We have the privilege of sitting down with Shawn Langton, the visionary founder of Kujo Yardwear, to delve into the captivating story of product development and business growth. Join us as we explore the journey of starting the Kujo Yard, from the inception of an idea to the creation of a revolutionary shoe designed specifically for lawn mowing. 

Along the way, we'll uncover the importance of treating customers like gold, strategies for balancing different roles within a business, the power of having a clear vision, and the wisdom of creating a niche in marketing. Get ready for insightful conversations and key takeaways that will inspire and empower you in your own entrepreneurial pursuits. Let's dive in and learn from the experiences and lessons shared by our remarkable guest.

"When it comes to be in a very specific niche, when I wanted to start a shoe company, that was my dream as a kid. I'm doing it, but there's no way in the world I'm going to just compete as a general like athletic shoe or general hiking shoe going against like Nike We had no chance but the only chance we have surviving and actually making something here is to have a very specific niche, do it really, really well and just focus on it and just in just try to be the best in that very specific niche." - Shawn Langton

Topics Covered: 

• The process of starting the Kujo Yard
• Creating a shoe for lawn mowing
• The importance of treating your customers like gold
• How to balance different roles in the business
• Strategy and relationship building
• Having a clear vision is powerful
• The importance of having a clear vision
• One of the smartest things in marketing is to create a niche

Key Takeaways "Like you said ideas are not that it's easy. I mean a good ideas is worth a million dollars but ideas are the easy part everybody you know, there's a lot of people that have a lot better ideas than me about things but it's like you said it's the work it's the execution it's the investment it's figuring out how to create a great product bringing it to market and then just busting your butt in the sales and marketing to really you know get people to try it and then once people to try it once people try it that's even the harder part now you have to have outstanding customer service and fortunately that's something I thought of right from the beginning like customers are gold." - Shawn

"I used to make these these crazy videos. And I still do have like me trimming trees and cussing and yelling and talking about being in the trenches and business and like, I still make some of those videos. But as I've grown a bit, I'm more becoming interested in the deep entrepreneurial conversations that caused the highs are the eureka moments where make you reframe something in your brain that makes you oh my god, that's the answer. And these answers move the needle forward. That helped you realize something in your life and business that make you make an extra 50 or 100 grand this year, that make you you know, be able to upgrade your lifestyle and provide for your family better to watch some of your own dreams come true instead of just getting excited of entertaining information." - Keith

 Connect with Shawn

Website: https://www.kujo.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kujoyardwear Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KujoYardwearLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kujo-yardwear/

 Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

Resources and Websites: 

🙋♂️Get My Free Landscaping Business Startup Video Series Here👇  Here https://www.keithkalfas.com/Landscaping-Series

Landscaping Course https://keith-kalfas.mykajabi.com/store/8bFERMcs

LANDSCAPING BUSINESS  How to Guide: https://www.keithkalfas.com/16

Get Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs

Get Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/

How do we attract more clients and stand out against competitors’ businesses through effective marketing strategies and systems?   As today’s guest says, attracting qualified leads is hard, and landing bigger jobs can be tough. With all the advancement going on, there’s a lot more competition and challenges on the sides. But that’s exactly why he’s here today – to share golden nuggets you can easily implement. Join us as we learn from Matt Thibeau today.   Matt Thibeau is the Owner and Founder of Savant Marketing Agency, helping contractors systemize their marketing and sales process. He is one of the top digital marketing experts in the home improvement industry, an Author of Dude 2.0, and a Client Acquisition Expert for top construction companies across North America.   Through Matt and Savant Marketing Agency, you can get new ideas, new concepts, and new strategies, giving you results that make your phone ring, projects that make you more profit, and systems that save you time. So what are you waiting for? Have your note-taking tools ready, for we are about to drop mind-bombs on today’s episode of Untrapped!

    “In the beginning, the best things that you can be doing are gathering what I call proof assets, and that would be pictures; just snapping quick pictures of your work and really showing before and after pictures of the best thing you can show so someone actually has a level of comparison. Because when you just show an after picture, then people have nothing to compare it to. So, it is important to be able to show, like, ‘Hey, here’s what it looked like before—crappy, ugly lawn or backyard—and then here’s what it looks like now.”   – Matt Thibeau

