WEBVTT 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:48.899 Hey, welcome back to the Lawn Hustle podcast. 00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:55.119 The podcast that's built for the grinders, the 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.060 hustlers, and all those turning grass into cash. 00:01:01.420 --> 00:01:06.219 Today we have a guest with us, Ron Coleman. Ron, 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:08.319 welcome to the Lawn Hustle and thank you for 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:12.420 joining. Hey, thanks for having me. Well, tell 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:17.689 our listeners. a little about yourself and your 00:01:17.689 --> 00:01:21.150 business, how you got started, how long you've 00:01:21.150 --> 00:01:25.689 been in business, and whatever else you want 00:01:25.689 --> 00:01:29.469 to share with us. All right. Well, first, like 00:01:29.469 --> 00:01:31.810 you said, my name's Ron. The business is called 00:01:31.810 --> 00:01:35.609 Greenscapes, Ohio. We're in Northeast Ohio. Been 00:01:35.609 --> 00:01:39.129 in the business for just over 25 years now, so 00:01:39.129 --> 00:01:45.189 quite a while. I started out in... 1999, actually. 00:01:46.450 --> 00:01:48.629 Grew that business for a short while, then sold 00:01:48.629 --> 00:01:52.930 out to one of the big guys. They're at the top 00:01:52.930 --> 00:01:55.290 of the list of the green industry companies now. 00:01:55.609 --> 00:01:57.730 Went to work with that company for a short while. 00:01:57.750 --> 00:01:59.090 That was kind of part of the deal. They didn't 00:01:59.090 --> 00:02:00.629 necessarily want my business as much as they 00:02:00.629 --> 00:02:04.030 wanted me to come join. They're well -known as 00:02:04.030 --> 00:02:07.189 a big tree company. They wanted to start a landscape 00:02:07.189 --> 00:02:09.150 division in my area. They needed somebody to 00:02:09.150 --> 00:02:12.080 run it, so they bought me out. I did that for 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:14.379 a little while, but it was super corporate. It 00:02:14.379 --> 00:02:17.039 was not the kind of setting I was interested 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:19.939 in being in. Left there, took a position with 00:02:19.939 --> 00:02:22.699 another company for a few years. The owner of 00:02:22.699 --> 00:02:24.919 that company ended up getting in a really bad 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:27.699 car accident. So I was kind of put in charge 00:02:27.699 --> 00:02:29.800 of that for about six months, basically running 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:32.439 every bit of the operations for him. And then 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:35.120 once he was well and back at it, I thought if 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:36.520 I'm going to be doing all this, I might as well 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:39.620 go back out and do my own thing. did that 11 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:42.800 years ago and I've been going strong ever since. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:47.580 Well can you tell us what inspired you to get 00:02:47.580 --> 00:02:51.919 into the lawn care industry? I mean it's really 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.460 simple right there it's just being outdoors I 00:02:54.460 --> 00:02:56.699 love to be outdoors all the time I needed to 00:02:56.699 --> 00:03:01.169 find something that was New different every day 00:03:01.169 --> 00:03:04.389 and just outside, you know, I hate I could never 00:03:04.389 --> 00:03:06.430 sit inside a building like a factory You said 00:03:06.430 --> 00:03:08.949 at a desk job. I'm just not made for that. So 00:03:08.949 --> 00:03:13.110 it was just that simple just being outside Well 00:03:13.110 --> 00:03:16.409 one has been your biggest challenge that you 00:03:16.409 --> 00:03:22.830 faced in your business up to this point Wow, 00:03:22.830 --> 00:03:26.409 there's been so many over the years I think early 00:03:26.409 --> 00:03:31.400 on My biggest challenge would have been, obviously, 00:03:31.900 --> 00:03:34.199 having that capital for the next thing I needed 00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:37.780 to keep growing, or understanding the importance 00:03:37.780 --> 00:03:41.400 of having backups for trucks, trailers, equipment. 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:46.599 Starting out, it was on a tight budget, right? 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:49.340 So we got what we could get, and a lot of times 00:03:49.340 --> 00:03:53.830 we didn't have a second one of whatever. Growing 00:03:53.830 --> 00:03:55.289 the business to the point where we could afford 00:03:55.289 --> 00:03:57.469 to have multiples of everything so that if a 00:03:57.469 --> 00:03:59.430 truck goes down, you're not done for the day. 00:03:59.430 --> 00:04:01.310 You just jump on another one and fix it later 00:04:01.310 --> 00:04:03.650 kind of thing. That would have been the biggest 00:04:03.650 --> 00:04:05.909 struggles, you know, just starting out and getting 00:04:05.909 --> 00:04:08.550 to the point where I have to worry about stuff. 00:04:09.770 --> 00:04:13.469 I remember those days breaking down and being 00:04:13.469 --> 00:04:17.910 shut down. Talk about frustration because the 00:04:17.910 --> 00:04:22.800 grass is still want to grow. Yeah, 100%. And 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.300 thankfully, I'm at the point now where we have 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:31.120 just about three or four of everything. So if 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:33.660 we break down, like you said, we can just jump 00:04:33.660 --> 00:04:37.079 on another mower and keep going for the day. 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:46.629 But I remember the days when I broke down. I 00:04:46.629 --> 00:04:49.189 have to remind myself that when something breaks 00:04:49.189 --> 00:04:51.410 and I hop on the next one, don't forget to fix 00:04:51.410 --> 00:04:53.209 that other one because you're going to need that 00:04:53.209 --> 00:04:55.550 with the next one. That's my issue now, keeping 00:04:55.550 --> 00:04:59.389 up with everything that breaks. Right. I remember 00:04:59.389 --> 00:05:02.389 when I would break down, you know, the mower 00:05:02.389 --> 00:05:06.910 shops at that time, it seemed like they always 00:05:06.910 --> 00:05:10.990 said two weeks, no matter what it was. Right. 00:05:11.110 --> 00:05:14.089 It could be December. Yeah. But I've built a 00:05:14.089 --> 00:05:18.290 relationship with my dealer now, where if I break 00:05:18.290 --> 00:05:22.230 down, I can drop a mower off and they'll go to 00:05:22.230 --> 00:05:28.029 work on it that day. And I have dropped a mower 00:05:28.029 --> 00:05:31.709 off, they fixed it and I picked it up all in 00:05:31.709 --> 00:05:36.449 the same day. So good dealer support makes a 00:05:36.449 --> 00:05:41.009 huge difference for a lawn care business. Yep, 00:05:41.029 --> 00:05:44.439 you bet. What is there that keeps you passionate 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:49.180 about the everyday hustle, the everyday grind, 00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:56.899 the work especially in the heat of summer when 00:05:56.899 --> 00:06:01.879 it's 90 degrees and 80 degrees or 80 percent 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:06.500 humidity and it's just sweltering hot? What keeps 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:10.079 you passionate to where you'll get up and go 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.160 to work every day? Well, I'll tell you, I think 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:16.420 that's changed over the years. At first, it would 00:06:16.420 --> 00:06:19.699 have just been, I gotta make money, right? Young 00:06:19.699 --> 00:06:22.800 kids, a family to support. So that was obviously 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:26.000 a huge driving factor. Over the years, I think 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.939 it's changed a bit. And now, honestly, it's almost 00:06:29.939 --> 00:06:32.560 like a competition with myself. Each year, each 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:34.879 week, each month, trying to do better than I 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.680 did the time before. And also, I think the community 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:42.319 that we've all got, with other creators online, 00:06:42.970 --> 00:06:47.129 people locally. I think there's a friendly rivalry 00:06:47.129 --> 00:06:49.769 between us locally, that kind of thing. Very 00:06:49.769 --> 00:06:51.569 friendly, right? Nobody's out to get anybody. 