Do you share a big vision with your company? In today's interview, green industry consultant, author and Elkhorn Lawn Care CEO, James Manske shares why sharing a vision with your company helps them see where you're heading and what career opportunity it creates for your team. Plus what technology stack he uses to run his 60 person lawn care company, which part of your business you should automate first and how he created a scholarship with his local high schools to give back to the community and grow the green industry.
Hey, everyone, Jack Jostes is here and welcome to the Landscaper's Guide. We are full on in spring. I hope you're enjoying it and it's still time to continue getting inspired, learn new things and I want to let you know that my book, The Tree of Good Fortune, The Landscaper's Guide to Sales and Marketing is available as an audio book and video book so you can listen to it, you can watch it and I hope you enjoy that. Check it out treeofgoodfortune.com and let's dive into our interview with James. All right, everyone. Welcome back to the Landscaper's Guide. Today, I'm here with James Manske, the CEO of Elkhorn Lawn Care which has about 55 to 60 employees during peak season, they're in Nebraska. And James has also built multiple successful businesses including a real estate investment company, a construction equipment manufacturing company. He's a commercial real estate broker and the author of Thinking Horizontally. He's got a lot of business experience, experience in the green industry and James, welcome to the show.
James Manske:
I appreciate it. Thanks for having me on. I'm excited to be here today.
Jack Jostes:
Well, James, tell us what was your first business when you were 10? I read on your website that you've been an entrepreneur since you were 10, I'm curious what was that first business that you'd had?
James Manske:
It wasn't legitimately a business with the state filed at 10 years old, but used to go golf ball high with my neighbor on the golf course, my parents' backyard and finding golf balls, cleaning them up, bleaching them and then turning around selling them on a cardboard table or a fold up table to golfers passing by from my parents' backyard. And just grew that into okay, now they're asking for water, now they're asking for soda so we just kept offering more just to help fill that need and we saw the market, they're paying eight to $20 a sleeve at the pro shop, we can sell them for a quarter of ball and it was a no brainer. So, we got a lot of business that way and eventually, it got shut down from the owner of the golf course because we were taking away too much business from the cart girls and the pro shop so it was a good lesson learned.
Jack Jostes:
That's awesome and thinking of those additional services of so they need to golf balls and they need pop and water before we started recording the interview, you were telling me a bit about collaboration and how that can be an effective way of growing your landscape company. So, tell us a little bit, how do you collaborate with other vendors in your market and what tips have for our audience?
Tips For Vendor Collaboration
James Manske:
It always starts with fact finding. So, you're always looking at what other corollaries or opportunities are available that you're hearing from your customers, your clients. So, are they interested in landscaping? Do you offer landscaping? Are they interested in sprinkler service? So, we kept listening to that as we grew the company over the last 15 plus years and we just kept listening. Can you help us with this? Can you help us with this? And we started bringing in and creating new divisions which led us to the seven divisions we have today, but now we're looking much larger. How do we help our commercial clients, our hotels, our restaurants, our high end residentials to add one more thing that we can help them manage?
So, if we're on a property and somebody's asking about window repair or fence repair or roofing or if it's parking lot painting for commercial, how can we help them by finding a collaborating partner in that space where we can just feel the questions, feel the calls, feel the need and then find that partner that can come in work with us or under us or however it's structured and create a piece of that sale that gets collaborated with.
Jack Jostes:
And how do you decide when it's time to subcontract somebody bring them in and you actually sell and manage the project versus refer it? How do you decide?
James Manske:
It's a great question. I think it's more of what do you have the time and skill and manpower for? I'm not going to do anything in house with roofing because I don't know anything about roofing, but I'll find a partner that could help with that, that's licensed. They've got a reputable name in the industry or in your area that you want to partner with. So, if it's something that you're going to stretch yourself to thin to start that new division, that new product service, I would highly recommend partnering up.
Jack Jostes:
And how do you go about establishing those relationships? Do you find people online and take them out for lunch or how do you get started with some of those relationships?
How To Grow Strategic Partners
James Manske:
I think the best way still is just networking. Just being out in the community, see who is the movers and shakers, see who has the best reputation and just being that person that you connect with, figure out what they're doing good in their company because if they're just being stagnant or being in a state of plateau, I don't want to work with those people. We want people that are moving, shaking, creating success in that industry that we can partner with that are growing as well.
