Why 80% of Business Sales Fail (And How to Be in the 20%)

Thinking about selling your landscape business someday? This episode could save you from making costly mistakes that kill most deals before they even happen.

Luke Truetken pulls back the curtain on his experience selling his landscape company and working as a business broker, revealing the harsh realities most business owners never see coming.

The brutal truth you need to hear:

• 80% of businesses listed for sale never actually sell
• Your business isn't worth what you think it's worth (and why revenue doesn't matter)
• EBITDA multiples of 3-6x are the real valuation game
• Construction-based businesses sell for significantly less than recurring revenue models
• Sloppy books and "living out of the bank account" will kill your deal

What you'll discover:

• The 3-5 year preparation timeline for maximizing your sale price
• Key man risk: Why being essential to your business hurts its value
• Asset vs. stock sales (and why 99% are asset sales)
• How to interview and choose the right business broker
• The due diligence process (spoiler: it's like "open heart surgery")
• Non-compete agreements and what they really mean

Real examples included:

• How route density helped Luke sell 553 weekly accounts in one city
• Why recurring revenue businesses (pest control, irrigation, fertilization) command premium multiples
• The transition period reality (and why it's often brutal for sellers)

Whether you're planning to sell in 3 years or 30, this episode will change how you build your business today. Luke doesn't sugarcoat it—he tells you exactly what buyers care about and what they don't.

Bottom line: Start building a sellable business now, or risk discovering your life's work isn't worth what you hoped when it's too late to fix it.

Essential listening for any landscape business owner who wants to maximize their exit strategy.

3 Strategies to Maintain Spring Momentum Through Summer

The spring rush is over. June hits, people go on vacation, the heat cranks up, and suddenly your phone stops ringing like it did in April and May. Sound familiar?

Most landscape business owners just accept this summer slowdown as inevitable. They cut their marketing spend, stop following up on leads, and basically coast until fall arrives. But what if you could keep that spring momentum rolling all summer long?

In this game-changing episode, Luke Truetken reveals the three specific strategies that smart landscape companies use to stay busy and profitable during July and August while their competition takes a summer nap.

You'll discover:

• Why your Google Ads cost 30-50% less in summer (and how to capitalize on it)
• The "SEO season" approach that builds long-term market dominance
• How to convert thousands in "dead" spring quotes into summer revenue
• Real client results: 150% higher summer revenue using these exact strategies
• The biggest mistakes landscape companies make during summer months

Featured strategies:

1. Google Ads Optimization - Pivot your ad spend to summer-specific services while competition disappears
2. SEO Content Creation - Use summer downtime to build digital authority for year-round leads
3. Spring Quote Follow-Up - Systematic approach to convert outstanding proposals into summer sales

Luke shares real examples, including a client who converted $78,000 worth of old quotes into summer revenue and another who saw 3x more organic leads the following spring.

If you're tired of accepting summer as the "slow season" and want to use these months as your competitive advantage, this episode is essential listening.

Ready to make summer your secret weapon for market domination? Hit play now.

landscapeseo.com

In this value-packed episode of The Green Dream, host Luke Truetken reveals how landscape businesses can unlock substantial revenue hiding in their existing databases. Are you sitting on a goldmine of past inquiries that never converted? Luke shares the exact reactivation campaign strategies that generated over $18,000 in additional revenue for his landscaping business in just two weeks, without spending a dime on new advertising.

You'll discover the psychology behind effective reactivation messaging, how to organize your past prospects for maximum impact, and multi-channel approaches that get results. Whether your past leads went cold last month or last year, Luke breaks down the step-by-step process for reconnecting and converting them into paying clients.

Plus, get access to real campaign templates and timing strategies specifically designed for seasonal landscaping businesses. Stop leaving money on the table and learn how to leverage the most overlooked asset in your business: people who have already shown interest in your services.

Ready to turn cold leads into green? Listen now, and implement these proven reactivation strategies before your competition does. To book an appointment with us, visit LandscapeSEO.com.

