Episode 9

Ezra McCarthy:
Hello and welcome back to the Lawn Care Success Blueprint. Today we’re joined by Jeffrey Scott, the former owner of a $10 million landscape company, now turned top industry coach, helping lawn and landscape businesses thrive. Today we’re going to do a deep dive on what it takes to scale, to lead and to help your business grow. We’re going to be diving into systems. We’re going to be diving into mindsets and talking about what is a destination company if you’re looking to be that. And so we’re looking forward to the advice that Jeffrey has for us.

Glad you’re here, Jeff.

Jeffrey Scott:
Hey, thanks for having me, Ezra.

Ezra McCarthy:
Sounds great. To begin, I know I mentioned that you had a landscape company, but would you kind of share your journey—where you came from, how you got to the place where you were running this $10 million landscape company and now a coach?

Jeffrey Scott:
So that’s an hour-long discussion that I will condense into a minute or two. I grew up in the industry. My grandfather was the first gunite pool builder in Connecticut. And then all my cousins have pool companies, uncles, my dad had a pool company and we turned it into a landscape company because landscapers have more fun. You build a pool and it looks like a bomb went off, but when you landscape that pool, everybody’s happy.

And so I really grew up in the industry and every day after school, working in it—probably just like you and everybody here listening, that’s how many people started off. Then I went to school and thought I was going to do something else with my life. I went to business school and actually moved to Europe and did consulting over there with very large companies. But I got the calling to come back into our landscape firm. My family was running it and my dad wanted me back in with my business experience and insight.

When I came back, after a couple of years, I became the head of the company, doubled it in size from around five to ten million. But I decided the family business life wasn’t for me. It had a lot of family members in it. So I went back into consulting. And instead of doing corporate consulting, I said, I’m going to focus on the green industry. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

I left the company at around $10 million, sold my shares. That was a long time ago. So that might be $15 or $20 million even in today’s dollars. But I’ve been loving working with entrepreneurs directly. That’s what spins my prop and why I jump out of bed every day. It’s just been a blast ever since.

Ezra McCarthy:
That’s interesting, Jeff. So how did you transition from that business into coaching? Did you find yourself reaching out, or did you have a network—people that needed help that you could serve from the beginning? What did that transition look like?

Jeffrey Scott:
You know, like everybody knows when you’re starting a business, it’s hard work and you grind. There was no ready-made business. You’ve got to build it. It was hard enough building up my landscape business even though it was already moving, and starting from scratch is five times as hard. So I just kept grinding.

Every year got a little bigger, a little bigger, a little bigger. And those bits of growth add up after a while. You keep it going and, like everybody knows, it becomes something sizable. A lot of time on the phone, cold calling, going to trade shows, speaking—everything it takes.

Ezra McCarthy:
So we were talking just beforehand. I’m curious—how many people are in your program currently?

Jeffrey Scott:
Let me think. I think we have 135 companies in our program.

Ezra McCarthy:
I was just listening to one gentleman and he’d been in there about three years. So what is really the benefit? I know we’re going a little bit off our questions, but it’s something I’m curious about. As I’ve grown my business, networking is such an important part. What is the benefit to these landscape businesses getting around other businesses facing similar problems?

Jeffrey Scott:
Who were you listening to, by the way—on my podcast?

Ezra McCarthy:
It was on your website. I think it was one of those testimonials—Quiet Something Landscaping out of Missouri.

Jeffrey Scott:
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. He’s a great guy. So your question was, what’s the benefit of being in a peer group? The way we run them—we do multiple things. We’re always benchmarking. We make sure you know how to run your business by the numbers. We obsess over getting your numbers right.

Setting them up in a way where you can benchmark with other people—that’s a big help, but that’s just the starting point. Let’s normalize so we all have the same speedometer, odometer—you know, in the same size gas tank, or at least the gas measurement—so we all know what our own car metrics are telling us.

When we talk metrics with other people, we have comparables. And that’s really just the starting point. Then it’s about providing systems, helping people articulate their problems, being honest. I always joke that when you go to business events in your hometown, what do you do? You brag. “Things are great!” Doesn’t matter if you just had a huge fire in your shop—“No, no, things are great!”

