Training Archives - Jeffrey Scott

You Can’t Put Lipstick on a Pig

Aug 4, 2026 | Blog, Employees, Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Peer Groups, Strategy, Training

A while back, I showed up to a formal party wearing a tuxedo. I thought it was a “black tie” event. Boy was I embarrassed when I showed up and saw everyone wearing simple cocktail attire.

My friend and I stood out, like two penguins. We scrambled to his car to take off our bowties and tried to dress down.

That experience taught me something about degrees of overdressing. While wearing a tuxedo may be too much, at work it’s important to be slightly over dressed than looking ragged or overly casual.

Our industry needs more owners who think the same way. Whether it’s for a networking event, or for your company dress code.

Because you can’t put lipstick on a pig, and you also can’t show up looking like one.

Facts Before Emotions: Five Lessons from visiting North County Landscape Co.

Jun 16, 2026 | Financial, Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Planning, Productivity, Strategy, Training

Once his wife, Sonya (MBA), joined four years ago as General Manager, they made several big moves together:

Raised pricing and expanded Google-based marketing, Expanded crews and hired production managers, Implemented Aspire, Built a state-of-the-art facility, Developed a leadership team that is helping the owners regain balance

Kevin jokes that he is now able to work part-time: 35 to 40 hours a week.

The team has worked quite hard to get where they are. Kevin is now able to play golf weekly, so things are on the upswing.

Last week I held a 1.5-day roadmap session with their team and then took a wonderful vacation on Vancouver Island with my wife and partner, Corine.

During the roadmap session, we reviewed department and company-wide strategy and refined their Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). We set a much stronger course for the future.

Here are five lessons every owner and leader can learn from.

How Smart Landscape Companies Are Actually Using AI

Apr 14, 2026 | Blog, Events, Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Productivity, Strategy, Training

As a consulting firm helping more than 120 landscape firms, we see AI moving well beyond basic writing and research.

(See below for 9 use cases.)

The most forward-thinking companies use AI not just to save time, but to think, coach, communicate, and execute faster and better.

That is why we are featuring an AI panel at our Summer Growth Summit. In preparing for it, I asked several panelists how they are actually using AI in their businesses.

Their answers…

Two Types of Leaders Every Landscape Company Needs

Mar 17, 2026 | Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Strategy, Training

Insights from a retired Navy SEAL commander:

Some leaders are exceptional at getting the work done—think crew leaders. Others are better at designing or managing the system that produces the work.

Both of these leaders are essential—but require very different skills.

Last weekend I listened to four-star (ret) Admiral William H. McRaven speak about the difference between tactical and strategic leaders.

Registration Open for the Summer Growth Summit

Mar 10, 2026 | Events, Featured, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Strategy, Training

Registration is now open for our 9th annual Summer Growth Summit at two leading Detroit-based companies, owned by Troy Clogg and Ivan Katz.

The “super” early bird registration discount ends May 8th.

This year’s theme is Building A Powerful Growth Engine.

The 3 Profit Traps Your Salespeople Don’t See

Mar 3, 2026 | Growth Tips, Management, Marketing, Strategy, Training

Your salesperson landed the job. Everyone celebrated.

Fast forward three months… now, you’re staring at a job cost report, and something’s wrong. The crew performed. The client paid. Yet you barely broke even.

The problem began at the sale.

Salespeople are often authorized to make pricing, discount, and negotiation decisions without really understanding the numbers. It’s a lack of education and sales training.

Let’s look at the common profit traps.

Do You Have a Marketing Problem — Or a Sales Problem?

Feb 24, 2026 | Growth Tips, Management, Marketing, Strategy, Training

Before you spend more money on marketing, answer this question: if your phone rang twice as much starting tomorrow, would your sales team be ready?

Many owners we talk to jump straight to “we need more leads.” It’s the default of any entrepreneur. But in our experience, it’s only correct a third to half the time.

Misdiagnosing the “sales or marketing” question can be expensive.

The larger problem is often one step downstream — how your leads are nurtured and handled once they arrive.

Gamification Done Right: A Playbook for Growth

Nov 18, 2025 | Growth Tips, Incentives, Leadership, Management, Productivity, Training

A few weeks back, I wrote about “teaching the game of business”, and this week I am following up with a more in-depth look at gamification.

This past summer at our Summer Growth Summit, we had Jono Fries (VP Operations at Schill Grounds Management) give a talk on gamification, and he plans to go even more in depth during our Financial Masterclass.

This newsletter is inspired by what Jono will be presenting.

Gamification isn’t just about dangling carrots.

It’s about building culture. It’s about creating structure, clarity, and turning everyday work into a challenge people want to win.

The Hidden Cost of Hiring the “Less Expensive” Employee

Nov 11, 2025 | Growth Tips, Leadership, Management, Productivity, Strategy, Training

Budgeting season has a way of tempting leaders to cut costs in the wrong places.

Hiring the less expensive, junior candidate can feel like a smart move—“full of potential,” easy on the payroll.

But that decision can become far more expensive than paying for proven talent up front.

The Illusion of Savings

Teaching the Game of Business To Your People

Oct 21, 2025 | Employees, Financial, Leadership, Productivity, Training

If you asked your crews how much profit your company makes, what would they say?

Our research shows they’d guess a lot more than you actually do.

Most leaders are surprised when they hear their troops give the common answer of 50% net profit. That’s clever in a way — because it’s close to your gross margin — but it reveals a major disconnect.

Your team understands the cost of materials and labor in the field. But they don’t see the other costs that eat away at profits.

You and I know the truth: landscaping runs on high volatility and thin margins. Until your people understand that, you’ll never get them fully protecting the bottom line.

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