Landscape Leadership Podcast

What if the marketing content you're creating today could eventually help you sell your entire company? Most lawn care and landscaping business owners measure marketing success through leads, sales, and revenue. But what about the returns that are harder to measure - like customer trust, employee pride, brand reputation, and even making your company more attractive to potential buyers? In this episode of the Landscape Leadership Podcast, Chad Diller sits down with Phil Jackson, former owner of Nature's Turf, a Georgia lawn care company recently acquired by Turf Masters Brands. Phil shares how his investment in creative videos, employee storytelling, and even a consumer-focused podcast delivered benefits he never anticipated. From customers recognizing employees by name to potential buyers getting to know the team before an acquisition, Phil explains why great marketing can create long-term business value far beyond the next lead. In this episode, we discuss: Why Phil invested so much time and energy in branding and video content at Nature's Turf. How employee-focused content helped customers connect with the people behind the business. Why Nature's Turf launched Behind the Turf, a consumer-focused lawn care podcast, and how it became a valuable content engine. How the company repurposed videos through email, text messaging, and sales conversations to generate more value from its content. The unexpected role that marketing and employee storytelling played in Nature's Turf's acquisition. What Phil would do differently today and his plans to tell the story of Turf Masters Brands. The takeaway: Great marketing shouldn't just help you generate your next lead. It should help you become the company customers trust, employees are proud to work for, and potential buyers recognize as a valuable business. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:56 Meet Phil Jackson of Nature's Turf 2:45 Why Phil Took Such an Active Role in Marketing 5:25 Building More Than Leads With Great Content 8:05 Using Video to Support Sales and Employee Culture 11:25 Why Building a Video Library Pays Off 12:05 The Experiment: A Lawn Care Podcast for Homeowners 15:40 Why Local Relationships Matter More Than Going Viral 16:50 How Video Made an Employee a Local Celebrity 18:25 The Unexpected Role Marketing Played in Selling the Business 22:10 What Phil Would Do Differently Today 24:15 Building the Turf Masters Brands Story 26:40 Phil's Advice for Owners Investing in Marketing 29:15 Final Takeaways: Think Bigger About Marketing ROI  

Your landscaping company may have better people, better equipment, bigger projects, and better customers than it did 15 years ago, but does your brand still look like the company you used to be? In this episode, Chad Diller talks with designer and brand leader Ben Richardson about when an established green industry company should consider updating its visual identity. They discuss why owners hold onto outdated logos, what makes a brand feel dated, and why a rebrand doesn't have to mean replacing every truck wrap, uniform, sign, and marketing asset overnight. Ben and Chad also break down the branding process behind Salt & Soil Garden Company and explain how thoughtful decisions around color, typography, iconography, audience, and company personality can create a brand that better reflects where a business is headed. Key discussion points: Why successful companies often outgrow their original visual identity How branding becomes more important as a company scales Common green industry branding clichés and design mistakes Why your logo shouldn't have to explain every service you offer The importance of understanding your audience before designing anything How Salt & Soil used a flamingo, pink color palette, and subtle landscape elements to stand apart The three core elements you can evolve: logo/icon, typography, and color How to phase a rebrand instead of replacing everything at once Why digital assets are often the easiest place to begin How employees and outside perspectives can improve the rebranding process Why simplicity matters when a logo needs to work on trucks, apparel, embroidery, websites, and more Chapters 0:00 Intro 1:20 Meet Ben Richardson 4:40 Creating the Salt & Soil Brand 6:35 Why Companies Hold Onto Outdated Branding 10:00 The Cost and Value of Rebranding 12:30 What Makes a Brand Timeless? 14:05 Green Industry Branding Trends and Clichés 17:35 Should Your Brand Have a Mascot? 19:25 What to Know Before Designing a New Logo 21:20 Behind the Salt & Soil Branding Process 26:35 How to Rebrand an Established Company 30:20 Three Elements That Can Transform a Brand 31:40 How to Phase in a New Brand Over Time 34:15 Where Business Owners Should Start 37:35 Who Should Be Involved in a Rebrand? 41:05 Signs Your Logo Needs to Be Redesigned 43:25 Why Simpler Logos Usually Work Better 45:40 Final Thoughts: Having the Courage to Rebrand  