In our peer group, you can say, “We just had a huge fire in our shop. Somebody just stole from us.” All the true stories are worse than the ones you could make up. Then you get real help and sympathy and advice—and usable things, usable shortcuts. Sometimes it’s just that listening ear, that empathy.

I’m a big believer, Ezra, in the whole person. We’re business coaches, but we’re empathetic. We understand life is tough. We know you go through hard times. We want you to be a successful dad or mom, family member, and just be happy. Whatever your goal is in life, we want the business to serve you—not just you serving the business. That’s the focus that drives us forward.

Ezra McCarthy:
So have you seen as people come into some of these groups—obviously you’ve got a good sample size—some of these newer businesses that come in, have you seen them being shocked by some of these other benchmarks? I know you mentioned benchmarking is important. Have you seen them come in and they’re just like, “Wow”? I doubt they’re normally way higher in a positive sense, but have you seen some larger adjustments there?

Jeffrey Scott:
Yeah, for sure. I mean, it’s all over the board. It’s just like anything, right? Bring 10 people together and some are in the middle, some are better, and some are worse. But in general, we help people understand their numbers better. And when they do, they realize where they’re missing the marks. And that’s where they make the adjustments and the improvements.

Ezra McCarthy:
So seeing as you have had that long history in the landscape industry, what are some of the biggest challenges you faced when growing that family business? And now, as you see the underbelly of all these businesses you’re helping—what stands out?

Jeffrey Scott:
“Underbelly”—there’s a picture. So I think my biggest challenge way back when… by the way, I was in a peer group when I was running the business. Back then it was called TEC, now it’s called Vistage. A lot of people still use Vistage. But what it couldn’t provide me was the benchmarks I needed. I didn’t really know how I was doing. Like, “Am I doing well? Am I not doing well?” Hey, we’re at $5 million, and I’ve got these problems—how do I fix them?

You’re alone. Even though I had family members, they didn’t have the answers to some of our problems. And we didn’t really know how we were doing compared to the industry—even though I was a big networker and I went to a lot of events.

So when I went back into coaching and consulting in the green industry, I said, I’m going to provide that. I’m going to fix that. And it’s amazing how much I learned myself about numbers. I have an MBA—I have a business degree—and still, it wasn’t enough to understand the numbers that really matter. It’s amazing: you can learn all you want in school, but then real life hits and… man.

It’s not that it’s different, but it’s just so much more practical. You’ve got to get down and dirty. I had to teach myself numbers all over again.

Sure, the business degree helps. But things like throughput—you don’t study that in school. Billable hours? You don’t learn that either. Even techniques around building budgets—you don’t learn that. So yes, you learn a lot in school, but a lot of the practical stuff we now teach in our groups—I wish I had that.

And it’s now become just the ground floor. When I started off, that was the big goal. Now? That’s just the foundation. We have conversations way above and beyond that.

Ezra McCarthy:
One thing you talk a lot about in your content is being a CEO of your business, rather than just a landscaper. What do you think separates someone who has a landscape business from someone who’s actually the CEO or true leader in their business?

Jeffrey Scott:
Yeah, it’s good. A landscaper landscapes—and a Chief Executive Officer executes. I know I’m talking metaphorically, but the landscaper’s tools are the shovel, the backhoe—all the great mechanized tools. And you’ve got to be smart and on top of that. But a CEO is really the chief executive. The person in charge of implementation. Helping other people execute the strategy and use the tools.

It’s about building an organization, versus working a job. You can still have passion. My passion drives me. You can still love the sight of a cut lawn or a beautiful wall you’ve built or a backyard you’ve designed—but you’ve got to think of yourself as a business builder. A team builder. A systems builder.

You’re building the ship and you’re also the captain steering it. That’s the difference.

Ezra McCarthy:
Where do you see—along the business journey—the owner being able to step out of that “landscaper” role? Do you think someone can do that from the beginning when they start their business? Or does it take reaching a certain revenue level before they can start making that transition into a true lawn care CEO?

Jeffrey Scott:
That’s a great question. There’s never a one-size-fits-all answer. Don’t ever believe someone who says, “You have to get to $3 million first, then you do XYZ.” Nope. There are a lot of different ways to do this. You can take your own route.

I have one client—she started coaching with me at $1.5 million, which is small for taking on a private coaching client. You can join our peer groups at $1 million and up, but coaching is more intensive and expensive. Usually you’re a bit bigger. But she’s ahead of her time. Really smart. She’s around $3 million now.