    Topics Covered   00:00 – “In the beginning, the best things that you can be doing are gathering what I call proof assets, and that would be pictures.”   Welcoming today’s awesome guest, Matt Thibeau   03:51 – “I’ve always been interested in marketing, but I kind of just fell into the contracting niche. And so, I just kind of ran with it from there.”   Who is Matt Thibeau? Why is he doing the work that he does? How is he able to understand all the subtle nuances of what contractors actually go through?   06:37 – “If you’re going to be out and doing jobs, you might as well start building a portfolio. Start capturing those jobs that you’re actually doing. Just take a moment, snap before and after pictures, because what I call that is building out what’s called proof assets.”   Why is a portfolio a must-have when you’re aiming to get a lot more leads and position yourself as a credible business that stands out against the competition? How do you create before and after pictures for that?   10:04 – “What I like to tell our clients is get into the habit of some kind of system or protocol and how you go about doing a job or onboarding a client, so then you literally can have a checklist and be like, cool.”   Matt shares tips on the importance of getting into the habit of having a system or protocol that’s built right into every job. He also talks about getting into the habit of getting reviews and using that to attract more clients, highlighting why you should only ask for a testimonial when your clients are happy and excited.   16:19 – “A golden nugget that you can start implementing that I guarantee you not a lot of landscapers are doing is you can start looking for ways to get people’s attention by adding value into your service with something free that you throw in instead of discounting something.”   On giving out freebies, discounts, and warranties: Which is more effective if you want to get people’s attention and stand out against competitors?   18:46 – Want a FREE copy of Matt’s book, “Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors”? Find out how and where to get yours now!   20:24 – “Google ads are going to be more expensive and more competitive. Just because it’s been around longer, there’s a lot more competition on there. But the thing is that Google ads is going to be a more qualified lead that you get from there.”   What is the best route to get into advertising? Comparing Google ads to Facebooks ads for beginners and close clients   26:35 – “What I see a lot of is people going way too wide with their services way too soon. If you’re a newer landscaping business, then stick to one or two things that you can really rock, and you’re the go-to guy for that.”   “Niche down, a scale that, become the go-to guy, and then start going wider”: The importance of niching down and focusing on one niche before going wide on your services   29:59 – Connect with Matt Thibeau     Key Takeaways   “If you’re going to be out and doing jobs, you might as well start building a portfolio. Start capturing those jobs that you’re actually doing. Just take a moment, snap before and after pictures, because what I call that is building out what’s called proof assets.”   “If you wait like a week later, and then you say, ‘Hey, can you give us a review?’ then you’re risking that maybe he got in a fight with his wife when you send that email, or maybe something happened in his family that’s just bad, or maybe he got fired from his job or whatever. Obviously, now, your review isn’t going to be the top priority, or maybe you’re risking that his emotional state isn’t going to be in the right state to catch him. So when he’s in that moment or she, and they’re saying like, ‘Wow, you’re so amazing,’ you want to catch it right there. You want to catch them in that peak state of excitement because that’s a window of time that’s limited.”   “A golden nugget that you can start implementing that I guarantee you not a lot of landscapers are doing is you can start looking for ways to get people’s attention by adding value into your service with something free that you throw in instead of discounting something.”   “In your first couple of years, Google ads might be something that might be a little bit further down the line for you. So then that means that Facebook ads would be a really good option to start with. Definitely, you’re going to have to have fewer quality leads that come through that, but you’re going to be able to get into the advertising game less expensively and be able to start generating your own leads and not just rely on referrals.”   “Niche down, and then really, really scale that and become the go-to guy for that, and then start going wider.”     Connect with Matt Thibeau   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.thibeau/ Facebook Group: Renovation Contractor Success YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattthibeau   Website: https://savantmarketingagency.com/   Connect with Keith    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/     Resources/People Mentioned:   My Website: Official Site Keith Kalfas Matt’s book: Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors FREE mp3 download of Matt’s book: https://contractormarketingbook.com/ Savant Marketing Agency: https://savantmarketingagency.com/   Jobber: www.getjobber.com/keith Ballard Products: www.ballard-inc.com/ Jill’s Office: www.jillsoffice.com/    

In today's discussion, our guest Allyn Hane, a seasoned lawn professional, shares valuable insights on the benefits of adding spray services to your lawn business. Allyn emphasizes that incorporating spray services not only allows you to generate excellent profits but also offers a unique value proposition to customers by tapping into a market with less competition and saturation. Throughout the episode, we delve into a range of topics, including the importance of learning your land as a new homeowner, finding joy in mowing, implementing integrated pest management strategies, debunking fears around fertilizer usage, identifying different types of pests, and maximizing earnings through pesticide spraying. Additionally, we explore the experience of working for a lawn care company, the two enemies of a thriving lawn, and when it might be time to hire a receptionist to maintain a positive customer experience. Prepare to gain valuable insights and key takeaways from this enlightening conversation!

