← Profits with Pajak
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- [00:00]
A
Today's episode is brought to you by Yardbook, the All in One CRM for your lawn care business. And as an exclusive partner of this podcast, you can get started today and begin simplifying your business and maximizing your profits. Sign up now@yardbook.com the link is in. The show notes time now for profits with PayJack, an essential podcast for you in the green industry who are looking to unlock the full potential of your business. Hosted by John Pajak, your certified financial coach, the show features in depth discussions with successful entrepreneurs, thought leaders and industry experts, providing practical advice and proven strategies on financial planning, operations, marketing and sales. Profits with Paycheck has valuable insights and action steps that you can implement today for creating long term success. Now here's John Pajek.
- [01:04]
B
Welcome to Profits with ajack, the podcast where we talk about business strategies and financial insights. We are in Scottsdale, Arizona and Pod House. We had just covered the Lawn and Landscape Technology Conference and I'm here with my friend Naylor Taliaferro, LCR Media, LCR Summit and all the other LCR events that you guys have come to love over the years. But Naylor, it's great to have you on the show.
- [01:32]
C
Thanks for having me back. I think it's been a little bit. It was probably the last Pod row that I was on your, on your show back in New Orleans.
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B
Yeah, we, I mean, we do see each other enough. We do, but at the same time
- [01:43]
C
going on, it's not like our priorities, let's get on each other's shows. We're usually trying to get everybody else on our show.
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A
Right.
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B
But it is always a good time when we get together. You know, there's a lot going on, man. You know, we're here in Scottsdale, this beautiful house. We are, you know, not only creating content, but we're trying to share all the experiences that we are having and take it from our perspective and then give it to the people that listen and the community, you know, and you're, you know, I would say that you're pretty well known for a lot of the community events. I think you were one of the people that I, I give credit to, building our lawn care community. You might not always been the guy in the forefront, but you have had your fingers in a lot of things and some people take it for granted at this point. Like what some of the things that you have put together over the years and you know, it's really helped people come together, especially in this industry, so.
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C
Well, thank you. I appreciate that.
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B
Yeah, you know, it's It's.
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C
It's intentional for sure.
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B
Exactly.
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C
I didn't just stumble into it. Like, I was passionate about it, and I realize this is something that I'm actually passionate and proficient at. So that means it's my purpose, so I'm just going to lean into it.
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B
Exactly. I think that. And I. We thank you for it. I thank you for it. You know, without. You know, there's a lot of activities that happen at Equip Expo, which is going to be in Louisville in October every year. Those things you've influenced how Equip happens sometimes, you know, like the events, the, the extracurricular things. Yeah, it's. It's been a. It's been a little bit of a. Not quite a butterfly effect, but I think there's been a definite, like, slap ripple that you put on onto Louisville during Equip and it inspired others to kind of follow suit. Maybe that wasn't their. Maybe that wasn't their intention, but, you know, they saw some success that you were having, and then they. They just said, you know what? I'm gonna do it too. Because not everybody could come to all the events that we do.
- [04:03]
C
Right. I don't know if anyone says or knows this. I don't know how often I've even said this, but one of the first time I went to Equip, when it's called JE in 2015, that was a year into my business. I started my lawn care business in 2014. So 2015 was the first time I went. I, I knew about it in 2014, but I, I didn't have. I think they started. I think Greg Chisholm, geek2freak, started talking about it, like, in the summer. So I didn't have enough time to really save up and plan to go. So I just vicariously lived through their YouTube videos, which took like a week or so later for them to come up. And I'm like, oh, my gosh. So then I definitely wanted to go in 2015, which I did. And that experience, you know, meeting Craig and everybody else for the first time and also just being at the show for the first time, it was still massive back then. Obviously it's grown a lot since then. It had such an impact on me that I thought to myself, this is the place where I would like to grow with, like, I. I had an initial vision. I'm like, wouldn't it be really cool if one day this trade show, like, recognized how important our community is and social media and just recognized us? Like, that would be so cool. I said that in 2015. And like something was planted inside me apparently just having that out, just saying that out loud. And I think I said on social media because Paul's always like, I have brought this up a couple of times over the last decade and Paul's like, I remember that, I remember that. I think it might have been like a Periscope live back in those days.
