Trades Talk Podcast

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Derek Clelan , founder of Your Haven Landscape Designs , to break down how one idea , a simple design service,  turned into a full-scale design machine supporting contractors across the country. After going bankrupt at 24, Derek rebuilt from the ground up. Now, just over a year into launching Your Haven, he’s built a 44-person team, delive...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White unpacks why the next three years will bring more change to the trades than the last three decades. As technology, capital, and automation reshape the industry, early adopters will create separation — and those who lag behind may struggle to catch up. In this episode, Justin explores: • Artificial Intelligence — How AI is transforming estimating, scheduli...

In this episode of Trade Talks, Justin White sits down with Mark Sedgley and Taylor Gould to discuss one of the biggest moves in the green industry: the merger of LMN, SingleOps, and Greenius into Granum.   They unpack the story behind the new name, the marketing strategies that brought three powerhouse brands together, and why customer experience is the heartbeat of Granum’s future. From lessons...

Register for Denver, CO Lunch and Learn: https://web.cvent.com/event/7bc1304f-be1e-4ecd-99f1-5cb9e3184495/summary? RefId=Designscapes   In this weekly update, Justin White shares personal reflections on recent events, including his excitement for upcoming travel and networking opportunities. He discusses the importance of speed in business growth, particularly in the landscaping industry, and high...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Shantel Perez , Employee Success Specialist at K and D Landscaping, to explore how one person can completely reshape the culture of a growing company by showing up, listening deeply, and leading with humility. Shantel didn’t come from a traditional HR background; instead, she built her role from the ground up by staying close to the field...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White celebrates a major milestone; the 100th episode of the show. What started as a simple idea between Justin and co-founder Maggie Wymore has grown into a platform that champions leadership, learning, and real conversations across the trades. After nearly 80 interviews with landscape industry professionals, Justin reflects on the most impactful lessons shar...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Ron McCabe , a former tech executive turned digital marketing specialist for the landscaping industry. After working 120-hour weeks in the tech world and surviving a life-threatening health crisis, Ron made a dramatic shift; losing over 270 pounds and dedicating his career to helping landscapers grow smarter through strategic marketing wit...

In this weekly update, Justin White shares insights from recent conferences, including the Leanscaper and Ignite events, discussing key takeaways on goal setting, team management, and the future of the landscape industry with AI integration. He emphasizes the importance of strategic one-on-one meetings and the potential for technology to transform business operations. Additionally, he shares perso...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Ryan Markewich , a Canadian landscape entrepreneur, coach, and early adopter of open book management, to unpack his journey from mowing lawns to building a business that now operates with employee ownership and long term vision at the core. Ryan started his company in Kelowna, British Columbia in 1994, going door to door to pay rent while...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares real-world strategies for using AI and ChatGPT to boost productivity, streamline operations, and shift from manual work to smarter systems. What used to take four hours, Justin now does in thirty seconds, thanks to custom AI tools designed specifically for the green industry. The episode opens with a story about helping a friend estimate a fence p...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Eli Zevin , General Manager of Aspire Software , to explore the power of technology, implementation strategy, and what is coming next for the landscape industry. Eli joined Service Titan in 2016 with no background in trades or software and spent nearly a decade helping contractors succeed before taking on his new role at Aspire. From start...

On this weekly update on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares a personal reflection recorded on his father Kendel’s birthday. Kendel co-founded K & D Landscaping nearly 40 years ago, and his legacy still shapes the way the company operates today. Over the last decade, K & D has grown from 1 million to 20 million in revenue. After a big jump from 15 to 20 million last year, this year is ab...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares a powerful episode with Jeff Harkness , CEO of 3PG Advisors , focused on mergers, acquisitions, capital access, and the mindset shifts required to scale and create long term wealth in the green industry. Jeff brings nearly three decades of experience in M&A, with deep expertise in landscaping, tree care, and turf care services. What started as...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares Weekly Update 13, covering how contractors are preparing for 2026, what happens when leadership systems break down, and why mindset matters long before you reach eight figures. With January 1 on the horizon, contractors are focused on budget planning, rate increases, and multi year enhancement programs. Some are holding pricing for loyal, high mar...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Todd Zimmerman , Head of Sales and Product Development at Kress Outdoor Power Equipment , to talk about how one company is reshaping the future of landscaping through battery innovation, robotics, and a relentless focus on contractor feedback. Todd brings nearly 30 years of experience in power tools, robotics, and commercial landscaping so...

Chapters 00:00 Weekly Update Kickoff 05:59 Insights from the M&A Webinar 11:32 AI and Future Trends   Use code "JustinWhite" with Greenius to get 10% off your membership!  Summary In this weekly update, Justin White discusses the launch of a six-week sprint aimed at achieving record revenue for K&D. He shares insights from a recent webinar with Jeff Harkness on business acquisitions and th...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Tom Heaviland , a landscape industry veteran whose journey began in 1985 when he bought a small company in Carlsbad, California and turned it into one of the most respected operations in the region. Tom started with just one truck, a few workers, and $11,000, billing around $14,000 a month. After weathering a major recession in the 1990s a...

In this weekly update, Justin White shares exciting developments in the landscape industry, upcoming events, personal reflections on travel and life lessons, and insights into the differences between residential and commercial services. He emphasizes the importance of financial planning, networking, and organizing business structures for success.   Takeaways It's a fun time to be in the trades. Ge...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Paul Voresis from Delta Landscape , a second-generation landscape professional based in Sacramento, California, who shares the story of how his family’s business evolved and how he’s rethinking what leadership looks like in the green industry. Founded by Paul’s father in 1980 after immigrating from Greece, Delta Landscape has deep roots an...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White checks in from Lake Oroville, California, where he’s kicking off a wake surfing weekend with a 7:30 AM podcast session and an already blazing 85 degrees on the deck. But before hitting the water, Justin shares three powerful insights that every business leader should be thinking about this August. The episode opens with lessons from the Disruptors Live e...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Nick Knight and Christian Padgett of Baldwin Group to explore how insurance can be more than a backup plan. For growing landscape companies, it can become a tool for strategy, stability, and even profit. Nick comes from a family of insurance professionals, and Christian brings over ten years of hands-on landscape industry experience with c...

On this week's update, Justin White breaks down the realities of running a service-based business in today’s environment, covering AI, client accountability, and what it really takes to stay profitable. From testing out AI agents in his inbox to planning an automated system for financial forecasting and zero-based budgeting, Justin shares how technology is becoming part of his day-to-day operation...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Cole Weller , co-founder of Weller Brothers Landscape Professionals , a company that started as a high school side hustle and grew into a multi-branch, multi-million dollar business serving the Midwest. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Weller Brothers now employs over 200 people and operates in Rochester, Minnesota and Des Moine...

This weekly update comes from Las Vegas, where Justin's at the Lawn and Landscape Technology Conferenc e. The have brought together over a thousand professionals to explore the future of the industry. From robotic mowers to AI-powered estimating tools, the message was clear: technology is becoming a core part of how landscaping businesses will operate. Robotic mowers were front and center, with ma...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White talks with Tiffany Peters , the newly appointed President of North by Northwest , a family-owned landscaping business in Austin, Texas. Founded by her parents in 2003, North by Northwest started as a small residential mowing company with just 20 employees and $1 million in annual revenue. Tiffany grew up with the business—but wasn’t always sure she wante...