The Beer Garden

Money Talks: How to Lead Your Team with Financial Transparency

If your idea of a financial system is just “hoping there’s money left after payroll,” this one’s for you.
In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re joined by Michelle Ennis, Chartered Accountant, co-founder of Landscapers By Nature, and Head of Finance at Hypha Dynamics, to talk about transforming your company’s financials from a black box into a leadership tool.
Michelle shares how she went from being the only person reviewing financials to building a system that involved the entire leadership team, and how that shift led to faster decisions, more accountability, and major wins for the business.
We cover:
Why Financial Structure Matters
Setting Up Your Chart of Accounts
Monthly Financial Review Meetings
The Monthly Financial Cadence
Tips for Involving Your Management Team
Action Steps
🍺 The Beverages:
Loveland Aleworks - Haze Bros of the Galaxy
2 Towns Ciderhouse - Pacific Pineapple Cider
Knotted Root Brewing - One Million Dollars
 
📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Territory Takeover: How Route Density Can Help You Dominate Your Market

Ever feel like your crews spend more time in traffic than on turf? Then this episode is for you.
In this week’s episode of The Beer Garden, we’re breaking down one of the most overlooked levers of profitability in landscaping and snow: route density. That’s right, how close your job sites are to one another can make or break your bottom line.
We’ll crack open a cold one and dive into:
Why route density is your best friend when it comes to labor efficiency, fuel costs, and scheduling sanity
The hidden (and expensive) costs of poor route planning
How to build tighter routes using tech, service zones, and territory-based marketing
The micro-shop strategy: how satellite yards can transform your ops and hiring
Metrics that matter: How to actually measure your route efficiency
Real-world tips to avoid common route planning mistakes
We also chat through examples, tactics, and some near-disasters from our own businesses.
If you’re looking to grow smarter, not just bigger, this one’s a must-listen.
Remember, tighter routes = fatter margins!
 
The Beverages:
•Wild Rose Brewery - Big Hoodoo Lager
•TRVE Brewing Co. - Tunnel of Trees
 
📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

The Case for Standardized Pay: Creating Clarity, Fairness, and Growth in Your Landscape Team

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re tackling one of the most chaotic (and costly) problems in many landscape and snow companies: inconsistent, unstructured pay.
If your crew members are randomly asking for raises… if your hiring conversations feel like a poker game… or if payroll feels more like a monthly gamble than a strategy—this episode is for you.
We break down exactly how to build and implement a standardized pay structure that improves morale, simplifies hiring, and ensures your payroll actually makes sense for your margins.
You’ll learn:
Why standardized pay reduces drama and turnover
How to build role-based compensation with clear skill expectations
How to handle top performers and low performers within the system
How to roll out your new system (without blowing up your team)
How to make it part of your hiring, training, and performance management
We even share a real-world example wage sheet and give actionable steps you can take this week to start building or refining your own system.
📎 Mentioned in This Episode:
✅ Download the Sample Wage Sheet✅ Book: Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits by Greg Crabtree✅ Book: The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack
 
The Beverages:
Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore
New Image Brewing - Quad Dub
📩 Got questions or want help implementing your own system? Hit us up: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Production Rates: The Secret Sauce to Profitable Estimating

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re digging into one of the most misunderstood—but most impactful—tools in your estimating arsenal: production rates. Whether you're still eyeballing bids or operating off tiered pricing, understanding production rates can help you price more consistently, boost profitability, and simplify performance conversations with your team.
What we cover:
What are production rates
Why production rates matter
Sales & production team tensions
How to determine your production rates
Why being too specific with your production rates can cause trouble
How production rates differ based on average job size (AJS) 
 
📈 Whether you're just starting to formalize your estimating process or ready to fine-tune your numbers like a pro, this episode has something for every landscape or snow removal contractor.
🎧 Tune in, take notes, and let’s finally stop guessing our way through job pricing.
 
The Beverages:
Crooked Stave - Nightmare on Brett
Jasper Brewing Co. - Crispy Tall Bois
 
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

From Walkthrough to Win - Strategies to Improve Your Close Rate

Still sending quotes into the void and hoping for the best? It might be time to stop bidding and start building value.
In this episode of The Beer Garden, we're doing a deep dive into how to improve your close rate for landscape maintenance contracts—without lowering prices, adding services, or spending more time on-site. Just smart strategy and better presentation.
We share a real-life example of a contractor who stopped competing on price and started winning with value. By revamping their proposal, conducting proactive site inspections, and using personalized video walkthroughs, they began closing high-quality clients—even when they were the most expensive bid on the table.
This episode breaks down:
✅ What your close rate says about your business✅ How to qualify leads and target the right customers✅ Why your proposal should act as a sales and marketing piece✅ The game-changing impact of proactive property inspections✅ Using tools like IssueID to show your value✅ How a short video can build trust and help you stand out✅ Follow-up tips and how to avoid ghosting✅ How to track, measure, and improve your sales process over time
Whether you're closing 10% or 80%, this episode will give you practical tools to improve your win rate—without sacrificing your margins.
The Beverages:
Wild Rose Brewing - Electric Avenue
Outer Range Brewing - Colorado Cou Cou
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