00:06:51.649 --> 00:06:53.750 Plenty of work for everybody. But just seeing 00:06:53.750 --> 00:06:56.149 what they're doing and then try to elevate myself. 00:06:57.329 --> 00:06:59.050 I think that's really it. I'm just motivated 00:06:59.050 --> 00:07:03.189 to keep doing better every day. Will they say 00:07:03.189 --> 00:07:09.189 if you can increase just a few percentage points 00:07:09.189 --> 00:07:12.540 every day? and be a little better today than 00:07:12.540 --> 00:07:15.600 you were yesterday, be a little better tomorrow 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:19.079 than you were today, you're going to find success, 00:07:19.300 --> 00:07:23.420 you're going to not have a problem getting clients 00:07:23.420 --> 00:07:27.560 and maintaining clients. I was talking with a 00:07:27.560 --> 00:07:34.360 customer today and they asked me, how do you 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:40.040 keep clients and what do you do to retain your 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:45.339 customers and my simple answer to them was well 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:50.720 you just do everything with integrity and honesty 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.879 and you show up when you say you're going to 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:59.620 and you do the job so let me ask you this how 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:03.220 many clients are you serving now in your business 00:08:03.220 --> 00:08:11.800 um as far as like weekly maintenance yes We're 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:16.379 mid 40s, I would say, but we're also, we're in 00:08:16.379 --> 00:08:18.839 a very rural area for the most part. So we've 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:20.920 got lawns that are, we've got a few that are 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:23.100 10 ,000 square feet, but we've got some that 00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:26.040 are eight, 10 acres as well. So the number isn't 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:29.180 huge, but the square footage is huge. Right. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:34.879 What about the ratio to commercial and residential? 00:08:35.539 --> 00:08:38.019 Do you do more residential or more commercial? 00:08:39.130 --> 00:08:42.330 Yeah, yeah in the beginning I liked the commercial 00:08:42.330 --> 00:08:45.629 work a lot more Over the years through some bad 00:08:45.629 --> 00:08:48.169 experiences that the biggest thing for me about 00:08:48.169 --> 00:08:50.450 commercial is there's no There's no real bond 00:08:50.450 --> 00:08:52.250 like you have with a lot of your residential 00:08:52.250 --> 00:08:54.149 customers, you know, you see him and wave, you 00:08:54.149 --> 00:08:57.769 know Hi, Mrs. Smith. How you doing? Most of the 00:08:57.769 --> 00:09:00.269 commercial accounts I've had just my experience. 00:09:00.309 --> 00:09:02.370 They don't really care about you, you know, they're 00:09:02.370 --> 00:09:05.409 gonna go with You're great this year next year 00:09:05.409 --> 00:09:07.389 that guy might be better. We might go with him 00:09:07.549 --> 00:09:11.090 So there's not a lot of longevity. I have had, 00:09:11.110 --> 00:09:13.950 and I do still have, a select few commercial 00:09:13.950 --> 00:09:17.370 accounts that are really great. But I've got 00:09:17.370 --> 00:09:19.750 a relationship with the people that are my contact 00:09:19.750 --> 00:09:23.389 for that spot. And that's the same kind of relationship. 00:09:23.950 --> 00:09:26.990 So I don't have to worry. Some of these accounts 00:09:26.990 --> 00:09:28.730 are big accounts. You don't want to put all your 00:09:28.730 --> 00:09:30.730 eggs in this basket and then lose it next year, 00:09:30.769 --> 00:09:33.350 right? So I'm comfortable with the commercial 00:09:33.350 --> 00:09:35.769 accounts we have now. As far as the percentage, 00:09:36.110 --> 00:09:40.049 I'm probably 90 % residential, 10 % commercial. 00:09:41.230 --> 00:09:47.610 Well, you hit something very true. That commercial 00:09:47.610 --> 00:09:50.850 property, they don't care about you. All they 00:09:50.850 --> 00:09:54.529 want is their property serviced. They just want 00:09:54.529 --> 00:09:58.590 the grass mowed, the bushes trimmed, or the parking 00:09:58.590 --> 00:10:02.529 lot plowed and salted. To them, it doesn't matter 00:10:02.529 --> 00:10:06.629 if it's you or Chuck in the truck. as long as 00:10:06.629 --> 00:10:10.009 somebody will show up and get the job done. But 00:10:10.009 --> 00:10:13.250 those residential, I've got some that I've been 00:10:13.250 --> 00:10:18.669 serving since, well, for the last 16, almost 00:10:18.669 --> 00:10:23.309 17 years now. I got them when I first started 00:10:23.309 --> 00:10:28.429 my business and I've been able to retain them 00:10:28.429 --> 00:10:33.509 through the years just by building a relationship 00:10:33.509 --> 00:10:37.179 with them. thinking of them as more than just 00:10:37.179 --> 00:10:41.279 a client, developing a friendship, you know, 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:45.440 a working relationship between the client and 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:49.620 me as the business owner. And we have been successful. 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:57.639 Our ratio is about 60, residential, 40 % commercial. 00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:01.379 And when I say commercial, I throw in the churches. 00:11:01.870 --> 00:11:06.590 into the commercial side of it because, you know, 00:11:06.590 --> 00:11:09.690 it's just more commercial than it is residential. 00:11:10.769 --> 00:11:18.210 But if you could go back to day one when you 00:11:18.210 --> 00:11:21.549 first started your business, what advice would 00:11:21.549 --> 00:11:35.570 you give yourself? so many things come to mind. 00:11:36.809 --> 00:11:40.330 One thing I would definitely, and I never really 00:11:40.330 --> 00:11:42.769 had an issue with this, but I would maybe want 00:11:42.769 --> 00:11:45.490 to reiterate this to, you know, back then me. 00:11:45.870 --> 00:11:47.889 The thing that's been so great for us as far 00:11:47.889 --> 00:11:50.210 as retaining customers and stuff is always going 00:11:50.210 --> 00:11:53.090 that tiny little extra mile that the next company 00:11:53.090 --> 00:11:55.710 doesn't do. I would want to remind myself to 00:11:55.710 --> 00:11:59.169 do that stuff. It's as simple as, you know, bringing 00:11:59.169 --> 00:12:00.909 the trash can up from the end of the driveway. 00:12:01.589 --> 00:12:03.629 Grabbing the newspaper and put it on the porch 00:12:03.629 --> 00:12:05.450 instead of leaving it in the town the driveway 00:12:05.450 --> 00:12:09.629 those things take you seconds to do and They 00:12:09.629 --> 00:12:11.350 honestly over the years. You wouldn't believe 00:12:11.350 --> 00:12:13.389 the number of people that have commented on all 00:12:13.389 --> 00:12:15.429 it, you know He's so great. He brings a trend 00:12:15.429 --> 00:12:17.429 like they're recommending you on Facebook and 00:12:17.429 --> 00:12:19.909 stuff from something as simple as Pulling the 00:12:19.909 --> 00:12:22.370 trash can up and honestly you're on the mower. 00:12:22.389 --> 00:12:24.350 You just grab it right up to the house It's it's 00:12:24.350 --> 00:12:27.289 no issue, but I think remembering to do that 00:12:27.289 --> 00:12:30.019 whenever you can uh the little things blow off 00:12:30.019 --> 00:12:31.720 the porch you know maybe you didn't get any grass 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:33.799 on it but there's just do it it takes a couple 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:36.620 seconds and those little things like that they 00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:39.100 add up and they're the what really sets you apart 00:12:39.100 --> 00:12:40.539 from the guy that's just there to get a paycheck 00:12:40.539 --> 00:12:43.299 and go on so i think i'd remind myself to not 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:47.879 lose track of that that is so good and that's 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:51.659 exactly you know what i would remind myself do 00:12:51.659 --> 00:12:55.799 the small things the little things The things 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:59.159 that some people think are unimportant or not 00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:01.639 necessary, or I've heard this one, what's not 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:08.019 my job? Yeah, right. It's not my job to pull 00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:11.580 up their trash can. It's not my job. Well, it 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:15.779 might not be your job, but those little things 00:13:15.779 --> 00:13:20.159 make a huge difference. I had a customer not 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:26.659 long ago. It was right after Thanksgiving. They 00:13:26.659 --> 00:13:28.539 called me and said, can you stop by the house? 