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Forty hours. Fifty. Sixty. Somewhere along the way, “busy” became something to brag about. But what if the busyness isn’t a sign of hard work or it’s a sign of the wrong habits? In this episode of Roots of Success, host Kevin Keim sits down with Dauphin Ewart, a McFarlin Stanford PACE facilitator and second-generation owner of BugMaster, an 80-person pest control company…

What separates the companies people want to work for from the ones they can’t wait to leave? In this episode of Roots of Success, host Chris Psencik sits down with Ryan Malone of Malone’s Landscape in Seattle, Washington — a second-generation owner, ACE Chairman member and endurance athlete — to talk about one of the most important assets in a growing company: culture. From monthly culture rallies and…

Most business owners think they’re great communicators until things fall apart. In this roundtable episode of Roots of Success, host Chris Psencik is joined by McFarlin Stanford coaches Kevin Keim and Tracy Wallingford to tackle one of the most common and costly problems in growing landscaping companies: communication breakdowns. From choosing the right tools and building meeting cadences, to mastering one-on-ones and leveraging CliftonStrengths,…

How does financial clarity impact your business value? In this episode of the Roots of Success, join host Jennifer Murray as she talks about financial health check-ups, banking relationships and team transparency with Jonathan Peterson of Summit Landscape in Hondo, TX.  Hear from Jonathan how he improved decision-making, lender relationships, and has grown a more resilient company prepared for future opportunities. From managing liquidity to positioning your business for growth, the two share real-world tactics to prevent costly blind spots. 

Get ready for a high-impact conversation on the intersection of landscaping, technology, and innovation! In this episode of Roots of Success, Kevin Keim sits down with ACE Peer Group standouts Sterling West of Newport Avenue Landscaping and Sam Zale of Zale’s Lawn and Landscape. Discover how these forward-thinking business owners are using AI, not just as a buzzword, but as…

Join Chris Psencik and Mark Pyrah for Part 2 of an insightful discussion on how leveraging tech, automation, and AI is driving double-digit growth, improving customer experience, and keeping landscape businesses ahead of the curve. They discuss why remote access and automation are game changers, the revenue impact of rigorous inspections, and how to create scalable systems without bloating your headcount. Tune in for proven tactics and visionary predictions…

What if your organization’s biggest untapped profit center was hiding in plain sight? In this episode, Chris Psencik sits down with Mark Pyrah, President Elect of the Oregon Landscape Contractors Association, to uncover how Peak Landscape moved from viewing irrigation as a “necessary evil” to harnessing it as a strategic, revenue-driving arm of the business. Mark shares how…

Ready to move beyond gut feelings and bank account balances? In this episode, Noe Loarca gets real about the challenges of managing a landscape business without adequate financial data and how participation in ACE peer groups turned things around for him. Hosted by Ian Hanemann, the conversation explores the critical numbers every landscaper  should track, the…

On this episode of Roots of Success, Chris Psencik digs into the changing landscape of insurance for green industry businesses with special guests Chase Campbell and Cal Fallaize from Sage Insurance and Risk Advisors. The group unpacks how auto insurance has become a massive pain point, often making up 70% of insurance premiums. Additionally hear why old settlements are a thing of the past, and…

Financials don’t have to be intimidating and in this episode of Roots of Success, you’ll learn why! Join hosts Jason New, Chris Psencik, and Jim Cali as talk with fellow ACE facilitator Jennifer Murray, a former banker and finance professor, and Ian Hanemann, ACE Peer Group financial analyst, to break down the essentials of financial checkups, valuations, and benchmarking for landscaping professionals. Discover the real…