The GROW! Show

By Marty GrunderBusiness Entrepreneurship Leisure Management Home & Garden

The GROW! Show episodes

December 06, 2023Organization: The Six Things You Should Do Before the End of The Year
In this episode, Marty Grunder shares the six things teams should be doing now to finish the year on a good note. Consider this your end-of-year checklist for the next few weeks!
Discussion Points:
End of Year ideas to thank clients, staff, and your community
December is 8% of your year- don’t take time off
A plan has to include execution, not just planning
Where do you want to be next year at this time? Start planning now
Plan and block out your calendar - all planning is good!
Read 2 books between now and the end of the year - leadership and business growth
Ponder your life: be grateful, do things that bring you joy, look at what you’re doing each day and make small incremental changes
Make yourself better, and your business will be better
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:
Book: How to Win Friends & Influence People
Book: Laws of Leadership
Book: The Culture Code
Book: Super Simple Steps to Entrepreneurial Success
Book: Run Your Business
GROW! Conference Feb 2024
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
13 min
November 22, 2023Team: Building Accountability as Leaders and Team Members
One of our favorite books to recommend to landscapers and their teams is “Winning with Accountability” by Henry Evans. In this episode, Grow Group VP Vince Torchia will break down how our company utilizes this book and how we think companies can implement the takeaways from it to set better expectations and create a stronger, more positive company culture.
Discussion Points:
The book - Winning with Accountability
Defining accountability
“Frontloading” accountability for success
Personal responsibility and a growth mindset
Incremental success with small daily wins
Clarity for accountability
Specificity and clear language
Accountability requires ONE person to own a task
Who should head up your newest project?
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:
Book: Winning With Accountability

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Vince Torchia LinkedIn

Stihl
14 min
November 15, 2023Interview Series: Steps to Improving Longevity with Dr. Condeluci
Dr. Condeluci was the commencement speaker at Marty's daughter's spring graduation, where he shared the steps people can take to improve their longevity. The research and insight he shared was so insightful, that we felt like we needed to bring it to our listeners here.
Dr. Al Condeluci initiated his career in human services in 1970. He served as CEO of Community Living and Support Services (CLASS) for almost 30 years. He still teaches at the University of Pittsburgh, writes, speaks, and consults both virtually through Zoom and in person on issues related to culture, community, and social capital. He holds an MSW and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, where he is on faculty in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and the School of Social Work.
Discussion Points:
How Marty discovered Dr. Condaluci
Background - Dr. Condaluci
Research on social capital and Blue Zones
Four common traits in the five Blue Zones
Playing with a band/learning an instrument extends your life
A massive study out of Harvard and its findings
How strong relationships and connections can improve health, happiness, and longevity, as well as reduce healthcare costs, employee turnover, and improve morale in a workplace setting
Integrate the lessons learned from the Blue Zones into your own lives for a healthier, longer, and more fulfilled life.
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:

Al Condaluci Website

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
30 min
November 08, 2023Leadership: Legal Considerations for Company Owners
The ‘law’ can sometimes be a little boring. But in this episode, Vince Torchia, VP at The Grow Group, discusses a variety of common legal situations that landscaping companies should consider. Vince recently graduated from Syracuse Law School - so you’ll hear legitimate legal insights that are invaluable for protecting yourself. Tune in to hear how keeping these strategies top of mind will protect your company, your families, and your teams.
Discussion Points:
Contracts - legality, specificity and clarity
Exit and termination language for both sides
Employment agreements
Discrimination, harassment and HR - hotlines for complaints
Keeping the wheels moving within the company so business can proceed
Non-compete or non-solicitation clauses - every state is different
The buck always stops with the company owner
Checklist of legal areas to address at your company
Ensure a culture of ‘no retaliation’
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:

Vincent Torchia LinkedIn

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
21 min
November 01, 2023Operations: How to Decide if It's Time for New Equipment
In this episode, we continue with Part II of our series on equipment with returning guest Seth Pflum, President of Grunder Landscaping. While we love seeing fleet pictures, we also believe that trucks and equipment are investments for the success of our company. By investing smartly in these tools, we can have the greatest returns. Tune in to hear Marty and Seth share how the team at Grunder Landscaping evaluates if a new, or additional, piece of equipment is needed and how its purchase could impact productivity. If you missed Part I, there’s a link below in the resources section.
Discussion Points:
Thinking of your fleet as ‘assets’
Buying or replacing - tax deduction alone is not a reason
Keeping older vehicles for salting
The team involved in fleet decisions
Budgeting and efficiency
Paying overtime vs. hiring and buying more equipment
Smaller equipment life cycles
Mowers and mini skid steers
Using data to track your equipment life cycles
We love equipment, but is it going to make money?
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:

