IM Landscape Growth Podcast

00:31 – Rob introduces guest Darren Oostdyk, founder of Doverscape Design & Build. 01:33 – Darren shares his journey from mowing lawns to running a thriving design-build company. 03:37 – The biggest growth constraint? The owner. Darren dives into how self-awareness changed his leadership. 05:57 – Realizing 70-hour weeks aren’t sustainable—what pushed Darren to rethink his workload. 08:12 – Sheddin...

00:31 – 02:30 | Intro + Origins Rob and Aaron reminisce about meeting on a beach in Mexico. Aaron shares his start cutting grass at 16 and how a side hustle became a 24-year career. 03:00 – 04:30 | Today’s ACE Outdoor $14 million revenue, 150 employees, 3 locations in southeast Michigan—primarily commercial lawn and snow services. 04:30 – 06:00 | Biggest Growth Constraint Relationships are everyth...

Timestamp Topic 01:04 From Hobby to CEO: Tiffany Sergi's journey to leading Landscapes by D&J after quitting nursing school to take over the business. 02:27 The Primary Growth Constraint: Leaders themselves being a bottleneck is the biggest thing holding entrepreneurs back in the green industry. 03:10 Changing Culture: How self-reflection and implementing core values changed the company culture, s...

“I was the bottleneck. The biggest growth constraint was me learning to get out of the way.” - Burt Labutte Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Todd Services - Kurt LaButte's company Peer Group : Jeffrey Scott Consulting – growth-focused landscape peer groups Books/Authors : Simon Sinek – leadership and “Start With Why” principles AI and leadership books (unnamed, referenced as part of Kurt’s lea...

"Just like you wouldn’t expect to change the culture with just one person, the same goes for landscaping—true transformation comes when we embrace diverse perspectives at the leadership table." – Scott Grams Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Landscape Illinois : https://landscapeillinois.org – the main association for the Illinois landscape industry. Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara: Am...

"Recruiting is like shaving. If you don't do it all the time, you're going to look ugly." - David Whittaker - quoting Tennesee Football Coach Phillip Fulmer Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Books: "The Energy Bus" by John Gordon , "Traction" by Gino Wickman Podcast: Equiscape Insider, Grass to Gratitude Website: Equiscape Business Advisors Topics Discussed: 00:00 - Introduction to David Whitta...

"The business is out there, not on a computer screen. It's about connecting people with the work they love." - Paul Fraynd Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Books: "Setting the Table" by Danny Meyer "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara Podcasts: Founders Podcast by David Senra Organizations: National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) Company: Sun Valley Landscaping Topics Disc...

“I didn’t know what a yard of topsoil cost—but I knew how to learn fast and hire smart.” - Adam Neilson Resources Mentioned in This Episode: The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack A practical guide to open-book management that empowers teams by sharing financials and teaching business literacy. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Former FBI negotiator Chris Voss shares high-stakes negotiati...

"Consistency in customer experience, from $7,000 to $70,000 projects, is what makes us stand out." — Kevin Butler Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Andy Frisella’s Podcast – A series that focuses on delivering more than expected in business, helping you stay ahead of the competition. Brandon Dawson's Business Growth Strategies – Provides practical advice on overcoming business hurdles and scali...

“I was all in—there was no turning back. It had to work, so we built it to work.” — Al Perreault of Green Collar Landscaping Resources Mentioned in This Episode: MERX – Canada’s leading platform for accessing public and private procurement opportunities, including municipal landscape contracts. Latham Pools – North America’s largest manufacturer of fiberglass pools. Green Collar became a certified...

“Most small businesses get stuck because the owner is in the way—and that includes being afraid to let go.” — Ashly Paladino Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Mel Robbins – The 5 Second Rule – A powerful tool to help you make confident decisions and take immediate action. Mel Robbins – The Let Them Theory – A mindset shift that frees you from over-control and people-pleasing. NALP (National Ass...

“If we can predict the result of our work within a 5% margin, that’s the bee’s knees.” — Paul Demarco Resources Mentioned in This Episode: SALT (Sales and Lead Tracker) – Intrigue’s proprietary tool for real-time attribution, cost-per-lead analysis, and CRM integration. Try it free for four months. $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi – How to create offers so good people feel stupid saying no. $100M Lead...

