KM Grunder

Step Back to Step Up

An MGI client recently called me in a panic. He was feeling overwhelmed by all the demands landscape pros face this time of year. He was running from job to appointment and back again, with sales to close, numbers to hit, and a team to manage and motivate. I listened to him voice his concerns and vent his.

Seven Years and Still Learning

Lawn & Landscape June 2017 By Marty Grunder After having just gotten off the phone with Jim McCutcheon, CEO of HighGrove Partners in Atlanta, I had some great motivation to write this column. A trained landscape architect by way of the University of Georgia, Jim is also one of the savviest businessmen I know, steering.

Organize Your Shop for Maximum Efficiency

As those of you who’ve taken one of our Field Trips to Grunder Landscaping headquarters know, we have a system for nearly everything. It’s what keeps us efficient and a step ahead of the competition. This week Joe Spatz, who oversees our fleet and facilities operations, shares tips and tactics for optimizing your.

Put Pen to Paper

We hear it in the news all the time: We’re addicted to our computers. We sleep with our cell phones. The average American worker spends half the day on e-mail. You are, in fact, reading e-mail right now! Now putting aside whether or not all this screen time spells doom for civilization, it’s clear that e-mail can be a.

Recover Fast from Mistakes

Mistakes: We all make them, and especially at this time of year when landscape pros are at their busiest. In this short video, I share some of my finest bloopers and what I’ve learned from industry leader Jim McCutcheon of HighGrove Partners about how to recover fast and move on. <br/>

Make Friends, Make Sales

Like many of you, we’re very busy at Grunder Landscaping Co. right now. And when you’re busy, it’s easy not to think about the future. But I know that while I have plenty of work for the next three or four months, I can’t lose sight of September, October, and beyond. “Each week you ought to be reaching out to past.

Silent Profit Killers

Lawn & Landscape May 2017 By Marty Grunder I’m sitting down to write this column after having just wrapped up an exhausting, inspiring, whirlwind tour around and across the country, speaking to and coaching green-industry pros who are all striving to get better. We spent a lot of time talking about vision, mission and.

Get the Most Out of Training

Lawn & Landscape April 2017 By Marty Grunder When you’re caught up in the immediate day-to-day demands of closing sales, delivering jobs on time and on budget, and turning a profit, it can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get done all that you need to. Training becomes an afterthought, a luxury, a.

Three Keys to Success

Lawn & Landscape March 2017 By Marty Grunder Welcome to spring, my friends, the start of another growing season for landscape professionals. If you’re like me, you can’t wait to get started on another year and see just how much you can improve on the last. I’m especially excited this time around, having just wrapped.

The Fine Art of Doing Nothing

Lawn & Landscape February 2017 By Marty Grunder Recently I returned from the Leadership Forum put on annually by the fine folks at the National Association of Landscape Professionals. The event was held in beautiful St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I know, I know – poor me. Somehow, though, I managed to get.