Backstage pass
Lawn & Landscape, in conjunction with Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme of the Harvest Group, is bringing you behind the scenes at three of the nation's top landscaping companies. The project is sponsored by Verizon Connect and brings you exclusive access to tips of the trade you can apply to your own company.
The new episodes with Level Green Landscaping are here! To view the first series we did with Park West Companies, click here. To see our Earthtones Design series, click here.
LEVEL GREEN LANDSCAPING
Since 2002, Level Green has serviced the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. markets. It has reached $24 million in revenue and includes 260 employees. Here’s what we learned on our trip out east:
Level Green Episode Two: Learning experiences
The co-founders of Level Green share some of their biggest mistakes.
Level Green Episode Three: Mistakes happen
What did Level Green do after a major mistake to help keep a customer?
Level Green Episode Four: Proactive management
Changes in training led to a reduction in safety incidents.
Level Green Episode Eight: All about ops
Communication is key to being an effective operations manager.
Level Green Episode Nine: Food and fun
One way Level Green will continue to grow is to take care of employees.
Level Green Episode Ten: Building blocks
Developing a construction branch from existing clients is a viable option.
EARTHTONES DESGIN
With husband and wife duo Justin and Christina Crocker leading the charge at Earthtones Design, the company has grown from a one-man show to a business operating with over 150 employees. We got some tips on what’s helped them grow and how they make it work as married business owners.
Earthtones Design Episode One: Meet and greet
Justin Crocker shows off Earthtones’ main location and explains why he has a swimming pool on site.
Earthtones Design Episode Two: Work and play together
Justin and Christina Crocker discuss what it’s like working together as a married couple.
Earthtones Design Episode Three: Estimating and sales
What’s considered a local job in Dallas, might not be worth taking.
Earthtones Design Episode Four: Money matters
Tracking jobs by both market and size helps Earthtones find a sweet spot when it comes to finances.
Earthtones Design Episode Five: Up and running
When equipment goes down, each of Earthtones’ offices can be affected.
Earthtones Design Episode Seven: Everyone recruits
It’s an all-hands-on-deck approach when it comes to finding the best employees.
Earthtones Design Episode Eight: Early returns
Earthtones recently added maintenance as a service and has already made $1.5 million in revenue.
Earthtones Design Episode Nine: Texas Takeaways
The guests talk about what they learned during their visit.
Earthtones Design Episode Ten: That's a Wrap
Bill, Ed and the guests put a bow on their time at Earthtones.
Earthtones Design Episode Eleven: Goodbye Gift
What did the team at Earthtones give Bill and Ed as a going away present?
PARK WEST COMPANIES
We started Backstage Pass with Park West Companies, which is almost a $200-million company that operates with nearly 1,600 employees and is based largely out of California (with one location in Nevada). Here are some of the lessons we learned in our time with Park West:
Park West Episode One: Mishaps and major moments
Park West CEO Jim Tracy recalls what went wrong with his first installation in the industry, and talks about a major defining moment for the company.
Park West Episode Two: CEO approach
CEO Jim Tracy joins the group for dinner and discusses how he builds relationships with employees.
Park West Episode Three: Customer experience
A communication mishap and lost job changed the way Park West approaches customer service
Park West Episode Four: Renewals
Joely Mazzotti takes the Harvesters through the company’s proactive approach to renewals and price increases.
Park West Episode Five: All aboard
The company’s onboarding process involves meeting with some executives, and new employees received a 90-day follow-up survey to get feedback on the process.
Park West Episode Six: Tools of the trade
Systems help with fleet and equipment management, and the aesthetics of a truck are a major focus for the company.
Park West Episode Seven: All systems go
From morning dispatch to GPS, Park West has systems in place to keep crews as efficient as possible.
Park West Episode Eight: Walk with a purpose
With an early morning start, Park West has to be productive but also quiet.
Park West Episode Nine: Quality control
Brian Chinnery talks about how Park West grades jobs without putting too much on an account manager’s plate.