10 Reasons to Visit Great Lakes Landscape Design

Here are ten standout reasons to meet Ivan Katz and visit his company, Great Lakes Landscape Design, in Oak Park, Michigan, outside of Detroit.

(They are co-hosting our upcoming Summer Growth Summit, Aug 18–20)

For some context: Ivan has been a longtime member of our community. He has spoken at past summits and hosted our Leader’s Edge peer group at his company last year.

This makes him exceptionally well positioned to give attendees an unforgettable educational experience.

To get to know Ivan even better, we recorded a fantastic 30-minute podcast with him last week. He shares raw truths about the challenges he faced growing his business and the lessons he has learned along the way.

Here Are 10 Compelling Reasons to Visit Great Lakes Landscape Design:

1. See What Real Leadership Depth Looks Like

You will get a firsthand look at a company that has built unusual leadership depth. Ivan’s visionary/integrator structure (with Des Bouchard) goes a step further, with strong support beneath the integrator position. If you want to build a company that relies less on one person, this alone will be worth seeing.

2. Learn How Innovation Drives a Growth Engine

Great Lakes does not just talk about innovation; they actively test and develop new services (like Hydrology and their Bloom Bar). You will learn how they evaluate opportunities and make innovation a systematic part of growth.

3. Improve Your Business Development Thinking

Ivan has developed uncommon skills in residential and commercial business development. You will hear how he built that strength and what he does to win more work.

4. Make Major Leadership Changes Without Major Damage

Most companies struggle to change leadership structure without disruption. Great Lakes has successfully made significant changes while retaining their people—a rare and valuable lesson.

5. Build a Stronger Sales Bench

If you are too dependent on one owner or salesperson, this is critical. Great Lakes has rebuilt their sales team intentionally. Learn how they approach recruitment, transition, and management.

6. Pick Up Practical Operational Ideas from a Facility Move

They recently moved into a much larger facility quickly. See how they set it up and what operational improvements resulted.

7. Use Repeat Business to Drive Long-Term Growth

After 35 years, about 70% of their revenue comes from existing client relationships. Learn how they build loyalty, retention, and expansion over time.

8. See the Advantage of a Broad, High-End Service Mix

Great Lakes offers a wide range of services, allowing them to capture more opportunities. Done well, this strengthens both revenue and positioning.

9. Balance Residential Strength with Commercial Growth

They maintain a strong residential foundation while growing a commercial maintenance segment—an effective expansion strategy without losing identity.

10. Spend Time Around an Inspiring Founder

Ivan is an Ironman competitor, avid reader, and world traveler. His personal growth mindset translates directly into the business and inspires better thinking.

Join Us This August

We hope to see you in Detroit this August.

Register now to save $400 per ticket; Super Early Bird pricing ends May 8.

For those who cannot attend, we will be publishing more podcasts this spring so you can continue learning from key leaders.

Regards,
Jeffrey