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🌳 Di Sandro Landscape Group: https://disandrogroup.com/
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00:00 – Choosing Better Work In Your Landscape Business
00:00
Frank Di Sandro
Basically, we call it cutting the fat off. You know, kind of getting rid of. Getting rid of transitioning and cutting the fat off. So. So. So when you demand things from us, you need things done by certain. Certain time frames. We have to be able to make sure we're focused. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is just ripping the band aid off and saying, I just can't do that no more, you know?
00:17
Jack Jostes
Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Landscaper's Guide. Today I'm excited to interview my client at Ramblin Jackson, Frank desandro. He's the founder and owner of desandro Landscape Group. Right now we're in Philadel. We're doing some video production. We just finished a shoot and excited to have you on the podcast, Frank.
00:38
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, I appreciate it.
00:39
Jack Jostes
So.
00:40
Frank Di Sandro
So thanks for, you know, asking me to come along, so.
00:43 – How Frank Di Sandro Built His Landscape Company
00:43
Jack Jostes
Absolutely. Well, so. So tell us a little bit about your company, about yourself. What should we know?
00:50
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, I'm Frank Desandro. Been in business for about 25 years. Based out of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Been doing landscape work, you know, right through college. I went to Temple University. As I was getting through school, I was a business management major and then wanted to get serious. You know, I was just cutting lawns, you know, doing stuff like that. And little by little, just it progressed. And I knew by the time I was probably a junior that I was going to be, you know, full time. So at that point, we just was doing some lawn stuff and going to school, you know, commuting from Bucks county to North Philadelphia here at Temple, it's close by. So, yeah, from there we just started business, you know, and little by little, just progressed, you know, so it was pretty cool.
01:40
Frank Di Sandro
You know, I kind of grew up in the field. A little bit of construction. You know, my father was a concrete guy and excavation. So I was. As a kid, I was doing blacktop work and concrete work and block work. So kind of was in that field growing up as a young age, me and my brothers and so been around it for a while and just kept on going with it, you know, just transition to landscaping from the construction. And so that's how kind of how we got here, you know.
02:11
Jack Jostes
And what would you say. So you were a business management major. What would it. What did you learn in college that is helpful now?
02:19
Frank Di Sandro
Well, you know, when I. When I first started, you know, got done high school, I had an opportunity to play college football, you know, and my body was pretty beat up at that point. So I just made the decision that I think I just want to focus on school, you know, and at that point just enrolled, you know, got into Temple University. And the first couple years, you know, not as motivated, you know, you're kind of starting out, you know, you're thinking about things to do, where to go. And by the time I was on the latter points of it, you know, junior year, senior year, you were ambitious to get done, you know, kind of wanted to get inside the field and start making money, you know, so. But school taught me a lot.
03:04
Frank Di Sandro
You know, I would say the biggest thing is discipline, you know, teaches you how to, you know, be somewhere at the right time and assignments and paperwork and keep your grades up. So, you know, when I got done school, I was glad to be done school. But, you know, the biggest thing is discipline, you know, taught me a lot of discipline and responsibility. I'm a business management major also area marketing too, so. So I kind of, you know, kind of use it, what I do now. And here we are, you know.
03:36 – Why Frank Changed His Marketing Strategy
03:36
Jack Jostes
Well, yeah, that's interesting. So you studied business and marketing. You eventually hired Ramblin Jackson. You know, you started the company in 1999, right? So we started working together a little over a year ago. What, what was changing in the business that led you to reach out to Ramblin Jackson?
03:55
Frank Di Sandro
So basically we just, it was pretty repetitive as far as the marketing goes. You know, it seemed that everybody was in the SEO, you know, and everybody is, you know, the best marketing company, you know, and the next great thing to come. So what we decided to do was focus on industry specific for what we do. This has nothing to do with the people I've used in the past. You know, everybody had a building block to get us where we are today, you know, but I just felt like I needed more, we needed more guidance. We needed guidance from people who are experienced, people who know what they're talking about, people who could get us in the right direction.
04:40
Frank Di Sandro
So everything we've done in the past, it just seemed stagnant, you know, and so we needed a change and we looked at a few companies, you know, and you guys came along. We had kind of a, like an interview, zoom meeting, you know, and pretty much from the jump, I was really comfortable. Came down to being comfortable, you know, I liked the approach, did some back end research stuff on you guys to see what you guys were about. And it was, we just felt comfortable, you know, even to this day, you know, for the past year, there's no regrets. There is no, you know, not much I would really change you know, we kind of liked the approach. We needed patience, you know, we knew this was going to be a 12 month turnaround.