At around $2 or $2.5 million, we brought on someone who became the general manager. Now if you read the books or the blogs, they’ll say, “Don’t bring in a GM until you’re $5 or $10 million.” Nonsense.

If you know you need that person, and you find the right one—you bring them in. It’s like a chicken and egg. Do you need to get to a certain size before you can do these things? No. Sometimes you have to do the things to get to that size.

It’s really about replacing yourself. Think of it like this: “I’m doing all these roles—now let me replace myself in role X, Y, and Z so I can take on higher-level roles.”

To boil it into one truth:
Your job is to work yourself out of your job.
On an ongoing, forever basis.

If you’re the foreman, your job is to replace yourself with another foreman. Then you become the foreman of multiple crews. Then you hire foremen and become the supervisor. Then you hire a production manager. Then a salesperson. Then a sales manager.

Work yourself out of jobs.

Now—if you suck at a job, don’t take it on in the first place. Hire someone who’s great at it.

My client Shanna—who always says, “Shanna like banana”—she was never going to be a great GM. She’s a visionary. So she hired someone who could be the GM. Within a year, that woman was running the company. Way ahead of what most people think is affordable.

This day and age, if you’re weak in something—hire for it. Not later. Now. If you’re terrible at numbers, don’t just get a bookkeeper. Maybe you need a controller. Some will say, “You can’t bring that role in till $10 million.” Again—nonsense.

Hire the right person, and that role will pay for itself—and you’ll grow faster.

Ezra McCarthy:
Reminds me of one of my favorite books, Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell. I’m sure you’re familiar with that book—it’s so good. But you know, a lot of these things require us to change our mindset. So what do you see as the different mindset shifts that really impact businesses as they try to grow?

Jeffrey Scott:
Well, just to follow the same flavor we’re going with here—and I don’t know if you want to invite me back, but we’re just going to cover a little bit of all the different questions you had for me. And I don’t want to skim through them either—it’s always better to go deep.

So, ask me that question again?

Ezra McCarthy:
Sure. It’s helpful. I was saying that Buy Back Your Time is a favorite of mine, but to actually live that out, we have to change how we think. What mindset changes really impact business growth?

Jeffrey Scott:
So, following that line of thought, here are a few mindset changes I see as critical:

• “I have to do it myself.” That’s got to change.
• “The client won’t want anyone else but me doing X, Y, Z.” That’s got to change.
• “I can only hire someone for a job after I’ve mastered that job.” That’s got to change.
• “I can’t afford to hire a person for X, Y, or Z.” Total nonsense.

The right person will make you money—I guarantee it. Whether it’s a general manager, a sales manager, a controller, a production manager, a supervisor—you name it. I see a lot of small business owners doing all the admin themselves. That would drive me absolutely nuts. I see people doing their own billing because they think no one else can do it like they can. That’s nonsense.

You’ve got to get those things off your plate. This mindset of “No one can do it like me,” or “My clients won’t put up with someone else,” or “I can’t afford it”—those are all limiting beliefs. They’re what’s holding you back.

We’re in a God-given world—we didn’t build it. We’ve landed in this world, and human beings are very practical and concrete. We treat our reality like it’s made of Legos—unchangeable, permanent. But in reality, the world is incredibly flexible. We can create things seemingly out of thin air, with just our thoughts.

If you understand that—if you realize, “Hey, if I can think it, I can create it”—that’s powerful. It’s not just the Einsteins or Warren Buffetts who do great things. We all can, if we believe in ourselves and tap into that spirit.

So don’t let your current reality be your ceiling. Have faith in the next version of yourself.

Ezra McCarthy:
I love that. One of my favorite quotes—I’m not sure who to attribute it to, I read it back in high school—is: Thoughts are the seeds of future deeds. And it’s so true. You may think, “I want to do this,” and obviously you have to take action, but so much is possible if you put in the work and make it happen.

Jeffrey Scott:
Yeah. Miracles happen. You asked me how I built my business? Honestly, I don’t even know if I could do it again—it was so much work. But you can do amazing things when you put your mind to it, share your vision with others, and people come alongside to help you.