Key takeaways from this episode include Allyn's clarification that fertilizers do not cause lawn burns and the importance of proper calibration and adherence to label instructions. As a lawn professional, it's crucial to overcome any fears surrounding fertilizer usage and understand that it contributes to the overall health and beauty of the lawn. Keith also shares a helpful tip for dealing with burnout in your business by hiring a receptionist to ensure a positive front-facing voice while you focus on other essential aspects.

"I was talking to them talking to lawn professionals, a lot of y'all you want to add spray service. And I think you should- I think it's excellent way to make good profit and offer something to customers that has a little less competition and a little less saturation. " - Allyn Hane

Topics Covered: 

• Learning your land as new homeowner
• Having fun mowing
• Integrated pest management
• Should you be afraid of fertilizer?
• Different types of pest
• Earning by spraying pesticides 
• Working for a lawn care company
• Two enemies of lawn
• When to hire a receptionist
• Sacred trust with nature and earth

Key Takeaways "The thing about fertilizing is people have a fear of it. Even lawn professionals that are like lawn companies I talk to a lot of guys like that they have a fear of fertilizer, their fear given a burn something. So fertilizer doesn't burn the lawn. And they're just going to tell you that right now, even if you put down a Triple Thick application for some reason, because you didn't read the label, because you didn't calibrate your spreader, whatever you're not going to bring along." - Allyn

"if you ever get into a place in your business where you are just burned out and you're sick of talking to customers, and you cannot muster up the energy to be super nice and polite and happy and helpful just because it happens. Hire a receptionist who will be the good front facing voice for your business. And then you could just leave the field and muscle through it." - Keith

 Connect with Allyn 

Website: https://thelawncarenut.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allynhane/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThelawncarenutTwitter: https://twitter.com/AllynPaul 

 Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

Resources and Websites: 

🙋♂️Get My Free Landscaping Business Startup Video Series Here👇  Here https://www.keithkalfas.com/Landscaping-Series

Landscaping Course https://keith-kalfas.mykajabi.com/store/8bFERMcs

LANDSCAPING BUSINESS  How to Guide: https://www.keithkalfas.com/16

Get Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs

Get Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/

Do you want to start a business in the aquascape industry, doing ponds and water features, Or maybe add this to your existing services, but you don’t know how to?

Today’s guest was once just like you—a typical guy that got into the business without actually knowing the business. He was a machine builder 25 years ago and just happened to get into aquascape through a spark of interest he felt upon having his pond in his backyard. But through his passion, he was able to be in the industry of the highest profit in the landscaping business. 

Join us as we discuss how he was able to take a step into this industry and learn how you can make high profits with ponds and water features!

Jeff Michaels owns Pondering Waters, an indoor and outdoor design, installation, and maintenance company that has been installing for 25 years with a unique understanding of the wants and needs of both residential and commercial customers. More than just your typical pond company, they are extremely passionate and have unique ideas for water feature designs. Pondering Waters maintains the delicate ecosystems that make up a biological environment while ensuring clients' enjoyment. 

“Keep it simple stupid. Don’t go into this industry thinking, ‘Okay, I’m going to get a dump trailer. I’m going to go buy an excavator. I started out with my pickup truck, wheelbarrow, shovels, and all that. As long as you have that, you can get a business started doing water features.”

– Jeff Michaels  

  Topics Covered   00:00 – “What we actually do is we get hired by friends of ours. At other pond companies, we hire each other out to do large projects because it’s those large projects that, if you don’t have a good team around you, things can go bad really quickly. We just help each other out on large-scale projects, and it just makes the project go really smoothly.”

Keith introduces today’s awesome guest, Jeff Michaels, as they talk about Jeff’s experience of traveling to nine different states to do various aquascape work over the past couple of years, like installing a water feature at a zoo.

05:52 – “The more money you’re gonna make is basically on smaller scale jobs. It’s not always the bigger jobs.”

What are the profit margins that somebody can see versus general property maintenance of trimming people’s bushes, installing mulch, and cutting grass? How’s the money made in the aquascape industry?

09:10 – “If a customer wants me to really get artistic using bigger boulders and really take our time on doing these jobs, it’s going to cost a little bit more because you’re spending more time on it.”

Jeff gives a cookie-cutter recommendation as he shares how he was able to do nine grand works in a day and how you can do the same.

13:54 – “When I got done with that job, and she looked at it, she had nothing to say…She ended up being one of the best customers I’ve ever had.”

Talking about Jeff’s first pond job, highlighting how he could do it even when he had no experience in the business as he was a machine builder 25 years ago.

