Épisodes

  • How the Best Local Landscapers Become the Obvious Choice
    Jan 13 2026

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    If you’re a landscaper trying to grow your business, content isn’t about going viral—it’s about becoming the obvious choice in your market.

    In this episode, Benji sits down with Brian Fullerton to break down what actually matters when it comes to content, social media, and long-term brand trust in local service businesses. This is not an episode about algorithms or posting hacks. It’s about credibility, consistency, and calm leadership—and why most contractors misunderstand content entirely.

    Brian shares what he’s learned after nearly a decade of building a community, answering thousands of DMs, and growing a blue-collar business in public. If you’ve ever felt invisible, unsure where to start, or worried about looking stupid online, this conversation will reset how you think about content.

    You’ll learn:
    • Why content is now part of your credibility infrastructure
    • How the best local landscapers become the name clients think of first
    • Why “going viral” is the wrong goal for service businesses
    • How to turn real job sites into authentic content—without forcing it
    • What not to post if you care about trust and professionalism
    • How to stop worrying about what people think and just start

    00:00 Why content now matters more than ever for landscapers
    03:10 How customers actually decide who to hire today
    06:15 Company A vs Company B: the 3-year content gap
    09:45 Why content is a long-term investment, not a test
    11:00 Should landscapers start with YouTube, Instagram, or something else?
    18:30 The real goal of content: building a community, not followers
    24:00 Why chasing virality hurts local service businesses
    27:40 Turning daily job sites into real, compelling content
    33:45 What not to post if you want trust and professionalism
    35:10 Benji’s ICP framework: hires, customers, and partners
    40:30 Showing wins and mistakes without losing credibility
    46:20 Fear, confidence, and the 18–45–65 rule
    49:00 Final mindset shift: nobody is paying attention—and that’s freeing

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    48 min
  • Why Success Still Feels Empty for So Many Business Owners
    Jan 6 2026

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    Why do so many business owners achieve everything they set out to build… yet still feel a quiet emptiness underneath it all?

    In this conversation, Benji sits down with Philip McKernan to explore why success often feels misaligned, why old wounds silently shape our ambition, and what it takes to shift from proving yourself to actually living in alignment. This episode is a grounded, honest look at the emotional and psychological patterns entrepreneurs rarely talk about—but deeply feel.

    In this episode: • Why success doesn’t guarantee fulfillment • How trauma shapes ambition and leadership • The “I’ll show you” fuel that eventually burns out • The three mountains and the cost of staying on the wrong one • How to start reconnecting with work that feels true

    Timestamps
    00:00 Opening and setup
    01:26 Why emotional alignment matters more than achievement
    04:16 How trauma quietly drives many entrepreneurs
    07:38 The danger of building a life to prove someone wrong
    11:14 Understanding ego in a healthier, more honest way
    14:26 The myth of “escape velocity” and waiting to feel free
    18:53 What it takes to step into the next mountain
    27:38 Simple first steps to reconnect with purpose

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    45 min
  • The 4 “Boring” Things That Actually Grow Landscaping Revenue
    Dec 30 2025

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    In this episode of the LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Justin White, CEO of K&D Landscaping, to break down what actually drives revenue growth in a landscape business.

    Justin shares his journey from being thrust into the CEO role at 25 years old to scaling K&D from ~$1.5M to over $20M in annual revenue. Together, they unpack the boring but powerful principles that create predictable growth—things like standardized sales processes, labor hour management, focusing on what you’re already great at, and spending more time with your A-players.

    If you’re tired of chasing shiny objects and want to build a real revenue engine that scales, this conversation is for you.

    00:00 – Intro & welcome
    01:20 – Justin’s family business story & sudden move into the CEO role
    04:00 – Learning leadership the hard way at 25
    07:00 – Casting a big vision before you believe it
    10:20 – Unhealthy beliefs landscapers have about revenue growth
    13:30 – The “boring” systems that actually scale revenue
    18:45 – Why standardized sales processes reduce stress
    22:30 – Doing more of what your company is already great at
    26:45 – Labor hour management as the master KPI
    31:00 – How to improve estimated vs. actual labor hours
    36:00 – Spending more time with A-players
    40:00 – Final rapid-fire insights & closing thoughts

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    49 min
  • The Partnership Playbook That Drives Growth
    Dec 23 2025

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    What if the biggest growth driver for your landscaping business isn’t ads, equipment, or even skill—but partnerships?

    In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Kevin Scott reveals how 90% of revenue comes from partnerships with architects, builders, vendors, realtors, municipalities, and even customers.

    Expect to learn: -Why you should never email proposals again -How nagging a single architect turned into $90M of work -Why a deep bench of local partners and friends can you help you weather a challenging market

    Timestamps:
    0:00 – Intro & Studio Bloopers 😂
    1:58 – Why partnerships drive 90% of revenue
    3:19 – What young landscapers get wrong
    8:55 – The partnership funnel (charcuterie boards & donuts 🍩)
    11:22 – Why partnerships matter more than ever in today’s economy
    13:46 – Finish strong or blow the whole project
    16:25 – Stop emailing proposals—always present them live
    24:35 – The $90M lesson: persistence pays off
    39:43 – Community as the glue of business longevity
    44:19 – Kevin’s new role as LeanScaper advisor & final advice

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    45 min
  • How Landscapers Should Build Next Year’s Budget Step by Step
    Dec 16 2025

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    What if the key to keeping more money in your landscaping business isn’t selling more work—but finally building a budget you’ll stick to?

