Green Side Up – Episode 116
Work Mullets, Dashcams, and Keeping Your Schedule Sane
March 19, 2026
Hosts: Jason Lee & Jordan Upcavage

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Jason Lee and Jordan Upcavage dive into the less glamorous sides of running green industry businesses, spotlighting real-world stories from the field, lessons on customer management (including handling less-than-honest Google reviews), the value of dashcams for jobs and accidents, and how each approaches the near-impossible task of scheduling sanity. The hosts share tactical takeaways for landscaping and tree care businesses, all served up in their signature blend of humor, candidness, and a little entrepreneurial commiseration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Laughing in the Face of Negativity: The Google Review Saga

• Notable Story: Jordan recounts a recent incident involving a one-star Google review accusing his company of blocking a road and laughing at a motorist (03:06–10:46). The story showcases how dashcam footage provided the objective truth and was used to professionally counter the false review.
  • Jordan walks step-by-step through how they investigated, responded, and ultimately saw the review voluntarily removed after their transparent approach.
• Tactical Takeaway:
  • Always maintain professionalism when responding to online reviews.
  • Utilize dashcams for evidence in disputes (and mention you can post video proof when appropriate).

“We replied to this Google review and we pulled the GS Track Me dash camera footage... and let her know her story does not align with the information that we have... here’s the link to your GS two-hour dashcam video. And we explain that the laughter you described was as a result of you flicking off our crew and acting irrationally.”
— Jordan (06:00)

2. Dashcams: Your $35/Month Best Friend

• Recurring Theme: Both hosts sing the praises of dashcams (not an ad, just an honest rave), citing how video evidence has protected their companies from blame in accidents and customer claims (12:34–14:44).
  • They use GS Track Me, and tout the flexibility: month-to-month, $35/month per camera, no contract.
  • Jordan emphasizes real-life cases—like interstate accidents—where dashcam footage exonerated his staff immediately to authorities.
• Tactical Takeaway:
  • Equip trucks with dashcams to safeguard against false claims.
  • Make sure you can access footage easily for disputes or insurance purposes.
• Memorable Quote:

“It is the best $35 a month I can spend on my vehicles.”
— Jordan (13:15)

3. “Work Mullet” Culture and Office Banter

• The duo embraces the “work mullet” (business attire from the waist up, casual or no pants beneath for video calls), sharing a humorous story of a customer who coined the phrase (14:46–15:28).
• They also riff on the Florida cold snap and Jordan’s family trip to New York City.
• Memorable Banter (Genuine flavor of hosts’ camaraderie):

“I was gonna be in a work mullet this morning, but when I got out of bed and it was 45 degrees and my office was cold, I'm wearing pants.”
— Jordan (15:28)

4. Scheduling: The Backbone and Bane of Service Business

How Jordan Schedules

• Trigger Event: Client accepts a proposal.
• Scheduling Flow (19:45–26:35):
  • If in-person, sometimes books on the spot; often, clients accept online.
  • Uses SingleOps software and batches jobs based on geography and crew needs.
  • Sends scheduled dates to office staff (Christie), who contacts customers (by email and phone).
  • Internal shorthand tracks types of communication (e.g., “CVM” = Christie voicemail, “CTT” = Christie talk to).
  • Schedules are only “firm” once acknowledged by the customer; persistent follow-up prevents no-show misunderstandings.
• Tactical Note: No built-in mechanism in SingleOps for confirming client acknowledgment of job dates; manual notes and follow-ups required.

"We just labor that on the internal notes. And Christie keeps track of each job that's in the future and make sure that it's Confirmed before we show up or she'll keep hounding them."
— Jordan (25:18)

How Jason Schedules

• For Contracts: New maintenance jobs are added into pre-existing routes; large commercial jobs may be scheduled as their own crews.
  • Adapts route plans weekly depending on staff and route density; avoids yielding to every customer’s ideal day (e.g., “No one gets Friday unless it rains”—34:29).
  • For installs/design-build, gives tentative blocks (e.g., “week of the 23rd”), then tightens the estimate as the date approaches.
  • Discusses evolving handoff from sales to operations as company grows—communication is critical to keep clients and staff in sync (38:12–41:15).
• Challenge: Chasing internal emails—moving toward centralizing all communication and updates in SingleOps for productivity.

