As I reflect on the topics covered on a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, the overarching theme that stands out to me is the importance of being willing to change as a business owner. Too often, we get stuck in our ways and become resistant to making the necessary adjustments to improve our companies. We complain about the problems we face, but are unwilling to put in the hard work to address them head-on. One of the articles discussed highlighted this perfectly - "I am the problem, not my customers, not my employees, not the market. I must be willing to change." That really hit home for me, as I know I've been guilty of that mindset at times. It's easy to point fingers at external factors, but the reality is that we have to look inward and be honest about where we need to improve. Whether it's getting our finances in order, revamping our sales process, investing in better equipment and training for our teams, or any number of other areas - we have to be willing to make cha...

As we wrapped up 2024 at Auman Landscape, I wanted to take some time to reflect on what was truly a banner year for our company. When my wife Brittany and I sat down to review the year, we realized just how much progress we had made across so many areas of the business. The top line numbers tell part of the story - we hit $1.2 million in revenue, which was a new high for us. But what I'm most proud of is how we achieved that growth. With just 4 field staff, our team produced $1.1 million in revenue. Brittany and I also contributed $100k in field work ourselves, showing that we're not afraid to get our hands dirty. Even more impressive was our ability to maintain a 17.9% profit margin, which was a testament to the financial discipline we've instilled in the company. Working closely with our CPA and using software like LMN for accurate bidding has been game-changing. No more guessing on the numbers - we know exactly where we stand. Of course, the financials are just one piece of the puzz...

I had the privilege of sitting down with John Siegers of Signature Landscape Corp to discuss his journey of building a brand new facility for his company. Let me tell you, this was no easy feat - especially in the highly regulated state of Illinois. From the moment we started talking, it was clear that John had been through the wringer. He shared how the permitting process alone was a nightmare, with endless inspections, code requirements, and bureaucratic red tape. At one point, he was ready to throw in the towel when he found out the cost to upgrade the power supply would be astronomical. But John persevered. He leaned on his network, got creative with solutions, and refused to compromise on his vision for the building. Listening to him recount the challenges made my own construction projects seem like a walk in the park in comparison. What struck me most was John's determination and adaptability. When faced with setback after setback, he didn't give up. He adjusted his approach, ...

I often find myself reflecting on the various lessons, insights, and ideas that I've gathered over the years through my own experiences in the industry as well as from the educational events and resources I've had the privilege to engage with. In episode 568, I decided to open up my notebook and share some of these notes and thoughts with my listeners. I know that not everyone enjoys these types of "note dump" episodes, but for me, it's a way to process and distill the key takeaways that have impacted my own mindset and approach to running a successful landscaping business. And I hope that by sharing these reflections, I can provide some valuable perspective and inspiration to others in the green industry. One of the core themes that emerged was the importance of truly understanding and focusing on our clients' problems and needs, rather than just promoting our own capabilities and experience. As I discussed the lessons from the book Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller, I emphasize...

 I'm always eager to learn from the top professionals in our industry. In our latest episode, I had the chance to dive into my notes and share some invaluable insights and advice that I've gathered over the years. This episode was a bit different - instead of interviewing a guest, I took the opportunity to reflect on the wealth of knowledge I've accumulated from past podcast guests, industry events, and my own entrepreneurial journey. I wanted to distill some of the key lessons and actionable tips that have really resonated with me and shaped the way I approach running my own landscaping business. One of the big themes that emerged was the importance of financial discipline and understanding your numbers. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and lose sight of the financial realities of your business. As one guest pointed out, every dollar you pay in cash labor is coming directly out of your profits. You have to be vigilant about tracking expenses, invoicing properly, ...

Jeremy's story is one of courage, perseverance, and the willingness to take a leap into the unknown. For the past three years, he's been balancing a full-time job as a golf course superintendent with growing his lawn care side hustle. But now, he's finally taking the plunge to go all-in on his entrepreneurial venture. What impressed me most about Jeremy was his self-awareness and humility. He openly acknowledged that running a business is much harder than he initially anticipated. The transition from being a solo operator to managing a team of employees has presented its fair share of challenges. But through it all, Jeremy has remained focused on controlling what he can control - his mindset, his work ethic, and his commitment to continuous improvement. One of the key takeaways from our discussion was Jeremy's emphasis on company culture and developing his team. He spoke about the importance of providing his crew with a true career path, not just a seasonal job. By investing in their g...

I’m always on the lookout for insights and strategies that can help green industry professionals like myself take our businesses to the next level. That’s why I was thrilled to have Jadon Wise, the Operations Leader at Arbor Care Lawn & Pest, back on the show to share his experience attending the Dave Ramsey EntreLeadership Master Series.

Jadon is no stranger to the podcast—this was his third time joining me, and it’s clear he’s someone deeply committed to continuous learning and growth, both personally and professionally. When he told me he had the opportunity to attend the prestigious EntreLeadership event, I knew we had to get him on the show to unpack all the valuable lessons he took away.

What struck me most about Jadon’s experience was the sheer intensity of the 5-day program. From in-depth sessions on time management and core values to thought-provoking discussions on tackling uncomfortable conversations and making better decisions, the Ramsey team left no stone unturned...

When I had the chance to sit down with Tommy Cole from McFarland Stanford, I knew this was going to be an episode packed with valuable lessons. Tommy's background is incredibly impressive - from cutting his teeth in landscape design and civil construction to eventually leading multi-million dollar projects and coaching businesses across the industry. The breadth of his experience was evident as he walked us through some of the key principles that have allowed him and the companies he's worked with to succeed, even in the face of major challenges. A few of the biggest takeaways for me:

1. The power of over-communicating through weekly recaps. As Tommy explained, it's critical to provide clients with consistent updates on progress, upcoming plans, and any outstanding issues. This not only keeps them in the loop, but also creates a paper trail that holds you accountable.

2. The importance of setting clear expectations with subcontractors upfront. By conducting pre-construction meet

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I'm always eager to learn from successful business owners in the green industry. In our latest episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Mulder, the owner of Mulder Outdoors, a thriving landscaping company in Indiana. Andy's story is one of perseverance, strategic thinking, and a relentless drive to build something great. Over the course of our conversation, he shared insights that any entrepreneur can learn from. One of the key takeaways was Andy's approach to building his new facility. Rather than trying to manage the entire construction project himself, he made the conscious decision to hire a general contractor. As he explained, his priority needs to be running the core landscaping business - not getting bogged down in the details of building a new shop. This resonated with me, as I've seen firsthand how easy it is for business owners to get distracted by shiny new projects, only to see their main revenue streams suffer as a result. Andy recognized that his time and en...

In a recent episode of Kid Contractor podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with my good friend John Pajak, the numbers guru behind the Profits with Pajak podcast.

John and I covered a lot of ground when it comes to truly understanding your business numbers. It's a topic that gets thrown around a lot, but as John pointed out, "knowing your numbers" means so much more than just pricing your services. It's about tracking key performance indicators, understanding your cost of customer acquisition, and projecting the lifetime value of each client.

One of the biggest takeaways for me was the importance of not cutting corners, even on the small stuff. I shared a recent experience where I trimmed the "fat" on a couple of minor line items for a large project, only to end up losing money on those very items due to callbacks and unexpected costs. John reinforced that every dollar matters, and you have to be willing to build in that buffer to account for the unknowns.

Another valuable less...