K&D Landscaping CEO Justin White, who’s also the host of the Trades Talk podcast, says it’s clear that in 2026 trade industry companies will have to...

“If  we keep doing the same things that made us successful in the past,...

White’s company found itself falling back on its laurels not long ago. The result...

“For every single person that calls our company, our goal is to change their...

White examined the three primary reasons a customer leaves: 1. Lack of communication. 2....

Communication and prices go hand in hand, White says. If you’re going to raise...

Standards can never be lowered, rather, quality needs to increase for a business to...

White’s highly focused on experimentation and believes that’s how you raise the bar.

“All companies should be [run] in a way where your business is the type...

Justin White recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast,...

• [2:45] Always experimenting

• [7:52] The three biggest reasons clients leave their landscaping partners

• [17:27] The biggest hiring mistake White made…twice

• [30:46] Why technology is a competitive edge, but only if you use it right

• [43:01] The 30-minute exercise that sparks innovation

Additional Resources

• Trades Talk podcast

• Aspire

• Elevate

• Fans First by Jesse Cole

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

As a kid, Tim Johnson realized he had to mix his passion for playing...

He did spend a brief period of time playing in the minors, in the...Tim Johnson Landscaping. Johnson’s childhood mowing operation was the basis for that company.

Johnson and his father created a period of rapid growth and expansion right from...

“[Your] budget has to be realistic,” Johnson says. “The budget can't be a dream....

To accomplish that, Johnson stepped up his game as a leader.

“A leader serves,” he says. “A leader facilitates. A leader teaches. A leader works...

Pumping the brakes and becoming a strong leader paid off. Tim Johnson Landscaping shifted...

“The technology allows us to scale and to build without having to add the...

That’s called stepping up to the plate and delivering a home run.

 Tim Johnson recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast,...

• [5:11] When Tim realized he needed a proper org chart for sustainable growth

• [10:23] Rebuilding momentum after a two-year pause in rapid growth to implement scalable systems

• [17:30] Leveraging tools like Aspire to build frameworks for problem-solving and data visibility

• [20:54] Shifting from order taking to a tactical sales focus

• [35:37] Reinforcing team morale

Additional Resources

• Aspire

• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to “Toolbox for the Trades” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Tom Heaviland was part of a family-owned landscaping business in Southern California for 35...

Heaviland Landscape Management was acquired by BrightView Landscape and today Heaviland is CEO of...Verde Property Services. He identifies other commercial maintenance contractors, similar to him, who are looking for...

Since he’s been on both sides of the mergers-and-acquisitions table, Heaviland has the best...

“Don't try to sell your business by yourself,” he says. “It is a huge...

Also, be prepared to be flexible.

“After you sell your business, you’re not calling the shots,” Heaviland says. “That can...

He stresses that being transparent throughout the process will help make the transaction go...

“If you've got anything that the buyer needs to know, share it up front...

His final two pieces of advice apply to any business owner looking to sell...

“If you're not leveraging technology to run your operations and improve your business, you're...

And finally: “ Focus on your people and culture first. If you do that, everything...

Tom Heaviland recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast,...

• [6:06] The differences between public and private equity acquisitions

• [10:40] What buyers look for in a thriving business and common misconceptions

• [17:52] Managing the emotions that come with selling

• [18:56] The role of technology in valuation and operations

• [33:09] Focusing on people and culture first

Additional Resources

• BrightView

• Aspire

• Boss

• LMN

• Elevate 2025

• Lawn & Landscape Technology Conference 2026

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Balancing cutting-edge technology while being mindful of high-touch service for clients was the key...Stephens Landscaping Professionals becoming a $22-million-dollar business after starting up as a high school project by...

The tech side includes data-driven job costing, custom trucks and GPS-guided excavators. 

“Don't be scared of [data],” says Stephens Landscaping Professionals COO Mark Stephens. “Once [your...

Stephens says structures and systems ensure every client gets a personal connection, and that...

“Our goal is to provide [our clients] with a high level of service that...

Stephens believes it's important to listen to feedback – from clients and from staff. 

“We're very frontline focused,” he says. “We want to support our staff, we want...

When it comes to being successful, Stephens has two overlapping philosophies:

1. “Don't be afraid to fail. I have failed many times. I have made many...

2. “Success doesn't come without grit. Put your head down and fight through the hard...

Those are business principles you might learn in college. Or, as is the case...

Mark Stephens recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast,...