In this candid episode of The Green Dream, host Luke Truken reveals the number one challenge facing service businesses: hiring and retaining top talent. Luke shares the pivotal story from his early days at Luke's Landscaping when his entire crew quit overnight, leaving him with 200 weekly lawns and just one employee. This crisis moment forced him to completely reimagine his approach to leadership, company culture, and recruitment.

Luke explores how he transformed from a "my way or the highway" boss into a leader who builds teams through empathy, core values, and constant recruiting. Listeners will discover practical strategies for creating a workplace culture where A-players want to stay regardless of competitors' wage offers, the importance of "always hiring" even when fully staffed, and how to identify and attract ideal employees. Whether you're mowing 20 lawns or managing multiple crews, this episode provides essential insights for building a sustainable team that supports your business growth.

Ready to grow your landscape business with better marketing and hiring strategies?

At Landscape SEO, we specialize in websites, SEO, and paid advertising that bring you quality leads. But we don't stop there. We also offer proven solutions to attract the top talent your business needs to scale. Visit landscapeseo.com today to book a free consultation. Let's discuss how to market not just for customers, but for the A-players who will take your business to the next level. Keep cutting grass, keep planting plants, and let us handle the digital growth!

In this eye-opening episode of The Green Dream, Luke Truetken tackles the uncomfortable truth about business growth plateaus. If you've ever contemplated starting a new business because your current one feels stuck, this episode is your wake-up call.

Luke shares his personal experience of starting and selling landscape companies while building a marketing agency, revealing how the "grass isn't greener" mindset cost him precious time and momentum.

You'll discover:

• Why most entrepreneurs get stuck at specific growth levels
• The dangerous trap of running multiple businesses simultaneously
• The four cyclical constraints every business faces (liquidity, leads, labor, leadership)
• Why hiring challenges exist in EVERY industry (not just landscaping)
• How trying to force rapid growth can actually prevent long-term success

Drawing parallels to video game boss levels, Luke provides a refreshing perspective on business challenges and why the solution isn't starting a new game—it's beating the current boss.

Whether you're struggling with cash flow, lead generation, hiring, or leadership challenges, this episode offers the mindset shift needed to break through your current plateau and reach the next level of business growth.

Listen now and remember: the grass isn't greener in another business—it's greener where you water it.

Host - Luke Truetken

Landscape SEO

Did you know that 85% of potential customers won't call back if you miss their first call? In this eye-opening episode of The Green Dream, Luke Truetken reveals why your phone answering system might be the most overlooked profit lever in your landscape business.

Listen as Luke breaks down:

• Why missed calls are literally missed money
• How to set up a professional phone system that converts callers to customers
• The exact script his top-performing clients use to answer calls
• Common phone answering mistakes that drive customers to competitors
• Smart solutions for managing calls during the spring rush
• After-hours strategies that keep leads from going cold

Whether you're answering calls yourself from the field or managing an office team, this episode delivers actionable steps to transform your phone into a revenue-generating machine. Stop letting opportunities ring out to voicemail and start making powerful first impressions that win business.

Book of strategy session Here!

Author Luke Truetken

In this episode of The Green Dream, Luke dives into the critical concept of ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and why it's a game-changer for lawn and landscape businesses. After sharing updates from his recent speaking engagement at the Spring Fling in Denver, Luke breaks down the simple yet powerful math behind successful marketing campaigns.

Learn how to calculate your true marketing ROI, with a real case study showing how one client achieved an incredible $67 return for every dollar spent on Facebook ads. Luke walks through the formulas, shares practical examples for both lawn maintenance and landscape construction businesses, and explains why understanding your numbers is essential for scaling your operation.

Discover why marketing should be treated as a simple math equation, not a guessing game, and how slight conversion rate and margin improvements can dramatically increase your returns. Whether you're skeptical about digital marketing or looking to optimize your current ad spend, this episode provides the framework to make data-driven decisions that can transform your business.

Luke also touches on the importance of commitment to the process, debunks common misconceptions about Facebook vs. Google ads, and explains why patience and proper tracking are necessary for marketing success. Don't miss this eye-opening discussion about turning your marketing dollars into profit machines for your lawn or landscape business!

