When the editors at Landscape Management invited me to write a regular column for the magazine, I was honored and excited for the opportunity. I’m relatively new to the green industry, having joined Mariani Premier Group as CEO nearly three years ago. Yet, I’ve quickly grown to love this field more than any other I’ve worked in during my two-decade career leading fast-growing companies. My goal with this column is to share insights from my journey and offer tips to help you grow and succeed.
I have the great pleasure of working alongside green industry visionary Frank Mariani. When I first joined Mariani Premier Group, I was impressed by its 65-year history as both a national leader and a beloved local company in Chicagoland. I was drawn to Frank’s vision of building the world’s premier outdoor living company. One of our shared goals is to raise professional standards across the landscape industry so we can all thrive.
Before Mariani, I worked in several fast-growing industries. Time and again, I’ve seen how the principles of building successful companies apply across fields. One of the factors that drew me here was my passion for home-focused industries. Whether it’s landscaping or residential solar energy (the market I worked in before joining Mariani), I’ve always been excited about industries that improve people’s lives at home.
I brought to Mariani a focus on building customer-centric companies and scaling businesses while preserving personalized service. Like residential solar, landscaping is fragmented but full of talent. I saw the potential to scale nationally without losing the attention to detail that defines Mariani.
Lessons from the journey
My path to landscaping has been unconventional. Early in my career, I helped Fortune 500 companies create growth strategies. Later in my career, after helping turn around, grow and sell a public company with 3,000 employees, I scaled a startup from 23 employees to more than 180 in just seven months. Driving growth at companies — large and small, public and private — is exhilarating and sometimes chaotic, but it taught me the importance of trusting your team, empowering them and providing the resources they need to succeed.
In my late teens and early 20s, I spent two years on a service mission in South America. Working on projects like building homes and clearing soccer fields in Colombia shaped my belief that leadership is about service and collaboration. And as a youth, I often helped on my grandparents’ farm in upstate New York. Bailing hay and putting it in the barn taught me there is no substitution for hard work.
At Mariani, these lessons come alive every day. Whether we’re integrating a new family-owned business or reimagining outdoor living spaces for a client, our focus is on creating something meaningful and lasting. This philosophy drives us to build not just a business but a legacy. Are you building a business or a legacy?
Looking ahead
This column is dedicated to sharing lessons from my career — both triumphs and mistakes. Leadership, vision and decision-making are central to any successful business, and I hope to provide actionable insights to help you tackle challenges and seize opportunities.
Future columns will explore topics such as scaling your business, fostering innovation and building strong teams. In one, for example, I’ll share a story about driving through a blizzard to make a key meeting — a reminder of the perseverance and creativity leadership requires. I’ll also discuss my decision-making framework, which has guided Mariani’s growth.
I plan to spotlight the values that make our industry unique. Landscaping isn’t just about creating beautiful spaces; it’s about transforming communities and providing meaningful careers. By sharing best practices and fostering collaboration, we can raise the bar and set new standards of excellence.
I invite you to join me on this journey. Let’s learn from one another, push the boundaries of what’s possible and continue to build a thriving industry that mirrors the care and beauty we bring to our clients’ outdoor spaces.
