Episode 10

Ezra:
Hello and welcome back to the Lawn Care Success Blueprint Podcast. Today we’ve got a great guest, Leroy Mains. He’s the owner of Brilliant Borders Landscaping, a seven-figure-plus landscaping business based in Des Moines, Iowa. He’s also the co-host of The Green Grind Podcast—one of my personal favorites. Leroy has built his business from the ground up, and today he’s sharing the key strategies, lessons, and hard-won insights that helped him scale to success. Leroy, welcome to the show.

Leroy:
Thanks, Ezra. I appreciate you having me on. I’m usually on the other end of the mic, doing the intros and asking the questions, so it’s fun to switch roles for a change. I don’t do a lot of podcasts—I tend to be picky with my time—so I’m glad you asked. It’s Friday afternoon here in Des Moines. It’s actually warm today, mid-40s, which is a nice break. Earlier this week it was in the 70s, then we had blizzard warnings. Iowa weather is wild this time of year, but that’s just part of it.

Ezra:
For sure. Sounds like a roller coaster. Alright, we always like to keep things light at the beginning. So I’ve got to ask—what’s the most epic fail you’ve ever had on a job site?

Leroy:
Oh man, if we’re talking about me personally, it was early on—we flipped a skid loader. We were digging out a fire pit on a patio job. At that point, it was only about eight inches deep. I was operating an older wheel machine, and we didn’t really know what we were doing. I came in with a bucket full of gravel, carried it too high, and it just went over. The whole machine flipped. It tossed me partway out of the seat, banged me up a bit. We hooked a truck and a chain to it, pulled it back upright, let it sit for a bit, and then fired it back up and went back to work. It was definitely a lesson.

Ezra:
So… you tipped it forward?

Leroy:
Yeah, we tipped it forward. It didn’t fully flip, thankfully—it just kind of stuck on end. Luckily, it was a rental and no real damage happened, so no harm, no foul. But we’ve had some bigger fails too.

One that stands out was a large retaining wall job along a detention pond. We had to pump the pond down to access the work area near the water line. We rented this huge commercial pump from Caterpillar—it moved several thousand gallons a minute—and we were discharging the water down the ravine behind the homeowner’s property. At one point, we heard this loud crack, and turns out, the water had destabilized a couple of trees. They started to fall.

The homeowner wasn’t thrilled, as you can imagine. We had to clean it up and make things right. That was one of those jobs where we were doing things we really didn’t know how to do at the time, and it cost us in the long run. Definitely a learning experience.

Ezra:
Man. Let’s shift a bit—you mentioned weather earlier. What’s some of the worst weather you’ve worked in?

Leroy:
That’s a tough one. The older I get, the more I notice the bad weather. Recently, we relocated our shop to the west side of Des Moines, kind of out in the open, and the wind here is relentless. There’s a crane being set up nearby, new development going on, but it’s wide open—and that means brutal wind.

Just a couple of weeks ago, we had another blizzard warning. My son and I were up at 2 a.m. to go plow snow, and as we got just west of town near our new building, I looked at him and said, “I can’t see anything.” Total whiteout. And I mean real whiteout conditions—couldn’t see the road, no streetlights, no visibility. It was honestly a little scary. The power was out too, so it was just headlights cutting through complete darkness. That morning really reminded me what winter in Iowa can throw at you.

Our team deals with all kinds of weather—extreme heat, freezing cold. But winter snow removal is next level. Windchill is brutal here. You can have zero degrees, minus 10, and then throw in 30-40 mile an hour winds. Windchills can hit minus 50. It’s not just uncomfortable—it’s dangerous. We do everything we can to protect the team, but snow removal in those kinds of conditions is probably the most brutal part of the job.

Ezra:
Yeah, there’s something about that total darkness you mentioned. I remember in Greenville, we had a tornado roll through. We went out afterward—being those curious people—and even though we were just a block from our house, with all the lights out, it felt like a different world. You don’t realize how much you rely on streetlights and familiar landmarks until they’re gone.