Jack Jostes:
For sure. I definitely think you need to vet people before you refer them both online and then getting feedback from your client after you refer them, Hey, how did this go? How was the work that they did? Because it can impact you if they do a bad job and you referred them, but you can also be a big help to them if they do a great job. And just today I was texting with somebody who's been a strategic partner of mine for nearly 12 years in running Ramblin Jackson and they were somebody I met at a networking event 12 years ago. So, I think networking can be really powerful and keeping in touch with people and it has actually led to acquisitions for me. We acquired an SEO company and we acquired a web development division of a company at Ramblin Jackson, just people that I met and it happened the way you're talking about where we were referring them and then eventually they were like, Hey, we want to get out of this and they ended up selling those companies to me.
James Manske:
That's awesome. And I think that needs to be the overall goals. It's what's the bigger picture? What's your big vision? Because if it's just to grow the five, 10, 15% a year then you're not going to bring any winners with you so you have to want to create those big relationships, create those big wins because without that... Our goal is to make everybody successful in our organizations so you need to have that vision of, okay, we're going to make this partnership until we, and acquire the $10 million companies on a monthly basis and start up a new division that we're going to need help with somebody to run and then we're going to need these management people in place to do that. So, I think it is first networking, it's getting around those people that you want to win with and then just building that big vision of, okay if this is part of the big picture, what other steps? You start finding opportunities in everything you do.
Jack Jostes:
I'm curious you started your first landscape company I think you were 15 after you got shut out of the golf ball industry in your town, you started in landscaping, but I'm curious what's your vision for Elkhorn now and maybe how has that changed over the years from when you were just 15 getting started to where you are now?
James Manske:
It's a good question because I don't like the exact pinpointing of a goal because every month it's changing, it's getting bigger, bigger, bigger, bigger. So, for me it is how do we dominate the market? How do we acquire companies that are either in our space that want to be part of a winning team? So, that's the bigger vision right now is to set up, we have two locations now and it's to set up three more in the next three to five years here in Omaha and acquire along the way. So, every year I want to acquire somebody that's the same or bigger than us and even if they're smaller too, I don't want to keep that out of the conversation, but eventually it's going to be to spread to different states, different markets and into different collaborations for all home services.
Jack Jostes:
And have you guys completed acquisitions so far?
James Manske:
We have and then we're going through due diligence right now that's going to be a large company, but it's funny how they all happen because it's all by networking that it's happened or it's I heard you did this with this other company, we'd be interested in discussing further of how we might be able to make a deal. So, it's all been just word of mouth. I haven't gone through a broker so I've structured deals with my attorney and CPA and it's been really well, but eventually we're going to have to go into different markets and actively pursue.
Jack Jostes:
Well and you can do a lot of the networking on LinkedIn right now if you know that there are certain geographic markets, you could start connecting with people, following them on social media and digitally networking with them that might make a warmer introduction a year from now when you finally do reach out either it's through a broker or however you find them.
James Manske:
For sure. And I think that we're going back to where we were talking about the partnerships. So, if I'm helping a company go from 500, $2 million with my consulting and just teaching them and some of the YouTube stuff I do for free, I want them to succeed and then when they get to that next point of we're at four or five million, now let's partner up, let's take it to 15 million. So, I'm 100% on board with we're working with partners in creating future success.
How A Bigger Vision Helps Guide Decisions In Your Landscape Company
Jack Jostes:
And one of the things that you and I were talking about earlier before we recorded was mindset and how that can impact the results that you're getting and how you're showing up for your people, so tell me a little bit about mindset and how are you working maybe with some of your consulting clients on it?
James Manske:
It's a great question, I hear it all the time and we constantly are dealing with it all the time especially over the last two years. I think that without us as owners having that vision where are we going? What's going to happen? What's the big picture? Speaking into existence then once you keep doing that, people get excited. They want to be part of that winning team because I know a lot of companies aren't talking about that they have people that are stuck at that same pay for year over year, over year, over year, they might get a quarter raise, but they're not looking at when we open up another location, who's running that?
When we take on this company, who's going to help assist with all those people? So, just putting that vision into people's heads at a consistent level where we're going places, do you want to be with us or not? And maybe they don't and if they go to the other side it might be fine with wherever they at in life and we always welcome people back as long as it wasn't a toxic or poisonous relationship with the other team members.
