Ep 72. How Knowing Your Numbers Changes Everything w/ AJ Wanders
Release Date: 04/14/2025
Ep 99. 30 Years in Business and Thinking About the End Game | Mark Arsenault
The Cost of Doing Business
Most guys don’t think about the end when they start a business. In this episode, Weston sits down with Mark Arsenault from Green Monster Landscapes to talk about what changes when you’ve been doing this for a long time… and start thinking about what comes next. Mark shares his path through nearly three decades. Building crews, going through a full reset, and rebuilding the business in a way that actually fits how he wants to work. They get into something that hits for a lot of contractors. A lot of owner operators aren’t building something they can step away from… they’re building...
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Ep 98. I Almost Quit Landscaping After Years of Losing Money | Jason Nolt
The Cost of Doing Business
Running a landscaping business isn’t always what it looks like from the outside. In this episode, Weston sits down with Jason Nolt of Authentic Homescapes to talk about the early years of his business… and how close he came to quitting altogether. Jason shares what it actually looked like behind the scenes. Losing money, wearing every hat, growing too fast, and hitting a point where it just wasn’t working. We get into what changed, what he learned stepping away for a season, and what helped him turn things around when he came back. If you’ve ever felt stuck or like you’re spinning...
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Ep 97. When Is Enough Enough in Business? | James Doyle
The Cost of Doing Business
In this episode, Weston sits down with James Doyle of Innovative Lawn & Landscape to talk about what happens when growth comes fast and the pressure to keep pushing never really goes away. James shares what it’s been like building his company over the last 9 years, the struggle of never feeling satisfied, and the question a lot of owners don’t talk about… when is enough actually enough? We also get into hiring with intention, learning how to let go as an owner, and why focusing on efficiency instead of just more revenue can be the next step in growing a healthier business. If...
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Ep 96. Pressure Is the Price of Running a Business | Wes Roberts
The Cost of Doing Business
Running a business comes with pressure. That’s part of the deal. In this episode, Weston sits down with Wes Roberts of Wes Roberts Landscaping to talk about the mindset it takes to keep going after nearly three decades in the industry. Wes shares how the biggest obstacle in business is often yourself, why challenges never really go away as you grow, and how pressure can actually give purpose to the work we do as entrepreneurs. If you’ve ever asked yourself “why am I doing this?” while running your business, this conversation will hit home. Give Wes a follow on Instagram: ...
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Ep 95. The Hard Part of Scaling Nobody Warns You About | Jordan Daneker
The Cost of Doing Business
Scaling a business sounds great on paper. In reality, it can get harder before it gets better. In this episode, Weston sits down with Jordan Daneker, co-owner of Evolve Design + Build, to talk about the side of growth most contractors don’t expect. Jordan shares what it’s really like scaling fast, why more revenue doesn’t always mean more money, and how cash flow, confidence, and systems become critical as your team and overhead grow. We also get into the moment when the owner becomes the bottleneck and what it takes to get out of the way. If you’ve grown your business and thought,...
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Ep 94. I Was Winning Jobs and Still Losing Money (Here’s Why) | Cody Adkins
The Cost of Doing Business
Most contractors don’t lose money because they’re bad at the work. They lose money because they don’t actually know where it’s going. In this episode, I sit down with Cody Adkins of Tri-State Outdoor Living to talk about what it looks like when you’re winning jobs, staying busy, and still coming up short, especially when winter hits. Cody shares how square foot pricing left him negative on jobs, the pressure of going into winter with four kids, and what changed once he started breaking down labor, overhead, and profit instead of guessing. We also get into running lean crews, paying...
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Ep 93. Why Charging More Didn’t Hurt My Business | Thomas Vanamerongen
The Cost of Doing Business
Most contractors don’t undercharge on purpose. They just don’t see everything that’s actually coming out of their business. In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Vanamerongen of Niagara Waterscapes to talk about the wake-up call that came when he realized his pricing didn’t reflect reality. Thomas shares how starting out at $65 an hour quickly turned into $90, then $110, once all the hidden costs were laid out in black and white. We talk about pricing confidence, head trash, and imposter syndrome, and why letting the market tell you no is better than saying no for yourself. We also...
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Ep 92. Growing Too Fast Almost Broke My Landscaping Business | Dan Wanders
The Cost of Doing Business
Growing a business fast sounds great until the bills start stacking up. What matters is what you do once you realize something’s off. In this episode, I sit down with Dan Wanders from Raymar Landscapes to talk about what happens when growth gets ahead of cash, systems, and planning. Dan shares how pushing too fast led to some tough seasons, and how slowing things down, tightening up his process, and paying closer attention to the numbers helped him get back on solid ground. We get into efficiency, equipment decisions, job costing, and the mindset shift that comes with growing at a pace the...
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Ep 91. Working Hard Only Works for So Long | More 2025 Highlights
The Cost of Doing Business
This episode brings together more honest moments from The Cost of Doing Business podcast, featuring contractors talking openly about pricing, job costing, and the limits of working harder to make a business work. These aren’t theories or shortcuts. They’re conversations about guessing at pricing, learning the difference between gross profit and real profit, and realizing how small mistakes compound when you don’t truly know what your jobs are costing you. From mindset to systems, this is what it sounds like when contractors reflect on what actually moved their business forward. If...
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Ep 90. I Thought I Was Profitable Until I Looked at the Numbers | 2025 Highlights Part 1.
The Cost of Doing Business
This episode brings together some of the most honest moments from The Cost of Doing Business podcast in 2025. Real contractors sharing real experiences about pricing, profit, and the lessons they learned once they finally looked at their numbers. These aren’t theories or quick tips. They’re conversations about underbidding, burnout, growth, and the realization many contractors have after years of working hard without really knowing what their business was costing them. If you’ve ever wondered what it actually costs to run a contracting business, this is what those conversations sound...
info_outlineAJ Wanders from Monolith Artscapes shares what it really looked like to go from self-doubt to confidence in the early days of running his business. As a two-man crew, AJ talks about why he chose to invest in SynkedUP right out of the gate, and how that decision helped him win back his evenings, quote jobs faster, and make decisions with clarity instead of guesswork.
He opens up about leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck, navigating mindset struggles, and how knowing his numbers gave him the freedom to put family first.
If you’ve ever thought you’re too small for systems or felt the weight of trying to do it all 👉 this one’s for you.
Give AJ a follow @monolithartscapes on Instagram
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SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/
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