05:27
Frank Di Sandro
Being in business, you know, for 25, 26 years, it's, things change, you know, and we felt like this was the right approach and it's been good. You know, we're, like I said, we're almost a year into this and we're happy with everything. So it's been good. So good. Yeah. And we're happy, we happy we brought you guys on and we're happy you took us on too. Right.
05:49
Jack Jostes
We're the opportunity and for the partnership for sure. Yeah, we're really grateful for the opportunity to work with you guys and you know, it's exciting to work with you on your website and your SEO. And today, you know, we did some video. So tell me about how was doing.
06:05 – Using Video To Stand Out From The Competition
06:05
Frank Di Sandro
Video a little different, you know, from what we're used to, you know, so you guys gave us some, you know, talked about some good scripts and stuff and positions and you know, we, this is what, five, six months in the making, I think, you know. Yeah, a long time. So before you know it, August is here came down and you know, pretty prepared. Everything was pretty good, you know what I mean? Took a couple takes to get things where it needed to be, but it was cool, smooth, professional. So hopefully it gives us good help here, you know what I mean?
06:36
Jack Jostes
Yeah, I think, I mean, video really helps you stand out because so many landscape companies don't even call people back. And when you're the one who calls people back and you have these videos and these, the right amount of automation that we're building into your follow up and then the personal follow up, it just makes you stand out as more professional.
06:56
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, it was pretty cool. You know, when I first saw you today, I feel like I'd known you for a long time.
07:01
Jack Jostes
Yeah.
07:01
Frank Di Sandro
Just from the videos and stuff. So, you know, you walk in, I meet you and it's like I known you forever, you know, so it just shows you, we know just the power of the videos and the online so how effective it is.
07:15
Jack Jostes
It is. And that's what. When you said that, I feel like I know you. I get that response all the time. And that's why I love doing video for my landscape clients is because you're going to meet people, they'll be like, frank, I know you. And you're like, how do you know me? And they're like, I was watching your video and you haven't been watching their video? Well, do you have any fun hunts coming up? That was something that we talked about.
07:38 – Hunting, Travel, And Life Outside The Business
07:38
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah. So other than landscaping, you know, I do a fair amount of traveling. I'm a pretty avid outdoorsman. You know, been up to Canada. I spent a lot of time in the Midwest, but I'll be heading out to Illinois, you know, this fall, and I have some ground in Kansas, which I've been fortunate enough to set up. So I'll be heading out there in about two weeks, and then I'll be heading out there again probably in November, you know, so, you know, just chasing whitetails and farming and stuff like that. It's pretty cool.
08:13
Jack Jostes
So what did you hunt in Canada?
08:16
Frank Di Sandro
A little while back, we did some. Did some bear hunts. You know, archery bear hunts. It was pretty cool. That was in Saskatchewan.
08:23
Jack Jostes
Wow.
08:24
Frank Di Sandro
We've hunted. I've hunted some mule deers and whitetails in Alberta. Was able to connect with a pretty good one in Alberta. So that was pretty cool. Just the cold weather, different environment, just awesome, you know. And a couple years ago, I was in British Columbia, you know, hunting moose.
08:43
Jack Jostes
Did you get a moose?
08:44
Frank Di Sandro
Close, but close. But it was. It was mentally challenging. Horseback, spike camp and stuff like that.
08:51
Jack Jostes
Oh, what an adventure.
08:53
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, it was pretty. Pretty crazy. But, you know, we took horses in 15, 20 miles, you know, we got set up and had a couple bulls. We came across just incredible and had a close encounter with a. With a grizzly bear, you know, pretty close. So. Yeah. Were you prepared? I was, yeah. It was nothing like I've ever felt in my life before, you know. So when you had that encounter at about 15ft, you know, unexpectedly, really. Yeah, it was pretty crazy, you know, but that was on the final day 10 of a hunt. And at that point, mentally, I was. I was ready to go home at that point, you know, but it was just incredible, you know. So Canada is a good place for just the land. It's just beautiful, you know?