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B
Oh man, those.
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C
When live streaming first started. And I think it was one of those things because I can't find it anywhere. I watched all my old videos so I must have said it on a live thing and Paul and anyone else that was on there remember it. So. But I literally said this would be really cool if one day they, you know, they, this show recognized how important this, our community is and how we're growing the industry and everything. And I think that really helped me become what I've become and it, and it motivated me to grow. And here we are, fast forward now. We do all kinds of stuff with Equip and you know, Chris, I just interviewed Chris for usually at least once a year to preview the show. Chris Kaiser, the president and owner of opei, who runs the show and he always takes time to thank us at the end of every show, at the end of every episode of how much help we, we are to grow the show and everything, all of our efforts and everything. And so I mean that's so crazy that, that, that it happened, you know, that we're here and we're, we're, we're growing the industry from within. That was always my goal. Like the community was strong and the community grows and we grow the industry from the inside. We push out all the haters, you know, that are on the fringes. Right and, right and the, the, the, the, the, the people that are retiring from the industry and, but, and, and thank, thank everyone for their contribution. But the future is the younger generation. The future is community and connection. The future is social media and marketing and technology and branding. And you know, we're, we're, we're not the black and mild, you know, beat up T shirt, you know, mowing lawns with smoke billowing out of our equipment. That's not a thing. Like we're trying to get rid of that stigma. Like we want people to, we want everyone to recognize landscaping and lawn care as a professional trait, not just some guys that cut grass and dig some holes. And you know, like it's much more than that. So I think we've, we've come a long way as a community to help the Industry kind of change in that way.
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B
And I know, you know, our, our work, you know, is down and dirty. A lot of times, you know, we get, it's not air condition and it's not always perfect. It's not like, oh, we're, we're always going to be wearing nicely pressed polos.
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C
Right.
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B
We're still down and dirty.
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A
Right.
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C
But we can be professional about it.
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B
Professional. And you know, we can have a
- [07:59]
C
dirty branded T shirt or a dirty branded polo. People get it. But if we have a dirty wife beater, that's a whole nother level. That's not professional.
- [08:06]
B
It's different, you know, but it's a different look again. It's, it's not like ridiculing people about the way they look or. Right. It's just I feel when we make little advancements with things, we're bringing more respect to the work that we do. And it doesn't matter if you're digging holes, if you're, you know, on a mower getting, I used to call it bear arms. You know, like you're on the discharge side and your arms would just get coated with dried grass and everything. And, you know, you look a mess. But the thing is, it's like, I think especially with the community, it's not, you know, again, we're still getting down and dirty, but it's the mindset shift. Mindset shift that we have to where it's like we're. Doesn't matter. We're doing the dirty work, but we're getting. But we're conducting ourselves professionally. And again, don't judge a book by its cover just because you see. And if you get beat up, trucks, that's okay. Trucks get beat up, that's what they're there for. But you know, if it's, if it's like dripping transmission and, and engine oil all over the place and it's smoking as you roll up and everything, that's a different concept. You know, I'm like, it's a different vibe.
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C
And, and the, the reason why this is important is because perception is reality. So if you look like you're worth more, you can charge more and you can get more. So it's, it's, it's more than professionalism and image. It's actually about if more money you want to be able to charge more, you want to get higher, higher end customers, premium customers, or just get good work and not just get a bunch of tire kickers and, you know, the weedy yards, I mean, that might be all you can get in your area. But in order to charge top dollar, you have to look more professional because perception is reality, right? Like, you can't pull up into a high end neighborhood with everything you just said, you know, smoke pouring out of your leak and all these things are a mess. These people are almost embarrassed that you're in front of their house. Like, oh my gosh, they keep up
- [10:12]
B
with the Joneses, you know, in, in turn, you're actually representing them in a sense. Because if you, you, your truck's parked out there, logoed up your trailer, whatever it might be, whatever your setup looks like, if it's parked in front of their house for any duration of time, that is a direct reflection on that customer.
