Episode Overview

Jon Gohl, Director of Client Experience at Aspire Software, and Travis Wills, Aspire’s Sr. Director of Client Success, join host Amanda Salvatore for a high-impact session on surviving and thriving during the mid-season grind. Broadcasting live, the trio addresses the immediate macroeconomic pressures landscape contractors are facing, from unexpected fuel and fertilizer volatility to late visa worker shortfalls. Jon and Travis explain why waiting until December to check your financial numbers is a fatal error, urging business owners to conduct a thorough mid-season audit right now. They unpack tactical strategies to protect shrinking margins, including building strict purchasing processes, optimizing route density, and shifting away from strict mentorship toward active operational sponsorship of your crew leaders. Finally, they address the growing soft-skills gap, showing how face-to-face communication, role-playing, and being “steady in the storm” will ultimately separate thriving landscape operations from the rest.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [3:22] The logistical and labor struggles of landscaping businesses in 2026

• [10:57] Ongoing recruitment challenges and work visa hurdles

• [19:04] Why landscapers need to start appealing to younger talent

• [26:31] Why waiting till end of year to review your margins is a mistake

You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.