Most contractors don’t have a software problem—they have a decision-making problem.

In this episode of the LeanScaper Podcast, Benji Carlson sits down with Mark Sedgley to break down how to actually implement technology that sticks, why most software ends up unused, and how leaders can build the muscle of better systems thinking in a world full of disruption.

Expect to learn:
• Why buying software is like buying a gym membership
• The #1 mistake that kills software implementations
• How to choose tools that support your business long-term—not just today

Timestamps: 
00:00 – Why most companies waste money on software 
05:28 – The gym membership analogy 
10:11 – The first question every buyer must answer 
17:22 – Software as a force multiplier 
20:10 – Why copying peers’ tech stacks fails 
36:31 – Why implementation matters more than features 
40:33 – Ease of use vs depth of functionality 
42:31 – The biggest implementation mistake 
53:38 – Leading through disruption 

Discover where the landscaping industry is heading next. In this panel discussion recorded live at our Dallas event, six industry leaders share practical insight into the forces reshaping the future of landscape businesses: technology, private equity, M&A, scaling, leadership, and long-term value creation.

Whether you’re building toward an exit, planning your next growth phase, or trying to future-proof your company, this conversation offers a clear look at what’s coming and how to prepare.

Expect to Learn:
• How tech adoption directly drives higher multiples
• What private equity firms actually look for in landscape companies
• Why independent operators may be stronger than ever
• The systems and metrics that increase enterprise value
• What happens after the deal closes
• The leadership traits needed for the next decade

In this episode:
00:00 – Intro
01:30 – Why tech is reshaping service businesses
08:45 – How private equity views landscaping today
15:20 – Modern M&A strategies and valuation drivers
23:10 – Founder journeys: scaling, timing, and identity
33:55 – Building a business buyers compete to own
41:20 – Protecting culture and people through growth
49:15 – Preparing for the next decade of service entrepreneurship
58:40 – Leadership principles that won’t change
1:05:00 – The biggest risks (and opportunities) ahead

Featuring: 
Nick Bartolo, Essential Partners 
Jeff Domenick, KeyServ Company 
Scott Lesak, Kasel Rocks 
Jonathan Pototschnik 
Austyn Roth, Lucky Landscaping LLC 
Mark Sedgley, Granum 

If you’re a landscaper trying to grow your business, content isn’t about going viral—it’s about becoming the obvious choice in your market.

In this episode, Benji sits down with Brian Fullerton to break down what actually matters when it comes to content, social media, and long-term brand trust in local service businesses. This is not an episode about algorithms or posting hacks. It’s about credibility, consistency, and calm leadership—and why most contractors misunderstand content entirely.

Brian shares what he’s learned after nearly a decade of building a community, answering thousands of DMs, and growing a blue-collar business in public. If you’ve ever felt invisible, unsure where to start, or worried about looking stupid online, this conversation will reset how you think about content.

You’ll learn:
• Why content is now part of your credibility infrastructure
• How the best local landscapers become the name clients think of first
• Why “going viral” is the wrong goal for service businesses
• How to turn real job sites into authentic content—without forcing it
• What not to post if you care about trust and professionalism
• How to stop worrying about what people think and just start

00:00 Why content now matters more than ever for landscapers
03:10 How customers actually decide who to hire today
06:15 Company A vs Company B: the 3-year content gap
09:45 Why content is a long-term investment, not a test
11:00 Should landscapers start with YouTube, Instagram, or something else?
18:30 The real goal of content: building a community, not followers
24:00 Why chasing virality hurts local service businesses
27:40 Turning daily job sites into real, compelling content
33:45 What not to post if you want trust and professionalism
35:10 Benji’s ICP framework: hires, customers, and partners
40:30 Showing wins and mistakes without losing credibility
46:20 Fear, confidence, and the 18–45–65 rule
49:00 Final mindset shift: nobody is paying attention—and that’s freeing 

Why do so many business owners achieve everything they set out to build… yet still feel a quiet emptiness underneath it all?

In this conversation, Benji sits down with Philip McKernan to explore why success often feels misaligned, why old wounds silently shape our ambition, and what it takes to shift from proving yourself to actually living in alignment. This episode is a grounded, honest look at the emotional and psychological patterns entrepreneurs rarely talk about—but deeply feel.

In this episode: • Why success doesn’t guarantee fulfillment • How trauma shapes ambition and leadership • The “I’ll show you” fuel that eventually burns out • The three mountains and the cost of staying on the wrong one • How to start reconnecting with work that feels true  

Timestamps 
00:00 Opening and setup 
01:26 Why emotional alignment matters more than achievement 
04:16 How trauma quietly drives many entrepreneurs 
07:38 The danger of building a life to prove someone wrong 
11:14 Understanding ego in a healthier, more honest way 
14:26 The myth of “escape velocity” and waiting to feel free 
18:53 What it takes to step into the next mountain 
27:38 Simple first steps to reconnect with purpose

In this episode of the LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Justin White, CEO of K&D Landscaping, to break down what actually drives revenue growth in a landscape business.

Justin shares his journey from being thrust into the CEO role at 25 years old to scaling K&D from ~$1.5M to over $20M in annual revenue. Together, they unpack the boring but powerful principles that create predictable growth—things like standardized sales processes, labor hour management, focusing on what you’re already great at, and spending more time with your A-players. 

If you’re tired of chasing shiny objects and want to build a real revenue engine that scales, this conversation is for you.  