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C
Right?
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B
Again, you don't have to be super pristine, but at the same time, you
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C
just have to be clean and professional and branded. Whether that's just like a, a magnet on the door of your truck or you're all raffle looking nice. It's just you want to be professional, you know.
- [10:42]
B
And the funny thing is, you know, there's one guy I know, really good guy. He's back home. He, he's, he's, he, he's a little rough and tumble, but at the same time, he's got the professional demeanor, you know, and it was funny. He was telling me a story about how he goes into this one neighborhood. And I know the neighborhood very well. It's, you know, a newer development. They got like, you know, $600,000 homes that are in there. I'm in northwest Indiana, so that's not a typical house, you know. So he's in this neighborhood and the one he was telling me about, one of the customers that he was picking up recognized him from one of his other jobs that he. Or he also likes to DJ and do the sound production and everything. And the guy is like, you look so familiar. And he's like, yeah, you know, I did this big event and we did all the sound. He's like, oh. And all of a sudden he started like changing his pers. He's like, oh, wait, you're a lawn care guy too? And he's like, well, yeah, this is my day job. You know, he's working to move on to the festivals and stuff. And the guy was like, he was telling him, he's like, yeah, his whole perspective was starting to change. He's like, oh, you're dirty. And I'm like, yeah. And it's like he sees them in a different environment. It's like, well, you thought I was cool over here. Now I'm doing this and you're looking down on me. The thing is, you know, my buddy's telling him, he's like, my house is nicer than his.
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C
Right.
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B
You know, and it's not that we have to, we'd be very flashy and things, but it's like again, that perception that some people carry and I'm like, I bet you my buddy is literally more well off than this guy that has a 600k house and you know, Range Rover and all this stuff. He just is presented, he's in a different package. But I know my buddy goes on vacations. This guy might be slaving away at a, you know, air conditioned 9 to 5 job and, but he just looks down on us. Why? I don't know. Some of the, the best people I've ever met in my life are blue collar or tradesmen or whatever. And you get these. We're like, oh, we gotta impress the rich people. Yeah. And they might not have the same morals or ethics or something like that. They don't look at you for who you are as opposed to like, they're just like, yeah, dirty. You got dirty fingernails.
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C
Yeah. There's always going to be that perception. And I mean, you know, the, and, and, and we, we can't really change that. But when it comes to wanting to get business and, and showing up for quotes and showing up to do the work and wanting to get more work, that, that's really just, you know what I'm talking about, where the professionalism comes in and. Because otherwise you're just feeding into that, you know, that, that perception that people like, oh yeah, just, just cut the grass. Isn't that what you, isn't that what you do?
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B
Anyway, like when people start doing that stuff, I'm like, now.
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C
Yeah.
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B
We got a long career company. Yeah. You cut grass? No, it's not a bad thing, but it's just like, oh yeah. So how's that mowing thing going? It's like, dude, you know, you know, like even friends, like, you know, from. You still doing that thing with the mowing and like. No. What are you doing now? Fertilization. Weed control company. What?
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C
That's right.
- [14:11]
B
Yeah, yeah, sorry. Sorry to disappoint you, but.
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C
Right, right.