00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:34.220 I said, sure. And I knew I had just serviced 00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:37.559 their property for the last time for the season. 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:40.759 Got all the leaves cleaned up and mulched up 00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:45.460 and everything looked good. So I go to the house, 00:13:45.700 --> 00:13:47.500 I knock on the door and he comes to the door 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:51.019 and he hands me a card. He said, Merry Christmas. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:55.490 I didn't think anything about it. I just got 00:13:55.490 --> 00:13:58.990 back in the truck, and when I started to go home, 00:13:58.990 --> 00:14:02.269 I just opened it up, see what the card read. 00:14:03.850 --> 00:14:07.929 And inside the card was a check for $1 ,500. 00:14:10.590 --> 00:14:13.710 And he had said to me, Merry Christmas. So I 00:14:13.710 --> 00:14:16.370 called him, and I said, it's going to be one 00:14:16.370 --> 00:14:21.129 now. You didn't have to do that. But I sure appreciate 00:14:21.129 --> 00:14:27.759 the thoughtfulness. And he said, well, it's worth 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:32.120 that $1 ,500 bonus because I don't have to worry 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:35.059 about my grass. I don't have to worry about trimming 00:14:35.059 --> 00:14:38.539 hedges. He said, and there's so many little things 00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:43.399 that you do that you're not required to do. For 00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:47.580 example, his wife come home from grocery shopping. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:52.600 I wasn't about to stand there and watch her carrying 00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:57.340 big bags of dog food and cases of water while 00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:59.940 I'm there mowing. So I just jumped off the mower 00:14:59.940 --> 00:15:02.679 and carried him in for her, sat him down, have 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:06.600 a good day. Didn't have to, and that's not my 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:12.519 job. That's true. But I think it says a little 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:17.200 bit about your personality, your character. and 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:24.840 what you stand for. So what trends are you seeing 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:29.139 currently in the green industry that are different 00:15:29.139 --> 00:15:35.779 than they were when you started? That's a good 00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:40.659 question. Obviously the equipment has changed 00:15:40.659 --> 00:15:44.019 dramatically since I first started to now. We 00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:47.309 were all using Walk behind belt drive walk behind 00:15:47.309 --> 00:15:50.450 mowers back, you know 25 years ago Equipments 00:15:50.450 --> 00:15:52.929 changed a ton with the advent of the you know 00:15:52.929 --> 00:15:57.230 battery stuff That's that's certainly changed 00:15:57.230 --> 00:16:02.149 Payment style has changed quite a bit, right? 00:16:02.409 --> 00:16:04.669 We're all pushing for like a card on file or 00:16:04.669 --> 00:16:06.889 you know things like that even even things like 00:16:06.889 --> 00:16:09.230 Venmo and cash app and stuff that we would have 00:16:09.230 --> 00:16:12.440 never considered, you know Most of my customers 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:14.820 25 years ago, you know, there's a check under 00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:17.539 the grill or, you know, I left an envelope under 00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:20.559 the mat type of thing, right? Or, you know, you're 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.100 sending paper invoices once a month or whatever 00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:26.080 to get your check. So I think, you know, the 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.639 style of payment has changed. Interaction with 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:30.960 the customers has changed quite a bit for me. 00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:35.399 Back then, you know, you'd go do an estimate, 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.539 you'd meet the customer, talk to them, and that 00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:40.340 might be your only interaction you ever had with 00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:42.649 them. You know, you send them a bill, they pay 00:16:42.649 --> 00:16:45.009 it, everything's fine, you come back next year, 00:16:45.009 --> 00:16:48.309 do it all over again. I've found that, and maybe 00:16:48.309 --> 00:16:50.549 I've changed, maybe that's the difference in 00:16:50.549 --> 00:16:53.110 this aspect, but I'm a lot more friendly with 00:16:53.110 --> 00:16:54.970 the customers now. I see them all the time, I 00:16:54.970 --> 00:16:58.110 see them around town at different events. I'm 00:16:58.110 --> 00:16:59.769 friends with a lot of them on Facebook, which 00:16:59.769 --> 00:17:03.250 is maybe not a good idea for certain reasons, 00:17:03.289 --> 00:17:05.990 I suppose, but it's never been an issue for me. 00:17:07.990 --> 00:17:13.190 Let's see, what else? That's a tough one. So 00:17:13.190 --> 00:17:17.130 many things have changed. I've noticed This is 00:17:17.130 --> 00:17:20.349 a big one. I think I think most companies that 00:17:20.349 --> 00:17:23.930 have been around a long time have really become 00:17:23.930 --> 00:17:29.049 more of a business than the mowing guy, right? 00:17:29.930 --> 00:17:32.750 People are people in this I think I think a lot 00:17:32.750 --> 00:17:36.309 of small businesses in this space have become 00:17:36.309 --> 00:17:39.349 more professional Appearing than what they used 00:17:39.349 --> 00:17:42.420 to be back in the day it was a job that you know 00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:44.539 like the check in the truck right anybody with 00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:46.400 a lawnmower and a pickup truck was out there 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.420 grinding making money on the weekends and stuff 00:17:48.420 --> 00:17:52.500 it seems that we've elevated ourselves to be 00:17:52.500 --> 00:17:55.480 a little bit more respectable we're not the guy 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:57.299 driving around in the beat -up truck with his 00:17:57.299 --> 00:18:00.740 shirt off smoking cigarettes i've noticed that 00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:03.380 maybe that i guess i would go with that overall 00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:06.440 that's the biggest change the attitude that not 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:09.380 only we we have for ourselves and our business, 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:11.519 but I've noticed the attitude that people have 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:14.559 toward us has changed quite a bit over the years. 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:19.440 And I think what's helped change that, and I've 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:22.559 seen that too, and I believe you're right. I 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:27.700 believe that is probably the one big thing that 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:31.299 has changed in our industry, just our overall 00:18:31.299 --> 00:18:36.420 appearance, how we present ourselves, how we... 