09:40
Jack Jostes
Yeah. I have not hunted there, but I. I fished one time in this glacial lake, and it was incredible. My. My buddy and I. This was like before I was married and had kids, and my buddy and I, we drove up, like four hours into the mountains, and we're at the top of this glacial lake, and went out in the morning in waders. And my first cast, were fly fishing. Our first cast, I caught a rainbow trout, and there was, like, fog coming off the water. The water was that, like, almost teal color, you know, the gl. Have you seen the Glacial lakes up there. It was one of the best moments of my life.
10:16
Frank Di Sandro
Pretty cool you say that. So when went on this, were bear hunting in 2016 and never been to Saskatchewan or anything. And we stayed on a. It's actually called Dechambeau Lake. And the fishing's incredible. We just didn't know that. So in the mornings, you know, we. We got our rods, our guide gave us some rods and just kind of gave us a little boat and said, go fish out there, you know. And me. Me and my brother and one of my friends went out there and we just set the first cast and we're catching two, three foot pike. And were. It was just incredible. But we. We didn't know where were.
10:52
Frank Di Sandro
You know, we're in like pretty much a mecca, like some of the best lake fishing, you know, and all these boats are coming in from people from, you know, Colorado and Nebraska, and we're wondering why they're there. They're there for the fishing, you know. So the bear hunt was incredible, the fishing was incredible. And haven't been back since, but I would like to go back. But it's just. It's beautiful place. Saskatchewan, incredible, you know, so enjoy it.
11:16
Jack Jostes
It's on the list of places I want to go.
11:18
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah.
11:18
Jack Jostes
So that's pretty cool. Maybe. Do you know anyone there?
11:21
Frank Di Sandro
Just became friends with some people now just through the hunting, you know, we. We. You talk to people, you watch their kids grow up, you know, and the power of the Internet with Facebook and all this. You see. You see their daily lives, pictures, birthdays. You just stay connected, you know, L. Enough for me, you know, I met some of the greatest people, you know, just all over the place. Between Ohio and, you know, Illinois and Kansas and even Canada, Alberta, you just. And you stay connected with these people, you know, so it's pretty cool. But it's just been a big passion of mine other than, you know, working hard and, you know, keeping the. Keeping your bills paid. But we do, you know, with the hunting and work. We do a lot of construction work too now, just not to switch gears.
12:06
Frank Di Sandro
But we do some new construction houses and the landscape and kind of. We kind of took some gears and stayed away from the pack, you know, tried to at least, you know.
12:17 – Moving Beyond Traditional Landscape Maintenance
12:17
Jack Jostes
What do you mean?
12:18
Frank Di Sandro
You know, we. Everybody, you know, you think of landscaping, you think of mulching and trimming and mowing, you know, and we kind of just got more into the years ago, got more into the hardscape and the construction. Stormwater management's really big today. And then from that point we started about 15, 16 years ago, we had a rental property, knocked the house down, build a new house, you know, and then little by little we do a couple new homes a year, you know, new construction. Oh yeah, from igc, all these projects from, you know, demolition, all the site work, coordinating with basements, my framers, plumbers and you know, some properties, engineering and setback. So it's pretty cool. I like doing it. But we've been, like I said, been doing a couple new construction houses a year on top of the landscape work that we're doing.
13:14
Frank Di Sandro
So.
13:39 – Choosing Higher-Margin Work To Improve Profitability
13:16
Jack Jostes
And how are you able to maintain the quality of both? I mean that. You're not the first client of mine who GCS new construction. I have, I have another client down in Florida who does that and it's a lot. I mean, he's busy. So how are you growing and keeping that quality high? So you're able to go focus on some of these special projects while the landscape company is moving along?
13:39
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, yeah, fair point. So as we started out years ago out of college and work and we fortunately and unfortunately, you know, we had to get rid of some of the smaller clients. You know, we don't, we used to mow, mow lawns for people and do a lot of residential maintenance as far as mulching and we still do a little bit today and, but basically we call it cutting the fat off, you know, kind of get rid of, getting rid of, transitioning and cutting the fat off. So it's been a slow transition over the years, but we know where we're going. We know, you know, I know where I want to be and just kind of get rid of, you know, some of the low end stuff and looking for the higher profitable margins and jobs,.
14:21
Jack Jostes
You know, so relate to the work we're doing.
14:23
Frank Di Sandro
You guys, as far as rambling, helping us out, well, it's huge because you guys, you know, honestly, you require a lot of attention, a lot of communication, a lot of discipline, timelines. So you know, you've actually trained us to do things a little differently also because you're expecting things done at a certain time and if we can't hold our end of the bargain, then you can't help us. Right. So when you demand things from us, you need things done by certain time frames. We have to be able to make sure we're focused. We can get you those things and it's a complete partnership, you know, that you Know if you hold your end and I don't or I hold mine, you know, it doesn't work. So you guys have been, I'm glad.