15:56 – “There’s always money to be made on just this one customer alone. It’s a revolving money-making business.”

What do the terms pond clean out, shut down, and start-up mean? How do Jeff and his team do it under certain circumstances?

21:13 – “Now that I know what I know now and we’ve got all the processes in place, that really doesn’t happen.”

Discussion about doing the right things when taking care of your ponds and fishes.

24:05 – “Keep it simple stupid. Don’t go into this industry thinking, ‘Okay, I’m going to get a dump trailer. I’m going to go buy an excavator. I started out with my pickup truck, wheelbarrow, shovels, and all that. As long as you have that, you can get a business started doing water features.”

The first step and first pieces of equipment you would need if you want to dive into this industry

28:28 – “It’s a passion. When you’re passionate about something, you get excited about it, and you want to do more.”

Does Jeff’s whole life revolve around ponds? What’s the dopest thing he’s ever done regarding a pond?

33:01 – Serious about getting into this industry? Pondering Waters is doing some massive hiring right now! 

  Key Takeaways

“On the smallest stock, smaller scale, I tried to focus on a 50% profit margin; that’s my profit margin. Larger scale, you can try to get that 50%, but it’s really tricky because one thing goes wrong on a large project, there goes your profit margin.”

“The biggest thing when you’re doing projects like this is knowing your numbers. If a company does not know your numbers, you can really go down south pretty quick.”

“It all goes back to tracking and knowing your numbers. You get to know what your operational costs are. I think that’s where a lot of contractor kind of mess up a little bit.”

“You got to have something and experiment with it. You got to know what you’re talking about. You can take all the classes you want, but what happens if you experience something at your own pond that you haven’t experienced because, basically, you’re doing it through books and videos? Sometimes, something might come up that you don’t know about. You need to know how to handle it. That’s where having your own pond actually comes into play.”

Connect with Jeff Michaels 

Website: https://ponderingwaters.com/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PonderingWaters   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ponderingwaters/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PonderingWaters/   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepondotter 

Connect with Keith    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas   Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/       Resources/People Mentioned:

Eternal Tattoos Koi Pond: Our Favorite Koi Pond Rebuild: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhRqfwv4QaA

Jill’s Office: www.jillsoffice.com/  Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/ 

Jobber: https://www.keithkalfas.com/blog/jobber

Welcome to the Untrapped Podcast, where we explore into the keys to success and personal growth. In this episode, Patrick Clark shares his valuable insights on the importance of building an accountability circle and surrounding yourself with mentors and coaches who can fill your cup.

Throughout the discussion, Patrick covers a range of topics, including serving customers at a high level, boosting sales both on-site and in the field, and the science behind creating effective packages. He also emphasizes the significance of structure, self-discipline, and the critical decision to hire people who are better than you. Patrick draws connections between one's personal and professional life, highlighting how they can reflect one another. The power of saying yes and saying no, as well as the three types of people in the sales process, are also explored. Lastly, he underscores the importance of being obsessed with sales and selling. 

"You need to have an accountability circle around you, and have mentors and coaches pouring into your cup. Because if you're pouring your cup into your team, and nobody's filling your cup up, you're gonna run out. And then there's gonna be that braking moment where you're literally and I've been there, don't get me wrong. I've been there multiple times, like I'm in a ball, hyperventilating, because it's all on me." - Patrick Clark

Topics Covered: 

• Serving customer at a high level.
• Sales boost on-site, sales boost in the field.
• There is a science to making packages.
• The importance of structure and self-discipline.
• Hire people who are better than you.
• Personal life can be a reflection of professional life.
• The importance of saying yes and saying no.
• Three types of people in the sales process.
• The importance of being obsessed with sales and selling.

Key Takeaways "So I had to hire people, and hire people that were better than me, that would hold the team accountable better than me, because as an owner, you're gonna go out there and you're like, I don't need to do the checklists, I already know all this stuff, I already know it, and you're not going to follow the system, and then you're going to train the next guy to not follow the system." - Patrick

"And I was able to cross that boundary, because I had a moral dilemma, like, Yeah, but I'm really feeling this way. Like, how am I supposed to go and completely smile to these people and act like nothing's wrong, they're gonna be able to see through it. And then I'll then I'm a liar, then I'm a liar. And it was like this thing that I went through. And when I got through it by saying, wait a second, I can be going through something and be stressed out, but still be incredibly nice to a customer, because I care about them. Because it's a higher moral law. It's like, it's a higher level that you ascend through. And we'll get too deep into that should but you can navigate through these situations." - Keith

