The GROW! Show

By Marty GrunderBusiness Entrepreneurship Leisure Management Home & Garden

The GROW! Show episodes

July 03, 2024Operations: Teaching the Teachers
In this insightful episode, Marty delves into the essential components of effective team leadership and training. The emphasis is on gratitude, how safety is paramount, and the power of engaging storytelling. From the intricacies of operational procedures to the strategic "why" behind training, each detail underscores the importance of clarity and repetition. Whether you're leading a crew or managing your own team, Marty's wisdom on patience, praise, and involving the whole team promises transformative insights for fostering excellence in landscaping and beyond.
In This Episode:
Gratitude for the good things, including great son-in-laws
Training - what not to do
Engaging your audience
Weighing the importance of certain training topics
Start with a “why” around the training
Train your teachers that safety is #1
Be patient, have patience
Keep your eye on details, follow operating procedures
The importance of clarity
Repetition, repetition, repetition
Looking at your company’s SWOT
Involve the whole team
The power of praise - for dogs…and people
Recapping
Have you signed up for GROW! 2025?
Send us your feedback, add your comments, like, share, and send us your show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
24 min
June 26, 2024Sales: Prospecting for New Business
Where do you find new business when you need it? Finding new clients is key to a company's growth but can be challenging for salespeople: this isn't something they teach in school.
In this episode, Marty delves into his favorite strategies to elevate your landscaping business to new heights. From uncovering the fun in prospecting and discovering your team’s motivation, he explores how residential and commercial referrals—perhaps from your clients’ neighbors—can be goldmines. Whether it’s using golf outings and meals for prospecting or tapping into community meetings, our discussion revolves around the timeless advice: go where your clients are. Join us as we uncover the secrets to thriving in the landscaping industry by mastering these essential elements of business strategy.
In This Episode:
Microsoft OneNote and it’s usefulness
2024 hits four decades of service
Prospecting can be fun
What’s your “why”? Do you know what motivates your team?
Residential and commercial referrals- how about your clients’ neighbors?
Prospecting with golf and meals
Other community meetings and groups to prospect
Go where your clients are
Recapping
Have you signed up for GROW! 2025?
Send us your feedback, add your comments, like, share, and send us your show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
16 min
June 19, 2024Interview Series: James Cali on Scalable Systems, Training Teams, and Business Opportunities
In this episode, Marty Grunder and James Cali discuss how they initially met, what they've learned from working togther on our ACE Peer Group Program, and what they love to see landscaping companies implement because of the results that come from it.

James Cali is a Grow Group executive coach, where he draws on his more than 25 years of executive leadership experience within the professional services industry to help business owners develop and execute strategy. Having helped lead a landscape firm from $3M to more than $28M in annual revenue, he is a master tactician whose focus on consistent planning, accountability, and finance drives green-industry companies forward. In addition to his work with The Grow Group, he co-leads McFarlin Stanford, a professional bookkeeping and recruiting firm, and is former chairman of NALP’s government affairs committee. A graduate of the University of New Orleans with an MBA from Southern Methodist University, Jim is based in Dallas, Texas.
In This Episode:
Visiting job sites and Jimmy John sandwiches
How James and Marty met at GROW 2016
OHIO - a great business acronym
Best practices - in any business
Team building - corporate vs. landscaping businesses
Spending a day with a team member- the irrigation story
Relationships and growth
Recognizing team members’ anniversaries
One-on-one meetings - save your questions, the best use of your time
Consistency - meetings, profit sharing, holiday parties
Traditions
The ACE Program - revenue, membership, growth, community
How Italy became an international destination for ACEs
Accountability Creates Excellence (ACE) - how to join, how it works, ROI
Send us your feedback, add your comments, like, share, and send us your show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
James Cali LinkedIn
Email James Cali

GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
52 min
June 12, 2024Operations: The Little Touches Add Up
How can you exemplify exceptional customer service? Being courteous and thoughtful goes a long way in impressing clients, and usually that doesn't mean doing anything that hard. Smiling and saying hello when you see someone outside, pause your blower for a second as someone walks by, or pull up the trashcans for your client if you're there on trash day. Little things add up to delighting your clients, in this episode, Marty Grunder shares how crews can do just that.

