The Ultimate Landscape CEO - Jeffrey Scott

Jeffrey Scott
  • 5.0 (33)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Helping Landscape Business Owners to Fix, Scale and Exit their Business

  1. FEB 5

    The Discipline of Growth: Using Continuous Improvement to Make Smarter Strategic Decisions with Chase Mullin

    In this episode, Jeffrey Scott sits down with Chase Mullin, CEO of Mullin Landscape located in St. Rose, Louisiana, to discuss the strategic decisions and leadership lessons behind scaling a regional landscape company from roughly $5 million to nearly $30 million in revenue. Chase shares how continuous improvement, tough business decisions, and strategic focus helped drive growth — including dropping hardscape services, eliminating residential divisions, and doubling down on commercial maintenance to improve efficiency and profitability. He explains how outsourcing certain services created operational leverage, how applying the “hedgehog concept” clarified their core strengths, and why regularly inspecting systems and processes is critical even when a company appears successful. The conversation highlights leadership evolution, capacity management, building strong teams, and balancing visionary thinking with operational accountability. Register for our virtual Sales Symposium, which takes place March 10th, 2026 – https://jeffreyscott.biz/sales-symposium/ Takeaways: Strategic decision-making and continuous improvement in scaling a business Why dropping services can accelerate growth and profitability Applying the “hedgehog concept” to define core business focus Outsourcing vs. in-house services: when to add or remove offerings Transitioning from residential design-build to commercial maintenance Leadership evolution and empowering senior teams Importance of systems auditing and software process cleanup Managing growth capacity through people, processes, and strategy Trust but verify: inspecting operations without micromanaging Lessons learned from rapid expansion and operational challenges The post The Discipline of Growth: Using Continuous Improvement to Make Smarter Strategic Decisions with Chase Mullin appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    43 min

  2. JAN 29

    The Art to Setting Highly Effective Sales Goals and Achieving Massive Buy-In with Jeffrey Scott

    In this episode Jeffrey Scott tackles the critical topic of sales goal setting in preparation for an upcoming Sales Symposium. He challenges the traditional top-down approach to goal assignment and advocates for a collaborative method where salespeople participate in creating their own commitments rather than simply complying with quotas. Jeffrey breaks down how to structure effective sales goals by type and month, connect activities to outcomes, and create genuine buy-in from your team that translates to resilience when market challenges arise. Register now for our Sales Symposium, which takes place March 10th. The early bird ends last week of February. Takeaways: Replace top-down quota assignment with collaborative goal-setting to transform compliance into genuine commitment Break sales goals down by month and type (maintenance, enhancements, new sales) rather than using simple annual targets Set activity goals as leading indicators to track inputs like phone calls, proposals, and site visits alongside sales outputs Monitor both conservative baseline goals and stretch goals to account for natural performance variation across your team Involve salespeople in creating monthly targets to enable mid-month adjustments and coaching opportunities Align sales goals with production scheduling and revenue planning for company-wide coordination Track closing ratios and deal size to connect activity inputs with sales outcomes The post The Art to Setting Highly Effective Sales Goals and Achieving Massive Buy-In with Jeffrey Scott appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    16 min

  3. JAN 22

    The Innovative Spirit of Granum (LMN, Greenius and Single Ops) with new CEO Mark Sedgley

    In this episode, Jeffrey Scott sits down with Mark Sedley, CEO of Granum, the parent company behind LMN, SingleOps, and Greenius, to explore his entrepreneurial journey and bold vision for the green industry. From knocking on doors as a teenager to leading software platforms serving landscaping and tree care businesses, Mark shares how his background shaped his leadership style, why landscaping is harder than running a software company, and how technology, education, and labor solutions must evolve together. The conversation dives deep into industry fragmentation, the growing complexity of landscape operations, and why training, middle management development, and workforce empowerment are critical for the future of the green industry. Key Takeaways Entrepreneurial mindset vs. caretaker leadership Why landscaping operations are uniquely complex Tree care vs. landscape market dynamics Software consolidation vs. organic growth The role of education and middle management training Greenius’ evolution into a labor and learning marketplace Solving the green industry’s labor and skills gap Lessons from scaling and exiting software companies The post The Innovative Spirit of Granum (LMN, Greenius and Single Ops) with new CEO Mark Sedgley appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    1h 22m

  4. JAN 15

    Setting Simple Personal Goals That Move The Needle with Jeffrey Scott

    In this episode, Jeffrey Scott steps away from traditional business strategy to explore a more intentional and sustainable approach to personal goal setting for the new year. Rather than relying on reactive New Year’s resolutions, Jeffrey explains why they often fail and introduces a simple but powerful framework built around four core questions: Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? Where do you want to go? And what do you want to have? Drawing from personal experiences, travel aspirations, family life, health goals, and leadership growth, he shares how aligning personal goals with purpose creates clarity, focus, and long-term momentum. Jeffrey also emphasizes the importance of pacing, prioritization, accountability partners, and borrowing proven business tools like quarterly goals and OKRs to support personal development in 2026 and beyond. Takeaways: Personal goal setting vs. New Year’s resolutions The “Be, Do, Go, Have” goal framework Aligning personal purpose with professional growth Simplifying goals to avoid overwhelm Using quarterly prioritization for personal goals The role of environment, travel, and exposure in growth Accountability partners and shared goal setting Removing negative influences to sustain progress The post Setting Simple Personal Goals That Move The Needle with Jeffrey Scott appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    16 min

