Episode 0.5

Ezra:
Hello and welcome back to the Lawn Care Success Blueprint, the podcast for lawn and landscape business owners looking to build and grow a profitable business. In this episode, we’re sharing why we started the show, who it’s for, and some of the challenges you’re probably facing that we’re aiming to tackle. If you’re serious about leveling up your business this year and scaling smart, you’re in the right place.
Today, I’m joined by my friend Evan Lindman from the Turf Nerds podcast. We’re flipping the script—he’s actually interviewing me today to give you a behind-the-scenes look. Evan, glad you’re here.

Evan Lindman:
Ezra, thank you. It’s a real honor to be on the show. And of course, we’ve got to do the obligatory “Hello, this is Greg” drop—just to get that out of the way.
Now, let’s dive in. Ezra, you’ve launched this podcast, and I’m not just saying this because we’re friends—I genuinely like it. The Lawn Care Success Blueprint is a unique name. But I know people are wondering: “I know Ezra for building websites… why is he doing a lawn care podcast?”
Well, the truth is, you used to run a lawn care business back in Texas, right?
Maple Leaf Mowing. So Ezra’s been in the game. He knows the industry and the people in it.

So let’s kick things off with a big one. And I have to play this drop—if you’ve seen Toy Story, you’ll know what I’m talking about. This is where Sid launches the rocket. So here it is: “Let’s start with the big one.”

What is the Lawn Care Success Blueprint podcast all about? Ezra, the floor is yours.

Ezra:
That’s right—Maple Leaf Mowing.

So the title says it all: Lawn Care Success Blueprint. Most of us have seen blueprints for a building—they’re detailed, step-by-step plans that show you how to structure everything. And in business, success leaves clues.

Now, I might not be where everyone listening wants to go, but I can connect with people who have been there. Industry leaders. People who have built truly successful businesses—not just in terms of revenue, but actual take-home profit.

I was talking to someone recently who runs a million-dollar lawn care company, and their take-home pay was under $50,000. That’s wild. Owning a business is stressful. You’ve got team members, cash flow, payroll… it’s a lot.

Ezra:
You’ve got weather, you’ve got liability, and with all of those factors in play, most of us got into business chasing two things: time freedom and financial freedom.
What we want to do with this podcast is interview people who’ve already been down that road—or are actively walking it—and let them lay out a blueprint. Something we can follow to build better businesses with more time and more profit.

Evan Lindman:
That’s a great way to put it, Ezra. And that naturally brings us to the next big question—who is this podcast really for?
I mean, obviously it’s aimed at lawn and landscape pros, but couldn’t it be useful for anyone running a small business? What kind of lawn or landscaping owner would get the most out of what you’re sharing?

Ezra:
It all ties back to the struggles I personally faced when I was trying to grow my own business.
I remember trying to hire my first employee for one of the companies I worked in—back when I had my painting business. I did everything wrong. I was posting jobs on Craigslist, just figuring it out as I went.

There was one time—I’ll never forget this—I was interviewing a guy, told him we’d start on Thursday for a big city job in Twin Falls, where I was living at the time.

Evan Lindman:
I’ve been there. I know exactly what you’re talking about.

Ezra:
Right? So Wednesday rolls around, and the guy just shows up at the job site. Meanwhile, the city is calling me like, “Hey, your guy’s here. Are you coming today?”
I learned so many hard lessons about hiring, communication, setting expectations… and honestly, I didn’t have any real resources back then.

That’s why I wanted to create this show—for the business owners out there who are saying,
“I want to double my business. I’m at $100K and I’m ready to bring on another team member.”
Or, “Our marketing stinks. We don’t know what PPC means. We’ve heard about SEO but don’t know where to start.”

They’re smart people. They’re hustling. They’re just overwhelmed and don’t have time to sift through all the noise.

And that actually ties into why I wanted to start a podcast in the first place.

Even now—though not as much as I used to because I’ve got to think while I work—I still listen to hours of podcasts every single day. Because I want to learn. I want to grow. I want to be a better person, a better business owner.

And honestly, podcasts have changed my life. I learned so much through them. College gave me a foundation, sure—but I’d say I’ve learned just as much, maybe more, from podcasts.

Evan Lindman:
Yeah.

Ezra:
Over the years, I’ve listened to literally hundreds of hours of podcasts. So now, I want to take some of those lessons, sit down with leaders in the industry, and help your business level up—through audio. That’s the power of podcasting.