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B
You know, you're over, you know, you're complaining about your nine to five jobs,
- [14:22]
C
cubicle jobs, can't stand. Yeah, everybody's got their thing. Right. But so it's just, it's just, you know, I just, when I first came into this industry, I already had that Kind of, because I came from retail management. So, you know, we have to look professional, right? Like you're, you know, especially if you're in management, you know, and there's just dress codes or uniforms depending on where you work or whatever. So I was just used to that professional image. So I brought that immediately into my, into my lawn care business. You know, I had polo and khakis, and of course you get dirty, but I, you know, I had logos and just, just being professional. And I, I learned quickly that that made a difference, you know, compared to my quote unquote competitors that were just, just kind of showing up and mix match hats and T shirts and whatever and, and just beat up equipment and, you know, and nothing has to be brand new or imperfect, but you just have to be clean and professional. And it just creates a totally different image for your potential customers. And you can charge more, and they feel more comfortable paying that than if you're chucking the truck. As we, you know, joke around with where you just roll in there and there, you can't charge as much. Or you can, you can try, but people just don't. That image, they're not connecting it. They're not connecting your price with your brand. They have to go together. They have to go hand in hand.
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B
It again, this goes, you know, I'm. We're kind of going off on this just to talk about perceptions and how the community's changed, you know, like how our businesses have changed. And I feel like, you know, again, with a lot of the events that you do that you've produced, the things that you've encouraged others to do, you've gotten it up to a certain point to where instead of it just being like, oh, yeah, we got to do this, this and this to be better at business. There's also been a mindset shift. I even noticed it over the past decade that things are different. You know, it's not like, you know, there are some people, oh, this industry is getting soft and everything. And I'm like, no, it's not. I think it's. There's still really hard working people that are doing great things. They're doing the work that nobody else wants to do. I mean, like today it's what, 116 degrees out here? It's crazy. We're in Arizona. But, you know, even back home it's, you know, 90s and high humidity and somebody's got to do that job. And we're the ones that say, okay, we'll do it. And, you know, we just know what Our value is. But I think with. And we say community, even though maybe you're not part of. Even if you don't think it's like, oh, I just work by myself, I don't look at everything. You still are part of a community, you just may not be aware of it. And there's a lot of us out there that we're trying to support one another, even if it's competitors. That's why I say like friend petitors all the time, local guys that are competitors, direct competitors to me. But it's like I'm friendly with them so it works out.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And that didn't exist a decade ago. And I want to attribute to you and some other people too. One of the great events that we had over the years was the YouTube rally that was at Equip a Gie, you know, back in the days before the 2020, you know, before Equip officially took over. But that was a tell. Talk about that just a little bit and how that's changed over the years.
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C
Yeah, well, the YouTube rally was really something that contributed to how I felt about the community in this industry. My first year at Equip in 2015, there was also the rally. It was just like a little small meetup of maybe 30, 30 to 40 guys and girls, you know, some wives that came out that early on in the journey. And like I said, I met Greg and Stan and so many of the people that were creating content at that time, and a lot of them still are. So I went there to hang out with them and, and be a part of that and meet some people that knew who I was. And it was just like such a great fellowship opportunity for community and connection. And that's where some people came up to me and thanked me for the content that I was creating, how it helped them get out of their full time, you know, corporate business or whatever their full time job was, and lean into landscaping. And I'm like, wow, this is more than just likes, comments and subscribes. These are like real people that I'm meeting in person and they're telling me their story. And that really, that really hit me and it made it so much more real and gave me more purpose and, and fueled even more passion towards that. And you know, how can I make this better? I mean, at that moment I didn't think about that. I just thought about how amazing this event was. And then the year after that, some of the founding fathers of that event decided to, you know, to pivot and do some other things outside of the community. And I didn't want the rally to disappear, so I continued it, you know, like, well, let's, let's try and keep. Keep this thing going here, like passing the torch.
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B
And it was a really great thing that you did because we tried. I remember the, the first one was trying to replicate it at Pleasure Ridge Pizza, which doesn't exist anymore.
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C
Right.
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B
But then it moved. It moved into different stages. You know, the, the mega cavern.
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C
Yeah.
