Chasing the dream

She ditched her college classes in 1990 to ski the California mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe. Snow skiing filled Deanna Neu’s happiness tank more than college, so that’s what she pursued. Her chosen path was not only adventurous, but also risky. She followed her heart. And, more often than not, in doing so experienced a Wayne Thomas Forester moment (WTF did I do?).

Her parents wisely cut off her funding when she dropped out of college. But she discovered that in supporting herself, she loved mowing lawns and landscaping the amazing properties in and around the Lake Tahoe region. Marriage followed, as well as a landscape business with her husband and two daughters. Almost 25 years later, the business was on a successful path, the daughters were on the road to college but the marriage was on the rocks. Her happiness tank was just about empty.

Starting over

An acrimonious divorce had all but depleted her happiness. Her heart was bruised and scarred. Though she likely sacrificed more than she should have in the separation of the business, she realized it was time to cut her losses, get her life back on track and chase after the things that genuinely brought her joy. It was mid-2018 when Deanna founded Delux Landscaping in Truckee, Calif. Her positive attitude, effervescent personality and exemplary networking skills helped her quickly assemble a new team. Probably more than anything, it was her affinity for hard work and relentless commitment to success that drew people to her. She received a small number of excellent accounts from the previous landscape business. I helped her evaluate and implement a $750K budget for the last six months of the year. She was off and running as she followed her heart into a new phase of her life. The adventure continued as the Wayne factor filled her with butterflies and excitement. She finished her first year at revenue of $1.8 million.

How she did it

Deanna spent lots of time planning Delux Landscaping’s entry into the ultra-high-end residential full-service landscape market. She provided an excellent opportunity for employees to join an exciting team, earn a good wage and share in the camaraderie. Delux Landscaping was going to be a place where employees and their families were respected, treated the way Deanna wanted to be treated and taken care of. The Lake Tahoe region was and is one of California’s best residential markets. It not only attracts uber-wealthy individuals but it also draws upper middle-class ones as well. In such a market, Deanna’s networking skills have been a significant asset. As part of the startup, she worked with and bought a local competitor, Tahoe C Company owned by Chris Carnavale. Chris was in his mid-fifties but was battling cancer — a battle that he eventually lost. Deanna purchased his company in 2018 and combined the two companies for the startup season.

Like many of my clients, Deanna has mastered the four aspects of a business that an entrepreneur needs to understand. First, she’s an excellent team builder. Her team consists of Fernando Verduzco Espinoza, who has been with her for 17 years and started as a water boy and has earned his way to general manager; and Rachel Davis, a longtime friend and committed employee, who does the accounting and runs the office. It’s a team of hard-working employees she considers family. Second, after some misjudgments, her team is implementing good systems and software. Third, she networks as good as anybody. Finally, she understands the role of a CEO.

In 2020, COVID brought unique challenges to all of us. None of us knew how it would affect the green industry. To our (my) surprise, most of my clients and most of the industry had one of, if not, its best year ever. Delux Landscaping was no exception. It more than doubled in volume because it was ready for the growth.

As the company grew, Deanna knew that she needed a property that would accommodate expansion. Through her networking, she found an investor who helped her purchase eight acres. Last year, she struck a deal with another high-end landscape company, Tahoe Landscape, owned by Eric Shaefer, and she rolled it into her operation. On a different note, while building her business, Deanna developed a relationship with her friend (and now wife), Jamie. They were married on top of a mountain near Lake Tahoe.

Conclusion

The pursuit of happiness, as coined by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, meant something very different than it does today. In the 1700s, happiness was a much broader concept. Today, flourishing better describes its 1700 meaning. Jefferson was talking about one flourishing in all aspects (spiritual, social, financial, intellectual and so forth) of one’s life. Deanna’s pursuit of her happiness and her heart wasn’t just a “Don’t worry. Be happy!” bromide. It was a much broader concept that included hard work, planning, budgeting, team building and intentional networking, leading to her business motto that she lives by: “Work Hard. Be Kind.” I’ve learned a lot as I’ve observed how Deanna has traveled through the ups and downs in her pilgrimage. I trust that you might as well as you read about her story and pursue your own happiness.

Travels with Jim follows Jim Huston around the country as he visits with landscapers and helps them understand their numbers to make smarter decisions. He can be reached at: jhuston@jrhuston.biz.