Podcast
Green Side Up
Hosted by Jason Lee & Jordan Upcavage · EN
Welcome to "Green Side Up: Tackling Entrepreneurial Weeds in Landscaping and Tree Care." Join hosts Jason Lee & Jordan Upcavage, a battle-tested landscaper, and a tree whisperer, as they peel back the layers of small business ownership in the green industry.
Get ready for raw stories from the trenches, navigating unpredictable weather, managing demanding clients, and conquering the challenges that define entrepreneurial journeys. Whether you're knee-deep in the dirt or just planting your seeds, this podcast is your companion in the uphill climb of entrepreneurial success.
Embrace the messy reality, find solace in shared struggles, and glean insights to thrive in the wild terrain of landscaping and tree care business. It's not always a walk in the park, but with "Green Side Up," you'll learn to thrive amid the chaos of entrepreneurship. Let's tackle those weeds together!
35episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep 133. Side Hustles, Lawn Care, and Kress Robots
6d ago00:55:44Summary readyIn this late-night episode of the Green Side Up Podcast, Jason sits down in Orlando with Mike Garvey of the Side Hustle Squad Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on side hustles, lawn care growth, and the future of robotic mowing. Mike shares how he balanced an 18-year career as a New Jersey State Trooper while building Coastal Fertilization & Weed Control from 10 to over 800 customers, why he chose fert and weed control over mowing, and how add-on mosquito and tick services fit into a lean, profitable model. Jason and Mike swap stories on stacking side hustles—from Trash Panda Express dumpsters to becoming a Kress dealer—and break down real-world marketing tactics, including full-court-press branding, reviews, chamber networking, and trade show presence. They dive deep into the business case for robotic mowers on sports fields, HOAs, and campuses, talking labor efficiency, noise complaints, and how early adopters will lock in future contracts. The episode wraps with a look at Pod Row, Pod House, and how industry events, rodeos, and collaborative content can move the green industry forward. Connect with Mike: roped.us www.coastalnj.com www.sidehustlesquadpodcast.com Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 132. Bar Graphs, Barge Fireworks, and Building Trust in Your Brand
2w ago01:09:30Summary readyIn this episode, Jason and Jordan kick things off with post–Fourth of July stories, from eight-inch mortars and a professional fireworks barge to the unexpected lesson in staffing, leadership, and broken promises that came with a canceled show. They pivot into the green industry and dig into how Jason is onboarding virtual assistants (VAs) to help track lead flow, build out data-driven reporting, and improve budgeting and cash flow visibility. The conversation gets candid around switching to weekly payroll, the hidden cost of payroll advances, and where to draw the line between supporting employees and becoming "the bank." They compare live answering options like Ruby versus AI-backed tools such as RingCentral, and explore how VAs, phone systems, and SingleOps can work together to tighten operations. Jason shares how he's thinking about social media ROI, content strategy with Sky Palm Studios, and why long-term trust-building may beat pure ad spend. Jordan closes with two powerful branding and values stories: how 25 years of Empire Today ads led him to a no-hesitation buying decision, and how an HOA dust-up over flying the American flag at the community boat ramp turned into a real-world case study in leadership, perception, and standing your ground. Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 131. How to Control: Snails, Fungi, and Administrative Tasks
3w ago01:06:29Summary readyIn this episode of The Green Side Up Podcast, Jason and Jordan cover a full slate of real-world green industry challenges and opportunities. Jason breaks down a Fourth of July–timed median rehab in Alachua, from battling snails in society garlic to testing drift roses in harsh roadway conditions. Jordan shares a profitable roadside removal project and then dives deep into a large-scale plant healthcare bid for a new Wesley Chapel/Zephyrhills community—complete with reclaimed water issues, clay "cereal bowl" planting holes, Phytophthora pressure, and a step-by-step prescription using Hydretain, Quali-Phite F, and Mitigrow. The conversation branches into mangrove trimming under strict regulatory rules, the hidden cost of right-of-way permits on a downtown Tampa project, and how check fraud forced a total banking reset. Jason closes by unpacking his move to Virtual Assistants, leveraging SingleOps, Leanscaper, Google Chat, and GS Track Me to tighten office systems, track crew inefficiencies, and finally get serious about data, SOPs, and content production for the business and the podcast. Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 130. From Castrating Cows to Carbon‑Smart Soils: Biochar with Zack Farr