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B
We did that for two years. And then last thing we. Like, it's not my fault.
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C
We were all a part of it.
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B
Yeah, right. But I've always been like the wingman, right?
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C
Yeah.
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B
This is why it's like, it's important that you get the recognition that you deserv. You kept things moving along. You know, we did Copper and Kings for two years and then we did Yum center for a couple of years.
- [20:09]
C
For a couple years.
- [20:10]
B
And then last year was the kick center. Both of those were downtown Louisville. But now it seems like there's another change. Maybe another passing of the torch. Back when I was getting my lawn care business off the ground, I was juggling routes, invoices and customer notes with paper and prayers. It was chaos. Until I found Yardbook. Yardbook gave me the structure. It helped me track chemicals, route efficiently, invoice faster, and most importantly, it helped me grow a profitable business. If you're tired of duct taping your systems Together, go to yardbook.com and sign up for free. And if you're ready to go premium, use promo code paycheck to get your first 30 days on me.
- [20:50]
A
Lawn care and landscaping pros, listen up. If you're tired of guessing your way through pricing, marketing, hiring and sales, this is your wake up call. The LCR summit hits downtown Louisville October 19th and 20th at the Galthouse the same week as Equip. And it's gonna change the way you run your business forever. This is not another sit and listen event. It's two full days of hands on workshops from leaders who've actually built what you're trying to build. Neylor Taliaferro shows you how to generate better leads through smarter marketing. Paul Jamison teaches content that converts. John Pajak breaks down your numbers so you'll working for cheap. Eric Triplett, the pond digger, reveals how he built a multi million dollar business making more money with less work. Plus, you'll have a surprise guest speaker. Add in live Q and A panels, powerful networking, and an exclusive VIP dinner with all the speakers. When you purchase at the platinum level, grab tickets and infolcrsummit.com or just tap the link in the podcast description. That's lcrsummit.com Stop guessing. Start growing. Build the business you've always imagined at the LCR Summit.
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B
Hey guys, John Pajac here. Equip Expo is the biggest event in the green industry. So let's do some quick math. Today, Equip Expo's registration is $30 with promo code PAYJACK. That gets cut in half. So your ticket's only $15. But if you keep waiting, the price is going to continue to go up until you're looking at $120 for a ticket. So the question isn't whether you're going to Equip Expo. The question is whether you're going to pay $15 or $120. Now, I've attended equip for years. I've hosted on pod row, I've emceed the morning show, and every year I leave with new ideas, new friendships, and new opportunities. So go to equip expo.com, use promo code, paycheck, and lock in the lowest price before it goes up. Links in the show notes.
- [22:55]
C
Yeah, so, I mean, it's been, it's. Last year was the 10th year, you know, 2015-2025, the 10th year that I had attended the rally. And Greg, geek to freak, he, he came back 10 years later as well. So we really had a great YouTube rally last year. A lot of people showed up and we had a good time, but over the years it had grown up to like 600 people. And then it started to dial back with everything going on and just, it's just. And the YouTube rally was created at a time when there wasn't anything else. There was nothing for the community. There was no connection or anything. Equip wasn't doing anything other than a couple of concerts on Wednesday night and Thursday night. And that's it. They didn't have a welcome reception. There was no closing ceremonies or anything on Friday. There was no, all these other things that they had. There was no morning show or Energize or any of that stuff. There was no connection with community. It was just more of a standard formal trade show that was the biggest in the industry. But they weren't really focusing on the extra stuff. So us, you know, being in the community, we, we wanted, like, Greg and a few of the other guys early on wanted to like, stumbled upon the show and like, oh, let's, let's, let's put this together. And that, that's, so that, that's how that. That started 10 years, 10, 11 years ago. So last year and. And Equip has added a whole bunch more. And there's more community events like Mitchell Gordy on Tuesday nights with Merrill's Whis and Cornell Mack with the Win in Life meet up on Wednesday night at the bowling alley. None of that existed at the time that the rally started. And I know they say that the rally inspired them to do that as well on different nights. And then Equip started doing things too. They