The Commercial Landscaper Podcast Robert Clinkenbeard

I am an Honors Graduate from UC Davis in Environmental Horticulture.
Started my career on the end of a water hose in a retail nursery in 1968.
After graduating I joined the UC Cooperative Extension Service as Farm Advisor for San Francisco and San Mateo Counties where I specialized in weed control in turf and landscapes and high use athletic turf.
In 1980 I joined ChemLawn Corporation as Technical Services Manager for the western United States. We opened a number of branches over the next seven years growing revenues from just over one million dollars to twenty three million. Saw the real opportunity for growth in landscape maintenance services.
Joined Industrial Landscape Services in 1986 as an Account Manager and led the enhancement team as well.
On March first 1989 I joined Environmental Care in Calabasas as Technical Services Manager. In 1992 was promoted to Regional Manager for NorCal and SVP in 1997 taking over the western US maintenance operations.
Grew from 24 branches to 55 over the next 17 years until the merger with The Brickman Group in 2014.
Held various SVP roles with BrightView managing maintenance operations until 2021 when I joined Sperber Landscape Companies. Just completed  two and a half year assignment managing maintenance operations on the Hawaiian Islands. Now working on special projects for the Sperber organization.

Jhana Li started as a COO for multiple startups (while simultaneously traveling full-time in a converted van through N & S America). After seeing countless founders stall out & trap themselves without the proper Operations, 3 years ago Jhana decided to start her own company, Spyglass Ops. Since then she has helped 100+ businesses scale past 7 & 8-figures. Through Operations consulting, recruitment, and training, Spyglass Ops empowers founders to simultaneously scale their businesses while regaining their personal freedom.

Tim Johnson II
Meet Tim Johnson II, President of Tim Johnson Landscaping (TJL), from Statesville, North Carolina. Tim's entrepreneurial journey started at just 12 years old when he learned the importance of hard work. Wanting to drive at 16, he began mowing lawns, laying the foundation for TJL.
Tim's academic and athletic pursuits led him to NC A&T, where he found a love for turf and horticulture. Armed with a degree in Environmental Horticulture and a certificate in Entrepreneurship, Tim returned from a brief stint in the Colorado Rockies organization in 2009 to join forces with his father. Together, they transformed TJL from a small, part-time venture into a thriving landscaping and horticulture business.
Outside of the office, Tim is a devoted family man, with a loving wife, Jenni, and two adorable children, Eleanor and Tim III (TJ). His passions extend beyond the business realm, encompassing family, church, baseball, landscaping, gardening, classic cars, travel, and business.
A typical day at TJL for Tim is dynamic, with tasks ranging from overseeing site visits, checking on crews, and visiting customers to collaborating with the operations and admin team.
His favorite aspect of Tim Johnson Landscaping? The people—team members, clients, and partners.
Tim Johnson Sr.
Tim Johnson Sr, Chairman at Tim Johnson Landscaping (TJL), brings over two decades of experience to the company. Raised in the fertilizer business, Tim developed a strong work ethic early on, spending countless hours maintaining his mother's yard. With a successful 19-year career in Corporate America, where he achieved the remarkable feat of being the #1 salesperson among 8,000 employees, Tim transitioned to his true passion over 24 years ago—landscaping.
A typical day for Tim involves three distinct phases: a morning kick-off, mid-day focus on sales and business, and a careful close to ensure everyone returns safely. His favorite aspect of TJL is witnessing the growth of the employees. Outside of work, Tim enjoys collecting and spending quality time with his family—his wife Joyce, daughters Angela and Vanessa, and son Tim II, whom he's immensely proud of. His weekends are often dedicated to leisurely rides and the exploration of different types of Bourbon.
Tim holds a 2-year college degree and is a licensed landscape contractor, reflecting his commitment to professionalism and expertise in the field. The best advice he ever received was to wait 24 hours before addressing a concern, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful communication. Tim Johnson Sr is not just a leader at TJL but a dedicated family man with a deep appreciation for the simple joys in life.

Weston is the Co-Founder and CEO of SynkedUP, an award-winning landscaping business management software that helps contractors know their numbers, systematize their pricing, and cut estimating time by up to 90%, resulting in predictable profits.
They have 2K+ active users who use their platform to handle all the moving parts and demands of running their business, including budgeting, estimating, scheduling, time tracking, getting info to field crews, job costing, etc.
Weston has 15+ years experience in the landscaping industry and possesses an intimate knowledge of the landscape project lifecycle, including the opportunities and pitfalls that contractors face in today's market.
When he was landscaping, he received the coveted Aquascape's Artist of the Year award for his talent in creating water features, and constructed stunning waterfalls and koi ponds in backyards throughout the U.S., including for some well-known personalities like Shaq O'Neill and Logan Paul.

David’s professional background includes over 30 years in mid-market business ownership and management. As owner, CEO or second-in-command his teams consistently scaled new business and operations in several industries.
In 2012 David founded strategy firm Growth Factor Group, Inc. focused on assisting lower mid-market CEO/Owners providing services for impact and scale. In 2019 he also joined the Bruce Wilson & Company team as Talent Acquisition Practice Leader to their green industry clients looking to expand strategically with top-tier talent within their landscape contracting businesses.
In recruiting and talent acquisition David has recruited and placed over 200 professionals ranging from C-level to management to specialty skilled roles in entrepreneurial mid-market companies throughout the U.S. in varied industries. With a focus on “Making A Difference” with Growth Factor Group, he has facilitated over 200 CEO monthly peer group and strategic planning meetings. In over 1,000 one-on-one coaching and senior leadership team sessions has helped CEO/Owners navigate growth initiatives, employee issues, owner transitions and work/life balance.
David has a BS in Industrial Design from Arizona State University, and resides in Greenville, SC with his wife. He’s active in his church, local education fundraising and has completed the IRONMAN Florida competition while maintaining a passion through fitness, cycling and running.

Bruce Moore Jr. is a leader for a new era of sustainable growth and purpose. Named President in 2017, Bruce heads up Eastern Land Management, a commercial landscape services firm in the Northeast with a clear focus: to enable his organization to work and learn together to build a continually evolving system for creating value.
Since taking the reins of the business his father built in 1976, and which will soon hit its half-century mark as an impact partner, Bruce is rethinking the future of work, how he could lead differently, and how by taking on the role of coach, he could help the company and its multi-branch team evolve into a highly innovative learning organization.
Bruce grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, received a B.S. Degree in Business from Curry College in Milton, Mass., and serves on the Boards of Directors for BOMA Southern Connecticut, Fairfield County House, and Stamford Little League.