Green Side Up Podcast — Ep 112 Summary

Episode Title: From Fanboy to BDM: Eric's Gravely Journey and Growth Playbook
Hosts: Jason Lee & Jordan Upcavage
Guest: Eric, Business Development Manager at Gravely Commercial Mowers
Date: February 19, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the entrepreneurial “weeds” of the green industry, featuring Eric—a self-professed “fanboy” turned Business Development Manager (BDM) at Gravely Commercial Mowers. Hosts Jason and Jordan explore Eric’s career arc, the landscape equipment industry, and the practicalities (and psychology) of business development and growth in landscaping. The discussion oscillates between business strategy, war stories from the field, and hands-on talk about equipment, delivering real-world takeaways for owners aspiring to thrive, not just survive, in the green industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eric’s Journey: From Fanboy to BDM

• Origin Story:
  • Eric shares his Chicago roots, recalling memories with Aaron’s mowers, cementing his long-standing affection for the brand ([05:32]).
  • After a chance airport encounter post-Equip Expo in Louisville with Jordan (October), Eric joins the Green Side Up crew to discuss his path ([02:16–03:33]).
• Company Background:
  • Gravely is a commercial division of the Aaron’s Company (privately owned, in its fifth generation), with a rich history in snow machines, hospitality (Olympic Nordic Training Center in Wisconsin), and a tradition of recognizing long-standing employees ([03:37–05:15]).
  • "Aaron’s is a big name up north. Right. So, not so much in Florida… but growing up, riding on Aaron’s mowers. That’s a thing." — Eric ([05:32]).

2. Industry Collaboration vs. Competition

• Collaboration & Growth:

  • Industry events like "Grow" (a major peer networking conference) foster community and knowledge exchange, illustrating that business owners across states face similar labor and operational challenges ([09:28–10:07]).
  • "You have your company, and I can be literally three miles away from you and have my company, and we can thrive ... we can live here together and be good business owners and thrive as a group." — Eric ([10:07]).

• Competitive Mindsets:

  • Discussion contrasts aggressive competitors who want to “mop the floor” with rivals against those who see value in nurturing the next generation ([11:54–12:20]).
  • "I want to crush my competition and raise the bar for the industry…" — Jason ([12:21]).
  • "If I don’t have a similar competitor, then it’s hard for me to raise that level ... a healthy competitor is very important." — Jordan ([13:05]).

• Race to the Bottom:

  • Cautions against underpricing services just to win work, emphasizing brand positioning—whether you’re the "Taco Bell" or "Chick Fil A" of landscaping ([13:24–14:21]).

3. The Realities of Business Development

• Growth Playbook:

  • Business development is about filling the sales funnel and tracking success—number of bids, wins, and actual relationship-building ([28:02–30:06]).
  • "A good business developer is out there just packing the top of the funnel with opportunities and only a trickler coming out as wins at the bottom." — Eric ([28:56]).

• Execution > Inspiration:

  • The challenge isn’t finding ideas or advice—it’s implementing them. Attending seminars and networking events is worthless without follow-through ([17:44–22:06]).
  • Memorable Moment/Timestamp: Eric’s Uber story—his savvy driver forgets Eric’s bag, illustrating the danger of business owners focusing on systems and sales at the expense of the actual customer ([17:58–19:32]).
  • "You can be the best business owner in the world by concept, and not think about the customer enough to get his bag out of the car." — Eric ([19:25]).

• Measuring BDM Impact:

  • Setting attainable, trackable goals is crucial; unattainable quotas are demoralizing ([29:41–29:50]).
  • Accept that not every lead or bid should translate to business—sometimes the best outcome is recognizing a mismatch early ([28:59]).

4. Growth, Motivation, and Scaling Pains

• Scaling Up vs. Staying Small:
  • Owners must define their “sweet spot” for business size and be intentional about growth—larger scale brings additional complexity, stress, and risk ([32:49–39:05]).
  • "As a business owner, where do you want to be?" — Eric ([38:10]).
• Offense vs. Defense:
  • In an increasingly competitive market, playing only defense leaves you vulnerable to hungrier, more aggressive newcomers. Business development (offense) is necessary for sustainability ([39:05–40:49]).
  • Quote: "If we don’t start playing offense, our defense is only so strong and we’re going to get whittled down. We’re going to have to play offense and defense at the same time." — Jason ([39:50]).

