I have been operating in business for a long time and discovered two truths:
- Things are always changing.
- Competitors always win.
But I don’t mean that your competitors are beating YOU.
Rather, they are competing against themselves — pushing, grinding, and making constant jumps forward.
Are you a worthy competitor?
Here are 3 case studies to help you figure this out.
The first is about me, the other two are from “worthy competitors” in the landscape space.
1. My Own Growth Path.
We kicked off our consulting business 16 years ago (as of Oct 1), and have had a larger than life impact on so many people in our industry.
We didn’t start with this goal in mind, but we did have a “competitive spirit.”
We were always grinding, educating ourselves, and seeking out coaches who could guide us.
“Competing” includes:
- Facing reality: Reviewing our successes and failures and getting clear on what’s really happening. Not as I wish it were, but how it actually is. (It takes an open mind to see things clearly – one of the benefits of having a coach.)
- Taking ownership of my own failures: Not blaming others, nor blaming my team, but taking control of my reality.
- Facing obstacles head one. Leaning into the challenges and growing through them.
And perhaps most important.
- Setting big goals and getting outside our comfort zone. When my gut says something is uncomfortable, I lean into it.
Here is another example…
2. John Denninger, owner of Chesterfield Lawns & Landscapes, Missouri.
He is one of the newest members of our Leaders Edge peer group; we just held an event at his facility!
Even before we got to his place, I could tell he was a winner because of how he competes in his personal life.
In his own words,
- “I have had chronic pain for over 10 years, it got so bad I needed back surgery, but before I went under the knife, I tried stem cell treatment and physical therapy. That was 2020, I felt a lot better by 2022 and I decided I would do something big with my life.
- I tried biking in 2023 and got hooked. In 2024 I started racing a few small races then signed up for this BIG race and started extensive training. All summer I’ve been doing endurance training getting up to 75 mile bike rides taking 5-6 hours through elevations of 5000 feet.
- I’ve never done endurance training before, and it’s been interesting to stretch my bodies limits further than I ever thought possible. My inspiration has been my wife and endurance athletes like David Goggins and Cameron Hanes”
Hats off to John!
He is a beast and will do great things in his business, as we saw when we visited his place.
3. Collaborating With Your Competitors.
Molly John, Jeffrey Scott and Jeff Stroupe, touring MJ Design in Columbus.
Sometimes having a competitive spirit means embracing your competition.
They may inspire you, and they may make good partners.
I just introduced two landscape professionals in Columbus to each other, Molly John (MJ Design) and Jeffrey Stroupe (Landscapes by Terra).
They are my long time clients, and already knew and respected each other.
They don’t really compete head on. I urged them to collaborate more; the opportunities were obvious when we made the visit.
Your Challenge – Unlock Your Competitive Spirit.
Stop fearing what the other company is doing, or how they are pricing their work.
Business is an Infinite game so keep pushing your own boundaries: the only ones that matter.
You got this!
My wish for you: become so good that others will want to collaborate with you!
That will lift up the whole industry.
Regards, Jeffrey Scott
P.S. We have the coaching tools, templates, business strategies and mental maps that can help you make big jumps in your growth.
If you want our help, let me know or visit here.
