Getting Your Landscape Business to Work for You

Here are the steps I followed to get out of the day to day of my landscape business, and create a company that is able to run itself. It was a long journey, and I could have gotten there sooner with the right mindset and approach. But since I went through the journey the hard way, I at least can teach other business owners the easy way. Hope you find this helpful.

1. Start by Delegating Fieldwork

One of the biggest challenges I faced was understanding when and how to start stepping back. The first step in transitioning out of your business is to let go of the fieldwork. It’s crucial to free up your time from the hands-on tasks so you can focus on higher-level decisions. If you’re still in the field, it’s hard to work on the business instead of in it.

2. Getting the Finances Off Your Plate

Once you’re out of the field, the next task to hand off is managing the money. Whether you hire a bookkeeper or have a family member handle it, the important thing is to ensure that your finances are managed by someone who knows what they’re doing.

3. Operations: The Most Disruptive Role to Manage

If there’s one role that can derail your focus, it’s managing operations. From materials not arriving on time to machines breaking down, it’s tough to think strategically when you’re constantly solving immediate problems. I found that shedding the operations role was a game-changer, allowing me to focus more on growth.

4. Building Your Team: The HR Transition

The next step in the journey is to bring someone in to handle HR. Recruiting, onboarding, and retaining employees is critical for your company’s success. At first, I managed HR alongside operations, but as my business grew, it became clear that having someone dedicated to finding and keeping the right talent was essential.

5. Sales: The Hardest Hat to Let Go

Sales is one of the last things you’ll likely hand off. It’s personal, and for many of us, it’s the hardest to delegate. But while I eventually had to let go of the day-to-day selling, I’ve never stopped networking. Maintaining those client relationships and staying connected in the industry is something that shouldn’t end, no matter how big your business gets.

Be Patient: Transitioning Takes Time

I’ve learned that transitioning out of your business roles doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, a good strategy, consistent planning, and the right people. Don’t rush the process, especially when it comes to hiring for key roles like sales and operations. Focus on building the right team and structure, and the rest will fall into place.

Here’s to growing our businesses the right way.