When you focus on cultivating profitable, ideal, and sustainable client relationships, it’s the little things can make a significant impact. Marty shares how things like excellent communication, driving courteously, and sending clients visuals of completed work are easy to do, and are incredible ways to stand out “in a sea of sameness”. With smiles, patience, and thoughtful actions, your crew can set a high standard for customer service in the landscaping industry.
In This Episode:
Throwing out the first pitch!
Have you received poor customer service recently?
Bob Rhodes and Marty’s house and yard
Profitable clients, ideal clients, sustainable clients
Little things that make an impact
Great communication
Considerate practices - turn off your equipment when people are near
Are you driving in a courteous manner? You’re a rolling billboard for the business
Send your clients visuals of your work when complete
Look for ways to stand out!
Don’t park in “inconvenient” spots at your clients' locations
Smell good, look good, be good, be considerate
Smiling, patience, thoughtful actions
Recapping
Send us your feedback, add your comments, like, share, and send us your show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
17 min
June 05, 2024Interview Series: A Peek into the Early Years of Grunder Landscaping Co. with Lisa Grunder
In this episode of The Grow Show, Lisa Grunder, who has been married to Marty Grunder for over 30 years, shares insights into their journey together. From meeting in college to navigating the early years of Grunder Landscaping Co., Lisa delves into the challenges and triumphs of balancing work, family, and life. Marty and Lisa highlight the importance of dividing responsibilities and leveraging each other's skill sets, emphasizing the crucial role of family support. They also discuss the passion and intensity Marty has always had in their business, advocating for the mantra "notice, pause, allow." Touching on topics like going back to teaching after raising young children, communication in marriage, and financial planning, Lisa offers valuable advice and reflections on raising kids within the context of a family business.
In This Episode:
Lisa and Marty - Meeting in college, early career days
Entrepreneurial family history
Work, family, and life balance
Dividing responsibilities, working within your skill set
Family support is key
Passion and intensity, ‘notice, pause, allow’
Going back to teaching after raising young kids
Grown children, communication in a marriage, financial planning
Kids and the family business
Advice and closing thoughts
Send us your feedback, add your comments, like, share, and send us your show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
The Famous Cookie Recipe!
NALP Field Trip at Landscape Workshop June 11-12, Birmingham AL
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
31 min
May 29, 2024Leadership: The Mistakes We Make
Ever think Grunder Landscaping Co. has it all figured out? Think again! This week, Marty Grunder shares some mistakes we've made over the years, and how we bounced back. Because mistakes happen, but it's your reaction that determines if you and your team recover or get bogged down.

Marty unpacks common pitfalls like micromanaging, perfectionism, and failing to delegate. You'll hear about the importance of trusting your team and the dangers of "trusting but not verifying." The episode also tackles financial mistakes and the fear of asking for help. By learning from these missteps, you can become a more effective and well-rounded leader, embracing the message: “nobody's perfect, but we can all learn and GROW from our mistakes.”
In This Episode:
Receiving a complimentary call about a team leader
Lack of focus - is this an issue with you?
Using subcontractors for non-core competency jobs
Not letting go, impatience, perfectionism, not giving people a chance
Trusting but not verifying, believing excuses, imposter syndrome
Not knowing enough about finance, not sharing information
Not asking for help
Looking for someone to blame rather than looking for solutions
Other mistakes - poor interviewing process, debt and cash flow issues, and other dumb stuff
Nobody’s perfect, but learn from your mistakes 24/7, be humble
Two pros that demonstrate humility
Send us your feedback, add your comments, like, share, and send us your show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
Episode 48: Clay Mathile
Episode 45: Gene Freeman

NALP Field Trip at Landscape Workshop June 11-12, Birmingham AL
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
30 min
May 22, 2024Team: Questions to Ask Yourself in the Busy Season
Feeling overwhelmed and buried in never-ending to-do lists? It's Spring, and we know how busy it can get. In this episode, Vince Torchia shares questions you can ask yourself so you can make sure you're prioritizing correctly, planning appropriately, staying on top of your numbers, and also staying sane.

Vince will help you identify your biggest priority and cut through the noise. Learn powerful strategies to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive planning. Unleash the power of daily metrics to track your progress and crush your goals. But wait, there's more! We'll also show you the importance of scheduling time with family and friends to avoid burnout and leave room for the things that truly matter outside of work. Stop feeling like you're constantly treading water. Tune in and discover a newfound sense of purpose and accomplishment.
In This Episode:
How much time are you spending solving your number one problem?
Identify your biggest priority, are you spending time on it each week?
Offense or defense? Proactive or reactive?
Take a pause if you find yourself being reactive
Do you spend time looking at your numbers on a daily basis?
Sales, bank balances, hours worked, A/R balances - check them daily
Gather 3-5 numbers and look at balances every morning
Are you scheduling non-work activities on the calendar each week?
Don’t neglect time with family, friends, and things you enjoy
Send us your feedback and show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
NALP Field Trip at Landscape Workshop June 11-12, Birmingham AL
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
11 min
May 15, 2024Operations: Finding Career Paths
Skilled team members want a career, not just a job. Showing them the career path that's available to them, outlining what it will take for them to be promoted, and then following through on what's promised is essential for retention. In this episode, Vince Torchia shares how he sees successful teams doing this.