Leroy:
Yeah, it really is a scary experience. You take for granted how much you rely on light and power. I live on a side of town where most of the lines are buried, so we rarely lose power. But when it does go out—especially during a storm—you realize how dark it gets. That day, even though we only got two or three inches of snow, the 50 to 60 mph winds made visibility nearly impossible. It was a rough morning.

Ezra:
Right. So you’ve built Brilliant Borders into a solid company. Can you tell us where you are today—and as you look back, what was one of the biggest turning points that helped you scale?

Leroy:
Sure, great question. Brilliant Borders today is a full-service landscape company. We handle everything from design and installation to maintenance. We do commercial maintenance, residential fertilization, weed control, pest control, and irrigation. In the winter, we also offer ice management services.

What makes us unique is our focus on systems, company culture, and quality. Like most people, we started small—a truck, a trailer, and a dream. Honestly, it began as a way to feed our kids and earn some extra income. But through a lot of training, a lot of failures, and constant refinement, we’ve built something that my wife and I are really proud of. We love our company today.

There have been several turning points along the way. One of the biggest was hiring the right people. Bringing in key individuals who brought skills and perspective that I didn’t have—that was a game-changer. I’ve talked about this a lot on the Green Grind and other podcasts: those hires are the difference-makers. There were people I wasn’t sure I could afford. Some of them knew more than I did in specific areas. But taking the risk to bring them in has paid off big time.

Hiring the right people is what takes you from one level to the next. And when you hit that next level, it’s those same kinds of people that help you push forward again. That cycle of growth really hinges on your team.

Another big shift was learning to stop doing everything myself. But I couldn’t do that until I had the right team in place. Once I did, I had to learn how to delegate and let go—which isn’t easy. But that’s been one of the keys to growing this business. Letting go so others can step in and help take things to the next level.

Ezra:
Looking back, what specific team members were those turning points you mentioned? Were they in sales, operations, admin? Who made the biggest impact, and in what roles?

Leroy:
They were all pivotal, just at different times in the business. The first big turning point was when I hired Armando. I’ve talked about him a few times—he was a hardscape guy, came in with his brother. They both wanted more money than I felt I could afford at the time, but I was between a rock and a hard place. We had hardscape work booked, but I wasn’t confident in doing it myself.

We had a team member leave—I don’t even remember the details—but I was left with jobs I didn’t know how to do. Armando and his brother came in, and I knew they could handle the work. That hire was a big step outside my comfort zone, but it paid off.

A few years later, we brought on a salesperson. That was another huge milestone because it allowed me to step out of the sales role and begin working on growing the company more strategically.

We’ve also added key production staff over the years. At one point, we hired a general manager. That specific person didn’t work out, but the role itself was essential to growing.

We even had to hire someone just to answer the phones because they were ringing off the hook. We still answer our phones today—that’s just how we do business. But that admin support became critical.

What I’ve learned through all of this is that hiring people who know more than I do has been the biggest factor in our growth. When you surround yourself with skilled people, it accelerates everything.

Ezra:
So would you say those hires helped shift you from being in production to working on the business? It sounds like you’ve delegated both sales and operations. How did you step fully into your leadership role?

Leroy:
Great question—and one I hear all the time. You mentioned Tommy Mello earlier—he was recently on Sam Gembel’s podcast, and he said something that hit me square between the eyes: “For the leader to be born, the hustler must die.”

That really resonated. I never saw myself as a landscaper. I’m a business guy—that’s my background. I’m the visionary in our organization. I didn’t want to be out there building retaining walls or handling every sale. I knew early on that I had to get tasks off my plate if I wanted to grow this thing.

It started small—hiring a couple of field guys to take over the day-to-day work I didn’t want to do anymore. Then I hired someone for invoicing and billing. Eventually, I brought in a salesperson. Now, we’re at a place where Armando runs 100% of our production. Another team member oversees daily maintenance. We’ve got someone who handles all the sales. We’ve got someone on the phones and scheduling. My wife manages the financial side.

