The Green Grind Podcast

Is the landscaping industry getting tougher, or are the best businesses simply finding ways to separate themselves from the competition? On this episode of The Green Grind Podcast, LeRoy and Kory sit down for an honest conversation about the challenges facing lawn care and landscaping businesses, the value of investing in yourself, and what it really takes to build a company that lasts.

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What if growing your business is actually costing you the life you wanted to build? On this episode of The Green Grind Podcast, LeRoy and Kory sit down with Jason wojo, PhD, scientist turned entrepreneur, CEO of Life and Air, and author of Business for Life, to talk about building a profitable business without sacrificing your time, relationships, and personal happiness.

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Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

On this episode of The Green Grind, LeRoy and Kory sit down with Sam Gembel of Atlas Outdoor for a raw conversation about business growth, leadership, culture, and the decision to sell the company he spent years building.

Sam opens up about the difficult years of growing Atlas, the cash-flow struggles, learning to understand the numbers, and the turning point that helped the business become more profitable and scalable. He shares the story behind Atlas being acquired, why he wasn't actively looking to sell, how he and his wife determined what number would make the decision worthwhile, and the thought process that ultimately led them to say yes.

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

In this episode of The Green Grind, Kory Ballard and LeRoy sit down with James Hatfield of LiveSwitch for a wide-ranging conversation about growing a business, building the right team, and using technology to get out of the weeds.

James shares his journey from a blue-collar family and running painting and pressure-washing crews to building and exiting a successful technology company. He explains some of the biggest lessons he learned along the way—including why people are often the biggest limitation to growth, why business owners need to learn their numbers, and why the goal should be to "fire yourself" from your own business.

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

What if the biggest thing holding your landscaping or lawn care business back isn't a lack of leads — but the fact that you're trying to do everything yourself?

On this episode of The Green Grind, Leroy Mains and Kory Ballard welcome back Angela chanowsky of Unique Genius for a deep dive into one of the biggest challenges facing growing home-service businesses: getting out of the weeds of day-to-day administrative work.

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

What does it take to leave a 20-year restaurant career and start a landscaping company from scratch at 43?

Allen LaMere joins Kory and LeRoy on The Green Grind to share how he made the leap. They talk about finding the right customers, raising prices, hiring, social media, and growing a business that can eventually run without its owner.

It's an honest conversation about the challenges and lessons that come with building a company from the ground up.

🎧 Free trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ballardinc

🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business? Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

In this episode of The Green Grind, LeRoy and Kory Ballard have a raw, unfiltered conversation about one of the toughest challenges business owners face: learning when to get out of the way.

They break down why so many owners struggle with delegation, why "nobody can do it like me" can become a dangerous mindset, and how failing to train your team can keep every decision running through you. They also talk about the importance of SOPs, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, empowering employees with real authority, and giving your team a measurable scorecard for success.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

On this episode of The Green Grind, LeRoy Mains and Kory Ballard sit down with Brandon Comstock, a longtime landscape industry entrepreneur who built Landscapers by Nature in Calgary, Alberta, around commercial landscape maintenance, snow services, and a highly specialized condo-focused business model. Brandon shares the lessons he learned building the company, including why specialization can be a powerful growth strategy, how saying "no" helped his company become better at what it did, and why strong customer relationships can be worth more than simply competing on price.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

What happens when the business you've spent years building is suddenly underwater—and then catches fire?

On this episode of The Green Grind,Kory and LeRoy sit down with Steve Nolte of Nolte & Sons to talk about one of the toughest challenges a lawn and landscape business owner can face. After years of growing his company from a one-man operation into a 19-employee, full-service landscaping business, Steve found himself dealing with a devastating flood that turned into a fire, destroying equipment, tools, records, and much of his operation.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

In this episode of The Green Grind, Kory and Leroy sit down for a no-guest conversation about what it really takes to grow a successful landscaping business—and why staying comfortable can be one of the biggest obstacles to growth.

