The GROW! Show

By Marty GrunderBusiness Entrepreneurship Leisure Management Home & Garden

The GROW! Show episodes

August 27, 2025Equipment: Planning Your Purchases & Managing Your Fleet
Team Grunder works on multi-year plans so that they can project growth and know what investments are needed now for it to be possible later. In this episode, the team talks about what goes into making equipment purchase decisions.
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00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
02:18 - Introducing Bill Rosell - Grunder Landscaping
02:55 - Managing the Fleet with Aspire
04:06 - Equipment Purchasing & Insights
05:57 - Truck Types and Their Uses
08:07 - Box Trucks for Mowing Crews
08:58 - The Benefits of the Box Truck
10:28 - Land Keeping Trucks
13:27 - Heavy Construction Trucks
15:20 - The Switch to Isuzu Trucks
16:43 - Training and Maintenance Procedures
17:11 - Monday Morning Truck Checks with Aspire
21:17 - Sales Vehicles & Their Importance
22:56 - Mini Skids and Loaders
23:40 - Mower Brands and Outsourcing Repairs
25:02 - Stihl Products at Grunder
25:19 - Final Thoughts on Fleet Management

Show Notes
Always Look Forward, Not Backward – Bill's philosophy: "You always have to look forward and see what you need to change... what we did three years ago is not gonna work for us next year." Growth requires constant adaptation, not rinse-and-repeat approaches.
Test Before You Invest – When considering new equipment, "we will at least bring in one as a pilot and put it with one of our experienced crews to get the feedback before we go and make a big purchase."
The Box Truck Revolution – Switched from pickup trucks with trailers to self-contained box trucks. Benefits: mobile billboard, storage, no loading/unloading, better maneuverability, first in/last out efficiency.
Aspire Integration for Fleet Management – Using Aspire software to track maintenance, mileage, and vehicle status in real-time. Enables immediate access to fleet data and automated maintenance scheduling.
Monday Morning Truck Inspections – Mandatory weekly inspections using Aspire tablets. Team leaders check fluids, lights, tires, etc. Issues automatically report to fleet manager for prioritized repairs.
Specialized Trucks for Different Functions:
Group Leaders: Ford F-250 4WD with toolboxes/winches
Mowing: Isuzu box trucks (18-20 feet) with fuel tanks, air compressor
Land Keeping: Specialized trucks with enclosed storage and dump beds
Heavy Construction: Kenworth trucks with aluminum EV beds
Landscape: Isuzu cab-over trucks for maneuverability
Sales: Black Toyota Corollas for reliability and efficiency
Road Testing Every Driver – Zach conducts thorough walkthroughs and road tests for anyone assigned a new truck, regardless of experience level.
Change Management Philosophy – "People don't fear change as long as there's direction... if you can show the direction you're going and get everybody to buy into it, then change is exciting."
Buy vs. Lease Strategy – Purchase all vehicles rather than lease because "they are specialty trucks" that will be kept 15+ years. Leasing doesn't make financial sense for specialized equipment.
Cleanliness Equals Safety and Pride – Lorenzo's wisdom that "cleanliness is safety" combined with daily cleaning routines using provided supplies (cordless vacs, cleaning kits) builds ownership and professionalism.
Outsource What You're Not Expert At – Grunder doesn't employ mechanics, instead using mobile fleet services, local tire shops, and dealer relationships. "We wanna be in the landscaping business, not the truck repair business."
Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
29 min
August 20, 2025Operations: Handling Materials for Large Projects
When you work on properties and landscape installations as large as the ones in McHale Landscape Design's portfolio, managing materials becomes either a weakness or an opportunity to excel. In this episode, Emily Lindley details what she sees the McHale team doing to find the plants and materials they need and get them where they need to go.
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00:00 - Start
00:35 - Preview of the NALP Field Trip
01:44 - Material handling Insights
02:44 - Centralized Plant Farm Strategy
05:18 - Operations Team as Logistics Managers
07:34 - Direct Delivery of Non-Green Goods
10:04 - Conclusion & Event Details

