After hitting revenue milestones and winning industry awards, Brandon Holley, president of Lawn Solutions in Arlington, Tenn., wanted to continue growing his company without losing the personal touch his customers had come to expect.
“I might be president of the company, but I still go out to their yards and do surprise pop-ups,” Brandon Holley says. “We want to give our customers that next-door neighbor kind of attention.”
One way he and his wife, Melissa, vice president of Lawn Solutions, sharpen their business skills is by connecting with other professionals at green industry events.
“I’m still learning even after 30 years and will always be learning,” Brandon says. “If I’m still learning at my age after doing it for so long, I’m sure someone else in their younger years and just getting into it could probably learn something I have to offer. So, it’s kind of a win-win for me.”
Forming connections
In December, the couple attended the 2024 LM Growth Summit, where they networked with other owners, demoed new equipment, met with leading supplier partners one-on-one and formed lasting relationships.
The Summit provides professionals with innovative ways to improve their businesses and build relationships with peers from across the country. Brandon says he and Melissa left feeling ready to hit the ground running when they returned from the three-day event in Orlando, Fla.
“The small business owner needs that kind of motivation, especially getting into our peak-season work,” he says. “To get that motivation in our off-season and get us geared up for the new spring was perfect timing.”
While Brandon knew the event would be close-knit, he says he was still surprised by how much he and Melissa connected with the other attendees and the supplier partners.
Networking with other women was one of the highlights for Melissa. With a limited number of women in the industry, she appreciated meeting others she can bounce ideas off of and plans to stay connected, Brandon says.
“That’s just priceless,” Brandon says. “We’re all out to help one another in our industry, which is so important to me.”
Key takeaways
Having various lawn care and equipment suppliers on-site was another benefit to attending, Brandon says. He especially liked seeing machines from Stinger Equipment and Steel Green Manufacturing. The experience led him to buy a new ride-on aerator.
“The vendors were all top-notch and easy to talk to,” he says. “They answered all of the questions I came in with. I enjoyed talking to all of them and even got to try some of the new equipment.”
He encourages other owners who want to take their businesses to the next level to consider attending the event in the future.
“It could be meeting that one person at the right time and place that could change their career and motivate them to be more successful as a leader,” he says. “They can also bring that motivation home to their teams and have them become better leaders.
“It was nothing but good times, good fellowship and good people,” Brandon says. “It was just a win-win-win across the board.”