Ezra McCarthy:
And bringing on team members is so important. You talked about delegating, and one thing Dan Martell says that really stuck with me is the idea of a “buyback rate.” He says: Take your income, divide it by 2,000 hours—that’s roughly how many hours you work a year—and then divide that by four.

So, say you make $100 an hour. Divide that by four, and you get $25. If you’re doing anything that you can pay someone $25 or less per hour to do, you should delegate it. That frees you up to move up the value ladder and do higher-leverage work.

And it goes right along with what you’re saying: shifting the mindset from “How do I do this?” to “Who do I bring on to help me do this?” But I digress. Any other thoughts on mindset?

Jeffrey Scott:
Well, if you’re not making any money yet, that buyback math doesn’t work. So let’s flip that on its head. In order to earn more, you need to be working on $200-an-hour tasks.

So the better question is:
What do I need to do so I can spend more time on $200/hour tasks—or even $500/hour tasks?
What needs to change in my current reality to make that jump possible?

Ezra McCarthy:
That’s so good. I remember reading in a book that there’s enough work out there. People say, “There’s not enough work,” and yes—there are a lot of chuck-in-a-trucks and lowballers. But there’s more work out there than you could ever do. It’s just not coming to you. So as business owners, how can we get in front of that? How do we become the kind of business people want to work with—where customers are banging down the door to hire us?

Jeffrey Scott:
One of my favorite mentors—he must be 90 years old now—once told me:
“If you want more work, do better work.”

You don’t want more cheap work. You want more well-paid work. And that kind of work is already being done—by companies that might be marketing better than you, selling better than you.

Look at your workforce. Why can’t you afford better people? Probably because you’re not charging enough.

And when someone says, “People won’t pay more”?
I don’t buy that. You’re just fishing in the wrong pond.

Ezra McCarthy:
I was just thinking about this this morning as I was driving to work. I was thinking about my mechanic—and price is not what makes me go to him. I mean, sure, I glance at the price before I pay it, but not really. I trust him. He could probably double his prices and I wouldn’t really care, because I trust him.

And as a business owner, I was thinking about presentation. If our crew shows up to a job and they don’t look like the kind of people I’d want on my property, that’s going to affect it. I had my bathroom redone recently, and to me—being on time is important. Well, this guy showed up 20–30 minutes early, and it was early. So okay, great.

But then he comes in—it’s a pretty decent bathroom remodel—and he doesn’t have a clipboard, just wanders around the bathroom for a couple of minutes. He’s not wearing a nice shirt, just a random sweater. Doesn’t look that professional. He didn’t take notes, didn’t ask questions. I’m thinking, “What is this?”

Then he sends me a quote, and a huge part of what we had talked about was just missing. I emailed him and said, “Hey, remember this part we discussed?” And he replied, “Oh, I knew I was missing something.”

Well, Jeffrey, I don’t think I have to tell you—we didn’t hire him.

And so when we send our team members out into the field, how are we presenting ourselves? Because if we’re not clearly showcasing what kind of business we are, then to the customer, it becomes apples to apples—and your only differentiator becomes price.

Jeffrey Scott:
Yeah. Exactly.

Ezra McCarthy:
So with that in mind, what do you say are the key leadership traits that a business owner needs to develop in order to truly step into the CEO role—not just as a landscaper or lawn care operator, but as a leader?

Jeffrey Scott:
Great question. When we talk about the CEO role, it’s really two roles in one. You’re the Chief Executive Officer, yes—but you’re also the General Manager. You’re the one setting up systems, tying up loose ends, making sure all departments are working together smoothly.

As you grow, you’ll discover you’re probably not great at both of those roles. But in the beginning, you’ve got to wear both hats. The visionary CEO hat and the hands-on field marshal hat—the one who’s making sure the troops are out the door on time.

And that takes patience. You can’t be erratic or hotheaded. If you’ve ever taken a DISC assessment, there’s the high “I” personality—visionary, people-oriented, sales-focused. Then there’s the high “D”—the driver, pushing things forward. You need a balance.

The most important leadership traits?

• Patience. Everyone is different.
• Clear communication. You’ve got to articulate the vision—where you’re going—and constantly communicate that.
• Listening. Equally important, you need to listen to what your people are telling you. You can’t bulldoze them.

The workforce has changed dramatically over the last few years. It’s harder to run a business than it used to be. The good news is: if you can attract people to your mission, you’re going to get further, faster.