Your green industry company may have a website…but is it actually the website your company needs? And more importantly, do you truly own what you're paying an agency to build? In this episode, Chad Diller sits down with Landscape Leadership® Digital Project Manager Kaitlin Funke to unpack what goes into building a website for a lawn care, landscaping, tree service, or other green industry company. They discuss everything from strategy, SEO, copywriting, design, photography, and development to the often-overlooked role the client needs to play in the process. They also explain why a website should be viewed as a long-term business asset - not simply another marketing expense - and why ownership matters when choosing an agency and technology platform. Key discussion points: Why great websites require more than an attractive design The three things contractors need to "own" during a website project Why professional photography and video are valuable long-term marketing assets The problems with cookie-cutter website templates Why your website needs to be easy to update and portable How hundreds of thin or repetitive SEO pages can create problems Why fewer, stronger website pages can sometimes be the better strategy Questions to ask an agency before hiring them to build your website What green industry companies need to contribute during a website project Why specific, consolidated, timely feedback keeps projects moving How delays on the client side can derail a website launch Chapters 0:00 Intro 1:10 Meet Kaitlin Funke 3:28 What "Ownership" Means in a Website Project 4:32 What a Digital Project Manager Actually Does 6:13 Turning Marketing Strategy Into a Website 7:06 The 3 Things You Need to Own 8:20 Why Great Photography and Video Matter 10:05 Planning Visuals Around Your Website 11:50 Why You Should Actually Own Your Website 12:50 Custom Websites vs. Templates 15:30 Building a Custom Website That's Easy to Manage 18:26 The Problem With Proprietary Website Platforms 19:55 When Your Website Has Too Many Pages 21:52 Simplifying Your Website Without Sacrificing SEO 24:10 What You Should Own After Launch 25:10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Website Agency 26:00 Your Responsibility in the Website Project 28:25 How to Give Your Agency Better Feedback 31:55 Handling Creative Disagreements 32:45 How Much Involvement Does a Website Require? 33:25 Why Website Projects Get Delayed 34:10 What to Know Before Starting a Website Redesign 35:14 Own Your Visuals, Website, and Role  

You hired an experienced salesperson, gave them a few weeks of ride-alongs, handed them a territory….and six months later, it's just not working. What went wrong? In this episode of the Landscape Leadership® Podcast, Chad Diller talks with Kayla Lujan, founder of GRIT (Green Industry Talent), about why new salespeople struggle to gain traction in landscaping and other green industry businesses. Kayla draws on 17 years of industry experience, from working on a crew to leading sales for a top 25 landscape company, to explain why hiring the right person is only the beginning. We unpack what effective onboarding actually looks like, why sales managers need to coach behaviors instead of simply managing numbers, and what owners should realistically expect during a salesperson's first 30, 60, and 90 days. They also challenge a long-held green industry hiring assumption: Your next great salesperson may not need green industry experience at all. Key discussion points: Why ride-alongs alone aren't an onboarding program How to create clear objectives and expectations for new sales hires Why information overload can stall a new salesperson The difference between managing sales numbers and coaching the behaviors that produce them Why sales leaders need to spend intentional time in the field with their team How stronger personal relationships make sales coaching more effective What owners should expect at 30, 60, and 90 days Why industry experience isn't necessarily the best predictor of sales success The traits Kayla looks for when hiring salespeople What separates good salespeople from great ones Why you can't hire your way out of a people-development problem Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:42 Meet Kayla Lujan 2:20 Hiring Is Where the Work Begins 3:57 Early Warning Signs in Sales Onboarding 5:12 Why Ride-Alongs Aren't Enough 8:47 Building a Roadmap for New Salespeople 10:18 Managing Numbers vs. Coaching Behaviors 14:16 Why Sales Leaders Need to Get in the Field 16:54 Building Trust Before You Coach 19:40 Are Owners Expecting Results Too Quickly? 21:12 What to Expect in the First 30, 60 & 90 Days 23:02 Where Should You Find Great Salespeople? 24:54 Stop Making Sales a Dumping Ground 27:44 Can Great Sales Skills Be Taught? 29:23 Rapid-Fire Sales Leadership Advice 31:27 How GRIT Helps Green Industry Sales Teams 33:02 The Real Key to Developing Great Salespeople  

A lot of landscaping companies create one or two videos and stop. But what happens when you commit to creating video content consistently for more than a decade? In this episode, we sit down with Marion Delano of Level Green Landscaping to discuss how more than 70 videos have transformed their sales process, recruiting, company culture, and brand. Rather than treating video as a one-time marketing project, Level Green built a long-term content library that supports nearly every stage of the customer and employee journey. Marion shares practical lessons on planning, production, ROI, and why authentic storytelling continues to outperform polished sales pitches.  