4w ago01:11:09Summary readyIn this episode of the Greenside Up Podcast, Jordan and Jason sit down with Zack Farr, third-generation citrus grower, redneck entrepreneur, and co-founder of Biotech Applied Research, for a wild, unfiltered ride from castrating calves to carbon-smart soils. Zack walks through his journey from FSU to Miami sales, back home to struggling citrus groves, into industrial hemp, and ultimately to discovering the power of biochar after a "holy grail" 15' x 15' patch of supercharged soil changed everything. The conversation dives deep into the realities of Florida agriculture, the collapse of citrus, the politics and economics around hemp, and how biochar is being used for tree restoration, mitigation projects, turf and landscape installs, and large-scale soil remediation. Along the way, they swap stories about a high-spec Tampa tree mitigation job that unknowingly used Zack's product, talk practical application methods, ROI, and why biochar might be the "foundation concrete" of healthy soils rather than just another green-industry fad. If you're in trees, turf, landscape, or ag and want a real-world, boots-on-the-ground look at biochar and regenerative practices in Florida, this episode is for you. Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 129. Selling Knowledge, Not Just Tree Work with Marti Machado
Jun 1801:05:03Summary readyIn this episode of the Greenside Up Podcast, Jordan and the team sit down with ISA Certified Arborist Marti Machado to trace his journey from hustling tree work out of a '72 Toyota dually to becoming one of Hillsborough County's most trusted tree professionals. Marti shares raw, entertaining stories from his early days climbing with a boat anchor line, the career-changing influence of industry legend Richard Bailey, and how he evolved from "just cutting branches for a paycheck" to selling knowledge, risk management, and long-term tree health. Along the way, the conversation dives into sales strategy in tree care, how to read customers and ask better questions, building a high-caliber crew and culture at Independent Tree Service, and why showcasing live job sites is their best closing tool. Outside of work, Marti opens up about family life, raising a volleyball standout daughter, and his infamous neighborhood guacamole and margarita showdown, blending humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom from a lifetime in arboriculture. Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 128. Can You Really Take a Vacation When You Own the Business?
Jun 1101:00:39Summary readyIn this Vacation Edition of the Greenside Up Podcast, Jordan and Jason catch up from the road—Jordan broadcasting from a family beach trip on Florida's Panhandle and Jason checking in from the mountains near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. They swap stories about night crabbing, offshore fishing, Dollywood, cave tours, and even a behind-the-scenes look at the Bush's Baked Beans factory. Woven through the vacation highlights is a candid conversation about what it really takes to step away from your business: how Skyfrog Landscape has evolved since the "Siesta Key chaos" days, the impact of hiring and culture on being able to unplug, losing a key office manager, and why owners never fully "clock out." They also touch on industry events like Trees Florida, the Arbor Next youth program, upcoming trade shows, and a surprising win using AI ("Switchy") to diagnose a boat motor issue. It's a relaxed, real-world look at balancing work, leadership, family time, and the never-ending responsibilities of business ownership. Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 127. From Pitchford Design to Wilcox Nursery: Zack's Leap from Operator to Owner
Jun 401:05:56Summary readyIn this episode of Green Side Up, Jordan and Jason sit down with Zack Pitchford, owner of Wilcox Nursery & Landscape in Largo, Florida, to unpack his unconventional journey from high school nursery hand to retail nursery owner and landscape leader. Zack walks through his early days in environmental horticulture at UF, sweating it out on Jordan's maintenance crews, his eye‑opening internship at Valley Crest, and the multiple times he launched (and quit) Pitchford Design & Landscape before ultimately acquiring the historic Wilcox Nursery. He shares how he navigated the numbers, financing, and risk of buying a land-heavy business, rebuilt the team and hierarchy from the inside, and grew both the retail and services divisions. The conversation dives into leadership development, promoting from within, marketing strategy (Google Ads, SEO, email, and video content), and what he's seeing in today's softer design/install market. Zack also breaks down his water-conscious irrigation approach and lawn philosophy, talks about the rise of native plant demand and fine gardening maintenance, and reflects on building a business that can run without him while still serving his community and family. Connect with Zack: 🌐 Wilcox Nursery Website 📸 @wilcoxnursery on Instagram Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 126. The Permaloc Playbook: From Steel to Aluminum
