This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Shantel Perez, Employee Success Specialist at K and D Landscaping, to explore how one person can completely reshape the culture of a growing company by showing up, listening deeply, and leading with humility. Shantel didn’t come from a traditional HR background; instead, she built her role from the ground up by staying close to the field and becoming a voice the team could trust.

Now in her fourth year with the company, Shantel shares how her journey from maintenance admin to company-wide culture leader has helped bridge the gap between production crews and management. Along the way, she has:

• Helped implement Aspire and streamline team operations

• Developed bilingual communication systems across departments

• Reduced turnover from over 40 percent to just 12 percent

• Spent hours in the field listening to crews and validating their experiences

• Replaced rigid HR policies with an employee-first, trust-based approach

This episode dives into what it really means to lead with heart in a high-growth company. From walking job sites at 6 AM to attending every department’s L10 meeting, Shantel has become a pillar of consistency and care. If you’re building a team, growing a business, or rethinking what HR can be, this is one you won’t want to miss.

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White celebrates a major milestone; the 100th episode of the show. What started as a simple idea between Justin and co-founder Maggie Wymore has grown into a platform that champions leadership, learning, and real conversations across the trades.

After nearly 80 interviews with landscape industry professionals, Justin reflects on the most impactful lessons shared by business owners, operators, and disruptors. From mastering the numbers and empowering teams to staying humble and serving others, this episode brings together the most powerful takeaways from two years of deep conversations.

In this episode, Justin shares:

• The core traits that separate top leaders in the industry

• Lessons on scaling without losing your soul

• Why financial literacy is non-negotiable

• How to build a resilient company culture that lasts

• What he’s learned about consistency, service, and growth

Whether you're new to the industry or building your legacy, this one is packed with hard-earned wisdom. Tune in and help us celebrate the journey so far, and get ready for what’s next.

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Ron McCabe, a former tech executive turned digital marketing specialist for the landscaping industry. After working 120-hour weeks in the tech world and surviving a life-threatening health crisis, Ron made a dramatic shift; losing over 270 pounds and dedicating his career to helping landscapers grow smarter through strategic marketing with Everbearing Services

In this episode, Ron shares: • How he transitioned from a patent-holding technologist to a marketing expert in the green industry • Why local SEO, Google Business Profiles, and visual content drive the highest quality leads • How to create consistent branding that generates 6 to 9 impressions before converting a client • Why focusing on long tail keywords and niche services beats broad targeting • His approach to work life balance, using tools like Whoop and CGM to track stress and performance

Ron also breaks down the importance of daily non negotiables, five day work weeks, and continuously improving both personally and professionally. If you’re a landscaper looking to level up your marketing without burning out, this episode is packed with real world strategies and inspiration.

In this weekly update, Justin White shares insights from recent conferences, including the Leanscaper and Ignite events, discussing key takeaways on goal setting, team management, and the future of the landscape industry with AI integration. He emphasizes the importance of strategic one-on-one meetings and the potential for technology to transform business operations. Additionally, he shares personal updates on his backyard project and encourages listeners to stay connected for future podcasts.

Takeaways

Weekly one-on-one meetings are life-changing for teams. Focus on how to achieve goals, not if they can be achieved. AI will significantly impact the landscape industry. The future workforce will be more automated and efficient. Networking is crucial for support and growth in the industry. Leanscaper is an operating system for business management. Technology will change how we communicate and operate in landscaping. Personal projects can be fulfilling and exciting. The landscape industry is filled with great people working towards common goals. Stay tuned for future podcasts with valuable insights.

Chapters

00:00 Weekly Update and Exciting Events 05:17 Leanscaper Insights and Future of Technology 09:20 Aspire Ignite Conference Highlights 12:43 Networking and Community in Landscaping 13:18 Personal Projects and Closing Thoughts 14:25 NEWCHAPTER

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Ryan Markewich, a Canadian landscape entrepreneur, coach, and early adopter of open book management, to unpack his journey from mowing lawns to building a business that now operates with employee ownership and long term vision at the core.

