Million Dollar Landscaper

It's never been more difficult to find and keep good employees.  Gone are the days when you could keep your team in line through fear and intimidation.   But new studies suggest that a new method of employee relations, called "Basic Human Decency," has been yielding positive results and shows much promise. Today Scott welcomes Million Dollar Academy Member Alec Naylor of Naylorscapes to the show to discuss the details.   QUESTION —How well do you know your employees?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Details are important.  More than important.  They're crucial.  But sometimes, we spend so much time focusing on the details that we lose sight of the big picture. On this week's show, Scott and Kati take a break from the details to take a step back, look at the big picture, and ask:  Is your business where you want it to be?       QUESTION —Where do you want your business to be?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Lately, we've been going on about your numbers and about how if you don't know them, it doesn't make sense just to sell more.  But I hope we haven't given anyone the idea that sales aren't important.  Of course, they are.  And so, on today's show, Scott and Kati talk about how you can turbo-charge your sales.  (Once you know your numbers, of course.)  QUESTION —How often do you follow up with a customer after a project is finished?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

There's a scene from "Sex And The City" where Carrie suddenly realizes how much money she has spent in her life on shoes.  And I'm betting that the face she makes is the same face that you're going to make when you realize how much you've been spending on landscaping equipment. In this weeks show Scott and Kati talk about this past weekend's hugely successful online numbers course. QUESTION —Do you know how much you're spending on equipment,  and were you shocked when you found out?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Whipped cream is delicious.  It works on so many different things.  cakes, waffles, ice cream... But garbage? On this week's episode, Scott and Kati talk about the importance of knowing your numbers and about how just making more sales without knowing your numbers is like putting whipped cream on garbage...   QUESTION —Have you signed up for our numbers course? Let us know on our Facebook Page.

The only thing better than an interview with Keith Kalfas is a Super-Long interview with Keith Kalfas, which requires that we split it up into two separate episodes just so that it will fit onto the internet.   This week's show is part two of Scott's conversation with a landscaper, podcaster, and YouTuber, Keith Kalfas.  They discuss the importance of maintaining a mindset that will position us for success in our businesses, our relationships, and our lives. QUESTION —Do you have, or are you thinking of starting, a YouTube channel?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

The Million Dollar Landscaper is all about helping you to be successful.  But too often, we fall into the "imposter syndrome" trap and convince ourselves that we don't deserve our success. On this week's show, Scott talks to landscaper, podcaster, and you-tuber Keith Kalfas about making sure we are approaching our business with a mindset that positions us for success in our businesses, our relationships, and our lives. Learn more about Keith at his YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/thelandscapingemployeetrapgoogle or on his website https://www.keithkalfas.com/ QUESTION —Have you ever felt as if you didn't deserve to be successful? Let us know on our Facebook Page.

When you look into the stories behind successful people, you find that most of them have a long history of failures.  But what they have managed to do, which most of us struggle with, is to learn from those failures and turn them into stepping stones on the way to success.  In today's episode, Scott and Kati examine the tricky business of learning from our failures.  QUESTION —Do you learn from your failures? (be honest!) Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Aside from the obvious ones (sharks, volcanos, sasquatch) there are many other things that can KILL your landscaping business.  But don't be afraid because, in this week's episode, Scott and Kati discuss how you can protect yourself from what they see as the top three existential threats to your business. ----more----

We have established that systems and procedures are a necessary part of running a successful landscaping business.  But what good are they if no one follows them?  And what reason do your employees have to follow them anyway?  What's in it for them? In this episode, Scott and Kati talk about helping your team understand the benefit of systems and procedures to every employee of a business.   QUESTION —How do you ensure that your employees are following your systems and procedures?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