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:43.140 brand ourselves. I think it's changed drastically 00:18:43.140 --> 00:18:48.259 for the good. But I think what has helped change 00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:52.359 that is attending some of these events that are 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:56.980 going on, like coming up in October with the 00:18:56.980 --> 00:19:01.180 Equip Expo. You know, it's our Super Bowl in 00:19:01.180 --> 00:19:06.519 the green industry. It's the sixth largest trade 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:11.279 show. in the United States. That's huge. And 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:16.000 our industry is a part of that. And so I think 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:20.200 those things have helped change the overall appearance 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:23.960 of our industry. And I think attending like the 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:29.299 LCR Summit with Naylor Taliaferro, being a part 00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:32.680 of groups like you are with the Echo means business, 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.579 you know, those things make a huge difference. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:41.819 And it makes us look more professional. It makes 00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:46.920 us appear to be more of a business than the truck 00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:51.599 and the truck. Yeah, you bet. So you've been 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:56.079 in the industry for quite a few years now. Yeah. 00:19:57.339 --> 00:20:00.339 Are there any misconceptions about the lawn care 00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:04.640 industry that you would like to clear up or? 00:20:05.900 --> 00:20:10.680 Yeah. Yeah, I would. Yeah, yeah. Let's start 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:15.079 with, you know, a lot of my friends, for example, 00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:18.039 people like me. Oh, you own your own business. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:20.539 You must be rich. You're swimming in money, right? 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:24.660 Or like, you know, hey, there's this thing on 00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:26.539 the 15th. You want to go? Well, I got to work. 00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:28.599 You work for yourself. You can take it off. You 00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:31.660 make your own schedule. Yeah. Well, and then 00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:35.329 the fact that It must be so nice just you know 00:20:35.329 --> 00:20:38.329 working whatever like in the spring or in the 00:20:38.329 --> 00:20:40.670 late fall Even the winter when we're not working 00:20:40.670 --> 00:20:45.769 a 50 60 hour week that we normally would The 00:20:45.769 --> 00:20:48.309 idea that the time we spend out in the field 00:20:48.309 --> 00:20:51.410 is it and then we're done right? I'm working 00:20:51.410 --> 00:20:55.849 You know, it feels like 24 -7, right? If I'm 00:20:55.849 --> 00:20:58.990 if I'm home if I'm at the shop, whatever there's 00:20:58.990 --> 00:21:01.450 there's something that needs done Just because 00:21:01.450 --> 00:21:04.819 I'm not out Producing income physically working 00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:07.079 doesn't mean I'm not working. I'm doing estimates. 00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:10.519 I'm doing billing I'm always doing something. 00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:13.240 So I think that's the biggest one that would 00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:16.640 be for me just It's not it's not what people 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.000 like to think it is. So I'm we're not swimming 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:23.000 in piles of cash over here just because Yeah, 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:25.900 I've had people tell me you know you own your 00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:29.240 own business, you know, you can you can take 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:35.420 off any time you want Yeah, and People say well, 00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:38.339 why did you go into business? Did you not want 00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:40.480 to work for somebody you wanted to be your own 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:45.079 boss? Well, yeah, that's kind of true sure, but 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:49.539 Even though I don't have a boss to answer to 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:53.420 every morning at the shop. I have a hundred and 00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:57.680 forty bosses You know that I answer to every 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:03.079 week so I don't think that there's ever a time 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:07.819 when you're really your own boss. I consider 00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:12.000 little Mrs. Smith down the road, she's my boss. 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:15.819 She's the one that writes me a check. She's the 00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:20.079 one I gotta make sure is happy and the one that 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:23.119 is getting the best service that's possible. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:26.359 So I don't know if you ever really become your 00:22:26.359 --> 00:22:30.240 own boss. because however many clients you have, 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:38.240 that's how many bosses you have. What are you 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:43.480 currently noticing in the green industry that 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:48.140 is getting your attention? Is it battery powered 00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:54.680 equipment, autonomous mowers, battery powered 00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:57.900 mowers? Is there something in the industry that 00:22:57.900 --> 00:23:01.480 you see that's getting your attention or that 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:10.019 maybe concerns you? Well, certainly both the 00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:11.460 things you mentioned, the autonomous mowers, 00:23:11.579 --> 00:23:15.180 those are awesome. The battery powered equipment 00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:19.480 is very interesting to me. We've taken on the 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:24.339 battery equipment pretty strongly. I use battery 00:23:24.339 --> 00:23:28.180 equipment every day. I think that's huge. And 00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:31.440 I think depending on your region, even your small 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:35.480 local areas, for us here, I'm about 15 minutes 00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:38.440 from a college town, Kent, Ohio. It's a very 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.279 green, earthy, kind of hippy -dippy city. And 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:45.519 there is a market for customers who are willing 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.319 to pay a premium for that battery service. So 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:51.579 that's very interesting to me, something that 00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:53.720 I'm kind of dipping my toe into a little bit. 00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:57.720 We haven't gone to any battery powered mowers 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:01.380 yet. I do have some 21 inch battery powered mowers 00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:05.619 that rarely get used, but as far as like a big 00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:08.279 stand on or ride on mower, I haven't taken that 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:13.619 step yet. I hope to, but we need to get the battery 00:24:13.619 --> 00:24:15.640 technology up a little bit and the cost down 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:18.539 a little bit. And then I think I'll be in... 00:24:18.569 --> 00:24:24.289 for that. The autonomous motors are very cool 00:24:24.289 --> 00:24:27.170 in the fact that they don't call in sick, they 00:24:27.170 --> 00:24:29.250 don't have a court date, you know, all those 00:24:29.250 --> 00:24:31.470 things. They don't need workers cop if they step 00:24:31.470 --> 00:24:36.250 in a hole. That's very intriguing to me. I have 00:24:36.250 --> 00:24:40.369 a couple of properties where they could be useful, 00:24:40.369 --> 00:24:45.799 but again the cost is up there. And everyone's 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:48.079 got their own model, right? If you sign up