Evan Lindman:
That’s such a great way to put it, Ezra. Honestly, some of the best learning I’ve ever done was while mowing. I’ve probably listened to more podcasts and audiobooks during that time than anywhere else. It’s kind of fascinating.

And this is a perfect segue. Because people see you now and think, “Okay, Ezra builds websites.” And you do—but you’ve also been in this industry. So what’s your background in lawn care? How did you start working with green industry pros?

Ezra:
It all started back in 2021. I’m a pastor, and at that time, we had just moved to Greenville, Texas. The church I was pastoring wasn’t very large—definitely not something you do for the money. That’s not why I’m in it. But I still needed income to support my family.

The challenge is, when you’re pastoring, your schedule can change on a dime. You might have a funeral to attend to or someone who needs help. So a traditional 9-to-5 just wasn’t going to work.

I thought, “What can I do that gives me flexibility?”
Funny enough, back in high school, I’d actually tried to start a lawn care company. I even read Paul Jamison’s book Cut That Grass and Make That Cash. I was motivated, but I didn’t have a truck, didn’t have equipment—I had just finished college and was broke and married. So it didn’t really take off.

Evan Lindman:
Haha, yeah, been there.

Ezra:
Exactly. But when we moved to Texas, I did have a truck. I lined up my first job and figured I’d just do a few lawns on the side. But I took the marketing knowledge I’d picked up from running a painting company and from working online, and I applied it to this new business.

Within three to six months, we were ranking in the top of the Google Map Pack—first page. We were getting great leads organically.

Evan Lindman:
Wow…
As Greg would say: Really?

Ezra:
Yep. We went from zero to $6,000 a month in recurring revenue within four months—and that was with zero paid ads. Now, I know that’s not a massive number to some folks, but for a solo operation starting from scratch, that was meaningful.

And what I realized quickly was this: the more effort I put into marketing, the less I had to chase people—and the more they started chasing me. Suddenly, price wasn’t the issue anymore. People were reaching out to me.

That was the lightbulb moment.

I wasn’t trying to build a giant business—my goal was to create margin so I could still pastor. But even in this small-scale effort, I saw that the tools I was using gave me a big edge. I was doing things that I later realized even multi-million dollar businesses weren’t doing—and some of them had even been sold. Simple things that made a massive difference.

Evan Lindman:
Perfect.

Ezra:
And that’s where I saw a gap. Two big ones, really.
First, knowledge—a lot of people just don’t know what’s possible with the right tools and systems.
Second, execution—even when they do know, they don’t have the time or systems to consistently act on it.

So around 2021, we started helping people optimize their Google Business Profiles. That grew into helping them get more out of their websites. And now we’re doing full PPC—Google pay-per-click campaigns. So it’s become a comprehensive marketing solution for lawn and landscape businesses.

The truth is, we’ve been there. We’ve cut those tough lawns with dog waste and sinkholes. And we realized—this isn’t the kind of customer we want.
And the difference between booking that kind of job and landing a client who values you and doesn’t balk at your pricing?
It’s your marketing.
It’s your brand.
It’s how you present yourself online and offline.

That’s what got me fired up about helping other green industry pros grow their businesses.

Evan Lindman:
Ezra, that’s so well said—and it makes you very relatable.

So let’s turn the corner here:
What do you think are some of the biggest challenges lawn and landscape business owners are facing right now?
You and I have talked about some of my solo-operator challenges. You’ve talked to Greg and others. I think for us smaller guys, marketability is huge. But you’ve also worked with the bigger powerhouses—so from your perspective, what are the top challenges in the industry?

Evan Lindman:
Are the challenges similar across the board? Like, what struggles do you see green industry pros facing—whether they’re solo or scaling?

Ezra:
Yeah, a lot of it boils down to one thing: standing out.

And it reminds me of one of my favorite books—not just in business, but period. Besides the Bible, it’s probably the book I recommend the most: Purple Cow by Seth Godin. I try to reread it every year.

In our industry, there are “Chuck in a Truck” types everywhere. And the great thing about this industry? It’s easy to get into.
The bad thing? It’s too easy to get into.

Evan Lindman:
Haha, sorry Chuck… but yeah, exactly.

Ezra:
Right? There’s no real barrier to entry. You can just get a mower, toss it in a trailer, and you’re in business. So on one hand, that creates opportunity. But on the other, it creates noise.

So the big question becomes: how do you stand out in a sea of sameness?