 Connect with Thomas

Website: https://salesboostlive.com/ https://patclark.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-clark-879a6b18/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatClarkCourse: https://www.pressurewashingschool.com/product/pat-clark-sales-boost/

Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

Resources and Websites: 

🙋♂️Get My Free Landscaping Business Startup Video Series Here👇  Here https://www.keithkalfas.com/Landscaping-Series

Landscaping Course https://keith-kalfas.mykajabi.com/store/8bFERMcs

LANDSCAPING BUSINESS  How to Guide: https://www.keithkalfas.com/16

Get Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs

Get Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/

Joshua Latimer started his window-washing business with nothing, but through his wisdom and efforts, he became a successful serial entrepreneur who helped many people become millionaires. Despite having five kids, he has launched a number of hugely successful businesses, making him my definition of a genius. With his ability to challenge your beliefs about entrepreneurship, abundance, business, and success, this episode is sure to blow your mind! I know you want to succeed, that is why you are still reading, I assure you that if you are committed to making that happen, you will tune in to today's episode and absorb the wisdom he will share because I guarantee that you will be able to get a million dollar's worth of value by listening.  

Joshua Latimer hosts the Quick Talk Podcast - Grow Your Service Business. Currently, the show is in its seventh year. As the founder of AutomateGroseSell.com, he has helped small service business owners understand the power of simple systems. In July 2021, he founded KidWarPlan.com, intending to teach kids how to improve their knowledge, confidence, and maturity. Joshua has also spoken at numerous seminars and events as a guest speaker, sharing his knowledge of upscale business strategies with entrepreneurs.

  “When you explain to people what you do, don't just tell them the name of the service. Stop selling services and start selling stacks. You need to stack your value.” 

– Joshua Latimer 

   Topics Covered     00:12 – “If you don’t know who he is, you will. He drops mind-bombs, and he has this way of creating proprietary language when he speaks.”    Introducing today’s awesome guest, Joshua Latimer, while talking about the stages of businesses    05:45 – “I sold it because it’s not the greatest business model in the world; it’s just not. It’s a perfect training wheels business.”    In spite of the fact that his service business was thriving at the time, Josh explains why he sold it.    12:09 – “You want your pricing to actually reflect the future version of your company.”    We talk about the typical EBITDA of a 1.5 million dollar company, along with tips for getting a multiple of four to five at the exit.   17:36 – “Price objections are a derivative of expectation.”  If you get price objections when you are growing your business, how can you change the outcome?   30:36 – “Instead of trying to get money, there are four things you should try to obsess about the goal of getting instead of money that automatically give you money. So if you get these four things, money will happen to you.

Is money the only thing you should focus on? If you want to succeed and think about how to get money, Josh recommends having these four qualities. This is what he refers to as success derivatives, which will help you achieve victory.

   Key Takeaways    “For a lot of people, the service business is where they learn business…but what you’ll also learn as you eventually have success with your service company is that it’s not the greatest business model ever. I’m not disparaging it; it’s just not.”    “If you think that you have to be the cheapest, well, you’re literally destined to just struggle, and it’s going to be harder for you.”    “Stop selling services and start selling stacks. You need to stack your value…Money is the byproduct of being a value creator in the marketplace, for your customers, and for your employees. Money happens automatically when you’re a person of value and enthusiasm.”    “You got to stop trying to get money to make a lot of money.”          Connect with Joshua Latimer    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoshuaLatimer   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Joshua-Latimer/100006782565455/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetjoshlatimer/       Connect with Keith  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas   Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/         Resources/People Mentioned: My Website:   https://www.keithkalfas.com/ Brian Haggerty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bchaggerty/  Tommy Mello: https://homeserviceexpert.com/  Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/   Jill's Office: https://www.keithkalfas.com/blog/jillsoffice  

Welcome to this episode of Untrapped Podcast! In this insightful discussion, we delve into the world of landscaping and business success with Thomas O'Halloran, an experienced entrepreneur who knows the importance of separating emotions from the business realm. As Thomas shares his journey, he emphasizes the significance of putting our hearts, souls, and hard work into our ventures while maintaining an objective mindset.

Throughout the conversation, we explore various topics, including Thomas's beginnings in landscaping, the power of personal interactions, the value of building credit, and the differences between residential and commercial contracts. Additionally, we uncover the benefits of seasonal contracts versus per-push contracts, dive into the transformative seven-figure landscaper program, and highlight the significance of being hands-on in one's business.