May 2801:05:37Summary readyIn this episode of the Green Side Up Podcast, Jason Lee and co-host Jordan Upcavage sit down with Mark Cohen of Permaloc to explore how aluminum edging has reshaped the landscape and hardscape industry. Mark shares the origin story of Permaloc, founded by landscape architect Daniel Zwier as the pioneer of aluminum landscape edging, and explains why aluminum's strength-to-weight ratio, sustainability, and longevity make it a superior alternative to steel and plastic. The conversation digs into spec-driven selling, how educating landscape architects fuels national distribution, and the role of trade shows, ASLA/CSLA partnerships, and student events like Labash and NCLC in influencing the next generation of professionals. Jason and Jordan add real-world contractor perspective—contrasting plastic and concrete edging with aluminum, discussing paver restraint practices in Florida, and talking through evolving applications like resin-bound aggregate and tree ring surfacing. Along the way, Mark highlights iconic projects featuring Permaloc, from the Lady Diana Memorial Fountain to major civic and cultural sites, illustrating how a "niche" product quietly defines and protects some of the most recognizable landscapes in the world. Learn More: https://permaloc.com/ Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 125. Family Business to Destination Company: Jeffrey Scott on Building Better Landscape Firms
May 2101:07:23Summary readyIn this episode of the Greenside Up Podcast, Jason and Jordan sit down in Tampa with renowned green-industry consultant Jeffrey Scott to unpack his journey from family pool-and-landscape business to leading coach, peer-group facilitator, and host of The Ultimate Landscape CEO. Jeffrey shares stories from growing up in his grandfather's pioneering gunite pool company, scaling a high-margin service division, and navigating the challenges of a crowded family business before launching his consulting practice. The conversation dives into the power of peer groups, why charging for estimates transformed Jordan's tree service, and how setting higher standards for employees and clients creates a "Destination Company." The trio also explores Lean management in practical, jobsite terms—from tool placement to shop organization—plus real-world challenges around sales slumps, weather, hurricanes, and cash flow, and how business owners can respond with better marketing, business development, and strategic experiments. They wrap with a look at mergers and acquisitions reshaping the landscape industry, the upcoming Summer Growth Summit in Detroit, and Jeffrey's framework for helping owners fix, scale, or exit their companies. 🌱 Connect with Jeffrey Scott Consulting 🌐 Website: www.jeffreyscott.biz 📲 Instagram: @jeffreymarkscott ☀️ Summer Growth Summit https://jeffreyscott.biz/summer-growth-summit-26/ 🎟️ Summer Growth Summit Discount Code / Registration Link: www.eventbrite.com/e/1983544708619/?discount=GreenSideUpPodcast Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
SummaryEp 124. Big Bids, Busy Seasons: Navigating Growth in the Green Industry
May 1400:40:11Summary readyIn this episode, Jason and Jordan catch up on a busy season in the landscape business, comparing lead flow, close rates, and what's really driving sales in different markets. They swap stories about big opportunities—including a major 5,600-foot roadway bid in Kissimmee and a high-profile renovation at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gainesville—and break down how they think about strategic bidding for profitable commercial work. Along the way, Jordan spotlights his wife's children's book "Looking for Bunny Flies," now available on major platforms, and the two reflect on the challenge of growing a landscape company while staying smart about risk, equipment investment, and market positioning. Connect with Jason and Jordan: 🌐 Green Side Up Podcast Website 📧 Email: greensideuppodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: Green Side Up 📸 @greensideuppodcast on Instagram 📸 @skyfroglandscape on Instagram Visit Our Businesses: 🌿 SkyFrog Landscape 🌳 Independent Tree Service Save with SingleOps: 💸 Mention Green Side Up or use this link to get $500 off your SingleOps subscription: 👉 Get $500 Off SingleOps Sponsors & Partners: 👉 MitoGrow 🌱 🎥 Intrigue Media on Instagram (@imintriguemedia) 📍 GS TrackMe Podcast Produced by: 🎧 Mr. Producer (@mrproducerusa)
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