The Green Grind Podcast

In this unscripted and insightful episode of The Green Grind Podcast, hosts Kory Ballard and LeRoy Mains sit down for a candid conversation about business growth, facility upgrades, leadership standards, and long-term planning. LeRoy shares the story behind Brilliant Borders' new facility—why they built it, the impact on team culture, and the operational challenges that came with expansion. They a...

At just 22, Brenden Beal is building something big with Beals Lawn Services in Columbus, OH. From mowing 80 properties solo to running full-time crews and managing HOAs, Brenden shares the real story behind scaling quickly, learning hard lessons, and course-correcting for long-term success. He talks about pricing mistakes, the challenges of hiring friends, and how discipline, honesty, and leadersh...

In this special episode of The Green Grind , hosts Kory and LeRoy sit down with a very special guest—LeRoy's wife, Kirstin Mains. Kirstin is more than just a partner at home—she's the original brains behind Brilliant Borders Landscaping. From a bold decision to buy a weekend curbing business off a neighbor to growing it into a full-scale landscaping operation, Kirstin shares her unique entrepreneu...

In this episode, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Denver, the founder of Legacy Land Pros in Northeast Ohio. Denver's journey started with a push mower and a dream—and just a few years later, he's running a thriving landscape and maintenance company with 25+ employees and a plan for regional expansion. He breaks down how he scaled fast, why mentorship changed the game, and what it takes to build a bus...

In Episode 222 of The Green Grind Podcast , hosts Leroy and Kory sit down with Mike Garcia, owner of Electric Lawn Scapes in Kansas City, Missouri. Mike shares how he went from being an A-player at a traditional landscape company to launching his own innovative, all-electric lawn care business . Tune in to hear about the unique challenges and benefits of going electric, how Mike's vision is shapin...

Welcome back to The Green Grind Podcast! In this episode of The Green Grind , Kory and LeRoy sit down with Adam Jones, owner of Warren Lawns based in Central Iowa. Adam shares how he transitioned from full-time ministry to launching his lawn care company with a focus on fertilization, weed and pest control. He explains how staying focused, keeping things simple, and delivering exceptional customer...

This week on The Green Grind , Kory and LeRoy welcome back Jonas Olson, founder of Turf Badger, for a powerful follow-up to his original episode (#216). Since his last appearance, Jonas has taken Turf Badger to the next level—expanding to 15 corporately owned locations across five states, all without franchising. Jonas shares why he stepped away from the franchise model, the systems and training p...

This week on The Green Grind Podcast, Kory and LeRoy are flying solo with no guest — just real talk and a few springtime rants. The guys dive into what they're seeing and hearing in the green industry as the busy season kicks off. From labor challenges and process breakdowns to the common trap of taking on jobs outside your wheelhouse, they share hard-earned lessons and honest insights about runni...

In this week's episode, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Chad Ofiara, Brand Manager for Ferris at Briggs & Stratton. Chad shares his journey into the green industry and how he found his way to one of the most respected names in commercial mowing. He gives us a look behind the curtain at the history of Ferris, and dives into the innovative marketing and branding strategies his team has rolled out to el...

Welcome back to another episode of The Green Grind Podcast! This week, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Harlan Jones, the proud owner of Jones Property Maintenance. Harlan shares his inspiring journey into the green industry—starting from humble beginnings in door-to-door sales for Comcast to launching his own lawn care business from the ground up. He's the definition of hustle and perseverance, and h...

In this week's episode, Kory and LeRoy sit down with a very special guest — Kory's wife and the CEO of Ballard Inc., Lindsay Ballard. Lindsay shares the inspiring story behind the conception of Ballard Products, from the early days of juggling a career at Perficut to going all-in on the business alongside Kory. Several years later, Ballard Inc. has grown beyond what either of them imagined. Tune i...

In this episode of The Green Grind Podcast , Kory and LeRoy sit down with Jacob Bennett from Pennsylvania, a former full-time teacher who took a bold leap to turn his lawn care side hustle into a full-time business. Jacob shares the story behind his transition, the decision to partner up, and how that arrangement has shaped the day-to-day operations of his growing company. The guys dive into the p...