Furthermore, this episode enlightens us on the importance of maintaining a hyper-specific list and implementing effective local market domination strategies for business marketing. Join us as we uncover these key insights and take away valuable lessons from Thomas O'Halloran's wealth of experience in the landscaping industry.

"Whatever you do try to keep the emotion out of business and that's really hard when you build something because we put our hearts and our souls and our literal sweat, blood, and tears right into this stuff. There's no way, we as human beings, we cannot change anybody's mind we can persuade in one way or the other" - Thomas O'Halloran

Topics Covered: 

• How Thomas got started in landscaping.
• The power of meeting people face-to-face in person.
• Building personal credit and business credit.
• Residential vs commercial contracts.
• The benefits of seasonal contracts vs per-push contracts.
• The seven-figure landscaper program.
• The importance of being in the field in your business.
• The importance of having a hyper-specific list.
• Local market domination strategy and business marketing blueprint.

Key Takeaways "So work your way up, man. That's definitely how to do it. But to remind you how to get there, how I got there. Man, just focus, you got to focus. You can think about a million other things to do in your business, but only nothing is worth it unless you can sell something. Make sure you focus on the sale. Like in my other company, I say success starts with the sale. I don't care if you've got the brand new, more the brand new piece of equipment. If you can't sell the frickin job, it's not worth it. Focus on the sale, learn your bidding, and do it right the first time and then focus on the fancy thing, right?" - Thomas

"When you have the right people, things go a lot smoother. Like, with my crew, we have all the quotes and everything communicated on Jobber. And it's hyper-specific, exactly what needs to be done, and the line items are very detailed. And then if it's a job that it's more than just maintenance, and it requires digging, planting, transplanting, building rocks, whatever it is, I will just meet with the guys there in the morning, you know, do a very detailed property walk. And they also on their phones, they get a detailed list and I'll go down the list with them. " - Keith

 Connect with Thomas

Website: https://www.tcolandscapesec.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-o-halloran-59683b123Landscaping Course: https://sixfigurelandscaper.com/bidding_system

Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

Resources and Websites: 

🙋♂️Get My Free Landscaping Business Startup Video Series Here👇  Here https://www.keithkalfas.com/Landscaping-Series

Landscaping Course https://keith-kalfas.mykajabi.com/store/8bFERMcs

LANDSCAPING BUSINESS  How to Guide: https://www.keithkalfas.com/16

Get Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs

Get Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/

How do we DIY our way into having a healthier lawn and, at the same time, impress our landscaping clients with our A++ ways?   We all want a healthier lawn, be that for our own land or our clients’. However, more often than not, we tend to skip the basics, so we end up with burnout, either internally or within the business. But what if we tell you that even just by enjoying the “mow-ment,” you can strengthen both your lawn and yourself, thus leading both to better health?   Whether you want to do it because you want to dominate your neighbors or you want everybody to go, “Dang, this dude’s got his lawn dialed,” there’s no doubt that this episode is perfect for you!   Allyn Hane started his first lawn business in 1987 at the age of 14 with a bright orange Sears push mower. Fast forward to 1998, he started working for the world’s largest lawn service, TruGreen, where he got the knowledge that he transcribes into videos and articles, adding his own opinions and spin. He stands proud and tall on his philosophy that organic lawns look better and resist problems better for the long haul; to him, it’s just a smarter choice. Tune into this episode to discover his tips on how to impress your clients and have a healthier lawn!

    “Get out and learn your land; that’s really the most important thing. There are certain things you’ll learn over time, but it starts just by getting out and measuring your lawn. So, get out, walk that lawn, learn your land, and pay attention when you’re doing it.”

 – Allyn Hane.

    Topics Covered   01:03 – “Over the years, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of lawn professionals that are in the audience…so I appreciate you having me on. I love being in front of this audience of lawn professionals and, hopefully, bring value today.”   Keith welcomes today’s awesome guest, Allyn Hane of The Lawn Care Nut.   03:44 – “For people that do a lot of fitness, you know your body, you know how far you can push it, you know when you’re going to get an injury; you just learn your body over time. And that’s really the same with your lawn—you learn it over time—and that’s really how you can be successful.”   Tip #1: Get out and learn your land. Here, Allyn discusses the importance of knowing your land as he shares simple things you can do to improve the lawn.   06:40 – “That’s what mowing is; it’s going to really strengthen the lawn. And that’s actually true. The more you mow, the healthier your lawn is.”   Tip #2: Learn to love the mow. Enjoy the “mow-ment.” Here, Allyn talks about reframing lawn care both as a time for personal development and a workout, explaining how mowing is like cardio that can give you immediate gratification, an endorphin rush, and a healthier lawn   10:41 – “As a DIY-er, I only have my own lawn below, I’m only taking care of one property, I know it like the back of my hand, I can take care of the bug. This is the thing about being a DIY-er; this is the advantage that I see.”   Allyn highlights the advantages of being a DIY-er as he talks about lawn leveling and the importance of having patience.   14:19 – “I’m just safer by design because I put less chemicals down, and I only put it where it’s needed.”   What can you do to deal with a pest (e.g., weed) problem when you have a dog, making sure that the chemicals aren’t going to make your pet sick?   20:23 – “Fertilizer doesn’t burn the lawn unless you spill it.”   Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to throw down.

