A large fleet and impressive facility can make a landscape owner look financially successful. Same as a prospect’s multimillion-dollar property can make their budget seem unlimited.

But how much do you really know about another person’s finances or priorities?

Former private banker Elizabeth George spent 20 years working with wealthy clients.

In a recent blog post, she describes the surprising gap between people’s apparent wealth and their actual financial lives.

• Some modest households had substantial fortunes.
• Some big spenders had little financial cushion.
• And even very wealthy clients worry about money – just like you and me.

Elizabeth’s observations made me think about how we define success in the landscape industry—and how those assumptions affect our approach to both management and sales.

Is Your Wealth Growing With Your Business?

Landscape entrepreneurs measure progress in terms of # of crews, equipment, clients and revenue. Those achievements do take effort, but they don’t always translate into financial success.

Growth is good, but expansion comes with increased commitments. Equipment needs maintenance, crews need leadership and overhead needs covering––even when sales are slow.

Bigger––without a clear strategy––is not the answer to producing more profit and free cash flow. To judge whether growth is paying off, first define what you want it to deliver for you personally.

Start with the end in mind

Before setting next year’s growth targets, consider what you want out of the business:

Do you want greater financial security (for you or your team), more time with your family, or the ability to support causes you care about?

Discuss those goals with your family, then work with your leadership team to translate them into business targets. (When in doubt, talk to your peers)

Identify what profit and free cash flow would support yours goals? And what revenue and margins are needed to produce them?

These discussions will help you and your team decide how much revenue to pursue and which kind of work to go after.

Find Out What Success Means to Your Client, Too

Don’t assume you know how much a client will spend. You can’t always tell by looking. Your job is to understand your prospects underlying goals and priorities before recommending how they spend their money.

A residential prospect may ask for a new outdoor living space, but the project’s real importance might be bringing family together. A commercial property manager may want reliable maintenance to reduce tenant complaints.

You discover those motivations by asking better questions, not just by assessing the style, quality or value of the property.

Where Are They Comfortable Investing?

Once you understand your clients needs and goals, you can discuss how much they are comfortable investing.

Remember, you are the expert. It’s your job to explain the options and tradeoffs, but let them decide how much to spend – and you can tell them if it will work.

If the client questions the price, stay curious. Find out what concerns them before getting defensive—or, God forbid, simply dropping your prices.

Pro Tip: Financial resources don’t eliminate a person’s desire to spend wisely.

Your Challenge: Clarify the underlying goals.

Before setting next year’s targets, define what that growth should accomplish for you personally and professionally. If you want financial freedom, think twice about how you set your plan for 2027.

And before presenting your next proposal, dig deep to understand what the investment should accomplish for your client.