The Beer Garden Podcast

The Beer Garden is the landscape industry podcast that lasts as long as it takes to enjoy your favorite beverage(s). Created by landscapers, for landscapers, we’re here to dig deep into the roots of our industry, sharing a brew and the best-kept secrets of the trade. Pull up a seat and join the conversation!

THE BEER GARDEN: WHERE LANDSCAPING BUSINESS MEETS GOOD BEER

Pull up a seat, grab your favorite cold one, and join the real talk about the green industry. The Beer Garden is your backyard podcast where landscapers share war stories, wisdom, and the secrets that helped them grow from pushing mowers to running crews.

Created by landscapers who’ve been in your work boots, we dig into the nitty-gritty of what actually works in this business – all in the time it takes to enjoy a drink or two. No corporate jargon, no fluff – just straight talk from the trenches.

Ready to grow something great? New episodes drop while your beer’s still cold.

Why Good Isn't Good Enough: Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience

Let’s face it, great workmanship alone won’t win you lifelong customers anymore. In this episode of The Beer Garden, Jason and Brandon crack open a couple of cold ones and dive deep into the art (and science) of creating an exceptional customer experience. From Disney’s trash can placements to crafting a landscaping version of a blockbuster movie plot, this episode is all about going beyond good service, and into the territory of unforgettable, loyalty-building experiences.

Why Good Isn't Good Enough: Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience

Most of us have been guilty of it—handing a new hire a shovel and saying, “Follow this guy.” That might get the job done (barely), but it won’t build a high-performing team. In this episode of The Beer Garden, we dive deep into how to build a real-deal training program that actually develops your people—and your business.

We’re breaking down how to create a scalable, repeatable system that trains new hires, grows future leaders, and builds a strong culture of excellence. From onboarding to ongoing skill development to performance-based certifications, we lay out the full blueprint. Whether you're building a training program from scratch or upgrading your current system, this one's packed with practical strategies.

What We Cover:
0:00 - Intro
10:30 - Define Purpose & Goals
16:50 - Creating a Role Breakdown
25:00 - Onboarding & Initial Training
30:30 - Ongoing Training
40:00 - Skill Progression & Certification
48:00 - Using a Mix of Training Methods
1:00:00 - Making Training Continuous
1:18:00 - Speed Round

🎧 Whether you're a growing landscape business or a snow removal crew looking to level up, this episode will give you the tools to go from chaotic onboarding to a well-oiled training machine.

📚 Resources Mentioned:
•Quality Driven Software - https://www.qualitydrivensoftware.com/
•Trainual - https://trainual.com/
•Greenius - https://gogreenius.com/
•The Art of Learning by Joshua Waitzkin
•Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

🍺 The Beverages:
Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore
Ommegang Brewing - Cooper's Hop

Train to Retain: Creating a System for Employee Growth

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:
0:00 - Intro
2:28 - The Beers
11:55 - Why Financial Structure Matters
18:12 - Setting Up Your Chart of Accounts
26:54 - Monthly Financial Review Meetings
43:02 - The Monthly Financial Cadence
49:13 - Tips for Involving Your Management Team
54:40 - Action Steps
59:13 - Speed Round

🍺 The Beverages:
Loveland Aleworks - Haze Bros of the Galaxy
2 Towns Ciderhouse - Pacific Pineapple Cider
Knotted Root Brewing - One Million Dollars

Money Talks: How to Lead Your Team with Financial Transparency

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:

0:00 - Intro
8:25 - Why Route Density Matters
10:50 - Costs of Poor Route Density
13:18 - Strategies to Build Density
15:40 - Setting Service Zones
26:00 - Territory Based Marketing
39:25 - Buying or Acquiring Nearby Accounts
41:45 - Setting up Micro-Shops
47:00 - Measuring Success
51:30 - Speed Round

We also chat through examples, tactics, and some near-disasters from our own businesses.

Remember, tighter routes = fatter margins!

The Beverages:
•Wild Rose Brewery - Big Hoodoo Lager
•TRVE Brewing Co. - Tunnel of Trees

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

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.

🧠 Episode Breakdown:
0:00 – Intro
6:30 – Why Standardized Pay Works
11:53 – How to Build It
32:22 – Addressing Common Pushback
39:17 – Rolling It Out
43:13 – Dealing With Mismatched Pay
49:37 – Bonus Resource
55:58 – Last Call: Speed Round

📎 Mentioned in This Episode:
✅ Download the Sample Wage Sheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yNuXpGTgxluMvVIqSNaw8uq5LqqqIRa859Ut-F2KPqM/export?format=xlsx
✅ 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 in the Beer Garden Facebook Group or message us directly at 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 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:
0:00 - Intro
10:08 - What are production rates
17:00 - Why production rates matter
22:22 - Sales & production team tensions
26:27 - How to determine your production rates
28:21 - Why being too specific with your production rates can cause trouble
34:28 - How production rates differ based on average job size (AJS)
50:12 - Speed Round

📈 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

Production Rates: The Secret Sauce to Profitable Estimating

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.