• [6:14] Why 99% of business decisions should be data-driven

• [10:44] How to attract talent through technology and innovation

• [17:33] Getting employees excited about tech

• [23:56] The toughest challenge: how to scale without losing your DNA

• [27:37] Client experience being your top concern

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Aspire

• Trimble

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

It’s an exciting time to be on the technological front lines of the landscaping...Aspire platform, as well as the landscapers who depend on it, are leveling up...

Aspire General Manager Eli Levin is pleased to report landscaping is such a growth...

It’s an honor for Levin to work with both multi-million-dollar operations and bootstrapping up-and-comers...

“Aspire is thoroughly invested in the success of all landscape contractors,” Zevin says. “A...

It’s a win-win situation for both Aspire and its customer base, he says. Both...

“We’re continuing to evolve,” Zevin says. “Just as our [customers] are ready for that...

He points with pride to the great work that his success team and his...

The aspect that makes the job both challenging and rewarding: things like omnipresent AI...

Zevin says a basic key to working with new tech is keeping yourself from...

“Take a couple of deep breaths before you start,” he says. “It helps calm...

After that, your preparation will kick in, Zevin says.

Eli Zevin recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which...

• [4:42] Aspire’s goals for industry-wide growth and scalability

• [8:31] Scaling efforts

• [12:17] Advice for businesses nervous about making the switch

• [16:22] How Eli’s experience as a camp director influenced his leadership style

• [23:27] Hiring practices for landscaping business owners

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

A former semi-pro rugby player and Ironman participant, Robert Clinkenbeard believes good advice in...

“Sometimes we feel as though we know everything,” says Clinkenbeard, CEO of landscaping company...

He says all the advice and tips you hear won’t necessarily be correct.

“But if you’re listening to different opinions you’ll learn from it all,” Clinkenbeard says....

Wilson360’s game certainly improved. In 15 years, company sales went from zero to $20...

Clinkenbeard, who’s also host of the Commercial Landscaper Podcast, is a big believer in...

“Predictive analysis is really just taking the data and looking for patterns,” he says....

To stay ahead of the game, business owners can’t be afraid of AI, Clinkenbeard...

“That train is quickly coming down the tunnel,” he says. “My best recommendation is...

To that end, Clinkenbeard says companies need to keep an eye on finding a...

“They live on this data,” he says. “Right there, that’s game changing.”

 Robert Clinkenbeard recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which...

• [4:18] Why companies shouldn’t overrely on legacy practices and recruiting from outside the industry

• [12:44] Recruiting talent from outside your industry

• [12:53] How predictive analytics and AI tools can help you scale efficiently

• [16:12] The future of landscaping technology and effectively leveraging your team

• [22:41] Addressing general fears and concerns about AI replacing people

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

Pantheon 2025

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to “Toolbox for the Trades” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Horticulture isn’t the first industry that pops to mind when you think about applying...

However, LMC Landscape Partners IT Director Mike Lowrance has dug into the subject and has definitively shown...

To start, Lowrance notes that employees enter into any kind of tech training with...

He says employers and trainers need to take employee knowledge variances into consideration. 

“If you want to grow and be successful, you can't afford not to adapt...

Once people achieve some levels of proficiency, he says the next step is learning...

“There are a lot of people that have edited the input to make it...

He also says it can be easy to get lost in an abundance of...

For example, he says a company may have a very low gross margin on...

“So you kind of wanna know from the business standpoint what it is that...

Even the best systems can fail without clear goals, thoughtful training and real buy-in,...

Mike Lowrance recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which...

• [7:12] How to build internal tech leadership with super users

• [10:09] Trying to create super users

• [12:54] How to create buy-in and deal with tech resistance

• [14:19] Data leads to profitability

• [18:43] What sets Aspire apart from other landscaping CRMs

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to “Toolbox for the Trades” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Creating a good business team starts with the basic building block of effectively collecting...Team Engine Co-founder Carlos del Pozo says.

That process can be hampered by applicants who ghost you, or when your turnover...

“If you're good at sales and marketing and following up quickly, you should be...

A misconception still exists at some companies, del Pozo says, that somebody who gets...

Instead, employers need to approach recruiting differently, especially by following up quickly and screening...

Another pitfall to avoid is letting the hiring manager lose faith in the process....

“They may think about hiring and recruiting as this linear experience,” del Pozo says....

That means two things, he says. Don’t get disappointed about turnover, and put more...

Finally, del Pozo says the whole process can be assisted by technology, especially in...