got a welcome reception on Tuesday night and this thing and that thing. So there's so much to do throughout the week that honestly, as the attendance started declining for the YouTube rally, it just made sense where I felt like I was holding onto something that didn't necessarily need to be held, hold on to, held onto anymore because there are so many other opportunities for. For everyone to connect. And by Thursday night, everyone's exhausted. So it makes sense that, you know, attendance is starting to. To get, you know, people are just spread so thin and, and going all over the place. So I just really wanted to divert my time and energy to other or re reallocated, I mean, to other areas in the week so that we can all continue winning and growing the Win in Life meetup, you know, Mitchell's event and just giving people more options. And by Thursday night, you can just relax and, and do whatever else you want. And that was already happening. A lot of people were just deciding to go back to the room or do this or do that. And so again, the YouTube rally was created at a time when out of need, when there wasn't anything. But now there's so much. I don't think there's really a need anymore for the YouTube rally. So I've talked to a lot of folks and made the decision to retire the YouTube rally. And one thing I do want to say about this that I haven't said yet on a podcast is there's an important lesson here because I know while some people will be disappointed that because they come, they go every year, there's plenty of other opportunities. We'll see. You know, I'm passing a torch to Cornell. I think he's the new YouTube rally, like Wednesday nights and new Thursday night. And I fully support him and we all do. So there's plenty of opportunities for us to connect. For sure. Even if you don't come in till Wednesday night, you can go to that meetup. But the important lesson is a lot of folks that haven't attended the YouTube rally and maybe said oh, maybe next year. Maybe next year. Well, guess what? Next year isn't always guaranteed.
- [26:32]
B
Right?
- [26:33]
C
So when there's an opportunity to experience something, you should take that opportunity. You should not wait until next year. You should not put it off because you never know when next year was the last year or this year is the last year. So that's the biggest lesson that I want everyone to learn when it comes to anything in your business or life is don't, don't put things off, don't wait until next year. Don't let the opportunity pass by. Seize the moment. Because you never know if that might be the last moment. So I just wanted to make sure everyone, you know, knows what's going on with the YouTube rally so that you're not wondering what the details are and where, where is it going to be and kind of lost in the shuffle. And I'm sure some people still will anyway, but someone will, will fill them in if we get the message out there enough. Normally we're promoting it, talking about where it's going to be, and this time I say, well, it's, it's time it. And go all in on Wednesday night and Tuesday night and everything else is going on at equip and we'll see it for the whole week.
- [27:30]
B
And you know, again, just to kind of reiterate the importance of the, you know, when the, the rally started, you know, you said there was a need for it, it didn't exist. Now there's at least six that I could think of that are either spin offs of what the rally was or what it could have been. They're, they're, they're basically capturing that essence. And like I said, like with Cornell Mack win at Life, that is a lot of fun. You know, it's, it's like going back to the roots of how much fun it could be and real community building and things like that.
- [28:09]
C
So, and that's how the rally used to be. The first couple years we could play cornhole and you know, buy each other drinks and have the mega cavern burns ropes, rope climbing course and zip lines. And so it was fun, but it just got bigger and bigger that we just, we didn't have the, it just didn't have that feel anymore. We have 600 people. It's kind of hard to have that kind of stuff.
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B
Right. It's kind of hard to be intimate with 600 people. Right, but.
- [28:34]
C
Right.
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B
No, again, like you said, the, the inspiration of that, you know, you carried, you got the torch, you carried that torch from the initial meet now it's like you've carried a distance. You've passed the torch officially to Cornell, Mac. But I don't want to neglect that, you know, you are also, you know, redirecting your energy into the LCR summit, which is at the beginning of this, you know, beginning of the week, where, you know, you're trying to attract the, the minds that are trying to really make a move the needle in their business. So just tell us real quick about LCR's summit because, I mean, I'm going to be biased here. I'm part of it. And honestly, we've done it three times now and it's been a fantastic turnaround. Their turnout and the people have a turnaround.