00:00 – Intro & welcome 
01:20 – Justin’s family business story & sudden move into the CEO role 
04:00 – Learning leadership the hard way at 25 
07:00 – Casting a big vision before you believe it 
10:20 – Unhealthy beliefs landscapers have about revenue growth 
13:30 – The “boring” systems that actually scale revenue 
18:45 – Why standardized sales processes reduce stress 
22:30 – Doing more of what your company is already great at 
26:45 – Labor hour management as the master KPI 
31:00 – How to improve estimated vs. actual labor hours 
36:00 – Spending more time with A-players 
40:00 – Final rapid-fire insights & closing thoughts

What if the biggest growth driver for your landscaping business isn’t ads, equipment, or even skill—but partnerships?

In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Kevin Scott reveals how 90% of revenue comes from partnerships with architects, builders, vendors, realtors, municipalities, and even customers.

Expect to learn: -Why you should never email proposals again -How nagging a single architect turned into $90M of work -Why a deep bench of local partners and friends can you help you weather a challenging market

Timestamps: 
0:00 – Intro & Studio Bloopers 😂 
1:58 – Why partnerships drive 90% of revenue 
3:19 – What young landscapers get wrong 
8:55 – The partnership funnel (charcuterie boards & donuts 🍩) 
11:22 – Why partnerships matter more than ever in today’s economy 
13:46 – Finish strong or blow the whole project 
16:25 – Stop emailing proposals—always present them live 
24:35 – The $90M lesson: persistence pays off 
39:43 – Community as the glue of business longevity 
44:19 – Kevin’s new role as LeanScaper advisor & final advice 

What if the key to keeping more money in your landscaping business isn’t selling more work—but finally building a budget you’ll stick to?

In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Meaghan Likes—entrepreneur, financial educator, and owner of multiple home-service companies—who has built hundreds of budgets and helped contractors hit double-digit net profit with simple systems. 

Meaghan breaks down why most landscapers avoid budgeting, how to shift your mindset from “restriction” to “design,” and the step-by-step framework she uses to build profitable, realistic plans for the year ahead. 

Expect to learn: 

• Why 99% of businesses operate without a real budget 
• The mindset shift that makes budgeting empowering, not restrictive 
• How last year’s P&L tells the real story of your business 
• Why gross profit is the metric that drives everything 
• The 5 core numbers every landscaper must call for 2026 
• How to actually use your budget all year long 

If you want clarity, confidence, and a system to build a profitable year—this episode is your blueprint. 

0:00 — Intro & quick setup 
1:00 — Why most businesses avoid budgeting 
2:35 — Budgeting as designing the life you want 
5:45 — Getting past the overwhelm of your first budget 
8:07 — How to review last year before planning ahead 
12:14 — Revenue capacity analysis (simple napkin math) 
17:25 — What your P&L reveals about spending patterns 
18:11 — The importance of gross profit 
22:18 — Start with this number: what you want to earn 
30:53 — Turning budgets into better hiring decisions 
31:42 — The 5 numbers to call for next year 
36:57 — How to stick to the budget all year 
39:32 — What to keep, cut, and invest in for 2026 
41:37 — Where to find Meaghan Likes 

The old marketing funnel is broken (or at the very least has some holes in it). In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Marc Levesque of Webrunner Media to break down why contractors keep wasting money on leads, how to actually generate AND capture demand, and the exact steps to fix your “leaky funnel” before you pour more money into ads.

Timestamps:
0:00 – Why the old marketing funnel is broken
5:05 – Lead magnets, nurturing, and why it doesn’t work anymore
9:50 – The #1 mistake contractors make in marketing
14:18 – Why you need to think like a media company
17:43 – Stop wasting your content (do this instead)
23:20 – Paying for eyeballs works (here’s why)
27:26 – How to audit your own company
38:41 – The “10K contractor who wants $100K jobs” story
42:52 – Why most campaigns fail (leaky buckets)
49:51 – The two biggest wastes in contractor marketing

In this episode, Benji sits down with serial entrepreneur and podcaster Dwayne Kerrigan, who has owned 35+ businesses across 14 industries. From road building to landscaping to restaurants, Dwayne shares the 5 fundamental business skill sets that span industries.

You’ll hear:

• Why vision is a muscle anyone can build
• The 20-minute “think time” writing exercise that forces breakthroughs
• The shocking truth about culture: you get what you tolerate
• Why sales scripts are the ultimate freedom—not a crutch

⏰ Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: 35+ businesses before 40
06:59 – The power of singular focus vs. juggling businesses
12:51 – Vision is a muscle, not just a gift
16:23 – The power of better questions
22:40 – The brutal 20-minute think-time exercise
27:29 – Culture = you get what you tolerate
41:12 – Sales is table stakes—find the pain point
57:57 – Becoming data-driven: P&Ls and finance days
01:01:51 – Advice to 21-year-old me

Unlock the hidden metrics that actually drive profitability in contracting and landscaping businesses. In this episode, LeanScaper CEO Mike Lysecki breaks down why profit numbers lie, how throughput reveals the truth, and the exact ratios you should track to make more money.

Expect to learn: 

• The “labor efficiency ratio” and how it instantly shows if your crews are productive
• How mowing can look more profitable than hardscape — but throughput proves the opposite
• The universal “bottleneck law” that applies to every contracting business 
• Why one superstar foreman can outperform ten average employees 

⏱ Timestamps 
00:00 – Why profit numbers mislead business owners 
07:30 – The steel plant story that changed everything 
09:43 – Labor efficiency ratio explained in plain English 
18:41 – Why labor isn’t really a variable expense 
22:26 – The bottleneck analogy: assembly lines & paint booths 
36:53 – Mowing vs hardscape: the shocking profit truth 
46:49 – How TBG slashed overhead to 7% 
51:46 – The one check every sales team should add 
57:39 – Why a superstar foreman is worth 10 employees 
01:05:58 – The data mantra that separates average from elite companies 

⸻ 

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