Most green industry owners think a profitable company automatically means a sellable one, but buyers see things very differently. In this episode, we sit down with Dan Mello, former owner of Seacoast Tree Care and Seacoast Turf Care, to unpack what it really takes to build a buyable green industry business. Dan shares how he grew his company by over 280%, intentionally increased enterprise value, and ultimately exited successfully through private equity. They dive into the operational, financial, leadership, and marketing decisions that positioned the business for acquisition, including hard lessons learned along the way. This conversation offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at building a company people actually want to buy.

Key Discussion Points

• Why most green industry businesses aren't actually built to survive due diligence

• The role of recurring revenue in increasing enterprise value

• Leadership mistakes, personal growth, and separating identity from the business

• How systemized operations and strong financials attract buyers

• Why branding and professional marketing impact valuation, not just lead volume

• What private equity buyers look for in tree and lawn care companies

• Building a management team that allows the business to run without the owner

Most green industry podcasts never achieve their full potential because they look amateur and lack a clear point of view. Some even disappear after a few episodes. If you've ever said, "We should start a podcast," but had no idea what comes next, this episode gives you the exact roadmap. And if you have a podcast but it's falling flat, this insight-packed episode is just what you need to become a leading voice in the industry!

In this episode, Landscape Leadership® CEO Chad Diller sits down with podcasting expert and Multimedia Producer Scot Leonard to unpack the three pillars behind building a high-quality, video-first podcast that actually grows your brand. They break down how to define your POV, choose the right format, nail your camera, lighting and audio setup, and structure episodes so your audience stays engaged.

You'll learn the biggest mistakes new podcasters make, how to elevate production without overcomplicating gear, and how to repurpose every episode into a full content ecosystem. Whether you're a contractor, marketer, or industry partner, this is the definitive guide to launching a podcast that stands out in the green industry.

• Why most podcasts fail before Episode 20

• The role of POV and strategy in standing out

• Choosing a winning format: solo, guest, or co-hosted

• Why video-first is now mandatory

• Essential gear: audio > lighting > camera

• The importance of pre-production & outlines

• Smart, human-sounding editing (avoid the AI "slop")

• How to extract 10–20 pieces of content from every episode

Chapters:

0:00 Why Most Podcasts Fail (and How to Fix It)

0:21 The 3 Pillars of a High-Performing Podcast

0:47 Welcome to the Landscape Leadership Podcast

1:23 Meet Scot Leonard: B2B Podcast Producer

2:05 What DIY Podcasting Gets Wrong

3:12 Building a Green Industry Podcast Network

4:05 Podcast Strategy: POV, Audience, Differentiation

6:20 How to Stand Out in a Noisy Market

8:44 Choosing the Right Podcast Format

9:36 Solo vs. Guest vs. Co-Hosted: What Works Best

14:30 Why Every Modern Podcast Must Be Video-First

16:36 YouTube SEO & the Rise of Video Podcasts

19:32 Trust, Body Language & On-Camera Communication

20:02 Pre-Production Essentials: Outlines & Episode Flow

21:46 The Danger of "Just Hitting Record"

25:06 Production Basics: Audio, Lighting, Cameras

26:59 Mic Quality: The #1 Investment You Must Make

28:50 Lighting Do's, Don'ts & Easy Fixes

31:40 Camera Choices: 4K, Angles & Content Creator Gear

34:06 Multi-Camera Editing for a Pro Look

38:43 Smart Editing: AI Tools, Filler Words & Natural Pacing

44:52 Podcast Growth: Why Episode 20 Matters

46:30 Promotion Strategy: Beyond "Post and Pray"

47:35 Repurposing: Clips, Carousels & Articles

50:06 Using Your Podcast as a Full Content Engine

53:11 Final Thoughts & How to Work With Us

You want better leaders in your landscaping business—but the best candidates are slipping away. And the worst part? You may have no idea why. In this episode, Chad Diller talks with Tito Caceres of Bloom Talent Solutions to dig into what's really costing green industry companies their best mid- and upper-level candidates. From outdated hiring practices to branding missteps, this conversation is a must-watch for any contractor struggling to attract and retain strong leaders. Learn how to speed up hiring, build better interview processes, and showcase your company as a place where top talent wants to work.