Jack Jostes:
I saw that you're speaking at the Lawn & Landscape Technology Conference. You're presenting utilizing technology to increase profitability, what are some of the technologies that maybe you're using personally or that you're advising other businesses on using to increase profit?
James Manske:
Sure. There's so many technology parts out there and software out there and until I think you get to a size where you build your own, there won't be a perfect one. And I've heard this from every industry, every business around the US so it's tough, but it's finding that right one and utilizing it to just find out how to shorten up a process life cycle. So, how can we take what we're currently doing and just shorten that up and be more profitable or cut out a whole step altogether. So, there's so much with technology though that can be implemented, which is finally taking the time to try it out, put your foot on the pedal and just make it happen because without it, I know still there's companies that only do paper.
So, we're trying to get out of that pre-tech running of business world, but it is challenging because anything that's worthwhile is good at the more stress, more headaches so every single thing in business can be automated. So, from estimating to scheduling to routing to counting, there's still ways to shorten every one of those cycles. So, no matter what it is you can constantly look for it and constantly there's software and apps that can help facilitate it.
Which Part Of Business To Automate First
Jack Jostes:
What are some of the things that you would recommend that lawn and landscape companies consider automating first? Of all the things that... You've mentioned a lot, there's a lot of different areas, where's maybe one of the most common inefficiencies in landscape of companies that you could see them automating?
James Manske:
The biggest for me is bookkeeping because that's what... I was a finance degree so for me, it's how do you understand what your numbers are? Because if you don't know what your numbers are and you don't have a proper bookkeeping or software that does your accounting, does your payroll, does everything, if I can't look on my P&L every single morning and see where we're at or the cash flow, or be able to make the easiest payment option for customers by click pay or prepay or it's ACH where we don't even have to ask them to pay we on a card, all that stuff generates income. So, I think that accounting software has to be number one because you need to know the business numbers day in and day out.
The Tech Stack Used At A 60-Person Lawn Care Company
Jack Jostes:
So, James I'm curious what's your tech stack at Elkhorn? What software are you guys using that you swear by?
James Manske:
It's a great question to you because we haven't found one ideal all encompassing software. So, we utilize a lot of different softwares at this point. So, for accounting, for payroll, for taxes, for ACHs, all that stuff for bill pays, we utilize QuickBooks online and that's what we found is the easiest user friendly mobile multiple years can jump on it from anywhere in the world. So, that's what we use for our main accounting software, our main bookkeeping, our main payroll. After that, our CRM, our routing softwares is Real Green Systems. So, we utilize that for all of the services that have programs. So, our Six Step Fertilizing Programs, our Tree and Shrub Care Program, people that have 20 different services with us that keeps it all in track.
Outside of that, we still utilize Verizon Connect for GPS in all of our vehicles because we need to make sure people are optimized and it gets insurance for showing that we were at project or during a snow event, we did perform services so it's quality control and then we use Google Drive for all of our emails, our documents, we have almost no paper in the office, but everything is online so we can share forms, we can have multiple people in Google Sheets working on spreadsheets, whatever it is and the same thing, everything we do is cloud-based because it gives that range of mobility range of use to not just here, but I was out of town last weekend I could still see PNLs, I could still see everything on my phone, on my laptop even when I'm flying. So, I want that where nothing is based on just a network inside because that's a horrible feeling, losing that network.
I've had that happen too and then we said from there, nothing else is being stored here, it's all cloud and then design software. I believe we use Structured Studios for our landscape design. So, that's what we offer to everybody too as well with our free design and landscapes so that's something that constantly is changing, but we are always looking for what's the next piece of tech.
Jack Jostes:
And so which of those does Real Green allow you to do time tracking for your employees?
James Manske:
I believe it does, but that is one I miss. So, we do utilize a security company here in town that everybody gets a key fob when they start work or when they're employed. That gives them access to the doors and then we have a fob swipe by each building so that they would clock in and it says time clocks, they would click it once and then when the end of the day they put their key fob on there again and then we can pull a report of everybody that day and easily just export it into a time sheet, into QuickBooks or whatever you're using.
Jack Jostes:
So, you're not necessarily tracking time per customer or per job?
