IM Landscape Growth Podcast

Intrigue Media
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A landscape growth podcast where entrepreneurs help entrepreneurs grow faster, better, and stronger in leadership, sales, recruiting, and operational excellence.

  1. OCT 31

    How to Build a Winning Mindset (and Stop Getting Stuck) – Frank Bourque

    (00:00) – Welcome back: Rob introduces Frank Bourque, business coach and former landscape company owner. (01:00) – Why mindset matters more than systems in long-term growth. (03:00) – The biggest bottleneck in most businesses: the owner’s thinking. (04:50) – The 5 mindset shifts that change everything: In vs. On the business  Scarcity vs. Abundance  Perfection vs. Progress  Control vs. Empowerment  Fear vs. Curiosity (10:00) – How fear limits creativity—and how curiosity unlocks innovation. (12:00) – Journaling and peak-state habits: how to solve problems before breakfast. (19:30) – Using your calendar to reflect your priorities (and sanity). (24:00) – “Flip Day”: the small habit hack that builds mental flexibility. (28:00) – Why disorganization kills team happiness and focus. (32:00) – Systems reduce emotional stress—how to create stability and free bandwidth. (38:00) – Time-blocking vs. time-stacking: multiply results without working more. (39:00) – Book recommendation:  Chess Not Checkers  by Mark Miller. (40:30) – Where to find Frank next and how to connect.

    41 min

  2. OCT 29

    Darren Oostdyk: Scaling Doverscape to $2M With Just Four Employees

    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 – Shedding hats: why he let go of design (his favorite part) to focus on sales and management. 11:23 – The art of delegation: maintaining brand quality while empowering others. 15:00 – How Doverscape’s strong brand attracts both clients and top talent. 17:20 – Creating a work culture where employees feel valued and respected. 21:49 – The power of planning and pricing right—Darren’s methodical approach to profitability. 24:58 – How budgeting and buffers create freedom and reduce stress. 28:11 – Staying profitable with fewer people and focusing on what really makes money. 30:46 – Darren’s take on AI in design—and why it’s not replacing human creativity anytime soon. 33:59 – Inspiration from West Coast designers and why passion still drives his work.

    37 min
  3. The #1 Growth Constraint in the Green Industry | Aaron Whitener of ACE Outdoor

    OCT 22

    The #1 Growth Constraint in the Green Industry | Aaron Whitener of ACE Outdoor

    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 everything — with clients and employees. Longevity of relationships beats short-term wins. 06:30 – 08:30 | Breaking the Muddy Middle Aaron explains the shift from solo operator to team builder. Pain and determination pushed him past the “middle trap.” 09:00 – 10:30 | When You Can Hire Real Leaders Around $3 million is the inflection point where you can bring in true leadership talent — not just task doers. 11:00 – 13:45 | Hiring People Smarter Than You Aaron’s big breakthrough came from bringing in leaders who told him what he needed to do, not the other way around. 15:00 – 17:30 | Clarity + Vision “Figure out what you want and learn to ask for it.” Aaron shares how he documents a 3-year vision and reviews it with his team annually. 17:30 – 21:00 | Gratitude and Mindset Aaron credits faith, gratitude, and perspective for keeping him grounded through chaos and success. 21:00 – 25:00 | Family vs Team Culture A family loves you no matter what; a team requires you to add value. Everyone has a role and shared goal. 25:00 – 29:30 | Vision, Metrics & Money ACE ties clear vision to measurable KPIs and bonuses based on division and company-wide performance. 29:30 – 33:30 | Open Financial Leadership Monthly budget-vs-actual reviews for the top 20 %. Aspire software gives real-time gross-margin visibility. 32:30 – 34:45 | Continuous Learning & Faith Aaron leans on church, podcasts, books, and industry events to keep growing as a leader. 35:00 – 38:00 | Building Relationships with Staff Micro-moments matter — say hi, ask about the weekend, remember names. Trust is built in small interactions. 38:30 – 41:20 | Vision Takes Time Visioning is a weeks-long process of reflection, not a one-hour meeting. Start with the 20-year goal and work backward. 41:20 – 42:45 | Final Thoughts + Book Shoutouts Aaron cites Gino Wickman’s Traction and EOS as core frameworks for clarity and execution.