But here’s the thing—most owners don’t have all the leadership skills. Maybe one out of ten has them naturally. The rest of us? You’re going to be good in one area, and you’ll need to hire or partner with co-leaders who complement your weaknesses.

To do that, you have to be an excellent articulator of your vision. And not just once. You have to over-communicate.

Most owners make the mistake of saying something once and assuming everyone remembers it. You think about your vision all the time—but your team doesn’t. We assume they have ESP. They don’t.

So keep sharing it. Overshare it. Keep the vision front and center.

It’s like blowing up a balloon with pinholes in it—you’ve got to constantly refill it to keep it from deflating. That’s what your team needs. And then, give them the tools they need to succeed. Be a good listener, not just a commander.

I do a lot of consulting, and I’m always surprised—when I interview frontline team members—how many basic things they’re not getting from their owner. Tools, communication, direction. I’ll ask, “Wait, you don’t have that? You’re not being asked what you need?” Just basic stuff.

And that’s why I get brought in, of course—for strategy, systems, structure—but at the core, it’s often the most basic gaps in leadership and communication holding companies back.

Take the time. Talk with your team. Understand their personal situations, yes, but also the business needs. That will go a long, long way.

Ezra McCarthy:
Do you find that a lot of the businesses you consult already have a vision for where they’re trying to go? Or is that something you help them create and communicate—especially to the frontline team members—so they actually know what the company is aiming for?

Jeffrey Scott:
They all have a vision in their head. Some of them just aren’t thinking far enough ahead. So sometimes we put on the hat of “I can see farther than you.” I never want to tell someone what their vision should be—but often I’ll say, “You know, from what I see in you, you could achieve so much more. I see you going way out here.” And they’ll say, “Yeah, yeah, that’s actually what I want.”

So a lot of people have the vision—it’s just hidden. They need help articulating it.

Others do have a clear vision, but they don’t articulate it well. Or they think they’re getting it across, but they’re not making it concrete enough. We help with both of those things.

Ezra McCarthy:
Have you seen good examples of how companies get that vision to their team members and throughout the organization? I heard once that if your front-line crew can’t explain what the business stands for, then you’ve failed to get your message across.

So how can landscaping and lawn care business owners—especially as they grow—really bring that vision to the whole team?

Jeffrey Scott:
Honestly, this applies at any size.

Part of the issue is that most owners spend all their time talking about the work. Why don’t employees have the tools they need? Why isn’t the owner asking them what they need? Probably because they’re just handing out the work orders and moving on.

We’ve got to stop talking only about what we do and start talking about why we do it—and where we’re going.

Talk about the “why” and “where.” Then ask your team for input on the how. And none of that is just the task list for the day.

This means more meetings—and yes, a lot of people hate meetings, because most of them are poorly run. But regular, meaningful communication is essential. Not just about the work, but about why the business exists. Why we treat people a certain way. Why our clients choose us. What our purpose is.

Those are the “why” questions that actually inspire.

And then, where are we going? What does this company look like in 1 year, 3 years, 5 years?

One of my favorite examples: Moses, leading people through the Sinai desert. How did he keep them from killing each other—or him—for 40 years? He must have kept reminding them of the vision: the land of milk and honey. I’ve driven a bus through the Sinai Desert—you do not want to get stuck there. So he had to constantly point toward that destination.

As business owners, you need to do the same. Share the vision again and again so that others can start to carry it themselves.

And if you don’t have clarity yet? That’s when a coach can help you flesh it out so you can share it out.

Ezra McCarthy:
So how often should we be communicating that vision? And what’s “too much”? We obviously want it to help—not feel repetitive or annoying to our team.

Jeffrey Scott:
You know, I don’t think there is such a thing as too much—if you’re doing it well.

If you’re just rambling in circles, or you’re not backing it up with action, or you’re making promises you never fulfill—that’s the problem. But assuming you’re being honest and intentional? There’s no such thing as over-communicating the vision.

In fact, when your team can start repeating it back to you—that’s a good sign. That means it’s working.

Also, remember: your vision will evolve. You make progress, you hit goals, and now there’s a new horizon. You’re on a road trip—you’ve passed mile marker 50, now you’re headed toward 100. The vision changes and updates.

