Trades Talk Podcast

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White sits down with Ken Thomas of Envisor Consulting to unpack decades of lessons from growing, selling, and advising landscape companies. From the early days of M&A rollups to building the Green Dot Operating System, Ken shares how contractors can scale with clarity, lead with purpose, and build companies that last.

In this episode, Ken shares:

• His path from biology student to founding, ...

This week marks number twenty six of the journey from twenty million to one billion, and the theme is simple. Let go so you can grow.

Justin shares why the past year forced a reset, how K and D navigated one point two to one point five million in lost profitability, and what it looked like to rebuild the leadership team from the inside out. You will hear the story behind new leaders joining the table, how culture was protected thro...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Nick Bartolo of Essential Partners for a deep dive into wealth building, exit planning, and tax strategy for trades business owners. From Wall Street to the trades, Nick brings a rare combination of CPA expertise, institutional investment experience, and a passion for helping entrepreneurs protect and grow what they’ve built.

In this episode, Nick shares:

• How he went ...

Welcome back to Weekly Update 25 on the Trades Talk Podcast. Justin shares a high energy breakdown of how he is preparing himself and K and D Landscaping for the year ahead. This episode gives you a front row seat into personal planning, financial readiness, technology adoption, and the mindset shifts needed to win in 2026.

Personal planning before strategic planning Justin explains why personal clarity must come b...

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White sits down with Mark Pyrah, cofounder of Peak Landscaping, to explore how focus, humility, and disciplined execution fueled one of Portland’s most respected commercial landscape companies.

Mark shares how he went from estimating jobs at night to building a company that now pulls in over $16 million a year with a reputation built on relationships, reliability, and real results. From the early da...

In this week’s update Justin takes listeners into three important topics shaping the future of the trades as we head toward the end of the year. He opens with a reminder to pause, reflect, and appreciate the impact we make on our teams, our communities, and the people who count on us.

Justin shares what he is learning from skip level one to ones and why these conversations help leaders stay grounded in the day to day reality of the...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Diego Lopez, brand strategist and founder of 153 Studio, for a deep dive into the power of branding that puts people and purpose first.

In this episode, Diego breaks down:

• Why branding is not your logo, it’s how your clients feel • How to align story, operations, and values across every touchpoint • The critical mistake companies make trying to serve everyone • How int...

In this weekly update, Justin White shares insights from his recent experience at the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) conference, discussing the vibrant energy and opportunities within the landscape industry. He emphasizes the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to enhance business efficiency and competitiveness. White also addresses the current state of mergers and acquisitions in...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Andrew Martin, founder of Urban Landcare, to explore how personal grit, strategic pivots, and people-first leadership built one of San Diego’s most exciting landscape companies.

From growing up on construction sites in Northern Kentucky to becoming a disruptive force in Southern California, Andrew’s journey is a masterclass in betting on yourself and evolving with the indus...

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White breaks down the three questions every trade leader should be asking to assess culture, clarity, and hiring momentum.

Inside the episode: • How a simple 1–10 scale can reveal culture gaps • What separates A players from C players, and why it matters • Five keys to building a growth-focused culture that attracts top talent • Why problems are actually your greatest asset

Justin also shares up...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Seb Lopez of Awake Abroad Media to talk about all things storytelling, content strategy, and personal branding. Seb brings a global perspective to his work, shaped by years of traveling, media production, and working with elite performers; from Olympic athletes to top real estate professionals.

In this episode, Seb shares:

• Why shifting from social media consumption to...

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White shares key takeaways from an action-packed week on the road, including the Equip Expo in Louisville and the Disruptors Social hosted alongside Aspire, Crest, and Leanscaper.

Justin recaps lessons from Jesse Cole’s “Five E’s”: Eliminate Friction, Entertain Always, Experiment Constantly, Engage Deeply, and Empower Action.....and how they apply to building remarkable client experiences in the tra...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Jon Gohl, a longtime team member at Aspire Software, to explore the power of reflection, mindfulness, and personal transformation in both life and leadership. Jon shares his journey from walking with a cane to preparing for a walk across the Grand Canyon, and how that physical recovery mirrors his approach to leading people, setting goals, and growing intentionally.

In this...

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White shares insights from a Lunch and Learn in Denver hosted by Aspire Software and Designscapes Colorado, which focused on speed as a competitive edge in the green industry.

Phil from Designscapes detailed how his team scaled to $50 million in revenue with 350 employees by doubling down on the basics, making decisions faster, and always doing what’s right.

Justin also introduces the Speed Flywheel...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Derek Clelan, founder of Your Haven Landscape Designs, to break down how one idea , a simple design service,  turned into a full-scale design machine supporting contractors across the country.

After going bankrupt at 24, Derek rebuilt from the ground up. Now, just over a year into launching Your Haven, he’s built a 44-person team, delivered over 1,000 designs, and created a...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White unpacks why the next three years will bring more change to the trades than the last three decades. As technology, capital, and automation reshape the industry, early adopters will create separation — and those who lag behind may struggle to catch up.

In this episode, Justin explores:

• Artificial Intelligence — How AI is transforming estimating, scheduling, communication, and leadership a...

In this episode of Trade Talks, Justin White sits down with Mark Sedgley and Taylor Gould to discuss one of the biggest moves in the green industry: the merger of LMN, SingleOps, and Greenius into Granum.

They unpack the story behind the new name, the marketing strategies that brought three powerhouse brands together, and why customer experience is the heartbeat of Granum’s future. From l...

Register for Denver, CO Lunch and Learn:

https://web.cvent.com/event/7bc1304f-be1e-4ecd-99f1-5cb9e3184495/summary?RefId=Designscapes

In this weekly update, Justin White shares personal reflections on recent events, including his excitement for upcoming travel and networking opportunities. He discusses the importance of speed in business growth, particularly in the landscapin...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Shantel Perez, Employee Success Specialist at K and D Landscaping, to explore how one person can completely reshape the culture of a growing company by showing up, listening deeply, and leading with humility. Shantel didn’t come from a traditional HR background; instead, she built her role from the ground up by staying close to the field and becoming a voice the team could ...