    In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Meaghan Likes—entrepreneur, financial educator, and owner of multiple home-service companies—who has built hundreds of budgets and helped contractors hit double-digit net profit with simple systems.

    Meaghan breaks down why most landscapers avoid budgeting, how to shift your mindset from “restriction” to “design,” and the step-by-step framework she uses to build profitable, realistic plans for the year ahead.

    Expect to learn:

    • Why 99% of businesses operate without a real budget
    • The mindset shift that makes budgeting empowering, not restrictive
    • How last year’s P&L tells the real story of your business
    • Why gross profit is the metric that drives everything
    • The 5 core numbers every landscaper must call for 2026
    • How to actually use your budget all year long


    If you want clarity, confidence, and a system to build a profitable year—this episode is your blueprint.

    0:00 — Intro & quick setup
    1:00 — Why most businesses avoid budgeting
    2:35 — Budgeting as designing the life you want
    5:45 — Getting past the overwhelm of your first budget
    8:07 — How to review last year before planning ahead
    12:14 — Revenue capacity analysis (simple napkin math)
    17:25 — What your P&L reveals about spending patterns
    18:11 — The importance of gross profit
    22:18 — Start with this number: what you want to earn
    30:53 — Turning budgets into better hiring decisions
    31:42 — The 5 numbers to call for next year
    36:57 — How to stick to the budget all year
    39:32 — What to keep, cut, and invest in for 2026
    41:37 — Where to find Meaghan Likes

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    42 min
  • Why the Traditional ‘Marketing Funnel’ No Longer Works for Contractors w/ Marc Levesque
    Dec 9 2025

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    The old marketing funnel is broken (or at the very least has some holes in it). In this episode of The LeanScaper Podcast, Benji sits down with Marc Levesque of Webrunner Media to break down why contractors keep wasting money on leads, how to actually generate AND capture demand, and the exact steps to fix your “leaky funnel” before you pour more money into ads.

    Timestamps:
    0:00 – Why the old marketing funnel is broken
    5:05 – Lead magnets, nurturing, and why it doesn’t work anymore
    9:50 – The #1 mistake contractors make in marketing
    14:18 – Why you need to think like a media company
    17:43 – Stop wasting your content (do this instead)
    23:20 – Paying for eyeballs works (here’s why)
    27:26 – How to audit your own company
    38:41 – The “10K contractor who wants $100K jobs” story
    42:52 – Why most campaigns fail (leaky buckets)
    49:51 – The two biggest wastes in contractor marketing

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    51 min
  • What 35 Businesses Taught Dwayne Kerrigan About Building Success w/ Dwayne Kerrigan
    Dec 2 2025

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    In this episode, Benji sits down with serial entrepreneur and podcaster Dwayne Kerrigan, who has owned 35+ businesses across 14 industries. From road building to landscaping to restaurants, Dwayne shares the 5 fundamental business skill sets that span industries.

    You’ll hear:

    • Why vision is a muscle anyone can build
    • The 20-minute “think time” writing exercise that forces breakthroughs
    • The shocking truth about culture: you get what you tolerate
    • Why sales scripts are the ultimate freedom—not a crutch


    ⏰ Timestamps
    00:00 – Intro: 35+ businesses before 40
    06:59 – The power of singular focus vs. juggling businesses
    12:51 – Vision is a muscle, not just a gift
    16:23 – The power of better questions
    22:40 – The brutal 20-minute think-time exercise
    27:29 – Culture = you get what you tolerate
    41:12 – Sales is table stakes—find the pain point
    57:57 – Becoming data-driven: P&Ls and finance days
    01:01:51 – Advice to 21-year-old me

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    1 h
  • Is Profit Lying to You? Why Throughput Might Be the Only Number That Matter w/ Mike Lysecki
    Nov 25 2025

    Register for LeanScaper's Revenue Intensive here: https://leanscaper.com/events/revenue-intensive


    Unlock the hidden metrics that actually drive profitability in contracting and landscaping businesses. In this episode, LeanScaper CEO Mike Lysecki breaks down why profit numbers lie, how throughput reveals the truth, and the exact ratios you should track to make more money.

    Expect to learn:

    • The “labor efficiency ratio” and how it instantly shows if your crews are productive
    • How mowing can look more profitable than hardscape — but throughput proves the opposite
    • The universal “bottleneck law” that applies to every contracting business
    • Why one superstar foreman can outperform ten average employees


    Timestamps
    00:00 – Why profit numbers mislead business owners
    07:30 – The steel plant story that changed everything
    09:43 – Labor efficiency ratio explained in plain English
    18:41 – Why labor isn’t really a variable expense
    22:26 – The bottleneck analogy: assembly lines & paint booths
    36:53 – Mowing vs hardscape: the shocking profit truth
    46:49 – How TBG slashed overhead to 7%
    51:46 – The one check every sales team should add
    57:39 – Why a superstar foreman is worth 10 employees
    01:05:58 – The data mantra that separates average from elite companies

    🔗 Connect with LeanScaper: https://leanscaper.com
    📥 Need help? DM us or join the LeanScaper community

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    1 h et 4 min