Show Notes:
Centralized Plant Farm Strategy – McHale operates a large-scale plant yard where they buy plants, care for them until mature, then install larger specimens than competitors. Creates "instant maturity" for clients who want immediate privacy and full landscapes.
Be Your Own Supply Chain – By controlling plant material from purchase to installation, they can offer mature specimens that look established immediately. Differentiates them in the high-end residential market where clients want instant results.
Operations as Logistics Managers – Their operations team functions more like logistics coordinators than traditional supervisors. Sales team manages installs and supervises work while operations handles material flow, delivery timing, and supply chain coordination.
Direct-to-Site Delivery for Large Projects – Non-green goods (hardscape materials, etc.) delivered directly to job sites for large installations. Eliminates double-handling and transportation costs for major projects.
Plant Material Direct Delivery – For projects with large quantities of trees/shrubs, direct delivery to job sites makes more sense than routing through a facility. Requires planning for on-site plant care in project bids.
Design Operations Around Ideal Client – McHale's entire supply chain and operations are designed around what high-end residential clients want: mature plants, seamless experience, instant results. Every system serves this client preference.
Sales Team as Single Point of Contact – Maintains relationship continuity by keeping salesperson as primary client contact throughout the project, even when operations handles logistics behind scenes.
Account for On-Site Plant Care in Bids – When plants are delivered directly to job sites, must include labor hours for watering and maintenance in project pricing. Easy to forget when used to centralized plant care.
Multiple Branch Strategy with Central Plant Holding – Operate dispatch locations throughout the metro area but centralize plant material at the main farm. Allows geographic coverage while maintaining plant quality control.
Learn from Different Business Models – Even if you operate differently, studying other successful approaches provides insights for improving your own systems and solving growth challenges.

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
12 min
August 13, 2025 Operations: How Do You Keep Your Trucks Clean?
Keeping your trucks clean is more than just a to-do list task: it's part of the daily company culture at Grunder Landscaping. In this episode, Marty Grunder is joined by members of the Grunder Landscaping production teams who share how they manage to keep things clean, how organization makes their jobs easier, and what goes into keeping everything in order.
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00:00 - Episode Intro
00:30 - Introduction
01:57 - The Importance of Cleanliness in Landscaping
02:26 - Nick: Cleanliness Culture
05:48 - Zack and Brian: Safety and Cleanliness
09:32 - Lorenzo: Consistency in Cleanliness
12:03 - The Importance of Sensory Experience
14:31 - Investing in Clean Facilities
16:16 - Hiring for Healthy Habits
19:30 - Leadership and Leading by Example
22:17 - Final Thoughts

Show Notes
Create Daily Micro-Habits – Like Nick's turn signal analogy, build tiny cleaning actions into existing routines (fuel up = wipe down, end of shift = trash out)
Invest in Employee Spaces – Quality bathrooms, break rooms, work areas show you value your team and set expectations for how they should treat client spaces
Use All Five Senses – Audit your facility for what people see, hear, smell, feel when they walk in. Each sense communicates your standards
Implement Monday Inspections – Weekly vehicle safety and cleanliness checks create accountability and prevent small problems from becoming big ones
Hire for Culture Fit – Interview questions about organization/cleanliness, then check candidate's personal vehicle to see if actions match words
Model the Behavior – Leaders must personally demonstrate the cleanliness standards they expect from others
Create Visual Systems – Labels, outlines, designated spots make it easy for anyone to know where things belong, regardless of language or experience
Address Issues Immediately – Don't let messes or low standards slide "just this once" - consistent enforcement prevents decay

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
26 min
August 06, 2025Interview Series - Brian Fullerton on the Landscaping Industry
In this episode, Marty is joined by Brian Fullerton of Brian's Lawn Maintenance. They discuss the landscaping industry as a whole, running a business while raising a family, and the challenges that they've both faced as business owners.
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Brian's Shop Tour at Grunder

Brian's Lawn Maintenance (YT Channel)
Marty's Turn to 2 Interview
00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
01:31 - Meet Brian Fullerton
02:31 - Brian’s Early Career and Challenges
05:41 - Changing Careers to Start Brian’s Lawn Maintenance
07:33 - Growth and Success
08:13 - Relatibility and Community Engagement
09:55 - Reflecting on Humble Beginnings
13:45 - Creating Content for Landscapers
22:08 - Lessons Learned: Leadership and Team Building
26:29 - Get Feedback From Your Team
29:46 - The Importance of Company Culture
33:10 - Common Mistakes in Landscaping
37:22 - Operational Efficiency and Morning Routines
39:30 - Takeaways from Visiting Grunder Landscaping
45:42 - Future Goals
49:58 - Please Share and Subscribe!