There’s the in-person stuff—how you and your crew show up, uniforms, trucks, branding. But today, a huge part of standing out is your online presence. And honestly, that’s one of the biggest gaps I see.

Most lawn and landscape businesses are not positioning themselves well online. That’s where we come in—helping them level up their Google profile, their website, their ad strategy.

And not just that, we also try to coach them through the customer journey. I’m not a business coach, per se, but we take a holistic approach. I was just talking with a guy recently about his Google Ads and his close rate. His numbers were super low, and I was like, why is that?

So I started walking through his lead process—when the call comes in, how he responds, how quickly, what happens next. Because even small changes in that system can drastically improve conversion.

It all comes back to this:
If you look exactly like the next guy, the only thing customers will compare is price.
But if you’re different—if your brand, your website, your presentation stands out—price becomes less important.

I’ll give you a quick story. Last year at Equip Expo, I had handed my business card to someone, and they passed it on to a contact. That person reached out later and said:

Evan Lindman:
I know what you’re about to say.

Ezra:
“As soon as I saw your business card, I knew you were the one for me.”

Evan Lindman:
Exactly! Not to steal your thunder, but I remember when you gave me your business card—I literally thought, “This must be a $5 card!” It looked amazing.

And that’s what we’re talking about—it makes you stand out.

Ezra:
Yeah—and you want that same professional feel across every single touchpoint. When you pull up to a customer’s house, Evan, you want them thinking “Wow,” before you even get out of the truck.

Even if you’re still in the field, dirty from a full day, grass stains on your pants—there’s still a way to present yourself and your vehicle so that before you even reach the front door, the homeowner is already thinking, “Okay, these are the right people.”

Let me give you a quick example. I recently hired a new bookkeeper. The last group I worked with just wasn’t responsive—I’d email them, and five days later I was still waiting for a reply. That doesn’t work when you’re trying to grow a business and stay on top of your numbers.

So I started looking online. One of the websites I came across had an outdated phone number. The design was messy, and the images felt… off. Not that everything needs to be perfectly polished, but it just didn’t feel professional. It felt sketchy.

Now, the woman I did end up hiring? She didn’t even have a website. But she did have a solid Google Business Profile. I saw her photo, she looked approachable—like a sharp, professional mom. And before I even picked up the phone, I thought, “This is the one.”

Evan Lindman:
Exactly. That rag-tag vibe—that’s what gives our industry a bad rap.

Ezra:
Yeah, and presentation matters.
What do people see when they Google your name? What are they thinking before they ever meet you?
Because that’s your first impression now—it’s not the handshake, it’s your online presence.

Evan Lindman:
Perfect. This whole episode is just mic drop after mic drop.
So let me throw another big one at you here:

What do you think separates the lawn care businesses that grow and scale from the ones that flatline—or worse, decline? Because a lot of guys hit a ceiling. But some—like the ones you work with—keep trending upward. Maybe not explosive growth, but steady. And I think that slow, steady climb is the key. So what’s the difference-maker?

Ezra:
Man, that’s such a good question. I’ve actually started calling a few of my clients every January—especially the ones that have worked with me for a while. I’ll ask, “How did last year go? What are you planning this year? How can we help?”
It’s just a way to keep in touch, keep supporting them.

And here’s what I’ve noticed—some of them are always growing. Year after year, they’re making progress.
But then, there are others… and I can think of a few where I’ve called them two years in a row, and it’s the same exact conversation. No movement. No growth. Nothing’s changed.

Ezra:
Yeah, they’ll say, “We’re looking to grow this year,” but their numbers haven’t changed. And you start to wonder—are we really taking action?

Even the small actions matter. There’s a great book—can’t remember the author off the top of my head—but it’s called The Compound Effect. It talks about how small changes, done consistently over time, lead to massive results.

And in our industry, we’re seasonal. So we often think winter is downtime. But those same small changes you make in spring? They work in winter too.

So what separates the companies that grow from those that don’t?
It’s consistency.
It’s the businesses that take action—and keep taking action—over time.

Evan Lindman:
That is so well said.

Okay, I’m going to throw a fun one at you and flip the script a bit.

What’s one myth or common piece of advice in the lawn care industry that you don’t agree with?
And for everyone listening—one of the reasons I really value Ezra is he’ll tell you the truth, even if it’s not what you want to hear. We don’t always agree on everything, but I think that tension helps sharpen both of us.

So… what’s that piece of so-called wisdom in our industry that Ezra McCarthy just doesn’t buy into?