That structure has allowed me to focus on where we are as a company and, more importantly, where we’re going. I’ve mapped it all out—on my computer, I’ve got our current org chart, our chart for next year, and the one for the year after that. I know how many people we’ll need, what our revenue targets are, and what steps we need to take to get there.

I share this vision with the team a couple of times a year in our meetings. I want them to see where we are and where we’re headed. Once everyone’s bought in, things really start to move.

Now, I’m mostly out of the day-to-day, although I’m still here every day. I’ve learned I have a bad habit of swerving into other people’s lanes. I’ll poke my nose into things I shouldn’t, which can disrupt the flow. Our team is dialed in on what they’re supposed to do—and here comes Leroy changing the plan. It throws everything off.

So now, I try to get out of their way. I’ve got people who are smarter than me at what they do. My job is to lead, not to micromanage. Letting go has been tough, but it’s been critical for our growth.

Ezra:
This is so good, Leroy. I want to zoom in on something you said. When you started, you mentioned having a dream. And now, you’re presenting a dream to your team. I remember listening to an episode of The Green Grind recently—you were doing a coaching call with a guy, I think in Iowa. You asked him where he was going with his business, and he didn’t have a clear answer. You told him he needed a vision. So let me ask you: What was your dream when you started, and what is it now?

Leroy:
That’s a great question. I remember that call well. Not having a dream or vision can sink a business. If you’re not aiming at something, you’re going nowhere.

When my wife started the company—and I joined her later—the vision was simple: make some extra money for our family. I was in the hospitality industry, she was working in senior living, and we had four kids between us. I started installing borders at night and on weekends, just trying to make a little side income and maybe get out of hospitality someday.

I was the kid in school who was smart but didn’t apply himself. I think a lot of entrepreneurs can relate. I’ve always thought outside the box. The 8-to-5 thing never felt right for me. I didn’t know exactly what we were building back then—I just knew I wanted to lead something and build a different kind of life.

Eventually, that vision evolved. We thought maybe we could work for ourselves, make a real living doing this. I left my career, we took the leap, and honestly, the vision at that point was just survival—don’t go bankrupt.

But over time, things shifted. We started hiring people—Armando, Jason, others—and suddenly, it wasn’t just about feeding our family anymore. These people had dreams too. They wanted to buy homes, take vacations, build lives for their families. And we realized: we have the privilege and the responsibility to help them get there.

So today, our vision is to create a place where our team can grow, succeed, and build great lives. And when we do that, they go out and serve our customers better. That’s when the snowball really starts. The dream now is to give back to the people who helped build this business.

Ezra:
That’s powerful. So do you think the vision changed because of the people you brought on? Or did having that vision help attract better people? Did it go hand in hand?

Leroy:
I think it went hand in hand. Creating a clear vision and committing to becoming a better leader helped us attract the kind of people we were looking for. It changed the way people saw us. We created a place where people want to come to work—and that changes everything.

Ezra:
As you reflect on the growth of the business, are there any daily habits or routines that stand out as critical to your success?

Leroy:
Absolutely. One of the biggest things is just showing up. I’m an early riser—usually up by 4:15 or 4:30 a.m. I hit the gym for an hour. Not because I want to be jacked—I’m 50, I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m never going to have a six-pack—but because it clears my head. It gets me grounded and focused. I’m usually at the office by 6:30 a.m., ready to go.

That routine sets me up for the day. I do it for my health, for my family, and for my team. If I’ve had a good night’s sleep and I’m clear-headed, I can show up and lead well.

I also keep a “Daily 5” list. Every day, I write down five things I must accomplish—non-negotiables. Today, for example, I had to deal with our bonus system, pick up some tools, and a few other priorities. I don’t open my office door or let myself get distracted with emails or social media until those five things are done.

That system didn’t come from me—I got it from someone else—but it’s been huge for focus. When I knock out those five things every day, we move forward.

