Let’s get one thing straight: You don’t need private equity to win. You don’t need millions in the bank or big backers to win. What you need is a clear vision, relentless execution and the guts to bet on yourself.
Whether you’re stepping into your family business or building one from scratch, this is your time. With technology advancing our businesses and an entire generation approaching retirement, there has never been a better time to grow, scale and monetize your hard work.
When I took over K&D Landscaping from my parents, I had no outside funding, no playbook and a hell of a lot of pressure to figure it out. What changed the game wasn’t luck. It wasn’t timing. It was one moment of clarity and a decision to go all in on a real plan. From 2015 to 2024, we scaled from a small mom-and-pop $1 million business to a technology-driven $20 million market leader. My parents had put in 30 years of sweat equity, and it was our turn to add the rocket fuel of growth.
Now, everywhere I look, private equity firms are making noise, scaling at 100, 200 percent or more year over year, snapping up companies and plastering their wins across the headlines. It’s easy to feel small in that world, that your $3 million family-owned maintenance operation just doesn’t have a chance.
But don’t get it twisted.
They may have capital, but you have control. You know your people. You know your market. You know what this business means to your family and your community.
And most importantly, you’ve got sweat equity. That’s your superpower. Sweat equity is the unrealized and sometimes unmeasurable value in your business. It’s the years of hard work, long nights and the incredible reputation you have built. While it may not show up on a balance sheet, there is a tremendous amount of value sitting right under your feet. You just have to figure out how to monetize it.
With new technology becoming available almost daily, right now is the time for locally owned, blue-collar next-generation entrepreneurs to take massive action and move fast. The opportunity to seize market control in your area has never been more real.
The truth is that real returns in this industry aren’t being built in boardrooms. They’re being built by leaders in steel-toe boots who show up every day and push the ball forward. Understanding how the game is played in 2025 is key to monetizing that sweat equity.
In a recent keynote, I laid out what I call the Massive Action Protocol. It’s a simple but proven strategy to take control of your future:
- Strategy and Focus. Get clear on your goals. Eliminate the distractions.
- Purpose. Know why you’re doing it. If your “why” is weak, your results will be too.
- Focus. Get clear on your actions and eliminate the distractions.
- Massive Action. Don’t wait. Move fast. Take bold steps — every day.
That’s how you scale. That’s how you lead. That’s how you outwork everyone else.
Here’s what I want every young leader to hear: This industry is wide open. You don’t have to play by the old rules. You can build something scalable, profitable and meaningful. With sweat equity, technology, smart systems and relentless execution, you can create massive returns and a business that stands out. Now is the time to strike.
But no one’s going to hand it to you. You’ve got to earn it.
Don’t wait. Make your plan, rally your team together and take the shot. Because the future of this industry isn’t being written by Wall Street. It’s being built by people like you.