Ezra:
Oh man, this one’s been a big mindset shift for me over the past six months:
“No one else can do it like I can.”

Evan Lindman:
Exactly.

Ezra:
And listen—we’ve all said it. I’ve said it. And I’ll probably still struggle with it from time to time.

Because in this industry, we pride ourselves on doing quality work. If you’re a mower, it’s “No one stripes like I do.” If you’re a hardscaper, it’s “No one lays pavers like I do.”

But here’s the reality—you as the business owner are carrying 10 other things in your head at all times. Marketing, billing, cash flow, scheduling, hiring, customer follow-up…

You’re trying to finish a hardscape job while taking calls. Then you’ve got to pause for a quote, check your emails, call a vendor, track payroll—it’s a juggling act.

Now imagine this:
You hire someone who is only focused on doing that job. Just that one thing. Give it a little time, and guess what?
They might actually be better than you at it.

And that’s the part that trips us up.
We’re so deep in the business that we think delegation means sacrificing quality. But in reality, we’re often blocking growth by trying to hold onto everything.

Am I stepping on toes, Evan?

Evan Lindman:
Ho ho ho—you might be. But they’re the toes that need stepping on.

Evan Lindman:
No, that’s so well said. And what Ezra’s saying is the truth—it is hard, especially when our pride and some OCD tendencies get in the way.

See, I’ve been mowing for 15 years. I had a guy helping me for a solid decade, but when 2020 hit, everything changed. And honestly, it’s like what Ezra was saying—just like he might think no one can build a website better than him, I’ve believed no one can cut cleaner lines than me.

And yeah, people have encouraged me to scale, and I could. It’s performance-based—you pay people well, they perform. But the truth is, it’s rare to find someone who can do it as well as you. I’ll be the first to say it: I think I’m the best.
But guess what?
I’m not the best.
There’s someone out there who can do it better than me.

And Ezra, what you said really hit. That was truth.

Ezra:
Yeah—and here’s a quote I love from Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell:
“80% done is 100% awesome.”

That’s something I’m actively learning in my own life—how to delegate and buy back my time so I can serve people better. Because here’s the thing: when we try to do everything ourselves, we eventually hit a wall.

Think about that bookkeeper I mentioned earlier. She probably started out great, but eventually got overwhelmed. And when that happens, things slip. You start dropping the ball—and it affects the people you’re trying to serve.

Evan Lindman:
Wow.

Ezra:
Exactly. And it’s especially true in the spring when everything ramps up. If we’re not careful, quality customer servicegoes right out the window.
So buying back your time—and recognizing that others can do it well, even if it’s not “perfect”—that’s a mindset shift that helps you actually grow.

Evan Lindman:
Been there, done that.

And yeah, that “good enough” thing has weighed on me too. I’ve got a couple buddies—brothers I plow snow with during the winter. Their family lawn business has been around for like 50 years.

When they’re working, they move fast. They might cut some corners—but it still looks good. And they’ve kind of called me out before, like, “Hey man, you’re spending way too much time on that lawn. Just get in, get out.”

And they’ve got a point. Sometimes I obsess over every little detail because I see the flaws. I’ve got this ultra-high standard. But the customer? They walk out, look at it for three seconds, and say,
“Wow, this looks amazing.”

Meanwhile, I’m thinking, “If you only knew what I see with these glasses…”

So this ties in perfectly to my next question:

What kind of impact do you hope the Lawn Care Success Blueprint podcast has on the industry?

Because let’s be honest—there are a lot of podcasts out there. Some are great, but others can feel like an echo chamber. So what’s the unique mark you want to make with this show?

Ezra:
Great question. And you’re right—there are a lot of lawn care podcasts out there. And some of them are excellent, like the Turf Nerves podcast. A lot of those guys, I’ve listened to their content. I’m friends or acquaintances with many of them, and I respect their work.

But my goal with this podcast is to give people a real blueprint.

Solo episodes are fine—I might do a few—but what I really love is mining those breadcrumbs from people who’ve been there. People who have actually built something and can speak from experience.

Now, I haven’t grown a $14 million company. But someone like Jonathan Pototschnik? Hopefully we’ll have him on here soon. That guy has so much wisdom, it’s unreal. Anything he shares is worth listening to.

And it doesn’t even have to be someone running a huge company. Sometimes it’s someone just a couple steps ahead of the listener—maybe they’re at $200K or $300K and ready to bring on a second crew, but they’re stuck.