“How do we make our people successful? Not just making money, but giving them purpose, so they know they matter and belong.” — Jeff McManus Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Landscape University / Landscape Longhorn University – Internal training programs inspired by Disney University to develop team mastery and culture. Drive by Daniel Pink – Book outlining the three motivators: purpose, auton...

“Leadership maturity is the growth constraint. If the business needs to change, you have to change.” — Nathan Helder Resources Mentioned in This Episode: TEC Canada – Executive peer groups helping business owners level up leadership and strategy (called Vistage in the U.S.). Southbrook Accounting – Nathan’s accounting firm providing financial clarity, bookkeeping, and strategic CFO support for lan...

“You can say you can’t afford to hire—but I’d argue you can’t afford not to.” — Caleb Kangas Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Knowledge Tree Consulting – Leadership and business coaching for construction and trades professionals. McFarlin Stanford ACE Peer Group – A peer learning group helping landscape entrepreneurs level up operations and leadership. SynkedUp – CRM and operations software th...

Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Ultimate Landscape Academy – Andrew’s coaching platform helping landscapers design businesses (and lives) that don’t burn them out. The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson – The book that reframes success as a result of tiny, consistent, easy-to-ignore habits. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie – The timeless communication guide every leader needs....

“Half of business is just answering the phone. If you’re not, you’re losing money.” — Johnny Day Resources Mentioned in This Episode: AdvancedAdministrations.com – Angelica and Johnny’s remote admin service helping landscapers scale by systemizing sales, admin, and operations. Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell – The foundational read that inspired Angelica to launch a business focused on reclaimin...

“If you’re not making enough money—just charge more.” — Jordan Upcavage Resources Mentioned in This Episode: GS TrackMe – GPS and camera tracking system for fleet safety, driver accountability, and insurance protection. SingleOps – CRM and operations software used to track leads, job progress, and client communication. Jeffrey Scott Roundtable – Where Jordan first heard the idea of charging consul...

“You can teach horticulture. You can’t teach passion for people.” — Kim Hartman Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Aspire & LMN – ERP platforms used by landscape businesses to track performance, manage projects, and mine customer data more effectively. iLandscape Tradeshow – One of the top green industry trade shows in North America, held annually in Schaumburg, IL. iLandscape Website Stephen Co...

“Once you get your pricing model right, you’ll see how much you’re losing on jobs that looked profitable.” — Mark Tipton Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Aspire – Business management software for landscape contractors, streamlining everything from job costing to invoicing. Aspire Website Service Titan – Platform supporting a wide range of trades, including landscaping, to improve operations an...

“The biggest bottleneck is usually the owner. If you want it done right—write it down, shoot a video, and delegate.” — Sal Hernandez Resources Mentioned in This Episode: GroXmart – Sal’s business coaching company for contractors Pacific Breeze Building Solutions – Sal’s former design-build landscaping company E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber – A must-read for entrepreneurs stuck working in their...

“You already know what to do. You're just afraid to do it.” — Heather Jerrard Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Hops and Hedges – Heather’s podcast where landscaping pros crack open a beer and share real business insights (Spotify, Apple, etc.). My Landscape Artist – Heather’s design and consulting studio offering residential landscape design and B2B support. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by S...

“You don’t say 'trust me' — you show it by doing what you said you’d do, when you said you’d do it.” Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Marty Grunder / Grow Group – growgroupinc.com Used as an example of someone growing their business through relationship-based sales (like golf clubs). Oasis Turf & Tree – oasisturf.com Known for bold, effective truck wraps that still look professional. SynkedUp...

“The landscape industry is such a great industry—people are more than happy to share their knowledge if you ask.” — Robert Clinkenbeard Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Wilson360 – Robert’s coaching and consulting firm focused on scaling green industry businesses. Commercial Landscaper Podcast – Robert’s show featuring industry leaders and insights: search on your favourite platform. The Ultim...

“Every company is like a Special Forces unit. I worked for a former Navy SEAL for five years in disaster response management. And there was always a solution. There’s always a way out. Prior planning prevents poor performance.” — Jon Gohl Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Aspire Software NALP – National Association of Landscape Professionals EverydaySpy Podcast by Andrew Bustamante PropertyInte...