So don’t think of it like repeating the same speech forever. Think of it like keeping people aligned with the next step of the journey. Every day, your team should hear part of the “where” or the “why.”

Ezra McCarthy:
This is really good. And it ties into team and culture. You’ve got a phrase you use: “destination company.” Can you explain what that means?

Jeffrey Scott:
Absolutely. And in fact—if your listeners are watching the video—I’ve got my book right here: Become a Destination Company.

Ezra McCarthy:
Perfect—we’ll make sure to put that in the show notes.

Jeffrey Scott:
I’m going to give you a link where you can download the book for free.

Ezra McCarthy:
Perfect.

Jeffrey Scott:
Become a Destination Company is really about: how do you get people to want to come work at your company? The subtitle, which is actually placed above the title on the cover, says: A Roadmap to Attract, Motivate, and Retain Great Employees.

It’s all about becoming that go-to company in your market. I wrote this over 10 years ago, and recruiting was hard back then—but it’s even harder now. The good news is, with social media and better positioning, it’s never been easier to promote yourself as a destination company. A place where people want to plant their career and grow with you.

Ezra McCarthy:
So do you find that being a destination company also attracts a different kind of customer—or is that mainly focused on team members?

Jeffrey Scott:
That’s a great question.

I remember I was once networking with a guy, and I’ll never forget it. He said, “We just have terrible turnover with our clients.” His client retention rate was something like 70%, which is low—especially for maintenance. I asked him, “Tell me about your employees.” He said, “Yeah, we’ve got terrible turnover there too.”

I’m like, Hello?

If you become a destination company that attracts and retains great employees, you’re also going to attract and retain great clients. It’s connected.

Ezra McCarthy:
So for a small to medium-sized business—how can they become that? How do they build a culture and brand that attracts top talent?

Jeffrey Scott:
Small companies should act big. And big companies should act small.

If you’re a small company, carry yourself with the pride of a big one. Behave like it. Hold team meetings. Invest in the right tools and equipment. Listen to your people. Give them what they need to succeed. Articulate your vision.

And yes, you do have to pay people well. That means you have to charge appropriately. Don’t be the cheapskate who’s selling out of your own wallet and only winning work based on price. That’s a race to the bottom. You’ve got to work your way out of that spiral—one step at a time.

Ezra McCarthy:
What would you say to the business owner who comes to you and says, “We’ve got a high turnover problem”? How would you coach them through that?

Jeffrey Scott:
Well, the first thing you have to do is be honest with yourself. Are you hiring the wrong people? Are you letting C and D players into your company who shouldn’t be there to begin with?

Or… are you the problem?

It could be either one. Sometimes it’s both. Sometimes it’s 50/50. You might even have a field manager who’s driving good people out of the company. So it’s not always you—but maybe you’ve entrusted the wrong person, and now they’re burning bridges inside your team.

You have to do a clear-eyed analysis of what exactly is broken—and fix that first.

Because you’ll never build a great company with high turnover. Never. You’ve got to plug the bucket before you go filling it with new hires.

Ezra McCarthy:
Dave Ramsey has a great quote. He says something like, “Racehorses don’t hang out with donkeys.” And if we’re hiring a bunch of donkeys, we’re not going to attract any racehorses into our business.

Jeffrey Scott:
Exactly. And sometimes it’s your racehorses that are leaving—because you’re tolerating too many donkeys.

You’re putting up with bad behavior, and the good people—who could have helped grow your business—get fed up and leave. That’s all part of the analysis.

And look, every company has this problem. Don’t think, “Well, I’m small—once I grow, this will go away.” No. If you grow, you just get bigger problems.

All companies wrestle with this. Ineffective managers. Blind spots. The bigger you get, the more blind spots there are, and the more systems you need to get clear vision into what’s really happening in your company.

So no matter what size you are, you need outside help, systems, accountability—something to give you better vision and less guesswork. We all have blind spots.

Ezra McCarthy:
This is so good. Our time is kind of running out here, so I want to get to this: What kind of benefits have you seen in the businesses that join your peer groups? What are the transformations that stand out?

Jeffrey Scott:
Before I answer that, let me also mention—this summer, I’m holding my Summer Growth Summit. You’ve probably seen me promoting it on LinkedIn. Can we include that in the show notes too?

Ezra McCarthy:
Absolutely! Can you tell us more? What is it—and why would someone want to come?