for, 00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:49.900 you get this autonomous motor, well then you 00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:52.559 have to sign up for this service, this software 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.579 that needs to be updated. And you've got either 00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:58.619 a monthly payment, an annual payment. I think 00:24:58.619 --> 00:25:01.019 that it's a great idea, but I think we're up 00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:03.799 charging ourselves to a point where it's no longer 00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:06.660 a great idea. It would have saved me, you know, 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:11.640 if I can save $50 ,000 in salary, but I've got 00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:16.380 $50 ,000 in software updates. I'm getting close 00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:19.240 to back where I came from. But the battery thing 00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:23.960 is huge to me. I think soon, well, I shouldn't 00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:26.000 say soon, five to 10 years, I think it's gonna 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:30.539 be most of what we see. Well, I was interviewing 00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:37.220 a guy on my podcast a few months back about AI. 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:45.289 And he was saying, within the year, We're going 00:25:45.289 --> 00:25:50.289 to see and I don't know he says he he worked 00:25:50.289 --> 00:25:55.069 for a company that Elon Musk owns and He said 00:25:55.069 --> 00:25:59.410 we're gonna see robots out mowing yards We're 00:25:59.410 --> 00:26:05.089 gonna see Driverless vehicles pulling up to properties 00:26:05.089 --> 00:26:11.670 to service So I am intrigued by where our industry 00:26:11.670 --> 00:26:14.450 is heading, but I'm also a little concerned. 00:26:16.230 --> 00:26:22.250 Is all of the advancement gonna put out of business 00:26:22.250 --> 00:26:26.789 the smaller companies? Is it gonna hurt the industry 00:26:26.789 --> 00:26:30.769 as well as help it? So I'm a little concerned. 00:26:30.789 --> 00:26:33.869 I've had people send me some battery -powered 00:26:33.869 --> 00:26:38.589 blowers. And to me, the battery's just... don't 00:26:38.589 --> 00:26:42.869 last very long at all you know I can I can start 00:26:42.869 --> 00:26:46.670 with a blower and on the second or third property 00:26:46.670 --> 00:26:51.609 the battery is dead so I don't know if there's 00:26:51.609 --> 00:26:54.390 a better line of batteries that I should buy 00:26:54.390 --> 00:26:58.950 or if the batteries just need to improve that 00:26:58.950 --> 00:27:03.329 much well it's it's both for sure they're definitely 00:27:03.329 --> 00:27:07.890 I tried I would venture to say every brand's 00:27:07.890 --> 00:27:10.690 battery technology at this point. And there are 00:27:10.690 --> 00:27:12.730 certainly some that are much better than others, 00:27:13.150 --> 00:27:15.329 certainly some that have a better battery life 00:27:15.329 --> 00:27:19.130 than others do. But also the battery technology 00:27:19.130 --> 00:27:21.009 with the tabless batteries and things like that 00:27:21.009 --> 00:27:23.150 that all the major manufacturers are working 00:27:23.150 --> 00:27:26.049 with now, that battery technology is going to 00:27:26.049 --> 00:27:29.109 increase greatly within the next couple of years, 00:27:29.170 --> 00:27:31.470 maybe sooner, because they're close on a lot 00:27:31.470 --> 00:27:33.930 of these. So that's going to make a huge difference. 00:27:34.170 --> 00:27:37.710 And then it just comes to Like for me, I'm with 00:27:37.710 --> 00:27:41.630 you blowers seem to have maybe chainsaw too But 00:27:41.630 --> 00:27:44.170 they have a huge draw on the on the battery themselves, 00:27:44.170 --> 00:27:48.250 but string trimmer You know a hedge trimmer those 00:27:48.250 --> 00:27:51.210 kind of things I've got some hedge trimmers. 00:27:51.210 --> 00:27:53.829 You can go all day on one battery you trim all 00:27:53.829 --> 00:27:55.950 day with it It just doesn't use the power that 00:27:55.950 --> 00:27:58.529 you know that a blower requires, but those blowers 00:27:58.529 --> 00:28:01.660 are coming a long way to Every year, we see more 00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:03.759 advancements in those backpack blowers. A lot 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:05.759 of companies out there have pretty great ones 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:08.859 right now. Runtime is still the issue. And then 00:28:08.859 --> 00:28:10.920 wait, right? We can add more batteries. It'll 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:13.359 last longer. But are you able to stand up anymore 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:15.319 because you've got 50 pounds of batteries on 00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:20.680 your back? So I think with the new battery technology, 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:22.579 we're going to see better runtime. They're going 00:28:22.579 --> 00:28:25.779 to be lighter, more powerful. I'm hopeful on 00:28:25.779 --> 00:28:30.250 those for sure, but like what you said. It definitely 00:28:30.250 --> 00:28:32.549 is worrisome, the fact that a robot, a driverless 00:28:32.549 --> 00:28:34.369 car, you know, they've got those, those way most 00:28:34.369 --> 00:28:36.190 and stuff that pick you up and drive you around 00:28:36.190 --> 00:28:38.230 like an Uber without, you know, if there's no 00:28:38.230 --> 00:28:41.009 driver that that stuff's odd and that is going 00:28:41.009 --> 00:28:44.210 to happen. I think eventually it's going to happen, 00:28:44.269 --> 00:28:47.230 but that robot isn't going to carry the bags 00:28:47.230 --> 00:28:49.190 of dog food in for Mrs. Smith and it's not going 00:28:49.190 --> 00:28:51.069 to bring your trash can out. It's not going to, 00:28:51.190 --> 00:28:52.769 there's going to be people that are looking for 00:28:52.769 --> 00:28:55.450 that aspect. I think probably always, hopefully. 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:58.519 And people aren't quick to switch over from things 00:28:58.519 --> 00:29:02.980 like that either. So I think one day in the future, 00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.920 that's probably going to be everyone's going 00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:06.660 to have a little robot that does everything for 00:29:06.660 --> 00:29:09.460 them. But I don't think you and I are going to 00:29:09.460 --> 00:29:13.000 see that. I hope not. Yeah. It's going to happen 00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:18.059 one day. Greenworks sent me a battery hedge trimmer. 00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:22.599 Yeah. And I love it. It works really great, but 00:29:22.599 --> 00:29:27.220 it's so heavy. OK. it's a lot more heavier than 00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:32.660 my steel gas powered hedge trimmer. So I find 00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:36.920 myself after several bushes putting the battery 00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:40.680 power down, firing up the gas powered one and 00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:44.119 you know finish the job just because it's heavy 00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:46.440 not because I'm having trouble with the battery 00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:50.519 or that it doesn't cut, doesn't do what it's 00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:55.190 supposed to, because it does do a good job. and 00:29:55.190 --> 00:29:58.029 the battery does seem to last on that hedge trimmer 00:29:58.029 --> 00:30:02.309 for a long time. But it just gets so heavy because 00:30:02.309 --> 00:30:05.670 that battery is so big, you know, it slides on 00:30:05.670 --> 00:30:09.809 the back of it. So. And that's, I think that's 00:30:09.809 --> 00:30:11.529 the difference between just one model and the 00:30:11.529 --> 00:30:14.150 next. I think if you tried, like I use some that 00:30:14.150 --> 00:30:16.829 Echo has and they're so much lighter than the 00:30:16.829 --> 00:30:20.789 gas counterparts. And also, did you put a... 00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:22.839 you know, a five amp hour battery, an eight amp 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:24.339 hour battery. They're different sizes, different 00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:27.099 weight, obviously. But I've found great luck 