Ready to calculate your own ROAS? Use the booking link below to schedule a strategy call with Luke and learn how to make marketing math work for your business.

Book a call with us!

https://landscapeseo.com/get-started/

Why Only 2% of Lawn Care Businesses Make It Big (And How You Can Be One of Them)

Ever wondered why some lawn care businesses thrive while others struggle to survive? 🌱 In this video, Luke Truetken sits down with Larry Ryan of Ryan Lawn & Tree to uncover the secret strategies behind building a successful landscaping empire. From hiring top talent to mastering leadership, discover actionable insights that will help you scale your business, retain great employees, and create stunning landscapes.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:

- The importance of recruiting and retaining top-tier talent

- How servant leadership can transform your business culture

- Tips for creating a scalable lawn care business model

- The role of branding and customer relationships in business growth

- If you’re ready to take your lawn care or landscaping business to the next level, this video is for you!

📚 Related Topics:

• Employee ownership (ESOP) and its benefits
• The role of vision and leadership in long-term success
• Lessons learned from 38+ years in the green industry

👀 Watch now and uncover the secrets of the top 2%!

#LawnCareBusiness #LandscapingSuccess #LeadershipTips #ServantLeadership #EmployeeOwnership #GrowYourBusiness #LandscapingTips #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessLeadership #RyanLawn #RyanLawn&Tree

Website: https://ryanlawn.com/

Book a strategy call with us : https://landscapeseo.com/get-started/

Overcoming Sales Challenges for Contractors with Eric Triplet

Are your marketing efforts failing to generate actual sales? Do you find yourself blaming your marketing firm when projects stall? In this episode of The Green Dream Show, host Luke welcomes Eric Triplet from the Pond Digger Podcast to explore contractors' common sales hurdles and provide actionable solutions to overcome them.

🔹 Key Topics Covered:

• Identifying Sales Problems: Discover how to assess whether your sales process is truly effective or if you're merely taking orders without adding value.
• Marketing & Sales Synergy: Understand the critical relationship between your marketing strategies and sales execution and how misalignment can hinder your business growth.
• Effective Sales Techniques: Learn actionable strategies for handling high-value project calls, including role-playing examples demonstrating best practices.
• Self-Awareness in Sales: Explore the importance of knowing your numbers and maintaining self-awareness to enhance sales performance.
• Overcoming Money Taboos: Gain insights on how to confidently discuss pricing and project budgets with clients without being pushy or rude.

🔹 Highlights:

• Real-Life Insights: Eric shares his experiences working with contractors who believe they excel at sales but are actually struggling behind the scenes.
• Role-Playing Sessions: Listen to a live role-play between Luke and Eric, showcasing effective sales conversations in action.
• Actionable Tips: Get practical advice on improving your sales calls, from asking the right questions to building genuine client relationships.
• Community Building: Learn how creating a strong support network through sales training groups can drive success and sustainable business growth.

Whether you manage a landscaping business, pond installation service, or any project-based contracting work, this episode provides the tools and insights you need to refine your sales process and achieve your business goals. Don’t miss out on expert advice that can transform your sales challenges into opportunities for growth!

🎧 Listen Now!

📢 Connect with Eric Triplet:

• Website: theponddigger.com/
• Social Media:

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

• Coaching Group: Learn more about Eric’s coaching programs at Coaching Group Link

Stay tuned to The Green Dream Show for more expert interviews and tips to help your green business thrive!

#ContractorSales #BusinessGrowth #SalesTraining #TheGreenDreamShow #PondDiggerPodcast #landscaping #lawncare

In this episode, we sit down with Cody from Revhike to dive into the critical importance of phone communication in today’s business landscape. Discover how effectively answering the phone and mastering phone sales can significantly boost your profitability while eliminating the time wasted driving to every property. Cody shares actionable strategies and insights that will help you streamline your operations, close more deals over the phone, and maximize your business’s efficiency. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

#lawncare #landscape #marketing