And finally, I ask myself one question almost every morning as I pull into the parking lot: “What can I do today to make this business better tomorrow?” If I spend my day doing the right things—helping my team, solving problems, investing in people—and I stack those days, one after another, the growth adds up.

It’s not glamorous. We don’t do anything super flashy. We just try to do the same things really well, every single day.

Ezra:
Leroy, earlier you mentioned how you started just trying to make some extra cash—nights and weekends. Obviously, that mindset has shifted a lot. Today, you’ve built a serious operation there in Des Moines. What were some of the biggest mindset shifts that took you from a side hustle to a real business with long-term vision and investment?

Leroy:
Yeah, there have definitely been some big shifts. In the early days, the mindset was more like, “Can I even do this?”There were moments where I wasn’t sure the work would come in. There were times I’d look at the numbers and wonder, “How am I going to pay the team next week?” That kind of pressure is real when you’re trying to get a business off the ground.

But over time, the mindset evolved. It used to feel like I had to do this. Today, it feels like I get to do this. I get to show up every day and lead a team of 27 people who count on me—not just to steer the ship, but to create an environment where they can grow and succeed.

Sure, it’s hard. This industry isn’t for the faint of heart. But now I wake up knowing I have a real purpose—to lead, to build, and to help others succeed. That shift from survival mode to significance has been massive.

Ezra:
That’s such a good perspective. And this is a demanding industry—physically and mentally. Even though you’re more in a leadership role now, how do you stay motivated to keep showing up and pushing year after year?

Leroy:
For me, it’s about watching our team grow. We’re now seeing longer-term team members—guys who’ve been with us 11 years, 10 years, eight years, five years. Watching their lives change is the most rewarding part of what I do.

We’ve seen people buy their first homes, get their first cars, take their families on vacations. We’ve helped people from other countries gain citizenship. Those moments are powerful. That’s what motivates me.

Sam Gembel said it best—he talks about the difference between being significant and creating significance. Early on, the big job or the perfect patio felt significant. And yeah, we still care about quality, of course. But now, the real joy comes from watching our team build that patio, seeing their eyes light up because they nailed it.

That’s significance. That’s legacy. Once you experience that, the individual jobs don’t move the needle the same way. It’s about the people—their growth, their success, their pride in the work. That’s what keeps me going every single day.

Ezra:
That’s so good, Leroy. One thing I’ve noticed as my business has grown is that what really inspires me isn’t gear or equipment. Sure, mowers matter—but the truck you drive or whether it’s a Ferris or an Exmark, that’s not what builds a business. It’s people. Finding great people, leading them, building a culture—that’s what scales a company.

We’ve been refining our own mission statement lately, and for the longest time I thought it was just corporate fluff. But after reading The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, I realized we needed a long-term mission. Ours is twofold:

1. Create the best websites and marketing solutions for lawn and landscape businesses.
2. Create life-changing careers for our team members.

We want our team to really feel that—know that we care about their success in business and life.

Leroy:
Absolutely. We actually had a couple of new team members start this week—well, one started last week. They came from another local company that unfortunately had to shut down. That company did great work, and when one of the guys interviewed with us, I could tell right away—this guy’s a rockstar. He mentioned he had a buddy too, and I said, let’s talk to him.

So we brought them in, did our full interview process, explained our values, our culture, and what we’re all about. This morning, during our morning huddle, I asked them, “How was your first day? How’s your first week been?” One of them said, “Everyone here is just so nice. They help us. I don’t even know what to do with that—I’ve never worked anywhere like this.”

As a business owner, that means the world. If we just keep treating people well, they’ll stick around. And when you do that consistently, your team problems start to go away. You stop losing good people. They come in with pride, driving decent cars, working in a solid facility, and feeling like they’re part of something.

Ezra:
So good. I want to dig into something you just mentioned—you run a morning huddle. When did you start that, and what’s the format?

Leroy:
We started doing morning huddles about three years ago. I got the idea from someone else—no idea who—but a lot of successful companies do it in some form. We wanted a way to connect and get everyone aligned.