00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:29.079 with a five amp hour battery. I'll go all day 00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:32.319 long with that. And it's much lighter. And it 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:34.799 doesn't get hot. And I don't have fumes. And 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:37.079 especially with trimming bushes, right? We've 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:39.259 got a commercial property. And it's all glass 00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.960 around the front. And you get up against that 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:44.019 glass with the sun shining off and then the exhaust 00:30:44.019 --> 00:30:47.150 from the bush trimmer. it's miserable that that 00:30:47.150 --> 00:30:49.730 battery versus gas and circumstances like that 00:30:49.730 --> 00:30:52.750 is so much nicer and and one of the biggest things 00:30:52.750 --> 00:30:55.930 for me is obviously the maintenance aspect right 00:30:55.930 --> 00:30:58.009 we don't have to worry about almost anything 00:30:58.009 --> 00:31:00.809 but my shoulder over the years i've done this 00:31:00.809 --> 00:31:03.230 forever you have to my shoulder from starting 00:31:03.230 --> 00:31:06.930 things it's garbage it's junk so the fact that 00:31:06.930 --> 00:31:09.690 i don't have to pull anything that's a game changer 00:31:09.690 --> 00:31:13.599 for me i love that part yeah Well echo means 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:19.240 business sent me the pink blower Because every 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:22.539 October we have a breast cancer awareness month 00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:27.299 And we go pink we wear pink shirts and pink hats 00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:32.960 It's a big deal in my city and I've gotten newspaper 00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:36.119 interviews because of it and been in the paper 00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:41.630 and on the news and all kinds of things but They 00:31:41.630 --> 00:31:47.309 sent me that blower and it does a great job, 00:31:47.910 --> 00:31:51.029 but the battery just doesn't last. That's my 00:31:51.029 --> 00:31:56.150 only concern. And I'm not opposed to battery 00:31:56.150 --> 00:31:58.869 going all battery powered stuff. That's not what 00:31:58.869 --> 00:32:03.289 I'm saying. I'm just saying I think we need to 00:32:03.289 --> 00:32:10.420 improve the lifespan of the battery. and I think 00:32:10.420 --> 00:32:13.980 we need to get the price down on some of the 00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:17.880 equipment. So that's where I'm at. But I want 00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:24.400 to go battery. I think it's a lot easier to use. 00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:28.420 Like you said, you're not yanking on a string 00:32:28.420 --> 00:32:32.819 to try to start it. Just pull the trigger and 00:32:32.819 --> 00:32:37.839 you're blowing. But that's where I'm at on that. 00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:41.359 I want to go battery. I just think we need to 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:44.279 improve the battery life, bring down the price 00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:49.619 just a little bit. But I think when there's a 00:32:49.619 --> 00:32:54.160 demand more for it, the price is going to have 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:59.539 to come down. I was in California and they've 00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:03.279 passed a law. It's not a... It's illegal. It's 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:05.579 against the law to use gas powered equipment 00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:10.519 now. You got to use battery powered. But I was 00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:14.940 standing outside of my Airbnb drinking a cup 00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:18.039 of coffee and I seen a mowing crew pull up. So 00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:21.740 I just stood there and watched them. A guy jumps 00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:25.359 out, grabs a push mower, starts mowing this little 00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:29.039 bit of yard. Another guy. grab some hedge trimmers, 00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:31.599 he's trimming some hedges up front, just taking 00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:36.480 the new growth off. And another guy grabs a gas 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:42.660 -powered backpack blower, steel BR 800. He fired 00:33:42.660 --> 00:33:44.740 that thing up and started blowing the sidewalks 00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:47.579 off. When he was done, I walked across the street, 00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:50.940 introduced myself to him, and told him what I 00:33:50.940 --> 00:33:53.220 do for a living, and I said, I thought it was 00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:56.410 illegal here for you to use that blower. He said, 00:33:56.490 --> 00:33:59.250 they're going to have to catch me before I give 00:33:59.250 --> 00:34:03.130 up. So, you know, they don't like it either, 00:34:03.509 --> 00:34:08.090 but what normally happens in California migrates 00:34:08.090 --> 00:34:11.710 to the East and it hits every spot in between. 00:34:12.329 --> 00:34:17.230 So if it's a law there, it's going to come to 00:34:17.230 --> 00:34:22.570 us. I've heard so many stories of even HOAs that 00:34:22.570 --> 00:34:24.329 are adopting that rule. which they don't want 00:34:24.329 --> 00:34:26.150 gas powered equipment in there, just battery 00:34:26.150 --> 00:34:29.489 only. Small townships and cities around the country 00:34:29.489 --> 00:34:32.349 are doing it, and it's common. We're going to 00:34:32.349 --> 00:34:34.829 have to face it head on, and the manufacturers 00:34:34.829 --> 00:34:37.190 know that. All the ones I've talked to, especially 00:34:37.190 --> 00:34:39.610 Echo, which I have a little more information 00:34:39.610 --> 00:34:42.889 with them, but they are on it. The problem with 00:34:42.889 --> 00:34:45.449 the cost, I think, is the money that they have 00:34:45.449 --> 00:34:47.909 sunk into research and development for this battery 00:34:47.909 --> 00:34:50.750 technology. They're gonna have to make some of 00:34:50.750 --> 00:34:53.010 that back. I think before the prices come down 00:34:53.010 --> 00:34:57.130 too much. They've just spent so much on it But 00:34:57.130 --> 00:34:59.250 yeah, I know that technology is getting much 00:34:59.250 --> 00:35:01.070 better and much more affordable. It's coming 00:35:01.070 --> 00:35:06.010 for sure Well, is there a piece of equipment 00:35:06.010 --> 00:35:12.230 or a hand tool? Something that you would say 00:35:12.230 --> 00:35:17.329 is absolutely necessary for you to have if you're 00:35:17.329 --> 00:35:22.949 running a lawn care business Well, yeah, I mean 00:35:22.949 --> 00:35:28.230 sure I think Besides a motor is absolutely Okay, 00:35:29.110 --> 00:35:31.110 yeah, I mean I think the obvious ones right you 00:35:31.110 --> 00:35:34.670 need a trimmer you You're gonna have to weeding 00:35:34.670 --> 00:35:37.349 and blow off I guess you could you know get by 00:35:37.349 --> 00:35:40.230 with the broom possibly and that kind of thing 00:35:40.230 --> 00:35:45.230 but I think those are Necessities beyond that. 00:35:46.130 --> 00:35:50.210 I think it's just There's a lot of gadgets out 00:35:50.210 --> 00:35:52.190 there that just make your day easier. I think 00:35:52.190 --> 00:35:55.409 it's whatever you see that might increase your 00:35:55.409 --> 00:35:59.110 efficiency and make the job easier on your body 00:35:59.110 --> 00:36:03.210 physically. I think anything like that is a plus 00:36:03.210 --> 00:36:05.750 from tiny little, the little handheld chainsaws 00:36:05.750 --> 00:36:08.949 and stuff are so great. You don't have to worry 00:36:08.949 --> 00:36:11.719 about. gas and mixing oil and everything you 00:36:11.719 --> 00:36:13.599 just grab it out of the truck and zip that branch 00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:15.139 that keeps hitting in your head every time you 00:36:15.139 --> 00:36:17.559 go under the crab apple or whatever you know 00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:20.880 those little things like that are great but um 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:23.800 i don't know honestly i i guess if we if we went 00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:26.099 over from the tools that we use in our job every 00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:29.019 day i think i think the cell phone right has 00:36:29.019 --> 00:36:30.980 changed the game so much that's a that's a tool 00:36:30.980 --> 00:36:33.780 that's integral to to my business for sure from 00:36:33.780 --> 00:36:35.920 dealing with customers i'm doing estimates i'm 00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:40.670 checking to see anything social media related. 