15:09 – Why Accountability Makes Marketing Work
15:09
Jack Jostes
You see it that way because, you know, we have clients where we have that partnership and like, we're giving, like we're collaborating. Hopefully we're not asking you to like push buttons that we could be pressing, but sometimes we need things like, hey, Frank, we need a photo from this project you're telling me about usually is kind of the thing that we need, or hey man, we need you to sign off on this script by this date so we can come and shoot it. And I actually think that's we're. Oh, the 80, 20 rule that might even be 80% of the value that we bring is actually helping our clients meet deadlines because all of our clients, they've been in business for decades. They have a lot going on. Payroll, projects, employees, bookkeepers, lawyers.
15:54
Jack Jostes
All these fun trips and really, you know, execution is the hard part. My clients have no shortage of good ideas.
16:03
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, right.
16:04
Jack Jostes
It's really about, all right, you've got these great ideas, you've got this vision how to, let's get it done, let's get it on the website, let's get it in a video. So I'm glad. We appreciate the partnership and we like working with people like you who are seeing it that way instead of, oh, you're my website people go click some buttons for me, I'm checked out. That's usually not a good fit for me.
16:24
Frank Di Sandro
Part of the biggest thing is like, you know, dealing with Rebecca and dealing with Robert, just good people, confident, just time frames and keeping us in line and keeping things going. You know, I knew, excuse me from the start that I had to be patient about this. I know this wasn't a 30 day, a 60 day turnaround. So, you know, I knew this was going to be a 12 month thing for me, for us as a company. And you know, so we're getting, we've done a lot just in the little time that we've been working together, but they've been great, you know, and the staff's been great. And you guys, the biggest thing with, with you guys compared to what I've used, who I've used in the past is I keep on going back to the industry specific.
17:09
Frank Di Sandro
But you know, I felt like in the past that were asking, you know, our vendors, you know, to do this and do that and do this and do that because they didn't really know that they were just, anybody can build a website. Anybody can run ads, you know, and so here, since we've been working with you guys, it's more of, this is what we think you should be doing. This is what's recommended. Here are your reports, here are your goals. This is the plan. This is the audit. So it's just so much more in depth. And again, it comes down to industry specific. So you guys just know. So we need to be told too, sometimes, you know, this is what we're doing wrong. This is what I recommend.
17:48
Frank Di Sandro
Where in the past it just felt like I was always telling others what we needed, but this is just on another level. So it's been a great decision on our end. No regrets. It's been good. And I hope this is just the beginning.
18:04
Jack Jostes
I hope so, too, Frank. Yeah. So we're excited about where you're heading and we're. We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of helping you get there.
18:14
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah. Yeah.
18:15
Jack Jostes
You have a cool business. You've got great reviews, you've got happy customers. I got to meet some of your team today.
18:20
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah. Yep. And that.
18:21 – Using The 80/20 Rule To Stay Ahead Of Competitors
18:21
Jack Jostes
It's.
18:21
Frank Di Sandro
It's. You're right, too, because things have just changed so much where it's so much more about reviews and. And what you're doing currently in videos and. And things have just changed. You know, you mentioned earlier I was big on the 8020 rule, you know, and just something years ago I came up with on my own where I just felt like if I could stay away from 80% of our competition and focus more on the top 20%, you know, I wanted to stay in that bracket, you know, I wanted to be competing with the guys who were successful, the guys who have a good name, you know, So I always try to stay away from 80% of the population, you know, so I want to be in that 20%.
19:03 – Finding Your Hell Yes Customer
19:03
Jack Jostes
I like it. Yeah, no, that's part of. You know, so what we talk about is hell yes. Customer. Who is your hel. Yes customer. And not everyone can be your hel. Yes. Customer. And I think it takes time. I think it might even take years or even decades to evolve that. Okay, who is my hell yes customer now? And that might be different from 20 years ago when I started and I was willing to take on. And it doesn't mean we're not grateful for the clients that we had 20 years ago. It just means that this is what we're doing now.
19:34
Jack Jostes
And I think a lot of people are afraid to decide who their Helios customer is, and they Try and be everything to everybody, and they take on that additional 80%, and then their quality is low, their margins are low, their review average is low.