    43 min

  4. OCT 2

    Sergi: Landscaping CEO’s Secret to Growth: Fixing the Leader Bottleneck

    TimestampTopic01:04From Hobby to CEO: Tiffany Sergi's journey to leading Landscapes by D&J after quitting nursing school to take over the business.02:27The Primary Growth Constraint: Leaders themselves being a bottleneck is the biggest thing holding entrepreneurs back in the green industry.03:10Changing Culture: How self-reflection and implementing core values changed the company culture, starting with the leader.03:59The Core Values "FEATT" Acronym: Fun/Family, Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, and Teamwork.07:19Authentic Reinforcement: Creating a weekly core value winner who receives $20 to reinforce desired behavior.09:56Business Scale: Landscapes by D&J is currently around $4 million in revenue, aiming to flip to 70% commercial.10:30Personal Hurdles: Overcoming imposter syndrome as a female leader in a technical industry and hiring a fractional CFO to manage financial analysis.11:47The Superpower of Support: Acknowledging weaknesses and bringing in strong support (SME, fractional CFO) is a critical leadership style.13:20Fighting Imposter Syndrome: Reflecting on past successes and the team created to shift the framework and focus on the mission.14:49The Delegation Hurdle: The next biggest constraint is still being the bottleneck by having a hard time delegating ("I can do it quicker").17:47Balancing Profit and Capacity: How adding administrative salaries (heavy G&A) is an investment that frees up the CEO for higher-leverage, revenue-capturing activities.20:48The Accountability Chart Exercise (EOS): Placing roles and tasks in buckets, not people, to identify where tasks fall and reveal necessary new positions (like Director of Operations).24:49The Hard Part of Leadership: Tiffany walks through the difficult process of terminating employees, grounding the decision in the company's core values.27:52The Arrogance of Cocooning: The flawed thought process of keeping someone for the sake of "not messing up their life" at the expense of the whole company.29:30The Biggest Lesson: "Look in the mirror and not through the window." The culture is a reflection of the leader.30:36Resource Recommendations: Traction, How to Be a Great Boss (Gino Wickman/EOS), and Leaders Eat Last (Simon Sinek).Export to Sheets

    33 min
  5. The $30M Lawn Empire: Kurt LaButte's 46-Year Growth Playbook

    SEP 24

    The $30M Lawn Empire: Kurt LaButte's 46-Year Growth Playbook

    “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 learning path) Game and Business: Referenced as a recommended resource for understanding measurement in business Topics Discussed:00:01 – Intro: Rob welcomes Kurt LaButte of Todd Services01:13 – The origin story: mowing lawns with rowboats and the “Todd” name04:03 – From small beginnings to $28M and 180 employees07:28 – Biggest growth constraint? Himself—learning to get out of the way08:24 – Surviving the 2008 crash: $10M down to $4M and losing his brother10:18 – The turning point: realizing he was the bottleneck12:09 – Joining a peer group and embracing lifelong learning13:25 – Shifting from dictatorship to open leadership culture15:44 – Tactical advice: sharing numbers, goals, and listening to staff18:23 – Helping employees align personal goals with company direction21:06 – Building for second generation and long-term retirements23:33 – Why stepping away empowers teams and strengthens culture28:28 – The fear of taking time off and advice for small business owners30:24 – Learning numbers early and why metrics matter34:36 – The value of patience, brand, and consistency in growth37:24 – The power of peer groups for accountability and growth39:16 – Books and resources: Simon Sinek, Jeffrey Scott Consulting, AI leadership titles41:00 – Closing thoughts and gratitudeActionable Key Takeaways:Get out of your own way – Leaders often create bottlenecks by micromanaging. Growth requires trust and delegation.Know your numbers – Don’t rely on guesswork; margins, costs, and metrics are non-negotiable for scaling.Embrace learning – Books, peer groups, and outside resources are critical, even if you’re an “old dog.”Share goals openly – Transparency with numbers and objectives boosts accountability and team motivation.Prioritize culture – People thrive when they feel safe making mistakes, voicing ideas, and aligning personal goals with company goals.Play the long game – Brand reputation and consistency compound over decades, not months.Step away sometimes – Taking time off creates space for your team to step up and develop autonomy.