“Software can actually make that happen the way that you want,” he says. “It...

Carlos del Pozo recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included del Pozo’s thoughts on:

• [5:39] The #1 hiring bottleneck of failing to follow up fast

• [13:01] Why your job description is a marketing tool

• [19:13] How to enable retention

• [22:25 How to improve leadership skills

• [24:33] The future of recruiting and hiring in the age of AI

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to “Toolbox for the Trades” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Steven Harper has worked at some powerhouse brands, like FedEx, Disney and Capital One,...Spectrum Building Services of America has taught him two essential lessons:

1. Having a people-first culture is non-negotiable.

2. Cash-flow management is the true lifeline for any service business.

Harper sat down to talk about his quarter-century leadership experience with “Toolbox for the...

“Our number one value is caring about the customer,” he says. “The customer is...

And how do you take care of customers? By doing everything you can as...

“Employees have real lives,” he says. “They have a life outside of this company....

On the fiduciary side of management, Harper says most managers know about profit-and-loss and...

“The number one thing I had to learn as an entrepreneur and small-business owner...

Steven Harper recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast,...

• [3:25] How 25-plus years of experience have influenced Harper’s customer service philosophy

• [10:53] Cash management strategies for struggling business owners

• [15:50] Culture building and scaling within the commercial cleaning industry

• [26:18] Scaling within the cleaning industry

• [30:27] Why leaders need clarity to succeed

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

When Tiffany Martin Peters entered into the family business in 2014, the company was...

Today, Martin Peters is president of North by Northwest Lawns in Austin, Texas.

She proudly notes that everything she originally learned about the family landscaping company came...

While business was steady, it was also in need of upgrades.

“If you're not improving your processes with the times, you’ll stay stagnant,” Martin Peters...

Making changes, especially in a tight-knit family business, is not for the faint of...

“My dad once said that being offended is a choice,” Martin Peters says. “It’s...

The company went all in with Aspire Software, a sister software solution to ServiceTitan....

Martin Peters was hands on during the onboarding so she could gain full knowledge...

“It was very important for me to be a part of the implementation,” she...

Tiffany Martin Peters recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included...

• [5:33] Transitioning the office from old-school paper to modern processes

• [8:26] Navigating family dynamics while implementing new procedures

• [13:56] Adopting new software during the peak seasonal months

• [16:01] Creating project timelines

• 26:48] How instant data helped project job costing

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Site Landscape Development CFO Andrew Craft has proved that process improvement is a growth engine for...

Craft is the second guest of “Toolbox for the Trades” new co-host Amanda Salvatore.

Powering Site Landscape Development’s tremendous growth is Aspire Software, a sister software solution to...

Dallas-Fort Worth-based Site Landscape Development adopted Aspire and, by investing in an efficient system,...

“ We needed a platform to give us the ability to grow, and for us,...

Craft demonstrated that tech-forward thinking and financial discipline can lead to more than just...

“We would get the question, ‘If you're gonna automate the AP process, why are...

With automation, data and scalable tools in place, Craft has even bigger plans, like...

“ The big advantage of Aspire is having everything in one place,” he says. “[Having]...

Andrew Craft recently joined ServiceTitan’s Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included...

• [1:49] Why process improvements are critical for scaling your small business

• [6:21] How a CRM and EOS implementations helped Site double its revenue

• [15:31] Advice to small-business owners trying to jump their scaling hurdles

• [32:17] Projecting the future after efficiency improvements.

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Aspire Software Director of Client Experiences Jon Gohl raves about the benefit of mentorship in...

Gohl is the first guest of Toolbox for the Trades new co-host Amanda Salvatore,...

Aspire Software is a sister software solution to ServiceTitan. Gohl, a bicycling enthusiast, is...

“ You can never walk this alone,” he says. “You have to walk together, so...

Gohl’s philosophy in life and in business is to keep moving forward, try new...

“ When I talk about skinny branches, it's about living your life and not clinging...

Out on those branches is where Gohl hopes to recruit teammates who will advance...

“We're going to change this industry,” he says. “We're going to revolutionize it. We're...

Jon Gohl recently joined ServiceTitan co-host Amanda Salvatore on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast,...

• [11:21] Leadership lessons Gohl took from some of the industry’s legends

• [15:12] Creating a vision for yourself

• [17:46] Bringing technology to schools for the next generation of landscapers

• [24:30] Framing software platforms as an approachable tool

• [26:22] How educational outreach will benefit the industry

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.