The guys break down a recent acquisition, what they learned from bringing new team members into the company, and why having strong systems in place can make taking on additional business much easier. They also dive into hiring, leadership, delegation, and the importance of planning 3–5 years ahead instead of constantly reacting to what's happening today.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

Mike Garvey returns to The Green Grind to share what's changed since his first appearance on the show and why he believes robotics, battery-powered equipment, and smart technology are transforming the landscape industry. From growing Coastal Fertilization and expanding into new markets to becoming a Kress robotic mower dealer, Mike breaks down what he's learning on the front lines of innovation.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

In this solo episode of The Green Grind, LeRoy dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, and the often-unseen challenges that come with growing a business. From sleepless nights worrying about payroll and equipment breakdowns to managing teams, developing leaders, and navigating the growing pains that come with expansion, Lee shares an honest look at what life is really like behind the scenes. LeRoy discusses why consistency beats intensity, how growth often creates new problems before it creates opportunities, and why building great people is more important than simply chasing revenue. He also shares lessons learned from nearly two decades in business, including the importance of leadership development, creating systems, choosing the right clients, and playing the long game.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

This week on The Green Grind Podcast, LeRoy and Kory sit down with Alex Campbell, owner of Campbell's Lawn & Landscape in North Carolina, to talk about turning a lifelong passion for lawn care into a rapidly growing business.

Alex shares how an obsession with mowing grass as a kid eventually became a thriving company now closing in on the million-dollar mark. He breaks down the lessons learned along the way, the importance of delivering consistent quality, and why creating a great customer experience remains at the center of everything his team does.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

on this episode of the green grind Kory and LeRoy sit down with Jason Clarkson of Turf Geeks is back on The Green Podcast, and a lot has changed since his first appearance.

What started as a one-man operation built on systems and processes has evolved into a rapidly growing business with a clear vision for the future. Jason joins LeRoy and Kory to share what he's learned from hiring his first employee, building a culture around core values, embracing automation, and creating an exceptional customer experience that sets his company apart.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

What separates good business owners from great ones? In this episode of The Green Grind Podcast, LeRoy and Kory welcome back Ezra McCarthy of Green Frog Web Design—but this time, the conversation goes far beyond marketing.

Drawing from dozens of interviews with successful entrepreneurs on his own podcast, Ezra shares the biggest lessons he's learned about mindset, leadership, profitability, hiring, delegation, and building a business that actually supports the life you want. Together, the guys dive into why bigger isn't always better, the importance of knowing your numbers, creating systems that scale, hiring the right people before you need them, and why business owners are often the biggest bottleneck to their own growth.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

This week on The Green Grind, Kory and LeRoy sit down with Clayton Garrison, President of Norwalk Seasonal Services and Creative Nature, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey—from buying his first snowplow with a loan while working a full-time banking job to building multiple successful outdoor service businesses in Central Iowa.

Clayton shares the lessons he's learned about growing with intention, creating efficient systems, hiring the right people, and making the transition from working in the business to leading the business. The conversation dives into leadership, the importance of processes, building a strong team, and why organization is one of the biggest competitive advantages any contractor can have.

🎧 Free Trial and 20% off Jobber for 6 months:

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🌐 Need more leads for your lawn or landscape business?

Green Frog Web Design builds search-optimized websites and manages Google Ads to help lawn and landscape companies generate more qualified leads.

Get started at https://greenfrogwebdesign.com/koryballard

In this episode of The Green Grind, Kory and LeRoy dive into the real-world challenges and rewards of growing a landscaping business through acquisitions. LeRoy shares the story behind Brilliant Borders' recent acquisition, how an unexpected opportunity turned into a strategic move, and the lessons learned throughout the process.

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In this episode of The Green Grind Podcast, LeRoy and Kory sit down with Landon Evanoff, a 20-year-old entrepreneur from Michigan who scaled his lawn and landscape company from knocking doors for pressure washing jobs to generating over $100,000 in monthly revenue. Kory and LeRoy break down the hard truths behind entrepreneurship: why chaos is common in growing companies, how to build real systems, and what it takes to earn respect as a young business owner managing older employees.

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In this episode of The Green Podcast, Kory Ballard sits down with Stanley Genadek, better known as Dirt Monkey, for an impromptu conversation packed with entrepreneurial wisdom, business growth strategies, and real-world lessons from decades in the trenches.

Stan shares his journey from running a construction company to building multiple successful businesses, including an online retail store, Airbnb portfolio, and one of the most recognized brands in the landscaping industry. Together, Kory and Stan dive into what separates successful entrepreneurs from everyone else: passion, vision, systems, leadership, and the willingness to get out of your own way.

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This week on The Green Podcast, Kory Ballard sits down with YouTube creator, "Mower Mike," for an unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship, content creation, lawn equipment, and chasing what excites you.

Mike shares his journey from working a corporate career in the defense industry to building a successful YouTube channel focused on mower repairs, equipment reviews, and real-world testing. The two discuss the realities of creating content online, dealing with critics, growing an audience, and why authenticity still wins.

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