Show Notes
The Blade Sharpener Artifact – Found his original $20 blade sharpener from 20 years ago in mom's shed cleanup. "It felt like a memory... like an old warrior picking up his old sword." Keep reminders of your humble beginnings to stay grounded and grateful.
Humble Beginnings Build Character – Started cutting grass in trailer park in southeast Detroit with push mower at age 10-12. Had more cash than most 30-year-olds. Proves you don't need perfect circumstances to start building wealth through hard work.
The TruGreen "Baywatch Moment" – Watching two guys in shorts drinking Gatorade cut grass while he was in full PPE, rubber boots, tanker truck at 5 AM. Sometimes seeing what you don't want crystallizes what you do want.
Accidental Content Creation Success – Never intended to be a social media personality. Introvert who reluctantly started making videos to "leave breadcrumbs for the Brian's Lawn Maintenance of 10-15 years ago." Authenticity beats polish.
$600 Trailer Purchase Was Make-or-Break – That investment determined whether the family "ate steaks or pancakes that month." Early business decisions carry disproportionate weight when you're bootstrapping.
3.5 Million Podcast Downloads – Started podcast in 2020 during COVID when the choice was "TikTok or podcasting." Fullerton chose podcasting because "I'm not a 16-year-old girl." Built a massive following by staying relatable and helpful.
Turning Detractors Into Motivation – When launching a podcast, someone commented "Who are you? What do you know? Who's gonna listen to you?" Used screenshot of passing 3 million downloads to prove doubters wrong at live event.
Evolution from Self-Focus to Team-Focus – "What I realized about a year ago was, okay, good for us, but what about our guys?" Maturity means shifting from personal goals to creating opportunities for your team.
Culture is the Secret Ingredient – Successful companies feel like "brotherhood" vs "rank and file." Difference between 150 people who are "Spartans going to battle" vs just employees showing up.
Find People, Don't Train Attitudes – Marriott founder's wisdom: "We didn't teach them customer service. We found people that are like that, then taught them how to sell hotel rooms." Hire for character, train for skill.
Know Your Numbers or Fail – Biggest mistake landscapers make is not understanding finances. "What got you here won't get you there" - can't just outwork problems at $2-4 million level.
Value Stream Mapping Critical – Best companies load trucks overnight, fuel overnight, do vehicle checks, deploy teams by 7:02 AM. Every minute in the yard is non-billable time.
The Real Game is Profit – "Everything we do is for profit. With that profit, we can change the world." Business exists to create cash and cash flow to fund bigger purposes.
Leadership Insight: Let Team Push You – Best leaders aren't just pulling people up, they have team members who push them to higher levels. "Unused potential from your team" is a massive waste.
Morning Deployment Excellence – Most successful shops are "ghost towns" by 7:02 AM with trucks deployed. Loading, fueling, and prep done the night before maximizes billable hours.

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
51 min
July 30, 2025Sales: Turning Damages into Opportunities
Lights in the turf, grass running all the way up against a building or fence, low-laying branches, and more. Sometimes the landscape design sets up maintenance crews to fail by making it way too easy to damage properties. In this episode, Marty shares how landscape designers can be mindful of these things when creating plans and how account managers can use these damages as opportunities to sell enhancements. Looking for more work with your existing clients is a great way to drum up more sales!
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00:00 - Intro
01:18 - Appreciation and Team Morale
02:26 - Finding Opportunities in Client Properties
03:04 - Deep Relationships and Client Focus
04:23 - Sales Strategies and Client Engagement
06:23 - Route Density and Business Growth
08:43 - Practical Examples for Your Advantage
14:02 - Please Like & Share This Episode!