00:36:40.969 --> 00:36:43.050 I'm even tracking the hours on equipment, maintenance, 00:36:43.230 --> 00:36:45.550 stuff like that. That little computer in your 00:36:45.550 --> 00:36:48.489 pocket is certainly a tool that I feel is necessary. 00:36:49.829 --> 00:36:53.309 It's a computer in your hand. And I remember 00:36:53.309 --> 00:36:57.590 the days when a phone was just a phone. Now it's 00:36:57.590 --> 00:37:03.409 a computer, it's a camera, it's a GPS. Let's 00:37:03.409 --> 00:37:05.929 take a short break and hear a word from my sponsor. 00:37:07.579 --> 00:37:09.880 Tired of chasing payments and losing track of 00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:13.500 jobs? Eartha Pro Backoffice software makes it 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:16.460 simple for solo guys and small lawn care and 00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:20.199 landscaping crews. Schedule, invoice, and organize 00:37:20.199 --> 00:37:22.860 all in the same place. We also have a mobile 00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:25.760 app and integrate into QuickBooks. Sign up at 00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:28.780 EarthaPro .com with promo code TheLawnHustle11 00:37:28.780 --> 00:37:33.260 for a $50 Amazon gift card, 10 % off, and personalized 00:37:33.260 --> 00:37:36.559 onboarding. You run the outside work, we run 00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:47.960 the office. And we're back with. Greenscapes. 00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:52.639 Ohio. And I appreciate him being on the show 00:37:52.639 --> 00:38:00.400 tonight. Let me ask you. Is there anything that 00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:05.079 you do in your area? to give back to your community. 00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:13.139 Do you do anything special for maybe the veterans 00:38:13.139 --> 00:38:17.980 or maybe law enforcement or any other group? 00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:22.599 Yeah, a lot actually. It's one of my favorite 00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:24.900 parts of the business. It's the opportunity to 00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:29.320 give back to that. Everything from Youth baseball 00:38:29.320 --> 00:38:32.039 sponsorships working on their fields drainage 00:38:32.039 --> 00:38:36.679 projects there our local park in our town We've 00:38:36.679 --> 00:38:39.840 done everything from 46 acres of aeration there 00:38:39.840 --> 00:38:44.340 seed work Obviously monetary donations for all 00:38:44.340 --> 00:38:48.500 these things Veterans Day and 4th of July parades. 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:51.980 We donate a lot of stuff to that things at the 00:38:51.980 --> 00:38:55.230 local cemetery I mean, you name it, I'm always 00:38:55.230 --> 00:38:57.329 looking for some way to get involved. We actually 00:38:57.329 --> 00:39:00.309 had, just a couple days ago, I was doing an estimate 00:39:00.309 --> 00:39:03.170 for a customer. One of her friends was walking 00:39:03.170 --> 00:39:05.570 through the neighborhood. She stopped and they 00:39:05.570 --> 00:39:07.869 had a quick conversation about a local elementary 00:39:07.869 --> 00:39:10.550 school that has kind of a, it's not necessarily 00:39:10.550 --> 00:39:13.489 a community garden, but it's a small fenced -in 00:39:13.489 --> 00:39:17.250 garden, maybe like 50 by 50 square, that they 00:39:17.250 --> 00:39:19.250 take the kids out and teach them about gardening 00:39:19.250 --> 00:39:21.989 and planting and stuff like that. There was a 00:39:21.989 --> 00:39:24.989 parent who was running it for that program at 00:39:24.989 --> 00:39:27.090 the school. They've had some health issues, so 00:39:27.090 --> 00:39:28.769 they're not able to do that anymore. And they 00:39:28.769 --> 00:39:31.090 can't find anyone to take it over. So I just 00:39:31.090 --> 00:39:33.769 grabbed, I took that on just a couple days ago 00:39:33.769 --> 00:39:35.650 as well. I'm always looking for that, right? 00:39:36.329 --> 00:39:38.070 That's, I mean, what else are we doing all this 00:39:38.070 --> 00:39:42.349 for other than to have that part? We have a good 00:39:42.349 --> 00:39:47.809 time with it. Are there any funny or unexpected 00:39:47.809 --> 00:39:51.630 moments? in your lawn care career that you would 00:39:51.630 --> 00:39:58.929 like to share? It's been a lot of funny things. 00:39:59.010 --> 00:40:01.710 I don't know if they're all podcast appropriate. 00:40:04.449 --> 00:40:06.630 Or maybe they're too embarrassing that I don't 00:40:06.630 --> 00:40:10.269 want to. Yeah, let's keep it PG. Right, right. 00:40:10.389 --> 00:40:13.230 Now I've had, you know, the typical stuff, right? 00:40:13.289 --> 00:40:14.889 And I don't know if you've ever done this. I've 00:40:14.889 --> 00:40:16.670 done it a couple of times. I've showed up and 00:40:16.670 --> 00:40:19.349 started doing a job only to have someone come 00:40:19.349 --> 00:40:21.329 home and ask me who I am and what I'm doing there 00:40:21.329 --> 00:40:23.050 because I'm at the neighbor's house instead of 00:40:23.050 --> 00:40:25.530 the one I'm supposed to be at next door you know 00:40:25.530 --> 00:40:27.670 small things like that I can't nothing really 00:40:27.670 --> 00:40:32.309 stands out as far as you know really funny things 00:40:32.309 --> 00:40:36.289 that certainly not funny at the time but I guess 00:40:36.289 --> 00:40:38.170 you can look back and think that they're funny 00:40:38.170 --> 00:40:46.010 but no nothing really stands out we had an employee 00:40:46.840 --> 00:40:52.280 that has a friend that needed a yard done. Well, 00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:54.760 I thought the guy knew where it was and all that, 00:40:54.780 --> 00:40:58.760 so I asked him where it is, and he told me, we 00:40:58.760 --> 00:41:01.659 go. And I said, which one is it? Which house? 00:41:01.739 --> 00:41:05.260 He said, I think it's this one. We mow the whole 00:41:05.260 --> 00:41:09.019 yard, and it was a big property. We mow it, we 00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:13.320 trim, we blow. We blowed off the porch, the back 00:41:13.320 --> 00:41:17.880 patio, just... everything that you would do to 00:41:17.880 --> 00:41:21.480 try to impress somebody. I'd done it because 00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:25.880 I wanted to retain that property. And we were 00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:28.159 loading back up. I pulled up on the trailer, 00:41:28.780 --> 00:41:32.119 jumped off, lifted the gate up. The door across 00:41:32.119 --> 00:41:34.980 the street opened. A lady stepped out and said, 00:41:35.340 --> 00:41:39.780 are you Andy? I said, yeah. She said, I think 00:41:39.780 --> 00:41:44.780 you were supposed to mow my yard. We spent about 00:41:44.780 --> 00:41:50.500 45 to 55 minutes on that property and we mowed 00:41:50.500 --> 00:41:55.340 the wrong property. The lady come out from, from 00:41:55.340 --> 00:41:58.840 the house and said, thank you. And I said, Oh, 00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:02.500 you're welcome. She said my yard needed mode. 00:42:04.539 --> 00:42:07.699 But I've been there for sure. Let me ask you 00:42:07.699 --> 00:42:11.940 this. You are planning on going to equip. Oh 00:42:11.940 --> 00:42:17.050 yeah. Never miss it. I will be there. Are you 00:42:17.050 --> 00:42:20.090 going to be at the Echo Means Business booth 00:42:20.090 --> 00:42:24.369 or anytime there? I've got a couple things. I 00:42:24.369 --> 00:42:28.849 will be there. I think I'm coming in Tuesday, 00:42:29.210 --> 00:42:35.130 Wednesday. I'll be at the Echo social media patio, 00:42:35.349 --> 00:42:38.769 they're calling it this year. It's basically, 00:42:38.849 --> 00:42:40.269 it's not the booth where they're going to have 00:42:40.269 --> 00:42:42.449 all the equipment, but it'll be down next to 00:42:42.449 --> 00:42:45.469 Pod Row. So I'll be there for happy hour, I believe 00:42:45.469 --> 00:42:48.070 from three to five on Wednesday. That's in the 00:42:48.070 --> 00:42:51.650 West. I'll be in and out of there. Yes. Yep. 00:42:52.130 --> 00:42:55.389 Yeah, it'll be right next to pod row. Okay. So 00:42:55.389 --> 00:42:58.369 we'll be there Wednesday afternoon and then I'm 00:42:58.369 --> 00:43:00.110 sure Thursday and Friday I'll be there as well. 00:43:00.130 --> 00:43:02.469 I've got a couple other booths I've got to stop 00:43:02.469 --> 00:43:05.869 in real quick and do some stuff. But yeah, I'm 00:43:05.869 --> 00:43:07.690 sure I'll be there quite a bit. They've got a 00:43:07.690 --> 00:43:11.170 really cool setup coming this year. That's so 00:43:11.170 --> 00:43:13.269 much money on this, but it's it's gonna be really 00:43:13.269 --> 00:43:15.150 awesome. I'm sure there'll be some more info 00:43:15.150 --> 00:43:19.090 coming out about it soon, but I'm excited In 00:43:19.090 --> 00:43:22.050 combination with Padre there is gonna be gonna 00:43:22.050 --> 00:43:24.550 be really cool for everybody Well, I will try 00:43:24.550 --> 00:43:27.550 to get there when you're at the booth so we can 00:43:27.550 --> 00:43:31.130 meet in person We've actually met a couple times. 