- [29:35]
C
Yeah, they have a transformation.
- [29:36]
B
They have a transformation.
- [29:37]
C
So talk about it. I like what you said about attracting the minds of business owners that want to grow, they want to move the needle, and that's really what it's all about. Because, you know, up until the point that I created the LCR Summit, there I was only doing like, networking events, you know, community events, you know, free events where we get together and hang out and hundreds of people would show up. And that's all great, but that only gets us so far. And there I, I just felt like there was a need for some more of these educational networking events. You know, like Jason Creel was, was doing them down in Alabama Lawn Care Life Conference. He was. So that was inspiration. And, and Brian Fullerton started doing his lal. And I'm like, that's great. Like, let's, let's do some more of this so that there's options throughout the year for, for business owners to learn with. Because before that it was just going to conferences and trade shows and try to get some sort of training and whatnot. And, and that's just a different vibe. And you know, again, it's all about community. So creating community events, community education events for the community, by the community, that just seemed like the next step. And we started doing that. So then I wanted to see what version of that I could create in the LCR Summits. Multiple days versus just kind of like a one day thing, which is what most people do. I wanted to have multiple days, longer sessions, right. So we can really dive in and unpack some things where it's not. What's the shortest version of this can we do in 45 minutes or 30 minutes? And hopefully people can understand what we're saying. It's like, no, we can kind of dive into it like an hour or so. And really, over time Go through it and ask questions. And, you know, it's smaller groups of people. So it's not this huge, hundreds and hundreds of people type of conference where you're just kind of sitting there trying to take as many notes as you can. It's a different vibe. It's more like a mastermind type vibe where you can really be interactive with the presenters and ask questions during the presentation. And then, of course, all the networking in between all the sessions at the breaks and lunch and dinner and everything. So that's what the LCR Summit has been. And we really focus on the main aspects of your business, the main pillars. I say, you know, from marketing to sales to employees, you know, hiring, training, company culture, of course, knowing your numbers. Right. Profits and everything around those core foundations of your business to help grow. Like, maybe you need help in all those areas. Maybe you only need help in one of those areas. But all of those are challenges for multiple people, if not everybody. And maybe different. Different parts of your business, as you grow, it changes. Right? Oh, I. I've got, you know, I've got this part dial. I got my numbers dialed in. But then as you start scaling, you know, maybe, you know, you got to revisit your. You got to revisit your numbers.
- [32:24]
B
Yeah, it's what I love about it, too, is the fact that we have just. It's not. Let's jam as many people into an arena. It's not like that. It's like these are small segments. It's like, what is it? 75 people that we're trying to.
- [32:46]
A
Yeah, like.
- [32:46]
C
Like the max I would ever want is like 100 people. But I think even that's probably. That's probably a lot. But yeah, on average, we have around 50.
- [32:53]
A
Right.
- [32:54]
C
People that attend. But 75 would be another good number, too. Like, I'm not going to limit too much, but the point is it's a smaller room.
- [33:00]
B
Yeah. And the smaller room is great. You, like, you know, from my experience, you know, just. It doesn't. I could still connect with everybody, you know, and just being a presenter, I find that this has been more gratifying for me as a presenter to actually be able to have that time to teach a little bit here and there. When somebody asks a question, it's not just like, okay, we got to get through them to get to them, to them, to them. It's like, no, we could really flesh that out because like you said, we do have the time. You know, we do have a schedule that we keep. But at the same time, it's a more personal experience. It's a re. Like, whenever I think the. The. One of the most common or one of the most. The comments that I get from people that have attended before is that they love the fact that it's intimate. They love the fact that there's time to talk to a presenter. It's not just like, oh, we're going to get shuttled off into some other room and then this and that. It's like, no. Even in between sessions, it's like they could ask questions. You know, sometimes it's better for, like an actual Q and A panel because it could help address people with problems that other people are having. But at the same time, it's like, no, you could really talk to people. And, you know, how many. I don't even know how many people have. It's impacted their business so much that we see now like it. They're like, yeah, I finally got past that hurdle I had and now look at my business. It's. We're doing great. I actually hit the next level, whatever that might have been in for them, you know.