Show Notes
Focus on deep relationships over quantity: Build 40 thousand-foot deep wells rather than a thousand 40-foot deep wells. Concentrate on developing meaningful, long-term client relationships that generate significant ongoing business. "80% of that business came from 55 people. We could put 'em on a bus... about 70% of the $18 million worth of business that we will do this year is gonna come from about 30% of our clients."
Sell more to existing clients first: Before chasing new prospects, exhaust opportunities with current clients. Send handwritten notes, conduct property audits, and proactively identify additional services they need. "The best two opportunities are, number one, selling more to existing clients. We don't look at that enough."
Be a proactive professional consultant: Act like a doctor who identifies every possible issue. Point out problems before clients discover them to maintain credibility and avoid having to fix issues for free. "When you are a professional folks, that's what you should be doing... You're a consultant, you're there to tell them what you can do to help make their property look better."
Protect your property managers' reputation: Help property managers look good in front of their bosses by identifying issues before they become visible problems during site visits. "We would never want one of our property managers to look bad in front of their boss because we didn't tell them there was a dead tree or a drainage problem."
Identify maintenance hazards and design flaws: Look for low branches that could injure crew members, lighting without proper protection, or fencing that will get damaged during routine maintenance. Quote solutions proactively. "How is our team going to mow that and not damage those lights?... You need to cover your rear end."
Route density drives profitability: Actively pursue work near existing clients to maximize efficiency and minimize travel time between jobs. "Route density is picking up jobs that are by the ones that you already have... there is literally half a million dollars worth of maintenance work that we don't even need a truck for."
Every landscape needs improvement: Adopt the mindset that every property has potential enhancement opportunities waiting to be identified and quoted. "Every landscape in America could use a flat of pachysandra, metaphorically speaking... every landscape could use something."
Control the narrative on problems: If you identify and quote issues first, you can charge for solutions. If clients point out problems first, you may have to fix them for free. "If we point out to the client something's wrong on their property... we can probably get them to pay us to fix it. But if they have to point it out to us, we may be in a bad spot."
Think creatively about maintenance solutions: Look for innovative approaches like prairie areas or modified mowing patterns that can reduce costs while providing unique value. "We're gonna let about eight or nine acres of the area just kind of not be mowed and kind of look like a prairie... We ended up being able to give the client a much lower price."
Show appreciation for your team: Small gestures like carrying candy and recognizing good work create positive team culture and boost morale. "What can you do to let your team know you appreciate them and how can you make them smile?"

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
15 min
July 23, 2025Interview Series: Dan Hoard, The Voice of the Cincinnati Bengals
In this episode, Marty Grunder interviews Dan Hoard, the voice of the Cincinnati Bengals, on his career as a sportscaster, what it's like finding creativity in tough situations, and what it's like working in the pro-football world.
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Dan's Podcast: Bengals Booth
Marty's Studio
00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
01:25 - Meet Dan Hoard: Voice of the Cincinnati Bengals
03:33 - Marty’s Personal Connection to Sports Broadcasting
04:24 - Balancing Family and Career
07:29 - Organizational Tactics and Time Management
08:11 - The Importance of Preparation
16:38 - Handling Tough Conversations
20:32 - Conducting Yourself Daily to Build Respect
21:49 - The Art of Not Talking Too Much
23:02 - The Importance of Short, Direct Questions
24:51 - Leadership Qualities and Communication
26:43 - Joe Burrow: A Case Study in Leadership
32:14 - The Mental Side of Success
39:18 - Prediction for the Bengals’ Season
40:51 - Please Share & Subscribe!

Show Notes
Preparation builds confidence: Extensive preparation is the foundation of calm, confident performance. Hoard spends entire days creating detailed spotting boards for each opponent, knowing only 5% will be used but never knowing which 5%. "I find that I'm calm and confident when I'm prepared... When you put in the work, didn't you feel confident when you sat down to take the test?"
Follow strict routines during high-pressure periods: Establish and stick to weekly routines that ensure thorough preparation. Monday and Tuesday are Hoard's heavy prep days, leaving the rest of the week for additional details and other responsibilities. "I have a very strict routine that I follow during the football season... if I follow that routine, then I get to the weekend confident."
Build relationships before tough conversations: Develop trust and respect with people during good times so difficult conversations are easier when they're needed. Show genuine respect for what others do. "I try to build relationships with all of these players and coaches... when you're in that position, they know where you're coming from."
Be tactful, not confrontational: Approach difficult situations with honesty but avoid confrontational language. Think about what your audience needs to know and ask direct questions respectfully. "I try to do it in a tactful way, not a confrontational way... You've gotta be honest, the players know what you're there to do."
Make others the star: Great leaders and communicators focus on helping others shine rather than dominating conversations. Ask short, direct questions and let others speak. "I'm trying to help my partner shine... I'm bringing these guests on to hear from them... I want to allow them to speak their mind."
Communicate clearly and consistently: Good leaders articulate expectations clearly and maintain consistent standards. They don't change their message from day to day. "Good leaders communicate clearly and consistently, they're not wishy-washy. They don't say one thing on Monday and something completely different on Tuesday."
Take accountability first: Point the thumb at yourself before pointing fingers at others. Great leaders accept responsibility for problems before addressing others' roles. "I think taking accountability is absolutely critical. I think you point the thumb at yourself before you point a finger at somebody else."
Connect with everyone on your team: Make an effort to know everyone's name and something about them. Reach out to new team members proactively and sit with different people regularly. "Joe not only connects with these guys, but he makes a point of developing relationships with these guys... knowing somebody's name is so important."
Lead by example through work ethic: The best leaders work harder than anyone else and demonstrate complete investment in excellence. Others will follow when they see genuine commitment. "Those guys know there's nobody in the building that works harder than he does 12 months out of the year."
Control anxiety through preparation: Stress and nervousness are normal, especially when doing something new. Combat anxiety by being disciplined about preparation and following proven routines. "There's stress in every job... do what's necessary to put yourself in the proper mental space to do a good job."