    38 min
  6. Scott Grams: Solving Labour Shortages and Middle Management Challenges in Landscaping

    SEP 9

    Scott Grams: Solving Labour Shortages and Middle Management Challenges in Landscaping

    "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: Amazon link to the book – A book focused on going above and beyond in customer service, offering insights for the landscaping industry. Malcolm Gladwell's books and podcasts: Malcolm Gladwell's website – Known for his books and the podcast Revisionist History, where he explores social behavior and culture. Perplexity AI: https://www.perplexity.ai – An AI tool recommended by Scott for conducting deep dives into regulations and laws. Topics Discussed:(00:02) - Introduction to Scott Grams and Landscape Illinois(02:06) - Scott’s background and current focus as Executive Director(04:23) - Scott discusses the primary growth constraint in the landscape industry today(06:05) - The impact of private equity and the rise of middle management demand(09:42) - How companies are retaining middle management through flexibility and benefits(13:33) - The landscape industry’s openness to sharing and collaboration(16:19) - The value of association engagement and niche demographic groups(19:57) - The importance of networking and mentoring in landscape growth(21:58) - Insights into legislative efforts and lobbying within the landscape industry(29:21) - AI and its growing role in landscape industry operations(33:49) - Educating the landscape community on AI adoption and its potential benefitsActionable Key Takeaways:Middle management is the most crucial but hardest-to-find tier in the landscaping industry today.Flexibility, better benefits, and team-building efforts can significantly improve retention of middle managers.Engagement with industry associations like Landscape Illinois provides a direct path to professional growth and knowledge sharing.Cultivating a strong professional network early in your career can be a game changer for long-term success.Industry growth often hinges on the collaboration and shared knowledge between competitors in the landscape design-build sector.Adopting AI tools in everyday operations, from communication to research, can save time and boost efficiency.Lobbying and legislative engagement are critical to protecting the landscape industry from restrictive regulations.

    44 min
  7. Financial Strategies in the Green Industry with David Whittaker

    AUG 19

    Financial Strategies in the Green Industry with David Whittaker

    "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 WickmanPodcast: Equiscape Insider, Grass to GratitudeWebsite: Equiscape Business AdvisorsTopics Discussed:00:00 - Introduction to David Whittaker and his background in the green industry.05:15 - David's journey from Gibbs Landscape to Equiscape Business Advisors.12:30 - The role of financial strategy in landscape business success.18:45 - Challenges in recruitment and the importance of a strong team.25:00 - Mindset shifts for entrepreneurs in the green industry.32:15 - The significance of continuous learning and adaptation.40:00 - Closing thoughts and how to connect with David Whittaker.Actionable Key Takeaways:Embrace a financial strategy that aligns with your business goals and market conditions.Prioritize recruitment and continuously build a strong team to drive growth.Shift from a transactional to a transformational mindset for long-term success.Invest in continuous learning and adapt to industry changes.Understand the value of collaboration and resource sharing within the industry.Balance owner's pay with business needs to ensure sustainable growth.Leverage data and analytics to make informed business decisions.

    52 min
  8. Paul Fraynd: Landscaping Success and Lessons Learned

    AUG 6

    Paul Fraynd: Landscaping Success and Lessons Learned

    "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 GuidaraPodcasts:Founders Podcast by David SenraOrganizations:National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)Company:Sun Valley LandscapingTopics Discussed:00:00 - Introduction to Paul Fraynd and his early beginnings05:15 - The college startup story and early challenges12:30 - Key turning points in growing Sun Valley Landscaping20:45 - The importance of focusing on the right clients30:00 - Building a customer-centric business model40:15 - Insights on leadership and team management50:00 - Resources and books that influenced Paul's journey55:30 - Closing thoughts and future goalsActionable Key Takeaways:Focus on your core customer to streamline operations and increase efficiency. Embrace a growth mindset to overcome challenges and drive business success. Build a customer-centric model that prioritizes service and hospitality. Invest in your team by fostering a culture of care and development. Use setbacks as learning opportunities to refine your business strategy. Leverage industry networks for support and shared knowledge. Stay true to your passion and let it guide your business decisions.

    47 min
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About

A landscape growth podcast where entrepreneurs help entrepreneurs grow faster, better, and stronger in leadership, sales, recruiting, and operational excellence.

Information

  • Creator
    Intrigue Media
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © IM Landscape Growth Podcast 2023
  • Show Website
    IM Landscape Growth Podcast

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