What we cover:
0:00 - Intro
0:39 - What your close rate says about your business
11:57 - How to qualify leads and target the right customers
27:03 - Why your proposal should act as a sales and marketing piece
35:30 - The game-changing impact of proactive property inspections
39:41 - Using tools like IssueID to show your value
45:48 - How a short video can build trust and help you stand out
56:21 - Follow-up tips and how to avoid ghosting
1:06:31 - How to track, measure, and improve your sales process over time
1:08:11 - Speed round

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

🎯 From Walkthrough to Win - Strategies to Improve Your Close Rate | The Beer Garden Podcast

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:
0:00 - Intro
06:50 - What your close rate says about your business
18:20 - How to qualify leads and target the right customers
27:03 - Why your proposal should act as a sales and marketing piece
35:36 - The game-changing impact of proactive property inspections
45:48 - Using tools like IssueID to show your value
45:55 - How a short video can build trust and help you stand out
56:21 - Follow-up tips and how to avoid ghosting
1:06:32 - How to track, measure, and improve your sales process over time
1:08:11 - Speed round

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

10 Things to Consider When Choosing a CRM

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 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 instead of chasing new customers while existing ones slip away.

What we cover:
0:00 - Intro
1:01 - Crown Float demonstration
4:14 - Introduction to the Revenue Growth Pyramid
5:41 - Overview of the three pyramid layers
9:41 - Retention: Building relationships with customers
12:43 - Making your business have a "face" and personal touch
14:48 - Customer onboarding processes
18:01 - Measuring renewal rates and tracking retention
25:30 - Revenue per customer: Increasing your pricing strategy
30:30 - Measuring success rates on estimates
32:11 - Expanding your service offerings
35:36 - Cross-selling strategies and the flywheel effect
44:52 - New customer acquisition: Reviews and referrals
47:15 - Email outreach campaigns
54:04 - Lunch and learns with property managers
56:45 - Paid advertising strategies
59:38 - Speed Round

This episode is for any contractor who wants to grow profitably and sustainably—not just faster. The hosts share tactical advice for all three levels of the pyramid: keeping your existing customers, selling more to each customer, and finally bringing in new business the smart way.

The Beverages:
🍺 Crown Float - Guinness & Strongbow
🍺 Sierra Nevada - Hazy Little Thing IPA

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

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MEET YOUR HOSTS

Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Jason Hoke is not your typical trades business owner. With a remarkable journey that has traversed disruption in the music industry, rapid growth in the trades industry, and innovation in the hyper-paced technology industry, he brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurialism.

Starting at A Cut Above Landscape at just 15, Jason journeyed from a technician to the company’s owner. Today, he spearheads a team of 30+ professionals, turning working with a landscape contractor into an easy task, just like hiring a car from Uber or ordering a meal from DoorDash. His business centers around adding hours to the day and building a culture committed to personal growth.

In 2022, Jason’s passion for industry innovation led him to co-found IssueID. The software solution simplifies business operations and enables landscaping businesses to manage overlooked yet profitable jobs effectively.

Jason’s experience in the music, landscaping, and technology industries equips him with unique insights beneficial to any business.

Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Brandon Comstock is not your typical trades business owner. Overcoming challenges with the educational system early on, he forged a unique path through the trades and technology industries, bringing a fresh perspective to entrepreneurship.

Starting in his father’s landscaping company, Brandon rose to managerial roles, igniting his passion for the industry. At 26, he co-founded Landscapers by Nature with his longtime partner Michelle. Today, they lead a team of over 50 professionals, specializing exclusively in lawn maintenance and snow removal for large condominiums and multifamily properties. Their focus on customer specialization sets them apart from competitors making them the go-to contractor in their area.

In 2022, Brandon co-founded IssueID, a software solution simplifying site management and customer service for landscape businesses. Built from firsthand industry experience, IssueID enables contractors to manage site issues and enhancement opportunities making maintenance far more profitable and low stress.

Revolutionize Your Landscape Business

Maximizing Landscape Health & Client Satisfaction

Are you a landscape professional seeking to elevate your service quality, improve client satisfaction, and streamline your operational processes? Our Landscape Health Assessment (LHA) Guide is your key to transitioning from standard maintenance to a comprehensive health evaluation approach.

The Beer Garden Podcast

Why Good Isn't Good Enough: Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience

MEET YOUR HOSTS

JASON HOKE

BRANDON COMSTOCK

Revolutionize Your Landscape Business

Maximizing Landscape Health & Client Satisfaction

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