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
43 min
July 16, 2025Financial Transparency to Build A Strong, Educated Team with Vince Torchia
In this episode, we dive into why financial transparency isn't just good leadership—it's essential for building a strong, educated team. From using scoreboards and company-wide “State of the Union” meetings to walking through the Penny Exercise, Vince breaks down exactly where every dollar goes in your business. Tune in to learn how sharing the numbers empowers your team and drives smarter decisions across the board.
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00:00 - Start
00:31 - The Importance of Financial Transparency and Literacy
01:32 - Tools for Financial Transparency
04:39 - Monthly Team Communication
06:31 - The Penny Exercise
16:13 - Key Takeaways

Show Notes
Public dashboards drive transparency: Display real-time performance metrics on monitors visible to all team members. When everyone can see job performance, hours, and revenue data, they naturally connect dots and improve performance. "The scoreboard is just out there. The teams can see the numbers, they can interact with them... Whether they know English, whether they know Spanish... they can look at numbers and tie dots together freely."
Monthly state of the union meetings: Gather the entire organization monthly to discuss company performance, goals, and future direction. Make it bilingual and inclusive so everyone gets the same message. "Think of it as our monthly state of the Union. We update the organization in totality... Are we ahead on goals? Are we behind on goals?"
The penny exercise teaches financial literacy: Use a $1 job (100 pennies) to visually demonstrate how revenue flows through direct costs, overhead, and profit. This makes complex financials accessible to everyone. "We sold a $1 job. We got a hundred pennies for it... How many pennies are we taking off the table right away just to cover the expenses of that job specifically?"
Financial transparency is cultural, not financial: Don't avoid sharing numbers because you're worried about the data - fix the culture or improve the systems that create better data. "These are not financial conversations. These are cultural conversations... we don't have a finance problem, we have a culture problem."
Direct costs vs. overhead education: Help teams understand that some costs are tied directly to jobs (labor, materials) while others exist regardless of sales volume (rent, insurance, salaries). "We have what overhead... those expenses that we have at the organization are going to be there whether we sell a job or not."
Visual learning works across barriers: Numbers and visual displays communicate effectively regardless of education level or language barriers. "Whether they didn't graduate high school or they have a PhD, they can look at numbers and tie dots together freely."
Margin compression awareness: When teams understand how small increases in costs or overhead dramatically impact profits, they become more cost-conscious and efficiency-focused. "What happens if all of a sudden it takes us 52 cents to do a job? Uh oh. Now our margins got squeezed from 10 to eight pennies."
Profit allocation reality: The remaining profit after direct costs and overhead must cover taxes, reinvestment, debt service, and owner distributions - not just go to the owner's pocket. "We don't just put the 10 cents in our pocket and go home. What if we have some other debt that we want to pay down?"
Team rallying around shared understanding: When everyone understands the financial reality, the whole organization can work together toward improvement rather than operating in silos. "The whole team can rally around how we either keep making 12 or how we go from two to four to six to eight... over the next four years."
Systematic approach to financial education: Combine daily visibility (dashboards), monthly communication (meetings), and periodic deep-dives (penny exercise) for comprehensive financial literacy. "Get your scoreboards out... Take time every month at a State of the Union... take time to do the penny exercise with your team."