Here, Allyn enlightens you on the benefits of putting fertilizer on your lawn as he discusses the need to be licensed if you want to get into spraying -cides. He also encourages people who are just starting out to try working for TruGreen for a couple of years.   27:55 – “So many people, they want to put a miracle application on the law that’s going to take care of everything, and I get it—that’s how our world operates; we want immediate results. But lawn care is different, and this is why it’s good therapy for people.”   Tip #4: Don’t expect immediate results.

Here, Allyn shares why lawn care is a good therapy for people while also explaining why it’s a must that you learn and start with the basics.   32:01 – “Go get that real training somewhere that is doing what you want to do, whether you like the way they do it or not. If they’re the biggest, if they’re the leader, go learn from them. There’s a lot of positives there, too, that you can do while you’re learning.”   Keith and Allyn reading and answering comments.   39:25 – “The first time you see a brown spot in your lawn, the first rule of thumb is to just dig; just see what you’ll find.”   Allyn shares tales from the trenches of his TruGreen years as far as crazy customers, educating you on what to do with brown spots. Keith and Allyn continue to read comments afterward   44:08 – “If that fertilizer were to be blown off of your lawn from a thunderstorm in the summer and go down into the rivers and then out into the gulf, it could create what is called red tide.”   Allyn talks about lightning’s beneficial help to your lawn. He also talks about phosphorus runoff and algal blooms such as red tide and how it’s usually formed. (Sign up for Allyn’s email list for the best content)   47:21 – “There’s a theory that female dogs are worse because they are lower to the ground, and they actually cause more damage.”   Allyn explains how dog pee and/or poop can cause brown spots to appear on your lawn. Keith also talks about the most professional way to deny a client service due to personal capacity before proceeding to read and answer comments again.  

    Key Takeaways   “For people that do a lot of fitness, you know your body, you know how far you can push it, you know when you’re going to get an injury; you just learn your body over time. And that’s really the same with your lawn—you learn it over time—and that’s really how you can be successful.”   “Mowing is like cardio. The more cardio you do, the healthier your heart is. It just makes you have more stamina. You’re able to do things that you weren’t able to do before when you have good cardio. That’s what mowing is; it’s going to really strengthen the lawn. And that’s actually true. The more you mow, the healthier your lawn is.”   “These little things that you do are what are going to make the biggest difference.”   “We want to fertilize the lawn to make it thicker because a thicker lawn is the best defense against weeds.”   “Go get that real training somewhere that is doing what you want to do, whether you like the way they do it or not. If they’re the biggest, if they’re the leader, go learn from them. There’s a lot of positives there, too, that you can do while you’re learning.”     Connect with Allyn Hane, Lawn Care Nut   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allynhane/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thelawncarenut     Connect with Keith    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/     Resources/People Mentioned:   My Website: Official Site Keith Kalfas My Podcast Page: The UNTRAPPED Podcast   Lawn Care Nut: https://thelawncarenut.com/ Yard Care Bootcamp: https://www.yardcarebootcamp.com/ TruGreen: https://www.trugreen.com/ Yard Mastery: https://yardmastery.com/   Jill’s Office: https://www.jillsoffice.com/ Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs  

In this episode, we sit down with Naylor Taliaferro, an event creator and community builder who shares his passion for connecting people and bringing them together. Naylor talks about his childhood experiences and how they contributed to his success today.

We delve into why live events have exploded for the industry and community, the power of meeting people face-to-face, and the importance of having one powerful conversation. We also discuss why podcasting is the new form of medium and how live streaming became a thing.

Tune in to hear Naylor's inspiring story and key takeaways on the importance of creating a nucleus and surrounding yourself with the right people.

"I've just been connected. And I don't want to be unconnected, I just want to keep doing whatever I can to keep making more events and more opportunities to connect people and bring people together." - Naylor Taliaferro

Topics Covered: 

• Why live events have exploded for the industry and community.
• The power of meeting people face-to-face in person.
• The importance of having one powerful conversation.
• Naylor's childhood experiences and how they contributed to his success today.
• Why podcasting is the new form of medium.
• How live streaming became a thing.
• "When you change the way you see things, the things you see change."

