In an episode of The Grow Show, powered by STIHL, that will air later this month, I asked Lorenzo, one of our Group Leaders, if he'd rather work on a dirty jobsite or a clean one. 

He replied "Dirty" with a smirk. 

Now, you'll see when you watch or listen to this episode that I really meant organized versus disorganized, but I liked Lorenzo's answer all the same because he's right. In our line of work, you have to enjoy getting your hands dirty.

As my team and I have worked with the teams at NALP and McHale Landscape Design to prepare for this year's NALP Field Trip, I can tell you that the team at McHale is full of people who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty, either. 

Their team is full of people who have worked their way up, tried out different roles to find their passion, and stayed with the company for a long time. The tenure and loyalty I see among their team is rare in the industry, and it speaks to the kind of company culture they've built.

As I've talked to their team, I see them doing a few things really well:

Embrace Being a Family Business

There are 10+ members of the McHale family who are involved in the business, starting with brothers Kevin and Steve who founded the company. Importantly, they seem to be doing this the right way: family members are in roles because they're good at them and their fellow team members speak highly of their capabilities. 

Invest in Their Team

They promote from within and invest in training and teaching their team. As the company has grown, it's provided more opportunities for promotions within their team. 

This team also does a fantastic job of recognizing the craftsmanship of their team and the trades that work on it. They're known locally for their high-touch service, and their team is recognized for it. So many of their projects win impressive awards, which is a great feather in their team's cap. 

Stay Humble

This team installs and maintains impressive properties, but I've been impressed by their humility in this planning process, too. They aren't afraid to admit their mistakes and talk about what they've learned from them, and I think that's a crucial attitude for landscapers who want to be successful. 

You have to remember you're never too "big" to stoop down and pull a weed, and even as we grow and gain experience we never "have it all figured out." One of the best ways I see this manifesting is in companies that regularly ask their field team for ideas. The people closest to the work often have the best ideas for how we could do it better or more efficiently. 

We have a fantastic event planned in Annapolis, MD on September 23-24, where we'll tour McHale Landscape Design's Upper Marlborough facility, learn directly from their team, and also spend some time networking with our fellow landscape pros. Have you signed up to join us yet? I'd love to see you there!

Marty Portraits-13

Marty Grunder
Founder & CEO
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.