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
18 min
July 09, 2025Interview Series: Keith Bowman of McHale Landscape Design
In this episode, Marty is joined by Keith Bowman of McHale Landscape Design who shares what the McHale team does to find new clients, build strong client relationships, find and retain team members, install and maintain award-winning properties, and keep their business running as smoothly as possible.
Field Trips with NALP
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00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
01:27 - Meet Keith Bowman from McHale Landscaping
01:53 - History & Growth of McHale Landscaping
03:12 - McHale’s Unique Operations and Facilities
05:42 - Customer Service and Competitive Advantage
08:40 - Marketing and Networking Strategies
14:30 - Employee Retention and Career Development
20:12 - Family Dynamics in Business
22:53 - Balancing Family and Business
24:22 - Leveraging Subcontractors for Success
26:52 - Protecting Pricing in Landscape Design
30:50 - Efficient Morning Rollouts
36:04 - Equipment Used & Theft Prevention
41:10 - Award Winning Work & Company Culture
43:37 - Challenges at McHale and Authenticity
44:49 - Conclusion & Field Trip Invitation

Show Notes:
People are the competitive advantage: Empower employees with entrepreneurial opportunities within the company. Create "little businesses stacked on top of each other" where team members take ownership. "I believe our competitive advantages are people. And just empowering people... the McHales have given people the ability to kind of go out and make mistakes."
Customer service isn't overhead: Exceptional service doesn't require additional equipment costs but drives referrals and long-term relationships. "Customer service doesn't add overhead. If you wanna build up your team's customer service, you're not adding a truck payment."
Protect your pricing: Understand true costs and maintain appropriate margins. Compete on value, not price alone. "The number one thing... is protect your pricing... There's a lot of work that goes into landscape design building."
Family business done right: Having 37 families with multiple employees creates stability. Treat family members as employees first while leveraging family commitment. "We have 37 families that have two or more employees at the company... it shows what the McHale family has done to support our employees."
Define career paths: Help employees understand if they're "front of house" or "back of house" people and create clear advancement opportunities. "Another thing that's important to retain employees is doing your best to have a defined career path for them."
Integrate design-build and maintenance: Design-build clients make better maintenance clients because they already understand your value. "Our account managers like to get design build clients for their maintenance portfolio better... because they already know the value they're gonna get."
Strategic subcontracting: Maintain core capabilities in-house while using trusted subs for specialized work. "We do rely on subs. We have preferred subs... they're like an extension of our company."
Morning rollout is critical: The first hour sets the tone for efficiency, culture, and operational success. "Morning rollout, that first hour of the day is the most important time of the day."
Awards drive culture: Competing for industry recognition motivates teams and helps retain employees. "That also helps keep employees too, because that motivates people."
Authentic leadership: Be transparent about challenges while celebrating wins to create trust and realistic expectations. "We're not a perfect company, but we strive for the best every day."

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
47 min
July 02, 2025Leadership :The Summer Vacation Test with Marty Grunder
Have a vacation planned for this summer? In this episode, Marty Grunder shares how he uses his out-of-office time as an opportunity for new leaders to learn and develop their skills.

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00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
02:02 - The Origin of “The Summer Vacation Test”
04:27 - Strategic Planning & Leadership with Time Off
07:33 - Three Philosophies with Vacation & Workplace Dynamics
08:18 - Don’t Overstate Your Value
08:48 - Would You Want to Work for Yourself?
13:02 - Vacation is a Chance to Sharpen Your Saw
15:18 - Two Things Before You Leave for Vacation
17:57 - Recap & Final Thoughts

Show Notes & Key Takeaways
The Notebook Strategy - In 1993, Marty gave his right-hand man a notebook to document everything that went wrong while he was on vacation. "Write down all the things that you wish I would've shown you how to do, or things that didn't get done because I didn't train or we didn't have a system in place."
Vacations as Productivity Drivers - "Your most productive time in your business career are the couple days before vacations." Use vacation deadlines to motivate completion of important tasks and proper preparation.
Leadership Identification Tool - Vacations reveal who your real leaders are: "This is an opportunity for you to see who your leaders are. Who's gonna step up when you go away? And who isn't interested in stepping up?"
The Secret Test Method - Give team members specific responsibilities without telling them it's a test: "Give them a couple tests, see what they do. Chances are they won't realize it's a test and you'll see their true self."
Three Leadership Philosophy Foundations:
You're Overstating Your Value - "Most of the time, your team is capable of doing way more than you think they are, and often way more than even they think they are able to do."
Other People Have Goals Too - "Be empathetic... they want the ball, they want a chance, and we don't realize that we get too self-absorbed and focused on only what we wanna do."
Sharpen Your Saw - Use vacation time for strategic thinking and recharging batteries
Three Types of Workplaces:
Raging River - Chaotic, no systems, unsustainable
Stagnant Pond - No movement, no growth opportunities
Lazy River - Perfect balance of systems and movement, like Disney's lazy river
The Lumberjack Lesson - The lumberjack who stopped every 20 minutes to sharpen his ax produced 5 wagon loads vs. 2 wagon loads from the one who never stopped chopping. Strategic breaks and preparation outperform constant grinding.
Two Essential Pre-Vacation Lists:
"I wish to have the following things done before I leave on vacation"
"When I come back, I will have done this" (strategic work while away)
The Ultimate Business Goal - "Your business will realize its utmost potential when you have figured out a way that it can run without you." After 41 years, both of Marty's companies run without him.
Going Away in Good Order - "You don't go away and leave bombs for everybody to uncover that you've buried around the office." Proper preparation shows leadership and respect for your team.
Trust and Empowerment - "Would you wanna work for you?" Consider how you'd want your own family members to be treated at work - with opportunities for growth and advancement.
The Growth Mindset - Stop assuming people can't handle more responsibility. Marty's son example: waited until age 13 to let him use the mower when he could have done it much earlier due to neurotic control issues.