This week on The Green Grind Podcast , Kory sits down with returning guest Brian Fullerton — the powerhouse behind Brian's Lawn Maintenance, YouTube sensation, and host of the Fullerton Unfiltered Podcast . In this episode, they dive into a topic that's all too common for those pushing toward success: hearing "you've changed" or "we miss the old you." Kory and Brian have a candid conversation abou...

In this episode of The Green Grind , Kory and LeRoy sit down with Iowa business owner Cody Kuebler , the founder of CLK Lawn Care . Cody shares how he got his start in the green industry and how his company has grown and transformed over the years. From humble beginnings to building a thriving landscape business, Cody's story is one of hard work, adaptability, and seizing new opportunities. With a...

This week on The Green Grind , LeRoy takes the reins while Kory sits this one out, welcoming back a familiar and inspiring guest—Matt Boelman—for his fourth appearance on the show. In this episode, Matt dives deep into the leadership philosophies and strategies that have shaped his journey in the green industry. From helping build Perficut into a top-tier site management company to now serving as...

In this week's episode of The Green Grind , Kory and LeRoy sit down with Jason Clarkson, the owner of Turf Geeks out of Kansas City. Jason's journey in the green industry is both unique and inspiring—starting with a love for turf developed through golf course management, then spending 12 years with a lawn care company before taking the leap to launch his own business. Jason brings a deep well of k...

This week on The Green Grind , Kory and LeRoy take a break from lawn care talk and dive into the service industry with Ben Nading , owner of Midwest Painting , and Aiden Smith , founder of Paint Pro Coaching . While painting may seem worlds apart from landscaping, the truth is, growing a successful business in any service industry has a lot in common . Ben and Aiden share their experiences, from s...

Welcome back to  The Green Grind Podcast! This week, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Green Frog Web Design to talk about one of the biggest challenges business owners face—knowing when and how to step out of the field and focus on growth. Back for another conversation, our guest shares insights on the power of delegation, building efficient systems, and making the mindset shift from working in the bu...

Back for round two! 👊 This week, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Jon Gibson, owner of Gibson Lawn Care out of Grand Blanc, MI. Since his last appearance, Jon has taken his business to the next level, and he's here to share how he did it. 🚀 From refining his marketing strategy to implementing simple yet effective steps, Jon breaks down the key moves that have fueled his growth. Whether you're just s...

This week, we're switching things up! LeRoy takes the lead as he interviews Kory, giving listeners a rare inside look at the man behind Perficut and Ballard Products. In this deep dive, Kory shares the full story—how he got started in the industry, the pivotal moments that shaped his businesses, and the lessons learned along the way. From growing Perficut into a leading company to taking Ballard P...

In this unique episode of The Green Grind Podcast, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Greg Gill, owner of Eastern Iowa Landscape Services in Muscatine, Iowa. Greg has been running his business since 1993 and originally reached out for consulting—so Kory and LeRoy decided to take the conversation live! Tune in as they break down Greg's business, identify areas for growth, and provide actionable steps to...

This week on The Green Grind Podcast , Kory and LeRoy sit down with Timothy Brennan, the founder of Brennan Landscaping. With over three decades in the industry, Tim brings a wealth of experience in landscape design, installation, and maintenance. A graduate of SUNY Cobleskill with a degree in Landscape Design and Turf Management, Tim's journey started with hands-on experience at Faddegons Nursery...

Welcome back to The Green Grind Podcast! Today,  Kory and LeRoy sit down with Iowa native Spencer Moeller, the proud owner of Moeller Lawn Care & More in Waterloo, IA. Spencer shares his journey into the green industry, from what first sparked his interest in lawn care to the strategic moves he's made to grow and scale his business. We dive into the challenges of hiring and building a reliable tea...

Welcome back to The Green Grind Podcast! Today, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Todd Abrams, the Owner/Operator of Big Heart Landscaping. Todd has spent most of his career as a successful entrepreneur, buying, building, and selling small businesses. But alongside his business ventures, he has always had a passion for landscaping and hardscaping, tackling projects around his own home before turning th...

This week, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Brad Williams , owner of Structured to Grow , a marketing consulting agency that helps service businesses scale and succeed. Brad's journey started in the construction industry, where he began producing videos to market his own business. Through trial, error, and a deep dive into digital marketing, he uncovered strategies that worked—and decided to share his...