The best landscaping companies I've seen in my 40 years in the industry all have something in common: they're super intentional in the decisions they make. The way intentionality takes shape varies from company to company, but successful companies aren't that way by accident or dumb luck. 

A company I admire for the intentionality they put into nurturing their company culture is RJ Lawn & Landscape in Des Moines, IA. Owners Ryan and Annette McCarthy work so hard to create a great place to work for their team, and there are three specific things I see them doing that I hope our GROW! 2024 attendees noticed when we toured their facility during last year's event:

Celebrating Differences
Their team celebrates and embraces differences among their team. Ryan and Annette talk frequently about how they modify their leadership style depending on the team member they’re working with, and how they train other managers on their team to do the same. They allow team members to use those differences as strengths.

Embracing the Fun
Their team is fun and quirky and has a ton of personality, and they embrace that in team activities and even in their marketing and brand. You can tell that they have fun working together and that they have real relationships with their co-workers. They are not transactional at all in their culture or leadership and they aren’t worried about “what’s in it for me”. Last year alone they hosted baby showers, parties, and even a wedding at their facility. That is just who they are and they embrace it.

Staying Accountable
It’s not all rainbows and butterflies, to create a great place to work you have to have tough conversations. The RJ team believes in coaching team members to do their best, and being H.O.T. (Honest, Open, Transparent) when something isn’t working out. At the end of the day, good team members want to work with other good team members.

I'm so glad that the RJ team has agreed to join us at GROW! 2025 in Columbus, OH on February 24-26 to continue showing others in the industry what's possible and how they do it. They'll lead a breakout session titled "Cultivating a Culture: Building a Thriving Landscaping Team," that will be a can't miss session for anyone looking to ensure their company is a great place to work in 2025. Will I see you in the audience?