Bryan Clayton is a true innovator in the landscaping world and the founder and CEO of GreenPal, often called the “Uber for lawn care.” With a background running a $10 million landscaping business, Bryan leveraged his industry expertise to launch GreenPal, which now connects over 300,000 homeowners with local lawn care pros across the U.S. His journey from hands-on entrepreneur to tech founder is packed with lessons on focus, resilience, and helping others succeed. Bryan’s mission: make lawn care as easy as pushing a button, while empowering thousands of service providers to build real businesses.

On this episode we talk about:

How Bryan grew GreenPal from a startup idea to a nationwide platform in 300+ cities

The difference between being self-employed and a true business owner—and why it matters for your income

Real stories of GreenPal users earning $1 million a year mowing lawns

The biggest challenges of moving from a traditional service business to building a tech company from scratch

Why focus, customer obsession, and constant learning are keys to scaling any business

The importance of living below your means as an entrepreneur, and how Bryan reinvested everything to fuel growth

Lessons from mistakes: delegating too soon (and too late), hiring, and betting on the right people

Top 3 Takeaways

Niche Down and Master One Thing: GreenPal’s success comes from relentless focus on landscaping and lawn care—don’t get distracted by shiny objects or unrelated verticals.

Empower Others to Win: The best businesses help others succeed. GreenPal is a “business in a box” for service providers, handling everything except mowing the grass so they can focus on growth.

Live Lean, Reinvest, and Stay Disciplined: The less you need to live on, the greater your options. Reinvest in your business, avoid lifestyle inflation, and put your money to work for you.

Notable Quotes

“We have several users on the platform making over $1 million a year mowing yards. That’s why I get out of bed in the morning—to help people improve their lives, make more money, and have less headache.”

“If you focus on enough other people’s success, your success will follow. That’s been our North Star.”

“The least you can live on, the greater your options. Live as meager as you can, and when you start making money, don’t pretend like you’re making money—keep reinvesting and building your cushion.”

Connect with Bryan Clayton:

Website: YourGreenPal.com

Instagram: @brianmclayton

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices