Liquid Technologies uses everything from drones to detailed irrigation audits to sell its water management services. Chris Husband wanted a new toy. And not just any toy—a drone. His friend had used a drone to film his Southern California fishing adventures, and this spring the video caught Husband’s attention at just the right time. Husband, co-owner and president of Glendale,... read more
How one family-owned business keeps pace with change on a fast-growing Hawaiian island. No Ka Oi Landscape Services has come a long way since it was founded in the 1970s as a side project for husband-and-wife team Frank and Abby Santos. The Hanapepe, Hawaii-based business, whose name means “the best” in Hawaiian, got its start in 1977 when Frank Santos... read more
A firm develops a research report to spur new customer leads. In the years following the Great Recession, many building managers have kept a tight grip on their landscape design budgets. The belt-tightening trend has given way to stale, boring landscapes, says Gib Durden, vice president of business development for HighGrove Partners. In 2013, leaders at Austell, Ga.-based HighGrove decided... read more
A Texas company takes a measured approach to growth as it targets muni contracts. Tony Conley found a niche for his landscaping business after several years in the industry. When he first transitioned his business, Lawn Patrol Service, to commercial landscaping he tried to do it all. The company grew too fast and took on unprofitable jobs. Conley adopted a new... read more
How one lawn care company formed an R&D business unit to improve customer retention. Joshua Anderson’s residential lawn care business, Team Green Lawn, grew almost as fast as his customers’ turf. Anderson started the business in 2004 with about 30 accounts. By 2008, the Xenia, Ohio-based company had 800 clients. But the fast-paced growth came at a price. The company’s... read more
A contractor uses crop-sensing technology to save money and improve athletic turf conditions. The athletic fields Pat Hester’s Clintar Landscape Management franchise maintains near Barrie, Ontario, have never looked greener, thanks to technology commonly used in agriculture. Last spring, the company began using GPS and crop-sensing equipment to record data about turf health each time it mows a field. The... read more
