In a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, host Caleb Auman interviews Ken Deemer and Patrick Murray, owners of Local Roots landscaping in Pittsburgh, PA. Ken and Patrick discuss how they started Local Roots 9 years ago while still in college and have grown it to a $7-8 million business with 45 employees. They talk about some of the challenges they faced early on and how they have worked to create a positive company culture focused on employee well-being and support.

Ken and Patrick also discuss their new coaching business called Forward, which was inspired by the impact that coaches had on them in growing Local Roots. Through one-on-one coaching and peer groups, they aim to help other contractors overcome obstacles holding them back and scale their businesses in a sustainable way. They discuss how they structure their coaching offerings and how contractors of all sizes can benefit.

The episode provides valuable insights for contractors on building a successful business throu...

On today's episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast titled "Make the Best Decisions You Can," host Caleb Auman takes listeners on a stroll down memory lane by going through a long list of screenshots he's collected over the years. The screenshots contain everything from inspirational quotes to examples from Caleb's own business experiences to advice he's received from other professionals.

Caleb shares nuggets of wisdom on topics like setting goals, dealing with unexpected problems on jobs, hiring an assistant to free up your time, and more. He also includes some lighter screenshots like funny alien comics that correlate situations to the business world. Throughout the episode, Caleb emphasizes making the best decisions you can each day based on the knowledge and experience you've gained. It's a great reminder of the importance of continuous learning and reflection in business.

On the latest episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb Auman discusses implementing bonus structures and incentive programs at his landscape company. He goes through an article from Hardscape Magazine that analyzes the pros and cons of different bonus plan options. Caleb cautions that any system needs to be carefully planned out to avoid unintended consequences. He mentions potential pitfalls like employees adjusting their lifestyles to expect bonuses or feeling resentful if more experienced workers get tougher jobs. Caleb also stresses the importance of having accurate job costing data to properly implement and track any bonus program. This episode provides helpful insights for contractors considering changing their compensation models. Be sure to listen to the full episode here!

In a recent episode of Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb shares his enthusiasm for attending Lawntrepreneur Academy Live 2023 in Novi, Michigan. The annual conference hosted by Brian Fullerton brings together hundreds of professionals in the green industry for networking and knowledge sharing. Caleb discusses several impactful lessons he learned from various speakers at the event.

One that stood out was from Keith Kalfas, emphasizing the importance of focusing on "who" will complete tasks rather than "how." This reinforced the need for owners to delegate responsibilities to free up their time. Another key takeaway was from Mark Bradley, who advised hiring someone capable of replacing you as owner right from the start. This inspired Caleb to seriously consider bringing on a landscape designer. He was also moved by Sam Gembel urging companies to raise wages for employees.

As a result, Caleb committed to exploring hiring a salesperson to help grow his business by finding new clients. The ...

On a recent episode of Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb was joined by special guests Phil and Tom from Greenlinc landscaping in New Zealand. Phil and Tom were in the middle of a three week tour of the United States visiting equipment shows and nurseries, and made a stop at Company Cam studios for an interview.

Caleb learned all about Greenlinc's operations in Canterbury, New Zealand - from their landscape installation and maintenance division with 8 employees, to their plant nursery with 6 additional staff. Phil and Tom discussed what the landscape industry is like in New Zealand, including the variety of equipment brands available and payment terms on commercial jobs.

The brothers also shared their impressions of America so far on their tour, from the vast amounts of corn to getting used to larger cities. But one thing they were taking back to implement in their own business was the tradition of flagging equipment like many American companies do.

It was a fascinating look at how lands...

This episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast touches on several important topics but is derailed by an unproductive argument.

In the first part of the episode, Caleb discusses an experience with his daughter showing goats at the county fair. He talks about how her putting in extra work practicing with her goat led to a "lucky" learning opportunity from another fairgoer. Caleb uses this as a lesson about how the harder you work, the luckier you get. Brittany also shares details about a new 4-week business masterclass program she is launching in January with Alicia Bren called "Primed for Growth." The program aims to help businesses create visions and plans for future growth.

However, the discussion takes a turn when Caleb mentions looking for notes to elaborate on a point from a past podcast. Brittany attempts to help find and organize the notes, but Caleb becomes frustrated that she is going through his things without understanding his system. This leads to an argument about respecting...

This week Caleb and Brittany bring you another episode direct from the Equip Exposition in Louisville. In this episode, they stroll around the show floor interviewing industry professionals at the annual Equip Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.

Some of the guests featured in the episode include Nick from Earthworks, who discusses his long drive back from the show. Mike Platz from How to Hardscape shares insights from his podcast. Landscapers Jeremiah Jennings of Growing Green Landscaping, Brian Fullerton, and Evan from Pride Hardscapes also share their thoughts.

Josh Sutton gives an overview of organizing the popular breakfast event. John from Signature Landscape Corp offers advice on pushing through slow seasons. Be sure to listen to hear their takeaways on closing out 2023 and outlooks for the coming year.

You'll enjoy hearing the varied perspectives on the current landscape industry from these top names. As always, Caleb and Brittany provide entertaining and informative discussions. D...

Today's episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast featured an unexpected running joke about Caleb Auman's "multiple birthdays." As Caleb explained, he found himself wishing Happy Birthday to by multiple people throughout Equip Expo - even though it wasn't actually his birthday!

The episode also included an interview with Jeremiah and Savannah Jennings of Growing Green Podcast. Jeremiah and Caleb shared the story of how they originally met through a Snapchat group years ago, along with their experiences building an industry network through social media. Savannah also discussed her perspective on getting more involved in the podcast and industry.

Listeners learned about Caleb's unexpected childhood Saturday morning routine watching farming shows on TV. They also heard stories from Equip Expo, including Caleb's past eye injuries. Jeremiah's brother's career path as a farrier (horse hoof trimmer) was another topic of discussion.

To hear the conclusion of Jeremiah and Savannah's interview, l...

On the latest episode of the Kid Contractor podcast, Caleb sits down for a chat with his brother Noah. As the owner of an IT services company, Noah is always keeping up with the latest advances in technology. He shares with Caleb some practical applications of artificial intelligence he's seeing make work more efficient, like automatically generating scripts to streamline tasks.

However, being the tech-savvy guy that he is, Noah also likes to speculate on the cutting edge. He and Caleb discuss whether AI could become self-aware in the future, based on ideas like displaying emotions. Noah even recounts a strange story of an AI professing its love to a user! When it comes to secret research, they consider possibilities that may sound like science fiction - like AI developing its own language or wanting more autonomy.

Overall, the brothers have an entertaining back-and-forth about the promises and potential pitfalls of AI. While applications today provide value, they acknowledge the cha...