bookkeeping plays in today’s dynamic business landscape and why it is essential for financial management and strategic decision-making. She addre...

In this enlightening episode of our Free Webinar series from Green Profit Academy, hosts Christeen Era and Steven Bousquet welcome Linda Stapf, a seasoned CPA and investment advisor. Linda delves into the crucial topic of transforming your business into a valuable asset. Drawing from her personal experience of witnessing her father's business collapse, Linda emphasizes the importance of strat...

In Episode 67 of the Green Profit Academy Pros podcast, host Christeen Era is joined by returning guest Jack Jostes, CEO of Ramblin' Jackson and an industry leader in the green sector. Jack, a professional speaker and author of "The Tree of Good Fortune" and "Get Found Online," brings his wealth of knowledge in sales qualifications and pre -qualification processes to the t...