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
20 min
June 25, 2025Interview Series: Bret Achtenhagen of Seasonal Services on Growing a Family Business
In this episode, Marty sits down with Seasonal Service's Bret Achtenhagen to talk about his family business, the roundabout way he ended up in the green industry, and how the business evolved over time. They talk about the company's focus on residential work, how they keep the whole team focused on quality work, how they market for more work and more during this episode.
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00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
01:32 - Meet Bret Achtenhagen
02:12 - Bret’s Early Life and Family Business
05:27 - Starting Seasonal Services
11:05 - Defining Success and Core Values
17:30 - Navigating Challenges and Growth
20:19 - The Power of Radio Marketing
26:18 - Building Relationships with High-End Builders
27:40 - Using LinkedIn and Fleet Management
30:42 - Useful Marketing Tactics and Awards
33:06 - The Importance of Peer Groups for Growth
37:59 - The Dynamics of Building a Family Business
43:39 - Final Thoughts & Please Share This Episode!

Show Notes
Define Your Niche and Stick to It - "Define who they are and what they want to be. And then stick to that... most of our competitors that never seem to really rise above three, four, 5 million, they're trying to be everything to everybody."
Core Values Based on Philosophy - Built their foundation on Aristotle's ethos, pathos, and logos (ethics, passion, and logic): "Our core values are founded on ethos, pathos, and logos... it's a three-legged stool."
Target Market Clarity - Focus on million-dollar homes with clients who "admire, enjoy, and respect creativity, quality, craftsmanship, expertise and extraordinary customer experiences."
Growth Challenges Are Predictable - "When we hit 5 million, it seemed like the wheels got wobbly... when we hit 10 million, the wheels got wobbly and at 15 million, now our wheels are a little wobbly." Each growth stage requires new systems and approaches.
The 2008 Reality Check - Bank called demanding $300K when farm property value dropped from $1.6M to $650K: "I felt naked, I felt vulnerable. And at that point... we really started to get serious about systems."
Radio Show Marketing Strategy - 16+ years hosting weekly gardening show builds brand authority and recognition: "I go to restaurants... every weekend in church, people call up and say, I really loved your show."
Builder Partnership Strategy - Exclusive relationships with high-end builders who include their landscaping in home sales: "Our goal is to establish one relationship with one high end builder every year... they sell the home with our package included."
Equipment as Marketing Tool - Fleet of 40 vehicles under 5 years old, always clean with on-site truck wash: "If they get a dent, they go to the body shop... we will spend $5,000 to repair all that aluminum."
Faith-Based Marketing - Advertising in Catholic school folders and church bulletins reaches target demographic: "In our target market, which is probably about 30 Catholic churches... those sit on kitchen counters."
Family Business Success Factors - Three generations working together with external coaching and advisors: "Get a team around him... includes a lawyer and an accountant... without them, I don't think that the business keeps going."
Peer Groups Drive Growth - "A peer group is significant investment of money and time... you're not alone type of a thing." Regular facility visits and financial transparency accelerate learning.
Brand Standards Are Non-Negotiable - From uniforms to fleet appearance to facility cleanliness, every detail reinforces their premium positioning and teaches excellence to the team.

Resources:

Virtual Sales Bootcamp
Grunder Landscaping Field Trips

The Grow Group
Grunder Landscaping
Marty Grunder LinkedIn
Stihl
47 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.