Jeffrey Scott:
Sure. The Summer Growth Summit takes place August 19–21 this year. It’s a two-and-a-half-day event where we visit a larger landscape company for inspiration and systems insight. We bring together our clients—so it’s a great place for peer group members to connect—and we also open it up to outside attendees.

This year, we’re visiting Schill Grounds Management, which is a 31-branch company. But the owner, Jerry Schill, he’s just a sweetheart. If you met him at a bar, you’d never know he runs a huge company. He’s humble and approachable—just like you or me.

The event includes:

• Day one: A full conference day. I speak, Jerry and his team speak, and some of my clients and industry pros share as well.
• Day two: We tour two of Schill’s branches and hear from 10 of his hands-on leaders across different departments.
• Day three: A half or two-thirds day where you hear from executives—personnel, finance, acquisitions, and more. Jerry will speak again about managing by the numbers.

We also seat attendees by role: owners with owners, managers with managers, salespeople with salespeople. So there’s deep networking and tactical idea sharing.

It’s a powerful event that helps people see what’s possible, steal and scale great ideas, and hit the second half of the year strong.

Ezra McCarthy:
That’s in Ohio, right?

Jeffrey Scott:
Yep—Cleveland, Ohio.

Ezra McCarthy:
Perfect. I was just listening to one of your episodes with him, actually. That’s great—we’ll definitely include it in the show notes. Now back to the peer groups. You mentioned earlier there are around 130 members. What kind of transformations or outcomes have you seen?

Jeffrey Scott:
Well, it really depends on what the member wants—what their goals are. But we see a lot of common results.

For example, one woman joined with no ability to take vacations. She was older, and she couldn’t visit her kids or grandkids. Within two years, she was taking seven weeks off annually. And this wasn’t a massive company—she just got the structure in place to make her business support her life.

Other members come in because they’re working too hard. They want to work less. We help them create systems and a leadership team so they’re not doing everything.

Some are making a paycheck but not keeping any profit. We’re strong on financials—so we help them fix profitability, build bonuses, and build up cash in the business.

Hiring and retention? That’s a massive one. Half our conversation today has been on that. We help people hire better and keep great people.

But honestly, one of the biggest benefits that surprises people… is the friendships. They come in for growth—but they end up making friends for life. The kind of friendships that really become life-changing.

Ezra McCarthy:
That’s powerful. And if someone’s coming in new, and you see them and just know they’re going to thrive—what are the traits that person usually has?

Jeffrey Scott:
Great question.

First: ambition. They’ve got to want to grow.

Then: listening skills. Not a big talker at first—but someone who asks good questions and has a hunger to learn.

Curiosity is big. The desire to learn from others. Our clients also tend to be generous. I don’t know what it is—but we attract people who are willing to give, not just take. And that makes the group stronger.

Even if you think, “I have nothing to share,” you do. Everyone has a unique perspective or area of strength. And when people share freely, it lifts everyone.

Lastly: accountability. People who thrive in these groups want to be held accountable. They do the work. They show up ready to grow.

And honestly? Think about some of the most successful people you know—they’re usually generous. It’s one of those karma traits. You give, you get. So generosity, coachability, and follow-through—those are big.

Ezra McCarthy:
Those are all so good. Jeff, if someone’s looking to work with you or learn more about your programs, where’s the best place to find you?

Jeffrey Scott:
Just head over to my website: jeffreyscott.biz. That’s J-E-F-F-R-E-Y S-C-O-T-T dot B-I-Z.

Since I’ve moved down south, everyone seems to spell my name differently—I won’t even say how, I don’t want to plant the wrong spelling in your head. But I’m originally from the Northeast, now living in New Orleans, and it’s the traditional spelling: J-E-F-F-R-E-Y.

You can also find me on LinkedIn—I’m very active there—and on other social media platforms. Those are great places to connect and learn more.

Ezra McCarthy:
Thanks, Jeff. This has been a super helpful conversation. I’m sure everyone listening picked up a ton of actionable insight. If you enjoyed the episode, be sure to go to your podcast player and hit subscribe. And if you got value today, leave a rating and review—it helps other business owners like you discover the show.

Jeff, great to talk to you. Look forward to catching up again soon.

Jeffrey Scott:
Thank you so much.

Ezra McCarthy:
Take care.