  5. JAN 8

    Fleet Management Software Explained by Dan Simpson of Fleetio

    In this episode, Dan Simpson, Manager of Product Marketing at Fleetio, joins Jeffrey Scott to break down why fleet and equipment management is one of the most overlooked — yet most volatile — cost centers in landscaping and contracting businesses. Dan shares insights from his hands-on background in construction and years working directly with fleets, explaining how better visibility, preventative maintenance, inspections, fuel tracking, and data-driven decisions can dramatically reduce breakdowns, control costs, and protect margins. The conversation dives into why landscaping companies are also “in the fleet business,” how software and data turn gut-feel decisions into confident ones, and where AI and automation are heading in fleet management. Takeaways: Fleet management as a hidden profit lever Preventative maintenance vs. reactive repairs Inspections and communication from the field Fuel cost visibility and control Total cost of ownership for vehicles and equipment Reducing downtime and breakdown volatility Tracking tools, assets, and accountability Using data to make smarter equipment decisions Integrations with accounting and ops software The future of AI and automation in fleet operations [/digg] The post Fleet Management Software Explained by Dan Simpson of Fleetio appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    52 min

  6. 12/29/2025

    Aligning Budgets with Business Strategy: 10 Key Insights with Jeffrey Scott

    In this episode, Jeffrey Scott addresses the critical relationship between budgeting and business strategy for landscape company CEOs planning for 2026. He identifies a fundamental problem: too many companies treat budgeting as a checkbox exercise rather than a confirmation of their strategic direction. Drawing from his consulting experience with landscape businesses, he walks through ten common disconnects between budgets and operational reality—from unclear owner objectives to poor equipment management and weak cash flow planning. His core message is that effective budgeting requires intentional decision-making about what kind of company you’re building, whether that’s a lifestyle business, a growth company, or a sellable asset, and every financial decision should reinforce that goal. Takeaways: Strategy-Budget Alignment: Budgets should confirm your business strategy, not exist as separate exercises disconnected from how you actually run the company Revenue as Capacity-Driven: Revenue planning must be based on actual labor capacity and billable hours, not aspirational goals or ego-driven milestones Detailed Gross Profit Analysis: Break down gross profit margins by division and service type rather than using global averages to uncover hidden opportunities and blind spots Subcontractor Markup Strategy: Different subcontractors require different markups based on management intensity and how integrated their work is into your final product Owner Compensation Planning: Treat owner compensation as a planned business cost with market-based pay plus return on capital, not as whatever’s leftover Cash Flow as Separate Strategy: Develop a dedicated cash management strategy including better contract terms, collections processes, and vendor negotiations to ensure the business can sustain itself The post Aligning Budgets with Business Strategy: 10 Key Insights with Jeffrey Scott appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    31 min

  7. 12/18/2025

    Taking Big Risks with Wade and Dustin Vugteveen

    This is a replay of a previous episode featuring Wade and Dustin Vugteveen, owners of DeHamer Landscaping, a $10M+ landscaping firm based in Grandville, Michigan. They do a mix of snow, maintenance, landscape and irrigation. We discuss their history of startups, first with a baseball training business and then in retail. We discuss how hard it was for them early on, and how difficult it is to grow a business as an entrepreneur. These two have taken a series of risks over and over again, which has allowed them to scale their business quickly. Business is more of a “calling” for them as a people-first company. You will enjoy stories and their ride. Apply for our Leaders Edge Peer Group Here. The post Taking Big Risks with Wade and Dustin Vugteveen appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    1h 35m

  8. 12/09/2025

    Leadership & Growth Lessons from Aspire Software, with Mark Tipton and Eli Zevin

    Join Jeffrey Scott for an insightful conversation with two leaders from Aspire: Mark Tipton, co-founder and former CEO, and Eli Zevin, the current General Manager. Mark shares his 12-year journey building Aspire from a skunkworks project into the leading landscape business management software, while Eli discusses his transition from Service Titan and his vision for Aspire’s AI-powered future. This episode explores leadership transitions, scaling software companies, company culture, implementation challenges, and the revolutionary role of artificial intelligence in transforming the landscape industry. Takeaways: Mark Tipton reflects on his 12-year journey with Aspire. Eli Zevin emphasizes the importance of client success. The legacy of Kevin Kehoe has shaped Aspire’s culture. Leadership requires navigating obstacles and challenges. Core values are critical for business success. AI technology will revolutionize the landscape industry. Simplicity in implementation leads to better outcomes. Customer success management is essential for growth. Mergers and acquisitions are becoming more common in the industry. Aspire is well-positioned to leverage new technologies. The post Leadership & Growth Lessons from Aspire Software, with Mark Tipton and Eli Zevin appeared first on Jeffrey Scott.

    1h 14m
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Helping Landscape Business Owners to Fix, Scale and Exit their Business

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