00:43:31.269 --> 00:43:33.690 I don't know if you remember Last year. Did you 00:43:33.690 --> 00:43:36.429 go to the dinner at the Mexican place last year 00:43:36.429 --> 00:43:40.250 with Tony? Yes Yeah. Yeah, I was I said next 00:43:40.250 --> 00:43:42.190 to Tony's dad there. I don't know if you have. 00:43:42.329 --> 00:43:45.590 But then we met briefly last year in the, you 00:43:45.590 --> 00:43:47.889 know, little room they gave the people with the 00:43:47.889 --> 00:43:50.869 media credentials to come out in. And we met 00:43:50.869 --> 00:43:52.570 briefly in there one morning. I think you were 00:43:52.570 --> 00:43:55.150 about to do a podcast with somebody. So it was 00:43:55.150 --> 00:43:59.889 it was quick. But yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, I think 00:43:59.889 --> 00:44:03.610 I remember now meeting you. I couldn't remember 00:44:03.610 --> 00:44:08.800 before, but I think you. jarred my memory and 00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:13.159 I remember meeting you now. But I'm going to 00:44:13.159 --> 00:44:15.780 be there all week. I'm coming in for the LCR 00:44:15.780 --> 00:44:19.679 Summit on Monday and Tuesday. And I'll be there. 00:44:19.679 --> 00:44:22.579 I'm actually coming in on Sunday. So I'll be 00:44:22.579 --> 00:44:29.460 there Sunday till Saturday of the week. And to 00:44:29.460 --> 00:44:34.300 me, I'm interested in the new equipment, the 00:44:34.300 --> 00:44:37.469 latest and the greatest. But to me, these events 00:44:37.469 --> 00:44:41.949 are more about networking, building relationships 00:44:41.949 --> 00:44:46.710 within our industry, and making friends and meeting 00:44:46.710 --> 00:44:51.429 people. So I'll be there, but I'm going to look 00:44:51.429 --> 00:44:57.110 for you and try to get together with you. Definitely. 00:44:59.110 --> 00:45:03.230 Well, where can our listeners find you? What's 00:45:03.230 --> 00:45:07.139 your web page? What social media sites are you 00:45:07.139 --> 00:45:10.920 on? How can they connect with you? Share a little 00:45:10.920 --> 00:45:16.679 bit about your social media, your website, and 00:45:16.679 --> 00:45:23.159 how people can connect with your business. Our 00:45:23.159 --> 00:45:27.000 website is greenscapesoh .com. And I guess you 00:45:27.000 --> 00:45:31.380 could email me or contact me through there. The 00:45:31.380 --> 00:45:33.239 website's just for the business. It's not really 00:45:33.239 --> 00:45:35.530 a social media. type thing i don't even know 00:45:35.530 --> 00:45:37.130 to be honest i think there probably are links 00:45:37.130 --> 00:45:40.989 to them but as far as everything else goes um 00:45:40.989 --> 00:45:42.869 youtube is is the biggest one that i pay the 00:45:42.869 --> 00:45:45.610 most attention to uh we're just greenscapes ohio 00:45:45.610 --> 00:45:49.929 on there and then um instagram and tiktok as 00:45:49.929 --> 00:45:52.869 well but i'm not i'm not super active i might 00:45:52.869 --> 00:45:55.769 post on instagram once a week or something tiktok 00:45:55.769 --> 00:45:58.409 a little bit more um but yeah we're greenscapes 00:45:58.409 --> 00:46:02.090 ohio on everything across the board Let me ask 00:46:02.090 --> 00:46:04.929 you one more question before we wrap this up 00:46:04.929 --> 00:46:11.030 if you weren't in the green industry What would 00:46:11.030 --> 00:46:18.050 you be doing? That's hard to say the the green 00:46:18.050 --> 00:46:21.389 industry was always great for us because my wife's 00:46:21.389 --> 00:46:25.150 a teacher So I'm too and we had four kids, right? 00:46:25.389 --> 00:46:30.909 So while she was You know awful all summer It's 00:46:30.909 --> 00:46:33.349 my busy time of year and she was able to be with 00:46:33.349 --> 00:46:35.429 the kids I didn't have to we didn't have to worry 00:46:35.429 --> 00:46:37.969 about babysitters or daycare and then vice versa 00:46:37.969 --> 00:46:40.510 right when she's busy all the time with work 00:46:40.510 --> 00:46:42.809 I'm around during the winter. So again, we didn't 00:46:42.809 --> 00:46:45.570 have to so that part was was really important 00:46:45.570 --> 00:46:48.570 now that the kids are They don't need to be babysat 00:46:48.570 --> 00:46:52.050 or anything anymore It's hard to say it would 00:46:52.050 --> 00:46:55.150 definitely be something else that Allows me to 00:46:55.150 --> 00:47:02.059 be outside doing something with my hands Something 00:47:02.059 --> 00:47:04.159 I don't know. It's a tough one. I haven't really 00:47:04.159 --> 00:47:08.639 even ever given that much thought I would There's 00:47:08.639 --> 00:47:10.079 a lot of things I like to do that I don't know 00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:11.800 if I could necessarily make it living at them 00:47:11.800 --> 00:47:14.980 so I guess if money weren't an issue my answer 00:47:14.980 --> 00:47:20.679 would be different, but I Could spend I volunteer 00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:25.260 a lot at a local It's like a kitchen type thing 00:47:25.260 --> 00:47:27.019 or whatever it's called now. It's a food bank, 00:47:27.099 --> 00:47:29.659 and they feed people every day. I'm there all 00:47:29.659 --> 00:47:31.619 the time. I just love interacting with those 00:47:31.619 --> 00:47:33.599 people. I have so much fun there. I've met so 00:47:33.599 --> 00:47:35.920 many great people. If I didn't have to earn a 00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:38.099 living, I could easily spend my days doing that. 00:47:38.219 --> 00:47:42.000 I just love it. It's so much fun. Or possibly, 00:47:42.599 --> 00:47:44.139 I always thought it would be cool to maybe sell 00:47:44.139 --> 00:47:46.539 real estate. I don't know why. That seems interesting 00:47:46.539 --> 00:47:50.820 to me. So maybe that, I guess. I don't know if 00:47:50.820 --> 00:47:55.809 I'd be any good at it. I'd give it a shot. What 00:47:55.809 --> 00:48:00.110 would you like to expand on anything else or 00:48:00.110 --> 00:48:04.429 add anything else to this show before we start 00:48:04.429 --> 00:48:09.090 wrapping it up? No, not right off the top of 00:48:09.090 --> 00:48:11.070 my head, but I would like to just thank you again 00:48:11.070 --> 00:48:12.789 for having me on. It was great getting to talk 00:48:12.789 --> 00:48:15.389 to you and get to know you a little better. And 00:48:15.389 --> 00:48:18.369 I hope to see everybody at Equip in October. 00:48:18.369 --> 00:48:21.239 It's coming up soon, so. Looking forward to hanging 00:48:21.239 --> 00:48:23.440 out with you and the rest of the guys and everybody 00:48:23.440 --> 00:48:27.739 I'm watching. Are you going to Tony's event at 00:48:27.739 --> 00:48:31.679 the Mexican restaurant this year? Yeah, absolutely. 00:48:31.880 --> 00:48:34.699 I'll probably be a couple minutes. I think he's 00:48:34.699 --> 00:48:36.599 trying to be there like right at five. I'll probably 00:48:36.599 --> 00:48:39.679 be a little bit after because I've kind of I've 00:48:39.679 --> 00:48:42.059 got to be at Echo until five. So as soon as I 00:48:42.059 --> 00:48:43.880 can get out of there and get across the parking 00:48:43.880 --> 00:48:45.800 lot, probably five fifteen or something, I'll 00:48:45.800 --> 00:48:50.440 be there. OK, well, we'll save you a seat. Appreciate 00:48:50.440 --> 00:48:54.860 it. Well, I appreciate you being a guest on the 00:48:54.860 --> 00:49:02.179 show and Adding value to the green industry by 00:49:02.179 --> 00:49:06.000 your answers and your responses to the questions 00:49:06.000 --> 00:49:10.860 and I just want to tell you I appreciate you. 00:49:10.860 --> 00:49:15.940 I thank you Again for for being a guest. I appreciate 00:49:15.940 --> 00:49:23.409 it. Thank you well Until we meet again, just 00:49:23.409 --> 00:49:28.969 remember to keep hustling, keep growing, and 00:49:28.969 --> 00:49:34.710 keep turning the grass into cash. Thank you for 00:49:34.710 --> 00:49:36.469 being a part of the lawn hustle.