Trades Talk Podcast

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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 ...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White celebrates a major milestone; the 100th episode of the show. What started as a simple idea between Justin and co-founder Maggie Wymore has grown into a platform that champions leadership, learning, and real conversations across the trades.

After nearly 80 interviews with landscape industry professionals, Justin reflects on the most impactful lessons shared by business owners, operators, a...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Ron McCabe, a former tech executive turned digital marketing specialist for the landscaping industry. After working 120-hour weeks in the tech world and surviving a life-threatening health crisis, Ron made a dramatic shift; losing over 270 pounds and dedicating his career to helping landscapers grow smarter through strategic marketing with Everbearing Services 

In this epis...

In this weekly update, Justin White shares insights from recent conferences, including the Leanscaper and Ignite events, discussing key takeaways on goal setting, team management, and the future of the landscape industry with AI integration. He emphasizes the importance of strategic one-on-one meetings and the potential for technology to transform business operations. Additionally, he shares personal updates on his backyard project...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Ryan Markewich, a Canadian landscape entrepreneur, coach, and early adopter of open book management, to unpack his journey from mowing lawns to building a business that now operates with employee ownership and long term vision at the core.

Ryan started his company in Kelowna, British Columbia in 1994, going door to door to pay rent while dreaming bigger. Over time, he scale...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares real-world strategies for using AI and ChatGPT to boost productivity, streamline operations, and shift from manual work to smarter systems. What used to take four hours, Justin now does in thirty seconds, thanks to custom AI tools designed specifically for the green industry.

The episode opens with a story about helping a friend estimate a fence project using a custom GPT called La...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Eli Zevin, General Manager of Aspire Software, to explore the power of technology, implementation strategy, and what is coming next for the landscape industry.

Eli joined Service Titan in 2016 with no background in trades or software and spent nearly a decade helping contractors succeed before taking on his new role at Aspire. From startup culture to scaling enterprise syst...

On this weekly update on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares a personal reflection recorded on his father Kendel’s birthday. Kendel co-founded K & D Landscaping nearly 40 years ago, and his legacy still shapes the way the company operates today.

Over the last decade, K & D has grown from 1 million to 20 million in revenue. After a big jump from 15 to 20 million last year, this year is about holding steady and breaking eve...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares a powerful episode with Jeff Harkness, CEO of 3PG Advisors, focused on mergers, acquisitions, capital access, and the mindset shifts required to scale and create long term wealth in the green industry.

Jeff brings nearly three decades of experience in M&A, with deep expertise in landscaping, tree care, and turf care services. What started as a private training for the Disruptor...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares Weekly Update 13, covering how contractors are preparing for 2026, what happens when leadership systems break down, and why mindset matters long before you reach eight figures.

With January 1 on the horizon, contractors are focused on budget planning, rate increases, and multi year enhancement programs. Some are holding pricing for loyal, high margin clients, while others are raisi...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Todd Zimmerman, Head of Sales and Product Development at Kress Outdoor Power Equipment, to talk about how one company is reshaping the future of landscaping through battery innovation, robotics, and a relentless focus on contractor feedback.

Todd brings nearly 30 years of experience in power tools, robotics, and commercial landscaping solutions. At Kress, he has led a produ...

Chapters

00:00 Weekly Update Kickoff 05:59 Insights from the M&A Webinar 11:32 AI and Future Trends

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Summary

In this weekly update, Justin White discusses the launch of a six-week sprint aimed at achieving record revenue for K&D. He shares insights from a recent webinar with Jeff Harkness on business acquisitions and the importance of being selective...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Tom Heaviland, a landscape industry veteran whose journey began in 1985 when he bought a small company in Carlsbad, California and turned it into one of the most respected operations in the region.

Tom started with just one truck, a few workers, and $11,000, billing around $14,000 a month. After weathering a major recession in the 1990s and learning hard lessons about risk ...

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This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Paul Voresis from Delta Landscape, a second-generation landscape professional based in Sacramento, California, who shares the story of how his family’s business evolved and how he’s rethinking what leadership looks like in the green industry.

Founded by Paul’s father in 1980 after immigrating from Greece, Delta Landscape has deep roots and a powerful legacy. Paul grew up in...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White checks in from Lake Oroville, California, where he’s kicking off a wake surfing weekend with a 7:30 AM podcast session and an already blazing 85 degrees on the deck. But before hitting the water, Justin shares three powerful insights that every business leader should be thinking about this August.

The episode opens with lessons from the Disruptors Live event featuring Ken Thomas, focused ...

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Nick Knight and Christian Padgett of Baldwin Group to explore how insurance can be more than a backup plan. For growing landscape companies, it can become a tool for strategy, stability, and even profit.

Nick comes from a family of insurance professionals, and Christian brings over ten years of hands-on landscape industry experience with companies like Valley Crest, Brickma...

On this week's update, Justin White breaks down the realities of running a service-based business in today’s environment, covering AI, client accountability, and what it really takes to stay profitable.

From testing out AI agents in his inbox to planning an automated system for financial forecasting and zero-based budgeting, Justin shares how technology is becoming part of his day-to-day operations. He also talks about t...