19:52
Frank Di Sandro
It's a very good point. These are all valid points. And sometimes the hardest thing to do is just ripping the band aid off and saying, I just can't do that no more. So, you know, also when doing that, you know, we talked about this earlier where, you know, it's a stepping stone approach. You know, every decision I try to make moving forward, you want to make sure that step is stable, you know, make sure that step is solid, has a good foundation, and then you take a step forward, Right? If you're just taking steps and you're jumping, you could become inefficient. You could be doing things inaccurately. So you just want to, you know, I kind of take a more conservative approach, you know, and do a little more due diligence when we move forward.
20:33
Frank Di Sandro
And you guys are a big part of that, you know, So I can't rave enough about what you guys have done for us, and I know we haven't even touched the surface yet, but it's been good, you know, it's been good, and I'm excited, you know, for the future.
20:47
Jack Jostes
Well, again, I appreciate the opportunity, and I'm excited for what you're building, and maybe we'll. We'll go hunt sometime or something, or catch some fish.
20:57
Frank Di Sandro
Maybe I'll be in Colorado soon, you know.
20:59
Jack Jostes
Again, let me know when you're out there. Yeah, I'm going on an elk hunt next week.
21:03
Frank Di Sandro
That's great. That's pretty awesome.
21:05 – Making Time To Disconnect From The Business
21:05
Jack Jostes
I'm excited. It's one of my favorite weeks of the year. And so for me, kind of like were talking about deadlines. Like, I'm working really hard. There's a lot of things I need to get done before I go. So having those things in the calendar motivates me to, like, get really big things done and plan with my team, and then I try and help them take time off when. When they need to do it.
21:26
Frank Di Sandro
But that's very important. Just that. That disconnect is very important. You know, never lose focus on work, what you're trying to do, your goals, your plan, but you need to be disconnected. You know, you gotta. You know, work's gonna be there when you get back, you know, so you gotta take advantage of these opportunities and have a good mindset.
21:43
Jack Jostes
Yeah, well, and it'd be pretty boring to just like, why. Why would you work all the time? Just. Just to. Just to do it.
21:54
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, yeah, I know. Well, it's, it's. I learned a lot in the last, you know, several years, just, you know, trying to be disconnected a little bit here and there and. But again, long as you don't lose focus, you know, families first, you know, and wife and kids are always first and then make sure they're taken care of and then I'll be fine, you know, as long as everybody else is good.
22:15 – Staying Ahead With Video And Digital Marketing
22:15
Jack Jostes
Yeah. Well, Frank Desandro from Desandro Landscape Group. It's been a pleasure having you on the podcast, I'll put a link to desandrolandscapegroup.com as your website. Where else can folks in the industry connect with you?
22:30
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah, Facebook, Instagram, you know, so it's just follow us, you know, see what we're doing, see what we got going on and, you know, we shoot some more videos and try to keep up, you know, with today's technology, you know. Yeah, things have changed. They change quickly. You know, they do every five, six.
22:46
Jack Jostes
Years to release these videos for you. And yeah, they have so much power. One from your human customers watching it, but two, from the digital standpoint of getting found in AI search and YouTube and now you've got something nice for Instagram and Meta and all these things. Like, it's amazing how powerful video is and how few landscape companies do it.
23:13
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah.
23:14
Jack Jostes
So you're going to be in the top. Yeah, I bet. Five percent.
23:17
Frank Di Sandro
We'll see.
23:17
Jack Jostes
You know, I don't know, it's getting competitive out there. People are making more content. Yeah. But you got to stay ahead and you're on track.
23:24
Frank Di Sandro
Yeah. Appreciate it. Thanks for having us, man. Thanks, Frank. All right, best of luck with everything.
23:29
Jack Jostes
Thank you.
23:30
Frank Di Sandro
All right.
23:31
Jack Jostes
Hey, everyone, it's Jack Jostas here. Thanks for listening to the Landscaper's Guide podcast. You know, I love working with people like Frank. Family owned companies, landscape companies around the country. Check out his new website, dassandrolandscapegroup.com to see an example of Ramblin Jackson's work. And if you're curious about getting more. Who is your hel. Yes. Customer. Where is your company heading and what do you need to do with your marketing to stay on top of it? We'd love to have a 15 minute marketing brainstorm call with you, so go ahead and schedule yours in the link in the description at landscapersguide.com/brainstorm and I'll look forward to talking with you next week on the landscapers guide.