Key Takeaways "So I didn't have that nucleus, I didn't have a whole bunch of friends and a dad and you know, your siblings, and you know, all this stuff. So I feel like maybe there was a desire a deep down-rooted need for that, inside me that I didn't even know existed until I connected with this community. And then I was like, holy cow, like something inside me just really connected with this, the community long landscape committee as if they're my friends and family that I didn't know I missed or was in need of. And so now that just makes me passionate to continue to help the family and help our nucleus grow." - Naylor

"Just one powerful conversation. You can leave change and implement something different in your business because you got around the right people. And then you can get to the point where you've been three, five years, and you've been in the trenches. And now you find yourself face to face with someone who's just getting started and they're all anxious. And they're like, bro, I'm afraid to leave my job or go full time in my business. Do you like bro, you got this, you got this. And then now you speak life into somebody else. And they leave change. So it's a nucleus, it's getting around." - Keith

 Connect with Naylor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawncarerookie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naylor-taliaferro-8281845b/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/02puy7vBLJMMjpUlgr18qH?si=94171e04991b4de8&nd=1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawncarerookie/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LawnCareRookie

Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

Resources and Websites: 

🙋♂️Get My Free Landscaping Business Startup Video Series Here👇  Here https://www.keithkalfas.com/Landscaping-Series

Landscaping Course https://keith-kalfas.mykajabi.com/store/8bFERMcs

LANDSCAPING BUSINESS  How to Guide: https://www.keithkalfas.com/16

Get Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs

Get Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/

Are you ready to be inspired by extraordinary tales of success in the lawn care business? In this engaging discussion, our guest, Paul Jamison, emphasizes the critical role of the internet in propelling your business forward.

Throughout the episode, we explore diverse topics and success stories, including the profound influence of company culture on retaining employees, the significance of community in laying a solid foundation. Paul also underscores the importance of networking and surrounding yourself with ambitious individuals who ignite your drive to take action. Join us as we unravel the secrets to triumph in the lawn care industry and tap into the wisdom of seasoned professionals.

"You need to take the internet serious and learn how it can best serve your business, whether that's Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, podcast, AI, fill in the blank." - Paul Jamison

Topics Covered: 

• How a company culture affects employee retention
• Building a foundation through a community
• From lawn care business to real estate
• The success story of a man who quit his job on the shipyard to start a lawn business
• Importance of being available to network
• "Iron sharpens iron. So one man sharpens another"
• The type of friends you want to be with
• People who pay - pays attention
• Shortening your learning curve

Key Takeaways "It's great to have friends like that. Like we were talking literally two nights ago. And he was just talking about that, like, stop talking and take action like, and it's good to have friends like that. In Proverbs that says iron sharpens iron. so one man sharpens another. And if you actually visually watched what it would look like, for iron sharpens iron, it's ugly, it's it's friction, it's, you know, grinding against each other and just, it creates this result." - Paul

"When you want to do anything and you're committed, you will go out and ask for help. And you'll find the answers and you will get it done, you will be laser focused, and make it happen and I'm watching this happen all over the place with the internet. Now with our community, these podcasts, you can get access to the information much, much faster. And I'm also learning that paying for information is compressing time and shortening, shortening the learning curve like now when I want to learn something, I'm like, Who can I pay to help me? Is there somebody I can pay to consult me? Right? Because I'm not trying to go get it for free on YouTube. I'm literally trying to find the person and pay them to compress the time." - Keith

 Connect with Paul

Website: https://greenindustrypodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-jamison-8460b8179/Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/green-industry-podcast/id1438332614 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenindustrypodcast/?hl=en Youtube: www.youtube.com/@PaulJamison/

Connect with Keith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithkalfas/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelandscapingemployeetrap Website: https://www.keithkalfas.com/resources Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keith-kalfas

Resouces and Websites: 

🙋♂️Get My Free Landscaping Business Startup Video Series Here👇  Here https://www.keithkalfas.com/Landscaping-Series

Landscaping Course https://keith-kalfas.mykajabi.com/store/8bFERMcs

LANDSCAPING BUSINESS  How to Guide: https://www.keithkalfas.com/16

Get Jobber: https://getjobber.com/im/ambassador-referral/?gspk=a2VpdGhrYWxmYXM4NTIx&gsxid=Rs6pwtznLDcs

Get Ballard: https://www.ballard-inc.com/