Vince unveils Grunder’s roadmap for their team members, illustrating clear paths to promotions and advancement using real-world examples to inspire and guide them. Vince recommends specific steps you can take to illuminate paths to advancement including essential training and certifications, publicizing organizational charts at various revenue milestones, and spotlighting a standout team member as a beacon of success.
In This Episode:
Updating the company mission statement
Show the path to promotions and advancement to your team
As your company grows, your org chart expands
What and how do employees find their career path? Give them examples
What training or certification is necessary to move up?
Find a way to offer training every week
What you can do today - publish your $1M, $3M, and $5M org charts
Identify a team member to model their career path
Send us your feedback and show ideas
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
NALP Field Trip at Landscape Workshop June 11-12, Birmingham AL
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
13 min
May 08, 2024Sales: The Traits that Make Salespeople Successful
In this excerpt from our Virtual Sales Bootcamp, Marty Grunder is joined by Chris Psencik to discuss qualities that successful salespeople have, and how you can work to develop these qualities and the skills they lead to yourself.

Happening today, May 8-9 2024: Recharge Your Selling Approach from the Ease of Your Office or Home Join us online to dive even deeper into sales best practices for landscaping teams. During this event, Grunder Landscaping Co. President & CEO Marty Grunder will share the strategies, tips, and tactics he's used to win at sales in his nearly 40 years of selling landscaping work. In this event, he's joined by Executive Coach and Facilitator, Chris Psencik from McFarlin Stanford, along with Emily Lindley of the Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co.You can access the recordings from Virtual Sales Bootcamp and Virtual Sales Bootcamp 2.0

Chris Psencik is head of a Landscape and Construction Management Coaching Practice, specializing in Sales Execution. With two decades of Green Industry expertise, he's excelled in business development roles at major firms, garnering consistent recognition for his accomplishments. With a keen eye for improvement, he guides companies in enhancing their sales and customer relationship management practices. Chris offers coaching and feedback on sales strategies, aiming to streamline processes and meet revenue goals. He firmly believes in sales professionals owning their role as brand ambassadors, emphasizing accountability and dedication.

In This Episode:
Marty introduces the episode
Are you a hunter or a zookeeper?
Knowledge is key to your sales
How do you answer when you don’t have the answer?
Family friend CJ and football
Practice and training…essential in any role
Reading great books by sales experts (links below)
Emotional intelligence, empathy, and active listening
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
Chris Psencik

Virtual Sales Bootcamp 2.0
Virtual Sales Bootcamp 1.0 and 2.0
Book: New Sales. Simplified.
Book: Sales EQ
Book: Integrity Selling

Book: Be a Sales Superstar
NALP Field Trip at Landscape Workshop June 11-12, Birmingham AL
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
21 min
May 01, 2024Interview Series: JT Price from Landscape Workshop on Leading with a Performance Culture
Get to know JT Price, the CEO of Landscape Workshop. In this interview, JT shares stories with Marty from the early days of taking over the company, talks about what he's learned from acquisitions he's done, shares mistakes he's made along the way, and talks about why the company culture at Landscape Workshop is what it is. The conversation explores JT's path to scaling the business, the importance of internal culture shifts, and how to effectively track customer focus.
JT also discusses valuable leadership tips, including his morning routines, handling low performers, and avoiding the pitfalls of unintentionally rewarding poor performance. He emphasizes the importance of granular data collection through strong systems and processes. The episode concludes with a look towards the future of Landscape Workshop and a reminder to register for the NALP Field Trip in June!
In This Episode:
Introduction to JT, the joys of family, dogs, and grandchildren
Current status of Landscape Workshop and looking forward
JT’s career journey to scaling Landscape Workshop
Implementing culture changes internally
Tracking customer attention
Mistakes and corrections
Morning rituals, leadership tips
Morale and low performers
‘Accidentally’ incentivizing poor performance, getting granular
Systems and processes to collect the right data
Looking to the future of Landscape Workshop
Register for the NALP Field Trip in June!
The Grow Show podcast is sponsored by STIHL and brought to you by The Grow Group - a leading coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. Your host is Marty Grunder, president and CEO of The Grow Group and Grunder Landscaping Co., one of the most successful design-build operations of its kind in the Midwest. The Grow Show shares ideas, tips, tactics, and insights that will help you grow your landscaping business.
Resources:
NALP Field Trip at Landscape Workshop
June 11-12, 2024
Birmingham, Alabama

JT Price LinkedIn
Landscape Workshop
GROW! 2025 Feb 25-27, Columbus OH
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
44 min

About The GROW! Show

From the publisher's feed

The GROW! Show is a show that highlights Marty Grunder's annual conference, GROW!. The GROW! show will showcase how anyone in the green industry can grow themselves, their team, and their business.