Those are the kind of people I want to bring on—people who are just far enough ahead to help you make that next move.

For example, I recently interviewed a family-owned fertilization and weed control company. They’re not huge—maybe five or six employees—but they’re doing $1.5 million in revenue. We helped them rebuild their website, and guess what? Their leads tripled. Why? Because the form on their old site wasn’t even working properly.

Evan Lindman:
Yeah… and I didn’t mean to cut you off, Ezra, but that’s such a good point. Where you really helped me wasn’t just with a website—you helped me rebrand parts of my business.

Just little things like the logo, layout tweaks, and basic design updates—but they made a big difference.
Ezra’s more than just a web designer. He’s kind of a marketing coach-slash-guru. He really knows what he’s doing.

And like we were talking about the other day—just having a simple, clean website and getting ranked on Google… man, it can double your leads.

I had this old 1-star review on my Google Business Profile—wasn’t even from a real client. It was like two years old. And you encouraged me, “Just update it. Upload a picture weekly. Keep the page active.”

It’s simple stuff—but it works. And you told me, pairing a good Google Biz page with a website helps boost both.
Takes almost no effort to update your GMB page. And having Green Frog build a legit website on top of that? That’s what gets you found.

Ezra:
Yeah. And just to be clear—this podcast isn’t meant to be a pitch fest. We include who we are at the end, sure, but the point is to bring value.

If someone wants to work with us—awesome. We’d love that. But there are over 600,000 lawn and landscape businesses in the U.S. I don’t want to work with all of them. That would be chaos.

I don’t see this as a zero-sum game. If someone works with them, it’s not a loss for us.

Our goal is to help 300 businesses, and we’re not there yet.

So even if you never hire us, I want this podcast to help you grow your business. Whether that’s through educational insights, funny stories, or actionable advice, the goal is to give you a blueprint to build something better.

Like when I talked with Andrew Martinez from Lone Star Lawn Talk—that episode had both laughs and real lessons. We want to give you that kind of experience.

Evan Lindman:
Man, that’s such a great way to wrap things up—like the mower going back into the trailer.

So let’s tie a few things together as we close:
What can listeners do to get the most out of this show?
How can they connect with you?
And if there’s one big takeaway you want every listener to leave with—what is it?

Ezra:
If there’s one thing I want people to do, it’s this:
Take action.

There’s a podcast I’ve been bingeing lately, and I wish Apple would track how many hours I’ve spent on it. The host puts out one a week, and I’ve gone all the way back into the 2022 episodes.

But here’s the thing—I haven’t just listened. I’ve implemented. I’ve taken action on what I learned.

So as you listen to this show, don’t just let it be background noise. Implement what resonates with you. Research what you don’t understand. That’s how you’ll grow.

If you want to connect, the best place is our main site: greenfrogwebdesign.com.
And if spelling’s not your thing, you can just go to ilovemyfrog.com—it’ll redirect you.

If you’ve got a question, a topic you want us to cover, or a guest suggestion, just fill out the contact form. We want this show to answer your questions and serve your growth.

Evan Lindman:
And that’s what makes your show stand out, Ezra. Seriously. You’re not just showing up to talk—you’re prepared. You bring on real people from across the industry—from the giants to the everyday guys in the trenches.

It’s a wide range, and every episode has depth. What you and your guests share? It doesn’t fall on deaf ears. It’s impactful.

Evan Lindman:
Highly beneficial, man. I was actually binging your episodes on a family vacation last week—knocked out three of them on the road. It was not only entertaining, but honestly enjoyable and refreshing.

So before we wrap—anything else you want to get off your chest?

Ezra:
Yeah… I’ll just say this: anytime you use the word plethora, your intelligence automatically goes up a few points.

Evan Lindman:
Indubitably.

Ezra:
Whoa—had to break out the dictionary for that one. Haven’t heard that in a while.

Evan Lindman:
Pretty sure indubitably means “without a doubt.” That’s why we have our AI buddies—ChatGPT or Grok—to help us look up synonyms and make ourselves sound extra high-brow, right?

Ezra:
…No comment.

Evan Lindman:
Thanks for that.

Ezra:
Yep. Well, thanks for tuning into this episode of the Lawn Care Success Blueprint.

If this show brought you value, do us a favor—subscribe, leave a rating and review. That helps more lawn and landscape pros just like you discover the show.

And until next time—keep taking action, keep building, and we’ll catch you on the next one.