There are always obstacles between us and our goals.  But many of these obstacles we create ourselves, and growing a business is challenging enough without continually standing in our own way. This week, Scott and Kati discuss three reasons why you might not be reaching your goals.    QUESTION —Do you have goals for your business this year?  What are they?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Someone once told me that if you aren't on the internet, then you DO NOT EXIST.  That may sound harsh, and at first, I thought it was a bit of an extreme point of view.  But more and more, i find myself thinking that they may have been right.  At least figuratively...   QUESTION — When was the last time you hired someone that you DIDN'T find online?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

SPAM.  We all get it. We all hate it.  And so we tend not to use it as part of our own marketing strategy because we don't want to annoy our potential customers.  But is there a way to use email to maintain contact with past clients and reach potential new clients without being a virtual nuisance? In this week's episode, Scott talks to Laura Reale of "Landscape Marketing Secrets" about the do's and don'ts of email marketing. Learn how Laura can up your email game at https://landscapemarketingsecrets.com/ QUESTION —Do you mind being contacted by a company that has done work for you in the past? Let us know on our Facebook Page.  

It's like my mother always said: "The best way to ensure your landscaping company's profitability is to fly to St. Louis for three days and have as much fun as possible..." And so on this week's episode, Scott talks to  Adam and Sahra Linnemann of The Green Executive about the Profit First For Landscapers Conference and Facility Tour, which takes place in St. Louis, Missouri, from September 28th to 30th. Register at: https://thegreenexecutive.com/events/. Hurry, early registration ends soon! QUESTION —Have you read the book Profit First? Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Summer will soon be over, and so will the busiest time of year for most landscaping businesses.  For many of us, the off-season means less work, less income, and fewer profits.  But what if it didn't have to be this way? In this week's episode, Scott talks to Jason Geiman about adding Christmas lights to your landscaping business. Learn more about Jason's Christmas Light Training program at https://www.kingofpressurewash.com/offers/J67SRtfM/checkout   QUESTION —How do you keep your team busy in the off-season? Let us know on our Facebook Page.

All the talking heads on all the news channels seem to agree that we are headed for a recession.  The only disagreement is over how bad it will be, how long it will last, and what or who is to blame. Batten down the hatches... But don't panic because, on this week's show, Scott and Kati talk about what steps you can take to make sure that your business is prepared to weather the storm of a recession. QUESTION —How bad do you think the recession will be?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

It was way too chaotic and loud in my house today to concentrate on writing show notes.  So I checked my "Systems and Procedures" manual.  It said I should pack up my laptop, go to the nearest British pub and write the show notes there.   Cheers! In this week's episode, Scott and Kati talk about systems and how the lack of them can be a threat to the very existence of your business.   QUESTION —Have you experienced a negative situation that could have been avoided if a system had been in place? Let us know on our Facebook Page.

Customer experience is the perception a customer has of a brand, based on the sum of all the interactions they have had with that brand.  If a person's impression of your company is positive, they are more likely to recommend you to others and to become a repeat customer themselves. This week, Scott and Kati discuss ways of creating a positive customer experience for your landscaping customers.      QUESTION —What are the best and worst customer experiences you can remember having? Let us know on our Facebook Page.

This week's episode is about Peaks and Valleys. "The indie film from 2019!" you ask?  "The one where a woman wrapped in plastic is thrown from a plane into a remote Alaskan lake, and then takes shelter in a secluded cabin after wandering naked through the northern wilderness for days?" Nope. Not that one.   This is a LANDSCAPING podcast, and today Scott and Kati discuss the peaks and valleys you encounter while running a LANDSCAPING business.   QUESTION — Do you feel like you're on a peak or in a valley?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.

There are people with a passion for landscaping, and there are people with a passion for accounting.  Some theorize that there may be some overlap between these two types of people, but studies so far have been inconclusive. In this week's episode, Scott and Kati discuss the importance of hiring an accountant for your landscaping business.    For all of your accounting needs, we recommend Cycle CPA. https://t2m.io/H4hkcEg QUESTION —? Do you do your own accounting?  Let us know on our Facebook Page.