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Author: Jeffrey Scott

Jeffrey Scott

Jeffrey Scott

Jeffrey Scott, MBA, author, specializes in growth and profit maximization in the Green Industry. His expertise is rooted in personal success, growing his own company into a $10 million enterprise. Now, he facilitates the Leader’s Edge peer group for landscape business owners. To learn more visit GetTheLeadersEdge.com

Video: Good leaders ask better questions

The questions that you ask on a consistent basis will drive your culture–upward or downward. Are you a reactionary leader asking deflating questions? Or are you a proactive leader asking strategic questions? Watch this video for the types of questions Jeffrey Scott says you need to be asking your people.

Photo: ©istock.com/DNY59

Zero-debt growth

Can you grow fast and still maintain a zero-debt company? The answer is undeniably yes. But it takes time, effort and saved-up capital before your growth will accelerate. Why do contractors run debt free? They do it for peace of mind, better negotiating terms, stable home life, less money stress, personal philosophical reasons and simply […]

Video: The value of a 3-week vacation

Does your business thrive (or even survive) while you are on vacation? Watch this video to learn the value of taking a three-week vacation from a business (and personal) perspective.

Profit Power: Address self-talk, your biggest enemy

A healthy business is one that pays healthy market rates for employees and its leaders. It makes a healthy return on equity for the owner’s investment. It has a healthy culture that empowers and inspires, driven by the owner. So why is your business not succeeding to its full potential? Is your self-talk, the owner’s […]

Video: 3 circles of a family business

Running and growing your family business requires you to master the three circles: ownership, family and management. Watch this video to learn how to separate the boundaries and create a win-win-win environment.

Profit Power: Do your design/build clients have buyer’s remorse?

Happy clients and steadily growing businesses still can suffer from the plague of buyer’s remorse. What is it? It is the negative feeling a customer has after they purchase a new product/service. It can creep up… a.) Right away, before the product/service is delivered; b.) During the execution of the product or service; or c.) […]

Profit Power: The woman-owned business advantage

Women-owned businesses are a powerful force in our industry. Over the years, I have had the pleasure to work side-by-side, coach, instruct and hang out with many women on their journey of running and growing their landscape business. It’s been exciting and rewarding to have a glimpse into the world of woman entrepreneurs. They face […]

Avoid the red lights

Four years ago I visited with a contractor in New York state. He was losing money for the first time, while working 80 hours a week. He had a good brand and lots of work. His problem was he chased too many red-light leads. A red light is someone who’s not going to buy from […]

Video: The Post-it note strategy

Your company’s annual goals should be so succinct they fit on a Post-it note, says Jeffrey Scott. Watch the video to learn the difference between goals and strategies and to find out how to assure your company achieves its strategy this coming year.

Profit Power: 4 ways to plan for more profits in 2015

Each company has four jet engines that propel profits. Mathematically, there are four ways to make your landscape company’s bottom line soar. Your strategy for 2015 needs to address all four of these profit engines. 1. Margins You can drive profit by selling your work more profitably on a consistent basis and by altering the […]

Web Extra: A profitable personal income journey

In “How to boost owner’s income,” from the October 2014 issue of LM, Jeffrey Scott tackles this age-old topic. Here’s a real-life example of how one landscape company owner added to his wallet. For another contractor example, see this blog post. For five years I worked with a landscape company where the owner initially thought […]

How to boost owner’s income

Many landscape business owners focus on building their revenue to build their wealth. There can be a correlation, but it’s not a direct one. To make a good return on your investment and earn an above average income, it’s critical to focus on the bottom line and work backward. The fallacy of 10 percent A […]

Video: How often should you raise prices?

Jeffrey Scott draws on a discussion he had with a group of contractors regarding raising prices to come to the conclusion that “the lesson you should take is raise your prices every year a little bit.” Press play for more pointers.

Video: Ramp up referrals with the 3 Ps

  Referrals are both the fruit of your success, and the magic ingredient for future growth. The recipe for “ramping up your referrals” requires three ingredients, all added in consistent high amounts. Use this video to educate your team on how to expand your business and profit through managing your product, process and people relationships. […]

Profit Power: How to compete with ‘the big boys’

If you’re trying to compete with “the big boys,” like Brickman and ValleyCrest, you need to be aware of how the larger commercial property management firms operate. They have a sophisticated approach to decision making (it’s different from an owner-operator of a strip mall). The approach You need to find out: At what level the […]

Video: 10 roles of the (successful) CEO

Entrepreneurs must make the transition from working in the business to working on the business. Here are the 10 roles that a successful CEO must play in his or her business to propel its growth.

Profit Power: 7 steps to double your income

I spent a week in Maryland earlier this month. We boated around Washington, D.C., and Annapolis, plus I spent two and a half days leading a peer group retreat with nine contractors from around the country. It was a special time because everyone brought his or her spouse. One of the participating companies had built […]

Video: Inspire your staff without demotivating them

You can inspire your staff, but you can’t motivate them. Learn what to do and what not to do, to get the most out of your employees. The only thing worse than unmotivated employees, is an uninspiring boss. Watch this video to learn how you can clear out the clutter that can demotivate your employees.

Video: Train employees to think for themselves

As a business owner, there’s never enough time in a day. Shave off a few minutes and meetings by training your employees to think for themselves. Watch this video to find out two techniques for how to get their wheels turning.

Profit Power: Employee loyalty equals client loyalty

In a recent consulting visit with a contractor in the South, my client raised the issue of attrition of her commercial clients. Her retention numbers were far below expectations. She lamented that her firm could easily be in the $10 million range, if she could figure out why she is losing clients. I took a […]

Video: How to sell on value

The “old saw” of price, service and quality is what used to define value. It used to be said that customers could control two out of the three, and having the right combination of these would optimize value in their minds. But that’s no longer the case. Watch this video to find out why and […]

Profit Power: When to lead and when to manage

Owners who are active in the business have two roles: As leaders, answering the questions “why and who;” and As managers, answering the “what and how” questions. Are you spending enough of your time in the right role? During a conversation this week with one of my Leader’s Edge peer groups, a member raised the […]

Profit Power: 5 time-management tips for spring

It’s almost impossible to keep all the balls in the air in the spring. Use these five time-management tips to get more done in less time. 1. Come with two answers. Teach your direct reports and all employees to answer their own questions. When they want to ask you a question, tell them they first […]

Profit Power: 10 traits of a strategic thinker

Successful business leaders remain focused on the future when dealing with short-term problems and opportunities, even when dealing with urgent ones in the heat of the season. They are strategic thinkers and, as so, exhibit the following 10 traits when planning, doing, leading, reacting, correcting and motivating the team. Are you a strategic thinker? 1. […]

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