If you're trying to win property managers, builders, and high-value landscape clients with cookies, brochures, golf balls, and generic swag, you're probably blending in with everyone else. In this episode, Mark Stern shares why the future of business development isn't about doing more outreach; it's about creating memorable experiences that prospects actually want to engage with. Mark Stern, founder of Custom Box Agency, joins Chad Diller to discuss how landscape companies can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace. Instead of relying on traditional sales tactics and promotional items that quickly get forgotten, Mark explains how intentional customer experiences, physical touchpoints, and strategic storytelling can help companies stand out. The conversation explores the psychology behind what people keep, why most business development efforts fail to create meaningful connections, and how combining physical and digital experiences can create stronger relationships with prospects. Mark also shares practical examples of how businesses can become trusted advisors rather than just another vendor competing for attention. Key Discussion Points Why most promotional swag gets ignored The difference between effort and intentionality How to create memorable customer experiences The psychology behind the products people keep Building authority before asking for a meeting Combining physical and digital touchpoints Why strategic partners outperform transactional vendors The importance of multiple touchpoints in sales Using customer stories to build trust How to become the comparison point in your market  

Lawn care, landscaping, and tree service companies focus on what a marketing agency does…but overlook who is actually doing the work. That mistake can cost you years of wasted budget and stalled growth. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the role of account managers at Landscape Leadership and explain why the people managing your marketing strategy can make or break your results. Our team shares real-world insights from sales, operations, and multi-market campaign experience, and how that translates into better leads, stronger relationships, and long-term growth. If you're hiring (or currently working with) a marketing partner, this episode will change the questions you ask…and the expectations you should have. Key Discussion Points Why your account manager matters more than your marketing strategy How real field experience improves marketing performance The impact of geography and seasonality on campaign success Why too many decision-makers can derail your marketing How to simplify complex marketing data into actionable insights The importance of proactive strategy vs. reactive execution When and how to pivot marketing plans mid-season The advantage of having one integrated marketing partner Common mistakes contractors make before increasing marketing spend  

Many landscaping companies struggle to stand out in crowded markets and end up competing on price. In this episode, Chad sits down with Lex Mason from WeatherMatic to discuss how companies can reposition themselves, narrow their focus, and build a more profitable business. Lex shares how WeatherMatic evolved from a traditional irrigation manufacturer into a technology and solutions company and the lessons contractors can apply to their own businesses. They break down practical strategies for niching down, choosing the right clients, and escaping the commodity trap. If you're a contractor trying to grow, simplify operations, or increase margins, this episode offers clear steps you can start implementing today. Key Discussion Points Why landscaping companies become commodities and how to avoid it The power of niching down in the green industry How WeatherMatic repositioned its entire business Why customer experience and onboarding matter more than sales Structuring pricing and billing around how your clients get paid How to identify and focus on your ideal client profile (ICP) Why firing the wrong clients can accelerate growth The importance of defining your company's core proficiency Why maintenance divisions create stability and profitability A simple A/B/C framework for evaluating your client list  

If you've ever left a peer group meeting fired up with ideas… but made zero real progress after, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Chad sits down with Jeffrey Scott to unpack why some green industry leaders transform their businesses through peer groups, while others stay stuck. They dive into clarity vs. confidence, how to filter ideas through strategy, and why copying other successful companies can quietly kill your momentum. This episode is about disciplined decision-making, strategic focus, and becoming the kind of leader who doesn't just gather insights, but turns them into results. Key Discussion Points: Why "you get out what you put in" is painfully true in peer groups The danger of solving the wrong problem (and how to ask better questions) Why not every good idea is a good fit or the right priority How OKRs create strategic clarity inside growing landscape companies The psychological trap of comparison in the green industry Why saying "no" is often more powerful than saying "yes" What a strong execution plan actually looks like (who does what by when) The role vulnerability and transparency play in high-level peer groups  

Most green industry owners think a profitable company automatically means a sellable one, but buyers see things very differently. In this episode, we sit down with Dan Mello, former owner of Seacoast Tree Care and Seacoast Turf Care, to unpack what it really takes to build a buyable green industry business. Dan shares how he grew his company by over 280%, intentionally increased enterprise value, and ultimately exited successfully through private equity. They dive into the operational, financial, leadership, and marketing decisions that positioned the business for acquisition, including hard lessons learned along the way. This conversation offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at building a company people actually want to buy.  Key Discussion Points Why most green industry businesses aren't actually built to survive due diligence The role of recurring revenue in increasing enterprise value Leadership mistakes, personal growth, and separating identity from the business How systemized operations and strong financials attract buyers Why branding and professional marketing impact valuation, not just lead volume What private equity buyers look for in tree and lawn care companies Building a management team that allows the business to run without the owner