While organic growth, acquisitions and mergers have helped Juniper grow, the company says its team is the driving force behind its success.
Juniper experienced a 68-percent increase in revenue from 2022 to 2023, landing at No. 15 on the 2024 LM150 list and No. 10 on the list of fastest-growing firms. Commercial customers make up 95 percent of the company’s base, and it offers landscape design/build, landscape maintenance, irrigation, landscape lighting, water management and consulting services.
Since its inception, the Fort Myers, Fla.-based company primarily focused on organic growth from its reputation, says Dan deMont, Juniper’s chief revenue officer. But in the past few years, the team has invested in an increased marketing presence, technology and client experience. They’ve also experienced growth through acquisitions.
“We’ve continued the double-digit organic growth while having success in mergers and acquisitions,” deMont says. “A key metric we focus on is organic growth post-acquisition. We do this by identifying what makes those businesses strong and offering resources where they need it, usually with technology, faster access to data and value-added services to the client.”
Juniper is currently seeing increased synergy with its most recent partners, sharing long-time clients, and deMont predicts that cooperation will be a major contributor to the company’s future growth.
When looking at companies to acquire, the Juniper team considers the target’s culture and core values to determine if it’s a good fit.
“We’ve learned from experience that integration is monumentally more successful when we’re aligned there,” deMont says.
Juniper’s people are at the heart of all the growth, deMont says. As the company has expanded, it has invested more in programs such as progression plans, robust Juniper University programs, team-building events and results-based bonus compensation at all levels of the business.
“These investments resulted in our highest employee retention rate in the last several years,” deMont says. “That translates to raving clients who are willing to share their experience with prospective clients and the masses through social media and other outlets.”
Like many companies, Juniper has faced labor challenges, and deMont says the company will continue to dedicate significant resources to combat that issue.
“Everything we do starts with people. The business and consumer services markets rely heavily on people as the foundation for growth and success,” he says. “If you are not heavily investing in developing your people, it will only get harder to win.”
He says his team members continue to step up and contribute to the company’s overall success, regardless of what position they hold at the company.
“There are hundreds of stories of team members climbing the mountain and conquering their goals. Today, those folks sit in roles two, three or even 10 levels up from where they started,” deMont says. “They left their mark on the business. They’ve been recognized and rewarded for it.”
He recommends that other professionals find team members with values that align with the company and invest in them. Encouraging the team to balance their personal and professional lives is also important, deMont says.
Other tips for success include investing in the best technology and tools, setting up clear systems and evaluating the business often. Specifically, deMont recommends getting smarter about planning for the future.
“In the early days, we’d evolve by force,” he says. “My advice would be to invest in your infrastructure, documentation, processes and technology for where you want to be as early as you can afford to — not for where you were this year or even last year. Invest ahead and react less.”