“We're trying to streamline that internal communication... as of yesterday, it's like, hey, we got a whole bunch of emails going back and forth... So as of yesterday... it all just lives in SingleOps, then everyone can see it.”
— Jason (50:30)

Shared Scheduling Wisdom

• Try to leave “holes” in the schedule (open slots) to cushion for rain delays or emergencies (45:00–47:05).
• Never book so tightly you can’t absorb disruptions.
• Keep communication lines open for both internal crews and clients; confirm everything.

5. Billing & Close-out

• Jason’s Process:
  • Bills on the first of the month for recurring maintenance jobs.
  • Collects payments as soon as possible and tries to avoid delays in accounts receivable (52:00–53:16).
  • Chases overdue invoices at 30-day, 60-day marks.
• Jordan’s Process:
  • Crew does a job walk-around with client, tries to secure a Google review on the spot.
  • Salesperson follows up with client post-job.
  • Invoices are sent, with QR codes for reviews; payment options include online (fees covered by client), check by mail.
  • Once paid, automated receipt or manual acknowledgement follows.

“The only time we're going to get Google reviews is closing it on the spot. Almost the only time, closing on the spot.”
— Jordan (54:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Customer Review Drama (Dashcam Story)

• [06:00] “Here’s the link to your GS two-hour dashcam video that shows you… We explain that the laughter you described was as a result of you flicking off our crew and acting irrationally.”
• [13:15] “It is the best $35 a month I can spend on my vehicles.”

Scheduling Philosophy

• [34:29] “We try not to cater to the everyone wants their grass cut on Friday because they want it to look fresh for the weekend. …We don't cut grass on Fridays, so. Sorry, nobody's getting their grass done on Friday.” — Jason
• [45:00] “Even when I'm four weeks out, I give a hard date and I leave slots open. …What I don’t want to do is have a customer scheduled at the beginning of April… and then I got to reschedule them to mid-May and push them by five weeks. …So I try to leave one crew per day unscheduled for the rain delay.” — Jordan

Crew & Client Enablement

• [54:10] “The only time we're going to get Google reviews is closing it on the spot. Almost the only time, closing on the spot.” — Jordan

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dealing with Negative Reviews + Dashcam Story: 03:06–10:46
• Dashcam Praise + Practical Use Cases: 12:34–14:44
• “Work Mullet” & Family Trip Banter: 14:46–17:03
• Deep Dive: Scheduling Processes (post-sale to crew deployment): 19:45–38:12
• Internal Communication and Handoffs: 38:12–41:15, 50:12–51:16
• Billing & Collections Routines: 51:32–55:39
• Quick Job Stories & Staff Development: 56:51–62:40

Other Noteworthy Segments

• Project Update: Jason’s massive installation at Blue Springs State Park—installing 9,000 sq.ft. of turf block.
• Jordan’s Lightning Protection Project & Staff Delegation: Transitioning plant healthcare renewals and calls to staff member Brear (progress towards working “on” not “in” the business) (59:30–62:40).
• Recurring Webinar Announcement: Mention of a live webinar with guest Priscilla of Lynch Tree Service (17:04–18:39).

Actionable Takeaways

• Dashcams save you time, money, and credibility—worth the investment.
• Over-communicate about scheduling, both internally and with customers; confirm appointments and changes by at least two channels.
• Batch jobs strategically by geography and complexity, and leave room for the inevitable chaos.
• Consider evolving your processes as your team grows—centralize communications to one platform to save hours.
• Don’t neglect the “Google review close” at the point of service; you only get one real shot.

For Listeners

• Check the show notes for a link to the dashcam footage mentioned early in the episode and for details on the TCI webinar.
• Remember: keep processes as simple and foolproof as possible. Let technology handle the tracking, so you can focus on growth and sanity—even as new challenges crop up each season.

Green Side Up: Sharing the weeds, wins, and wisdom of green industry entrepreneurship, so you can keep your green side up and thrive in the chaos!