In 2017, Weathermatic found itself at a corporate crossroads.
As president Lex Mason described it, “We had a phenomenal product, the beginnings of a world-class team and all the desire, grit and ambition in the world, but we were not seeing a lot of growth. Something was missing.”
But as Mason and the team at Weathermatic put their heads down and worked on charting a way forward, they resisted the urge to lean into quick fixes and instead focused on more sustainable solutions.
“We wanted to play the long game,” Mason said. “We decided we were going to intentionally align our business around our clients, our partners and their results. We wanted to take an approach that the more success those in the industry see, the more success we’ll see.”
A key component of that long-range plan was the creation of Weathermatic’s SmartCon partner summit. The 2025 edition of the event took place in Phoenix, Ariz., in February. More than 300 customers and industry partners attended three days of professional development, technical training and presentations from some of the industry’s top thought leaders, including several regular contributors to Landscape Management.
In Mason’s welcoming comments to attendees in Phoenix, he issued a gentle challenge.
“You’re going to have some of the most talented professionals in this industry present to you this week,” he said. “We can’t force you to take action, but don’t leave here without transformation. Don’t leave here without something tangible that you’re going to do to change the way you’re doing business today, to become or to extend your lead as a forward-thinking innovator.”
Main-stage presenters included Greg Herring with The Herring Group, who explored how irrigation divisions can positively impact profitability and growth for landscape companies; Justin White with K&D Landscaping in Watsonville, Calif., who shared how embracing massive action can benefit business owners; and Jeff Harkness from 3PG Advisors, who offered advice on nurturing company culture and building a high-performing organizational chart.
Weathermatic also shared several product enhancements to its SmartLink irrigation control platform and unveiled SmartLink Connect, which allows users to manage non-Weathermatic controllers — including two-wire setups — via the SmartLink cloud-connected platform.
Among the first-time attendees at SmartCon was Aaron Wolfe, president of Wickenburg Landscape in Wickenburg, Ariz. As a relatively new user of Weathermatic’s system, he came to the event to connect and learn about best practices from other users but walked away with much more than just technical know-how.
“You meet so many like-minded people at these kinds of events, which is really my biggest takeaway,” Wolfe said. “Not everybody is looking as far ahead as the folks here are, and that’s where I think Weathermatic hit it out of the park. They’re focused on one thing — water management — and how we can do that better and more efficiently well into the future. That really resonated with me.”
Robert Olsen, president of Goldenstate Landscape in Camarillo, Calif., was making his second visit to SmartCon after his company began working with Weathermatic in 2021. “Staying on the cutting edge of irrigation has been a priority for Goldenstate since day one, and I immediately saw this partnership as a way to keep our team engaged and up to speed,” Olsen says.
“Attending these conferences helps us refine our strategy and align it with how we run our irrigation business. At the core of it all is our commitment to what matters most — water management. Plus, there’s the added benefit of connecting with others in the industry and exchanging ideas.”