5. Hands-On: Equipment Talk & Landscape Rodeo

• Showcase of Gravely Innovation:

  • Eric previews Gravely’s major models for the Landscape Rodeo (the Ultra Pro-Stance stand-on, the 260 zero turn, Ovis remote-controlled slope mower, and the HD ZT), including advantages and applications ([44:38–59:12]).
  • The wide-tire Pro-Stance Ultra is highlighted for slope stability—“This thing is just sticking like glue” ([46:30]).
  • Pros and cons of stand-on mowers vs. ride-ons discussed; stand-ons offer ergonomic and safety benefits, especially on slopes ([46:53–49:58]).
  • Ovis Slope Mower: Remote-controlled, flail-mulching, ideal for hazardous, steep terrain ([53:57–57:14]).
  • HD ZT mower: Built for the serious homeowner or light commercial use—"That mower will last a homeowner with five acres through generations." — Eric ([58:57]).

• Analogy:

  • Jordan likens business development style to fishing (waiting for leads) vs. hunting (proactively chasing business). "Some of the most productive fishing has been via hunting to go get it and not just waiting..." ([42:33–43:30]).

• Landscape Rodeo Event Tease:

  • The upcoming event (Feb 19–20) is themed as a “high-energy, hands-on showdown”—barrier-racing, blower soccer, mower demos ([44:21, 65:02]).
  • Gravely is a Platinum Sponsor, bringing innovative equipment for attendees to test-drive.

6. Final Thoughts: Customer Focus & The Circle of Life

• Focus on retention, relationship-building, and knowing when to say no to the wrong clients or markets ([41:35]).
• “If we don’t have a customer, we don’t have a business. You have a hobby.” — Jordan ([22:26]).
• The segment closes with a call for healthy competition and mentorship in the industry: "Go succeed and mop the floor with our competition and then nurture the young ones to be healthy competitors." — Jordan ([66:35]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You can have your company, and I can be literally three miles away from you and have my company, and we can thrive… and be good business owners and thrive as a group." — Eric ([10:07])
• “If you can, you do. If you can’t, you write about it.” — Eric quoting a cliché about business writers vs. doers ([20:38])
• “A good business developer is out there just packing the top of the funnel with opportunities and only a trickler coming out as wins at the bottom.” — Eric ([28:56])
• "If we don’t have a customer, we don’t have a business. You have a hobby." — Jordan ([22:26])
• On choosing between scaling or coasting: "As a business owner, where do you want to be?" — Eric ([38:10])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [02:16–03:33] – Eric recounts first meeting Jordan, and his Aaron’s/Gravely history
• [09:28–10:07] – Reflections on the “Grow” conference and collaborative industry mindset
• [13:24–14:21] – “Race to the bottom” discussion: Pricing wars and market positioning
• [17:58–19:32] – Eric’s Uber story: The gulf between business acumen and customer service
• [28:02–30:06] – What makes a good Business Development Manager (BDM)
• [39:05–40:49] – The argument for playing offense in business
• [44:38–59:12] – Gravely product showcase & event talk: Pro-Stance Ultra, 260, Ovis, ZT HD
• [53:57–57:14] – Ovis Slope Mower: capabilities, applications, and competitive advantages
• [65:02–66:35] – Event wrap-up & final words on growth, competition, and mentorship

Final Takeaways

• Real growth is not just about increasing sales, but setting the right goals, being deliberate about your business’ identity (offense vs. defense, hunting vs. fishing), and never neglecting the customer.
• Healthy competition and cooperation can—and should—coexist in the green industry.
• Hands-on equipment knowledge and demo opportunities (like the Rodeo) are crucial for staying current in the rapidly evolving landscaping business.

Contact for Gravely Demo/Info:
Eric (Gravely BDM): 813-765-4288

Landscape Rodeo Event:
thelandscaperodeo.com
Podcast: Green Side Up

Whether you’re a grizzled owner or just greening your thumbs, this episode is packed with wisdom, laughs, and actionable insights for thriving in the wild terrain of landscaping entrepreneurship.