Equipment Episode Part I

Seth Pflum LinkedIn

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

Register Now for Early Bird conference pricing before Nov. 1

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
17 min
October 18, 2023Finance: Should I be Open-Book? What Information Should I Share with My Team?
Are you afraid to share company data with all your employees? Many companies debate how much information is too much information for their team, and how much information can help motivate or inform decisions better. In this episode, Vince Torchia of The Grow Group shares the data he recommends companies share with their teams, and how he recommends they do it.
Discussion Points:
Lots of people ask how much they should share in “open book management”
Grunder’s turnaround in sharing info
Increased engagement
Increased literacy around financials
Aligning employees with company goals and values
Watching daily progress is exciting
More data = more engagement, not sabotage
As a leader, put yourself in your employee’s shoes
Where can you start?
Watch for the next episode on this topic where we’ll dig in deeper
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:

Vince Torchia LinkedIn

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
14 min
October 11, 2023Operations: Buying and Leasing Equipment and Trucks. What's Best?
Finding the trucks and equipment your team needs can be a challenge in itself, but once you've found it, how do you finance it to make sure you have the capital to continue growing? In this episode, Marty is joined by Grunder President & COO Seth Pflum to discuss Grunder Landscaping’s philosophies on buying vs. leasing and how Grunder handles the management of its trucks and equipment. Keep an eye out for Part II of this informative series.
Discussion Points:
The Grunder philosophy on equipment
The flexibility of owning your equipment
Trucks, trailers, and eliminating variables
Amortization and cash flow
Be cautious with buying, make sure you’re efficient
Banking relationships and their value
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:
Seth Pflum LinkedIn
GROW! Conference Feb 2024
The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
13 min
October 04, 2023Team: Would You Want to Work for You?
A company culture where people want to work is critical to recruiting and retaining high quality team members, but how do you create that culture? Start by asking yourself, "Would you want to work for you?" Tune in to hear Marty share some of the ways he has improved his own leadership style, and how we can all be better leaders, no matter our position within the company.
Discussion Points:
The young Marty Grunder as a leader
There will be great leadership sessions at the Des Moines show
Letting go of tasks you’ve delegated
Marty’s job may look easy but …
Environments that people do and don’t want to work in
Encouraging small landscaping businesses
Are your job descriptions and their responsibilities complete and accurate?
Clarity begets success
Are you a complainer or a complimentor?
The WAM (World According to Marty)
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:

Mark Thompson Interview on The Grow Show

Book: Winning with Accountability

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
20 min
September 27, 2023Interview Series: Mentorship and Investing in Yourself with Mark Thompson
In this episode, Marty sits down with his longtime mentor Mark Thompson to talk about the importance of mentorship and investing time, money, and energy into yourself as a leader. No matter your position within a company, taking time to work on YOU always pays dividends.
Mark Thompson is a business advisor and former engineer who started his career as an engineer, then transitioned to a business leadership role where he served as president, CEO, and Chair of the Board at his engineering consulting firm. Recognizing the importance of understanding the 'soft side' of management and the fundamentals of business, he then transitioned to a business advisory role. Throughout the episode, Mark discusses the necessity of strategic planning, the role of leadership and collaboration, the value of low-risk experiments, and visual learning in business growth. He emphasizes the need to take small steps while keeping an eye on the future.
Discussion Points:
Intro and background - Mark Thompson
Thoughtful and professional management
Selling and your value proposition
Scaling - strategic planning for expanding a business from 5 million to 25 million
Role of family in business and importance of teamwork in achieving goals
Low-risk experiments and visual learning can benefit business growth
Learning from failure and effective risk management
The professional management journey and understanding people
Benefits of low-risk experiments and visual learning in software design
Business fundamentals and strategic planning
Closing thoughts from Mark Thompson
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 Deming System

GROW! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
53 min
September 20, 2023Team: What to Consider When Creating Compensation Plans
In this episode, Grunder Landscaping VP Vince Torchia shares some of the salary and bonus structures that ensure happy, productive teams and a growth mindset.
The answer we usually have to give when asked about compensation plans is that "it depends" It depends on your business structure, your financial performance, your area, and what your current compensation plans look like. To set up a plan that works for both you and your team, Vince Torchia has tips for what to consider.
Discussion Points:
Compensation - you get what you pay for in talent
Beat what your competitors or your regional market pays - look at Chick-fil-A
Hiring should be done ahead of need
Sales commissions - how bonuses and pay should be structured at different stages
Who is responsible for your sales team hitting their goals?
Designing a salesperson’s compensation - base vs. bonus
Profit-sharing - different structure levels
Getting paid as an owner - what is fair?
Recap
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! Conference Feb 2024

The Grow Group

Grunder Landscaping

Vincent Torchia LinkedIn

Marty Grunder LinkedIn

Stihl
17 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.