LM‘s advisory board shares what changes you can make to unlock growth

What’s something green industry business owners might be doing that’s holding them back from unlocking their growth?

Landscape Professionals

Richard Bare
Arbor-Nomics Turf
Norcross, Ga.

“If you can afford a marketing expert, that is just about a necessity in lawn care. Having a 52-week training curriculum is a must, also. Your marketing arm might be a company or an individual, but you as the owner are probably not it! You should read good marketing books and magazines too.”

Troy Clogg
Troy Clogg Landscape Associates
Wixom, Mich.

“The No. 1 hold back in my experience is working IN our business as opposed to working ON our business. It’s so darn easy to say and so incredibly hard to get past!”

Paul Fraynd
Sun Valley Landscaping
Omaha, Neb.

“Not having a crystal-clear picture of who your target client is. It’s hard to be everything to everyone. Focus can help you grow your business faster and lower the stress of building your company.”

Mike Haynes
The Loving Companies
Charlotte, N.C.
“I believe that empowering leaders can either be both the most painful or the most powerful aspect of effectively leading a growing organization. Everything starts with cultural alignment, which begins with why, not what.”

Jerry McKay
McKay Landscape Lighting
Omaha, Neb.
“Investing in themselves either through education, peer groups or leisure travel. All business leaders need to be inspired. Find a way to do that for yourself!”

Bryan Stolz
Winterberry Landscape & Garden Center
Southington, Conn.
“Misaligning the incentives of your people and your business. The incentives you offer in pay and promotions are a clear tool for you to communicate your goals for the business. If you want to grow, design incentives to drive and reward the people who create that growth.”

Industry Consultants

Neal Glatt
GrowTheBench
Boston, Mass.
“Taking half-measures on good ideas. For instance, putting an effort toward dedicated sales (good idea) but trying to pivot an existing operations person to achieve it (half-measure). Or prioritizing snow removal as a profit center (good idea) but only working on that business six months a year (half-measure). Or hiring the right business coach (good idea) but cutting the budget and limiting the impact (half-measure). If you have the right idea to get to the next level, go all in.”

Marty Grunder
The Grow Group
Dayton, Ohio
“Trying to do too much, so that you don’t do anything really well. We should all focus on our strengths as much as possible — it’s how we can be the most successful. Make sure you’re spending 80 percent of your time doing what you do really well, and delegate the jobs that don’t fall within your strengths to a team member who can do them better.”

Phil Harwood
Tamarisk Business Advisors
Grand Rapids, Mich.

“Involving themselves in tasks that others have accountability for.”