The Beer Garden

Welcome back to The Beer Garden, the only podcast where landscaping pros talk KPIs over IPAs.

This week, we’re turning data into dollars with a deep dive into Production KPIs, the numbers that show you where you’re winning, where you’re bleeding, and what success actually looks like on the jobsite.

Whether you’re running the company, managing crews, or out in the field, this one’s for you. Because:

"You can’t fix what you don’t measure. And you definitely can’t scale chaos."

🧭 What We Cover:

🍻 Beers of the Episode:

•Michelob Ultra

•Outer Range Brewing – Paint Like a Boss

Whether you're chasing better margins, stronger crews, or a smoother operation—KPIs are your compass. This episode will help you put numbers to what matters and build a culture that performs.

📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

This week, we’re talking about one of the biggest game-changers for growing businesses: outsourcing your customer service. If you’ve ever wondered how to get yourself out of the phone-and-email whirlwind without sacrificing customer satisfaction, this episode is for you.

Whether you’re curious about virtual reps, tired of being the complaint department, or ready to reclaim your day — we break down the pros, cons, and must-knows of two popular outsourcing models. Plus, you’ll hear how Brandon and Jason have personally structured, trained, and scaled their customer service teams (with a few war stories along the way).

🧩 What We Covered:

🍻 Featured Beers:

•Michelob Ultra

•Knotted Root Brewing: Moist Green Organic

https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/contact

📚 Resources Mentioned:

Loom – For screen-recorded training

Trainual – For building onboarding systems

OnlineJobs.ph – Trusted Freelance Classified

Go2 - Outsourced CSR Agency

Market Hill - Executive Assistant Agency

📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

🎙️ Episode Description:

Let’s face it, great workmanship alone won’t win you lifelong customers anymore. In this episode of The Beer Garden, Jason and Brandon crack open a couple of cold ones and dive deep into the art (and science) of creating an exceptional customer experience. From Disney’s trash can placements to crafting a landscaping version of a blockbuster movie plot, this episode is all about going beyond good service, and into the territory of unforgettable, loyalty-building experiences.

We explore what makes for exceptional vs expected, how to create systems and culture around wow-worthy moments, and how small tweaks in personalization, communication, and staff training can make a massive difference in customer retention, referrals, and your reputation.

So pour yourself something cold, and let’s talk about trash cans & renewal rates.

⏱️ What We Covered:

•The Power of Exceptional Customer Experience

•Attention to Detail

•Personalization

•Continuous Improvement

•Create an Effortless Experience

•Build Your StoryBrand

•Training for Consistency and Excellence

•Strategies to Elevate Customer Satisfaction

•Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

•Last Call: Speed Round

🍺 Beers of the Week:

•Half Hitch Brewing – Papa Bear Prairie Ale

•Emporium Brewing – Dope IPA

📚 Resources Mentioned:

•Be Our Guest – Disney Institute

•Building a StoryBrand – Donald Miller

•The Effortless Experience – Matthew Dixon

•DisneyU – Doug Lipp

•Breakthrough Academy (BTA) – https://www.btacademy.com/

💬 Connect & Share:

If you found this episode valuable, share it with your team or tag a fellow pro in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebeergardenlandscape

And if you want to keep turning jobs into long-term relationships, don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen.

📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

Most of us have been guilty of it—handing a new hire a shovel and saying, “Follow this guy.” That might get the job done (barely), but it won’t build a high-performing team. In this episode of The Beer Garden, we dive deep into how to build a real-deal training program that actually develops your people—and your business.

We’re breaking down how to create a scalable, repeatable system that trains new hires, grows future leaders, and builds a strong culture of excellence. From onboarding to ongoing skill development to performance-based certifications, we lay out the full blueprint. Whether you're building a training program from scratch or upgrading your current system, this one's packed with practical strategies.

What We Cover:

Why throwing new hires to the wolves isn’t a strategy

What to include in your first 30–90 days of training

How to build ongoing training that keeps your team engaged

Designing a skill progression system with certifications and raises

The DORAGI method for hands-on learning

How to track training progress and ensure real results

Why training is just as important for managers as it is for technicians

🎧 Whether you're a growing landscape business or a snow removal crew looking to level up, this episode will give you the tools to go from chaotic onboarding to a well-oiled training machine.

📚 Resources Mentioned:

•Quality Driven Software - https://www.qualitydrivensoftware.com/

•Trainual - https://trainual.com/

•Greenius - https://gogreenius.com/

•The Art of Learning by Joshua Waitzkin

•Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

🍺 The Beverages:

•Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore

•Ommegang Brewing - Cooper's Hop

If your idea of a financial system is just “hoping there’s money left after payroll,” this one’s for you.

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re joined by Michelle Ennis, Chartered Accountant, co-founder of Landscapers By Nature, and Head of Finance at Hypha Dynamics, to talk about transforming your company’s financials from a black box into a leadership tool.

Michelle shares how she went from being the only person reviewing financials to building a system that involved the entire leadership team, and how that shift led to faster decisions, more accountability, and major wins for the business.

We cover:

🍺 The Beverages:

📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

Ever feel like your crews spend more time in traffic than on turf? Then this episode is for you.

In this week’s episode of The Beer Garden, we’re breaking down one of the most overlooked levers of profitability in landscaping and snow: route density. That’s right, how close your job sites are to one another can make or break your bottom line.

We’ll crack open a cold one and dive into:

Why route density is your best friend when it comes to labor efficiency, fuel costs, and scheduling sanity

The hidden (and expensive) costs of poor route planning

How to build tighter routes using tech, service zones, and territory-based marketing

The micro-shop strategy: how satellite yards can transform your ops and hiring

Metrics that matter: How to actually measure your route efficiency

Real-world tips to avoid common route planning mistakes

We also chat through examples, tactics, and some near-disasters from our own businesses.

If you’re looking to grow smarter, not just bigger, this one’s a must-listen.

Remember, tighter routes = fatter margins!

The Beverages:

•Wild Rose Brewery - Big Hoodoo Lager

•TRVE Brewing Co. - Tunnel of Trees

📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re tackling one of the most chaotic (and costly) problems in many landscape and snow companies: inconsistent, unstructured pay.

If your crew members are randomly asking for raises… if your hiring conversations feel like a poker game… or if payroll feels more like a monthly gamble than a strategy—this episode is for you.

We break down exactly how to build and implement a standardized pay structure that improves morale, simplifies hiring, and ensures your payroll actually makes sense for your margins.

You’ll learn:

Why standardized pay reduces drama and turnover

How to build role-based compensation with clear skill expectations

How to handle top performers and low performers within the system

How to roll out your new system (without blowing up your team)

How to make it part of your hiring, training, and performance management

We even share a real-world example wage sheet and give actionable steps you can take this week to start building or refining your own system.

✅ Download the Sample Wage Sheet

The Beverages:

Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore

New Image Brewing - Quad Dub

📩 Got questions or want help implementing your own system? Hit us up: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re digging into one of the most misunderstood—but most impactful—tools in your estimating arsenal: production rates. Whether you're still eyeballing bids or operating off tiered pricing, understanding production rates can help you price more consistently, boost profitability, and simplify performance conversations with your team.

What we cover:

📈 Whether you're just starting to formalize your estimating process or ready to fine-tune your numbers like a pro, this episode has something for every landscape or snow removal contractor.

🎧 Tune in, take notes, and let’s finally stop guessing our way through job pricing.

The Beverages:

Crooked Stave - Nightmare on Brett

Jasper Brewing Co. - Crispy Tall Bois

Get in touch: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

Still sending quotes into the void and hoping for the best? It might be time to stop bidding and start building value.

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we're doing a deep dive into how to improve your close rate for landscape maintenance contracts—without lowering prices, adding services, or spending more time on-site. Just smart strategy and better presentation.

We share a real-life example of a contractor who stopped competing on price and started winning with value. By revamping their proposal, conducting proactive site inspections, and using personalized video walkthroughs, they began closing high-quality clients—even when they were the most expensive bid on the table.

This episode breaks down:

✅ What your close rate says about your business

Whether you're closing 10% or 80%, this episode will give you practical tools to improve your win rate—without sacrificing your margins.

The Beverages:

Get in touch: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]

If your “CRM” is a stack of sticky notes, a chaotic spreadsheet, or just whatever’s rattling around in your brain, this episode is for you.

In this Beer Garden listicle episode, we’re diving into the top 10 things you should look for when picking a CRM for your landscape or snow removal business. Whether you’re making your first leap into software or realizing your current platform is more headache than help, we’re breaking down what actually matters.

🛠️ Not all CRMs are created equal, especially in our industry. From mobile usability and scheduling to automation and integrations, we’ll help you cut through the noise and figure out what will actually make your day-to-day easier.

Industry-Specific Features – Why you probably need a Field Service Management tool, not just a CRM.

Ease of Use & Mobile Accessibility – If your crew can’t use it from the truck, it’s not the right one.

Estimating & Proposals – Win more jobs, faster.

Customer & Job Tracking – One place for all your customer info (no more hunting for notes).

Scheduling & Dispatching – Real-time updates and drag-and-drop simplicity.

Invoicing & Payments – Get paid faster and stop chasing money.

Integrations – How to avoid getting trapped in a software silo.

Automation & Workflows – Work smarter, not harder.

Reporting & Analytics – Track what matters, tweak what doesn’t.

Pricing & Scalability – Pick a platform that won’t break the bank—or your brain.

Plus, we’ll talk about implementation best practices, common pitfalls, and how to actually get your team to use the CRM you pick.

The Beverages:

Get in touch: 

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roundtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: [email protected]