James Manske:
We still are and we're implementing that information. That's when the foreman if they're using a tablet with Real Greens or if they're doing a landscape job, the foreman has a lot of paperwork of like, this should take this much, here's what your actual was. We implement that in on the back end when it goes time to billing so we can write in who the foreman was? How many crew members were with them? What was their start to finish time? What was total man hours? It doesn't get shown to the customer when it's emailed out, but that's for personal records. Why are we so under budget or underestimating on this project? Did they do something different or did the customer ask them to do additional stuff that wasn't in the estimate? So, it gives us a way to just look back and audit those things too because we implemented the data.
Creating A Scholarship With Local High Schools To Give Back To The Community
Jack Jostes:
So James, I noticed on the Elkhorn Lawn Care website that you have yearly entrepreneurial scholarships in conjunction with Elkhorn High School, Elkhorn North High School and Elkhorn South High School for seniors pursuing business, or maybe they're starting their own business, so tell us a little bit of about that, that sounds pretty cool.
James Manske:
So, my first year out of high school I said, why is there nobody giving scholarships to the people that had 25 GPAs or not GPAs, ACT scores? And not horrible GPAs, but people that aren't the 4.0 students that aren't going on a scholarship for full ride for sports or academics and there was nothing for business people. So, the year after high school, my partner and I at the time we decided to do $500 for a scholarship, but $500 for 18 year olds was something that it was never done before. We were the first people that graduated college or graduated high school excuse me, to offer a scholarship back to the same school. And it was more just to help people that are going to go into business or entrepreneurial studies or trade schools that there's people looking out for them too, not just if you had a 4.0 or if you're really good at baseball or softball.
So, it's been growing over those years and now out we're $5,000 a student for those so we're still increasing that lot and I don't want to stop there. I want to be the one that offers the biggest scholarship at the schools more than everybody else, where they start to get jealous of it and impact more students because that creates momentum than what brings you to a feeling of like, okay, we want to work with that company, I want to work for that company if they're given away so much and not just the scholarships, but what else can we do in the community? We give away hats, gloves, burritos to homeless in the wintertime. And we don't really promote that, but it just what people are getting overlooked and how can we make an impact on those people without just trying to better the business, it's for the community.
Jack Jostes:
That's amazing that you've increased the scholarship to that amount and it looks like you're going to continue to do that. So, it's very generous. You've been doing this since 2009, I'm curious what are maybe some stories of people who have gotten the scholarship that are up to cool things in the world now?
James Manske:
I've only talked to a few, a lot of them in the beginning years where... And there was a couple that were lawn and landscaping and they have very successful companies now so there was probably three that had lawn care companies in high school and they got the scholarship and now they've got crews of eight to 20 people. So, it's still helping them build as well. They already know they're going to be successful in whatever they're going to do, but they want to make the impact in the community, in the world so that's what we're looking for.
Jack Jostes:
Awesome. Well, James, it's been a real pleasure talking with you. Where can people who are listening, where can we connect with you and learn more?
James Manske:
It's been a pleasure. You can go to Jamesmanske.com and I'm on all social platforms as well. So, that's where [inaudible 00:22:30] its find out more free information. It's on YouTube, it's on the website as well. We do weekly workshops just trying to help as many people as possible because what I had to go through I hope nobody else had to go through in the 20 years of business, that it's a lot easier now with cell phones and not having to use MapQuest and just the issues that you don't realize there's easier ways until you figure out an easier way. So, that's my biggest goal is just how can we help expand businesses and create as many successful people in business and as team members of our businesses as possible.
Jack Jostes:
Great. Well, we'll check that out and I'll link up to your website in the show notes and thanks again for coming on the Landscaper's Guide.
James Manske:
I appreciate. It was great time and appreciate everything you're doing.
Jack Jostes:
All right, everyone. Thanks so much for checking out today's episode of the Landscaper's Guide. And if you'd like more information like this, check out my book, The Tree of Good Fortune, The Landscaper's Guide to Modern Sales and Marketing. This book features real interviews with landscapers around the country, implementing the proven process that we've created at Ramblin Jackson to help you attract more hell yes customers, automate bits of your sales process, use video, automation and more. So this spring, if you're not working with primarily your hell yes customers you really want, it could mean you need to adjust some things in your marketing. And I'd love to send you a copy of this book, check it out at treeofgoodfortune.com. And again, you can get the audiobook version or the video book and just listen to it. So, check it out treeofgoodfortune.com. My name's Jack Jostes and I look forward to talking to you next week on the Landscaper's Guide.