10 Things to Consider When Choosing a CRM

If your “CRM” is a stack of sticky notes, a chaotic spreadsheet, or just whatever’s rattling around in your brain, this episode is for you.
In this Beer Garden listicle episode, we’re diving into the top 10 things you should look for when picking a CRM for your landscape or snow removal business. Whether you’re making your first leap into software or realizing your current platform is more headache than help, we’re breaking down what actually matters.
🛠️ Not all CRMs are created equal, especially in our industry. From mobile usability and scheduling to automation and integrations, we’ll help you cut through the noise and figure out what will actually make your day-to-day easier.
What We Cover:
Industry-Specific Features – Why you probably need a Field Service Management tool, not just a CRM.
Ease of Use & Mobile Accessibility – If your crew can’t use it from the truck, it’s not the right one.
Estimating & Proposals – Win more jobs, faster.
Customer & Job Tracking – One place for all your customer info (no more hunting for notes).
Scheduling & Dispatching – Real-time updates and drag-and-drop simplicity.
Invoicing & Payments – Get paid faster and stop chasing money.
Integrations – How to avoid getting trapped in a software silo.
Automation & Workflows – Work smarter, not harder.
Reporting & Analytics – Track what matters, tweak what doesn’t.
Pricing & Scalability – Pick a platform that won’t break the bank—or your brain.
Plus, we’ll talk about implementation best practices, common pitfalls, and how to actually get your team to use the CRM you pick.
The Beverages:
Crown Float : Guinness & Strongbow
Outer Range Brewing : Cosmic Sauce
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roundtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Your Growth Plan is Backwards (Let's Fix It)

It’s a new year, and you’re probably thinking about how to grow your business. But before you throw all your budget at Facebook ads or slap another sign on your truck, it’s time for a little strategy. In this episode of The Beer Garden, Jason introduces a concept he created called the Revenue Growth Pyramid—a smarter framework for growing your landscape or snow removal business.
This episode is all about working with what you’ve already got and stacking your growth efforts in the right order:
🧱 Base – Customer Retention: Stop the leaky bucket. Keep the customers you’ve already earned.📈 Middle – Revenue Per Customer: Maximize value with upsells, cross-sells, and premium offerings.🎯 Top – New Customer Acquisition: Bring in new clients, but only after you’ve built the foundation.
Here’s What We Cover:
🔨 Retention First:Make your business sticky. From personal connections to professional onboarding and measuring retention metrics—this segment is packed with tactics that keep customers around for the long haul.
💰 Revenue Per Customer:You’re already on site—are you maximizing each visit? We talk about how to expand your offering, price correctly, and add services without overwhelming your ops team.
📢 New Customer Acquisition (Finally):When it’s time to grow the top of the pyramid, we share proven ways to attract the right customers—from referrals and email campaigns to door hangers and paid ads.
🍻 Speed Round:Our favorite resources, biggest wins, and blunders to avoid when growing your revenue—like skipping straight to new customers while your existing ones slip away. (Don't do that.)
This episode is for any contractor who wants to grow profitably and sustainably—not just faster. So grab a beer, tune in, and start stacking your growth the smart way.
 
The Beverages:
Crown Float : Guinness & Strongbow
Sierra Nevada : Hazy Little Thing IPA
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

Hiring in a Competitive Market

The landscaping industry’s labor shortage isn’t getting any better, and let’s be honest—throwing a “Help Wanted” magnet on your truck isn’t going to cut it anymore.
In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re digging into strategies for hiring in a competitive market—because let’s face it, you can’t scale your business without the right people. Whether you’re a seasoned hiring pro or just desperate to fill a role yesterday, this episode has something for you.
What’s Inside:
🌎 Understanding the Labor Market – No, it’s not just “kids these days don’t want to work.” We’ll break down what’s really going on in the job market and why landscapers are struggling to find employees.
🏆 The Role of Company Culture – Want to attract top talent? Your culture matters more than you think. We’ll share real-world examples of how a great company culture keeps employees happy (and on payroll).
📢 Recruitment Strategies That Actually Work – Posting a job ad and praying is not a strategy. We’ll cover creative recruiting tactics like hiring bonuses, social media outreach, recruiting from other industries, and even multilingual hiring.
📚 Addressing the Skills Gap – Hiring is one thing, but training is another. Learn how to develop employees from entry-level to leadership roles, while keeping your business running smoothly.
🛠️ Streamlining the Hiring Process – If you’re tired of sorting through unqualified applicants, we’ll discuss how an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can save you time, speed up hiring, and keep your sanity intact.
🔮 The Future of Landscaping Employment – What’s coming next in hiring? We’ll talk about trends like automation, sustainability, and what the industry might look like in the next 5-10 years.
Finding good help isn’t impossible—you just need the right approach. Tune in to The Beer Garden and get the hiring strategies you need to build an all-star team.
 
The Beverages:
Gin & Tonic: Burwood Distillery Spiced Apple Gin
Shelter Point Distillery Classic Single Malt Whisky
 
Get in touch: 
Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable
Facebook Page: IssueID
Youtube: The Beer Garden
Instagram: IssueID
Website: IssueID.io
Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io