Key Discussion Points:

• Why mid- and upper-level roles are harder than ever to fill

• The shift in how candidates research your company

• How slow interview processes quietly kill your recruitment

• What contractors must fix about their online presence

• How recruiters add value—and why some get a bad rap

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:50 Meet Tito Caceres

2:00 Why recruiting mid-level talent is so hard right now

5:30 Common mistakes companies make in hiring

8:00 How AI and slow processes are hurting your chances

11:00 Where candidates are really looking for jobs now

13:00 Why branding and digital presence matter

15:00 What a great interview process looks like

21:00 Employer branding: telling your company's story

27:00 Creating career paths that attract top talent

30:00 Understanding how recruiters fit into your hiring strategy

36:00 Red flags to watch for in bad recruiting practices

41:00 Final tips: What you can do today to improve hiring

The green industry is addicted to growth, but at what cost? In this brutally honest episode, we expose the uncomfortable reality behind some of the industry's most celebrated success stories. We sit down with Michael Tomaino, owner of LandCrafters Florida, to have a raw, no-nonsense conversation about how the landscaping industry is prioritizing profit over people, and what needs to change. Michael shares his journey from consulting to landscaping, how his upside-down org chart puts crews first, and why so many industry veterans are questioning everything. This episode challenges the status quo and offers a blueprint for building a company people actually want to work for, and stay with.

Key Discussion Points:

• How to build a landscape company that truly puts people first

• The downside of chasing revenue at the expense of your team

• Why "growth at all costs" is destroying culture and retention

• Tangible strategies for recognition, retention, and incentives

• How promoting from within builds trust with both clients and crews

• Why most private equity deals in landscaping are short-sighted

• What a sustainable landscape business actually looks like

What makes a landscape company truly valuable—and why do so many owners get it wrong?

In this episode of the Landscape Leadership Podcast, CEO Chad Diller sits down with Jeff Harkness, founder of 3PG Advisors, to break down the five key drivers of enterprise value in the lawn and landscape industry. Jeff has facilitated over $1 billion in M&A deals and works closely with top-performing green industry businesses to help them scale smarter and increase their market value.

Whether you're planning to sell your business or simply want to build something more scalable, profitable, and self-sustaining, this episode is packed with practical insights. Chad and Jeff cover:

• The biggest misconceptions about revenue, value, and growth

• Why clean financials and strong leadership teams matter more than ever

• How recurring revenue and operational systems impact your company's worth

• The surprising role marketing plays in valuation and deal negotiations

• Why companies without a strategic plan struggle to attract serious buyers

This is an unfiltered conversation every landscape business owner should hear—especially if you want to build a company that attracts top talent, retains customers, and creates real legacy.

Listen in, take notes, and start building with intention.

You could run the best lawn care or landscaping company in town... but if your brand looks outdated, confusing, or just plain boring, you're losing business before the first phone call. In this episode, I'm joined by branding expert John Dalton of McFarland Stanford—someone who's helped rebrand billion-dollar companies like FedEx—to talk about the hidden messages your visual branding is sending (and why it matters more than you think).

We dive into:

• Why tree icons and old fonts aren't doing you any favors

• The simple formula big brands use to create unforgettable impressions

• How your truck wrap could be accidentally camouflaging your business

• Practical (and affordable) ways to refresh your brand without rewrapping your whole fleet overnight

If you've ever wondered whether your brand is helping or hurting you—or if you've just had that nagging feeling that your 20-year-old logo might be the mullet of marketing—this episode is for you.

Ready to make sure your brand is saying the right thing? Hit play.

🔗 Connect with John Dalton and the McFarland Stanford team: https://mcfarlinstanford.com/

🔗 Need help bringing your brand to life through powerful marketing? Visit https://www.landscapeleadership.com/ or find me, Chad Diller, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-diller/

In this episode, we tackle a critical issue for lawn care and landscaping businesses—trademarks. What happens when another company trademarks your business name? It's not just theoretical; it has happened, and the consequences can be devastating. Chad Diller from Landscape Leadership® sits down with trademark attorney, Richard Rimer, to discuss how to protect your brand, avoid costly rebrands, and defend against trademark disputes. Learn what you can and can't trademark, the risks of skipping legal protection, and how to secure your business's future. If you own a green industry business, you need to hear this.

You may think you're prepared to sell landscaping to prospects, but you could be losing out. Get expert tips to customize your approach to sell more landscaping with less aggravation. Join 25+ year green industry veteran, Chad Diller and sales trainer, T.M. Dickinson as they share practical advice to connect more deeply with prospective clients and maximize your potential.

Learn about the sales and marketing services Landscape Leadership provides for our clients https://www.landscapeleadership.com/

Joshua Malik ran a successful tree service but was struggling to grow his lawn care business. Fast forward and Joshua Tree Experts has grown by over 1000% and has expanded into multiple states. Join Landscape Leadership's president, Chad Diller, as he gets Josh to share some keys to their amazing success.

In this episode, Chad Diller and green industry consultant, Jeffrey Scott explore how adding too many services at your lawn care or landscaping company can hurt your brand, profit, and company culture.