Here’s how we run it:

First, we have a meeting with our leadership team—production managers, sales, admin—just a quick sync. “What’s going on today? What didn’t get finished yesterday? Who needs help?”

About 15 minutes later, we roll into the full team huddle in our warehouse. I still lead that. It’s one of the few things I’ve held onto because I enjoy it. It gives me a chance to chat with the crew a bit, keep the vibe light, but also aligned.

The goal is communication and connection. Everyone hears where they’re going, what the priorities are, and we build some camaraderie—guys knuckle-bumping, saying good morning, checking in on each other. It helps the day start strong and builds a team culture that people want to be part of.

Communication is actually one of our core values. We probably over-communicate, honestly, but we’d rather go too far than not far enough. After the huddle, crews usually break off into any safety meetings or quick tailgate talks depending on the day.

It’s a simple system—but it’s been incredibly effective.

Ezra:
Do you find your team members value those daily huddles?

Leroy:
Absolutely—100%. One of the biggest challenges as we’ve grown has been making sure everyone’s doing things the same way. For example, we might send Landscape Crew #1 out to plant 15 maple trees and Crew #2 to do the same thing—but if we’re not aligned, they’ll do it completely differently.

So we had to figure out how to unify our systems. Around here, everyone installs a tree the same way. Everyone installs drain tile the same way. Landscape fabric, same thing. We had to train that consistency into our team. It’s not just job-specific training—we also cover safety protocols, like what to do if there’s an accident or a tornado. With all the trucks we have on the road, that stuff matters.

We also help our team with resources outside of work—free dental care in the community, access to financial help, even celebrating birthdays. It’s about more than just showing up and being told, “Get in the truck.” We want them to want to be here—and feel like this is a place where they’re valued.

Ezra:
That’s so good. Last couple questions before we wrap. If you had to start over today with $15,000, what would you do differently?

Leroy:
If it was early enough, I might’ve just thrown it into a Roth IRA and called it a day—I’d probably have more money than I do now just from compound interest!

But seriously, I wouldn’t change too much. I would definitely invest more in software and systems right away. Understanding your numbers is critical, and I wish I had put money into software early on to help with that.

I’d also spend a little more on equipment. We started with some real junk—just the cheapest stuff we could afford. If I had the chance, I’d upgrade that slightly.

And of course, marketing. If I had $15K, I’d spend $5K of it on marketing and crush the competition. When I was starting, we didn’t have podcasts or YouTube like we do now—or if we did, I didn’t know how to use them. Now, there’s so much free information out there. If someone’s serious, they can get in the game faster and smarter than ever before.

Ezra:
Any final advice for lawn and landscape business owners looking to scale this year?

Leroy:
Yeah—don’t assume that growing fast is always a good thing. Scaling sounds exciting, but it’s a lot harder than most people think. The bigger your business gets, the bigger your problems get. Your equipment is more expensive. Your payroll is bigger. Your tax bill grows. Everything scales—including the pressure.

If you’re thinking about scaling, stop and put your systems in place now. Not later. Because eventually, you’ll be forced to do it—and it’s way easier to build those systems before you’re a million-dollar company than to go back and try to do it while juggling everything else.

It takes longer than you think, it’s harder than you think, but if you do it right, it’s worth it.

Ezra:
So good. Where can listeners connect with you to learn more about Brilliant Borders Landscaping and The Green Grind Podcast?

Leroy:
Just Google “Brilliant Borders” and we’ll pop right up. You can also probably Google my name and find us that way. We’re on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter—whatever it’s called these days. I don’t think we’re on TikTok yet, but we’re out there.

You can reach me directly at leroy@brilliantborders.com.

As for The Green Grind Podcast, just Google “The Green Grind”—we’re on all platforms. You can also find us through Corey Ballard’s site; just search “Ballard” and it’ll pop right up. We’re easy to find.

Ezra:
Perfect. Leroy, thanks again for sharing your insights and journey with us today. And to our listeners—if you got value from this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who’s working to grow their lawn or landscape business. Until next time—talk soon.