Ryan started his company in Kelowna, British Columbia in 1994, going door to door to pay rent while dreaming bigger. Over time, he scaled to a multi million dollar operation, but not without burnout and hard lessons along the way. Influenced by personal development legends like Jim Rohn and John Maxwell, Ryan leaned into learning, coaching, and building a company around transparency and shared success.

In this episode, Ryan shares: • How he used open book management and the Great Game of Business to build real accountability • Why he sold 85 percent of his company to his employees and how the structure works • What it means to run a company focused on long term thinking and consensus based leadership • Why teaching employees how business works is the key to building great teams • What he is planning next with Our Mark Coaching and the first landscape retreat in Mexico

Ryan also talks about spending months each year in Mexico to reflect, challenge his thinking, and reconnect with what matters most. If you are interested in employee ownership, values based leadership, and scaling a business that puts people first, this episode is packed with wisdom and real world experience.

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares real-world strategies for using AI and ChatGPT to boost productivity, streamline operations, and shift from manual work to smarter systems. What used to take four hours, Justin now does in thirty seconds, thanks to custom AI tools designed specifically for the green industry.

The episode opens with a story about helping a friend estimate a fence project using a custom GPT called Landscape Intelligence. The tool generated pricing, materials, permits, and layout suggestions instantly. This is just one example of how AI is transforming time-consuming tasks into fast, repeatable workflows.

In this episode, Justin shares: • How to build a Master Prompt that gives ChatGPT consistent, high quality answers • Why custom GPTs are changing the game for landscapers, marketers, and operations teams • How to use the Projects feature in ChatGPT to track documents, collaborate, and maintain context • Why AI has allowed him to go from a biweekly podcast to twice per week • What to expect at Lean Scaper Dallas and Aspire Ignite Anaheim

Justin also explains how AI is driving a major shift in labor, freeing up teams to focus on higher value work while machines and software take on the repetitive. He encourages listeners to start experimenting now, lean into new tools, and build systems that will drive the next generation of business growth.

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Eli Zevin, General Manager of Aspire Software, to explore the power of technology, implementation strategy, and what is coming next for the landscape industry.

Eli joined Service Titan in 2016 with no background in trades or software and spent nearly a decade helping contractors succeed before taking on his new role at Aspire. From startup culture to scaling enterprise systems, Eli shares what he learned about change management, software adoption, and the importance of delivering real value during implementation.

In this episode, Eli shares: • How early startup culture at Service Titan shaped his leadership style • Why great software implementations focus on outcomes, not checklists • How Aspire is helping contractors track labor variance and upsell opportunities • What role software plays in supporting mergers and acquisitions • Why the green industry is poised for massive professional growth and wealth creation

Eli also shares a preview of what to expect at the upcoming Ignite conference in Anaheim, where Aspire will dive deeper into its product roadmap and how it plans to support the evolving needs of the industry. If you are looking to scale your systems, improve processes, or understand the next evolution of business technology in landscaping, this conversation is a must listen.

On this weekly update on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares a personal reflection recorded on his father Kendel’s birthday. Kendel co-founded K & D Landscaping nearly 40 years ago, and his legacy still shapes the way the company operates today.

Over the last decade, K & D has grown from 1 million to 20 million in revenue. After a big jump from 15 to 20 million last year, this year is about holding steady and breaking even—but the focus has never been just financial. Justin highlights the incredible growth of team members like Shantel, Jamie, Blanca, Jake, Tony, Alejandro, and Juan, and what it means to build a company that truly develops people.

In this episode, Justin shares: • Why growth is about people, not just revenue • The leadership lessons passed down from his father • What happens when leaders delegate too much or take shortcuts • Why showing up, listening, and giving more is the only way through hard times

If you are in a season of reflection or navigating challenges at the top, this episode is an honest reminder that leadership is not about ease; it is about energy, effort, and showing up when it matters most.