Most people think the hard part is getting clients.

The harder part is keeping trust—especially when you leave town, the phone won’t stop ringing, and your business starts exposing every crack in your life.

In this episode, Parker Charles Hodge and I talk through what it actually looks like to build a lawn care/landscaping business in real life: the seasons that blindside you, the marketing mistakes you only make once, and the moment you realize growth doesn’t just require more work—it requires better leadership.

We get into door hanger marketing, “Mulch Madness,” hiring and training crews, the difference between training vs micromanaging, and what burnout feels like when you push past your personal capacity.

Then we take it where most business conversations don’t: marriage, compromise, communication, and what it costs when entrepreneurship starts taking your weekends. If you’re building a service business, chasing excellence, or trying to become the kind of man who can carry more without losing himself—this one is for you.

Watch to the end for the leadership and “long game” lesson that reframes what dedication really looks like. Subscribe if you’re following the journey, and check the channel for more long-form conversations on business, discipline, and growth.

00:00 Intro

01:22 The Episode That Almost Didn’t Happen

03:38 Competitors As Allies

10:43 Mulch Madness

14:05 Door hangers & $20K Months

16:21 Training Is Culture

23:35 Business Reflects You

30:05 Compromise & Boundaries

39:43 Leading From the Front

Links:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thericardovargas

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Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ricardovargas174

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-journey-from-zero-to-a-million-and-beyond/id1734802848