This week, in a special bonus episode, Greg Wittstock, founder of Aquascape, explains how he invented the backyard pond industry, how he improvised a business model, and how he almost lost it all. After failing at franchising, Wittstock decided to give away his pond building expertise and marketing to landscape contractors in what he calls “a franchise system without a franchise fee.” And it worked. Always candid to a fault, he recounts how the business shot to $59 million in annual sales, why it then stagnated for 10 years, and what he ultimately figured out about social media marketing. Plus: he also explains why his first rule of customer service is: Don't give them what they ask for. Give them what they want.

Show Notes:

Here’s Bo Burlingham’s profile of Greg Wittstock: https://www.inc.com/magazine/20031101/aquascape.html

Here’s Greg’s video of Shaquille O’Neal’s pond installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti-k4LUQBNs