Green Industry Advice: American Pride Lawn Care
With a few years under his belt in the industry, he had some advice for others to use throughout their companies in the new year.
1. Surround yourself with good people.
Johndrow explained that one of the most important lessons he’s learned over the past few years is to keep good people around him, whether that be in a work environment, relationships, or other experiences in life, having a great support system is key.
2. Find yourself a mentor.
“Someone you can go to and ask for advice,” he said. “Maybe that mentor will also get bigger and push some of their old accounts over to you, which could help a smaller business grow.” He mentioned that for his business, he was very fortunate to have a close friend and great mentor, Jason Sirko who owns Touch of Pride Landscaping, LLC in Bristol, CT.
“He’s an amazing guy who has also helped us get more business,” Johndrow said. He went on to explain that Sirko isn't just a great friend, but he also helped him gain more customers, and has shared knowledge that Johndrow can now use to make his company more successful.
3. Get rid of your ego.
Johndrow explained that this isn’t only a business lesson, but a lesson for all aspects of life. “In relationships and business, don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
4. Find yourself a good accountant and a good lawyer.
As far as accountants go, he wants others in the industry to know the bottom line is that an accountant will help to keep you out of trouble.
“An area I’ve seen small businesses fail is by not paying their sales tax.” Johndrow went on to say, “That will sink guys quicker than anything.” He explained that his accountant has helped to keep everything in line so when the time comes to pay on various expenses, he has the money ready to go without the stress of trying to find it.
Now when it comes to the legal side, this suggestion is for those working with commercial accounts. “When you start getting into commercial accounts, you have to have a good lawyer to take a look at some of the contracts,” he said. “I think contracts from customers are a good guideline for you, but if I have to do business with someone, they have to sign my contract.”
Bottom line is that a lawyer can help to guide you because you may not always want to sign a customer’s contract.
5. Stay in your lane.
Johndrow explained that his last piece of advice is something he lives by. “Stay in your lane means, do what you do best. Don’t worry about the other guy out there.” He explained that some people in the industry get caught up in how many services other businesses offer and then that’s when quality can start to slip.
“You really have to look to say, how do I expand services without impacting what I do very well.” He added, “make sure that what makes you money and what makes people come to you stays wholesome and doesn’t get impacting when you start other services.”
You can check out the full interview with Mike Johndrow of American Pride Lawn Care below, as he sat down with our marketing team to talk about his journey from working at ESPN to lawn care, how he kept his business successful during high gas prices, the benefits of social media and more.
To learn more tips for success in the new year, see what other lawn experts had to say.