- [34:38]
C
Right.
- [34:38]
B
Maybe it was hiring another crew or something. But it's. It's. It's awesome now that we've done a few of these to see the results and it's coming back and people are just, you know, we get repeat people coming back, but at the same time, there's always new people that are hearing about it. And that's the thing. I just want people to be aware of what, you know, it's not just, hey, Naylor does the rally or whatever. It's like, hey, he does the morning show, he does the LCR Summit, he does all these amazing things. And it's Pod row. Exactly. You know, it's just, oh, my goodness. You know.
- [35:13]
C
And also, I've attached it to. I attached the LCR Summit to Equip because yet again, it's such a great opportunity for. We're going to be there for Equip anyway. Let's just come in a little bit earlier and make the most out of that week and really start the week off strong with learning and networking at a higher level, a more premium level. It's not free. You have to pay, but you get more out of it. And it's more of a catered, intimate setting for you to really get the most out of those two days so that you can grow. And Equip appreciates it as well. Because I'm bringing people in earlier and some people maybe not intended to go to Equip. But they're like, well, I'll go for maybe on Wednesday and check it out for a day and then they'll head back home, you know, and they come in. Some people come in, you know, for the summit and then they. Then they leave, you know, like.
- [35:58]
A
Right.
- [35:59]
C
Or like I said, they come and they check out, equip for one day and they leave. But they were never even intending on coming to equip at all, but. Because the summit's there and.
- [36:05]
B
Yeah.
- [36:06]
C
So, you know, I just feel like I'm always trying to think of how we can get the most out of our time and how you can get the most out of your time and just. Just trying to really help everyone grow. Yeah.
- [36:18]
B
So real quick, let's just shotgun this. Real quick, let's. You know, it took me a while to figure out all the things that we do because over the years we just keep adding and adding and adding sun or Monday, Tuesday, LCR summit, actually come in. On Sunday night, we have a meet and greet. Right. Wednesday is the start of Padreau with equipment, you know, so you could find us there. Morning show on Thursday morning.
- [36:47]
C
Right.
- [36:48]
B
And then Thursday night, well, farewell to the farewell to the rally. But Wednesday evening.
- [36:54]
C
Right, Wednesday night.
- [36:55]
B
Wednesday night and well, Tuesday night.
- [36:57]
C
So we. So let's start over.
- [36:58]
B
Oh, yeah, start over. Start over. Because, you know, there's just so much stuff.
- [37:02]
C
So we've got Monday, Tuesday, the LCR Summit.
- [37:04]
B
Right.
- [37:05]
C
During the day. And then Tuesday night. Tuesday night we got at Barrow Whiskey Kitchen, Mitchell Gordy's.
- [37:10]
B
Mitchell Gordy's event Kitchen. And I will. I'll put a link in there. So like you. You should reserve.
- [37:16]
C
Right.
- [37:17]
B
Let them know how many people are coming. It's a fun. That's a fun little event just to stop in and say hi and meet and greet.
- [37:24]
C
Then Wednesday is Padreau.
- [37:25]
B
Wednesday we do Padreau. Wednesday evening we're doing Cornell Max. Yeah. Win in life event. Make sure this is. That literally has a capacity limit. Yeah. So he's gonna put the links out
- [37:39]
C
later and then make sure everyone sign up.
- [37:42]
B
Yeah. Sign up for it. Because it's fun. Because it's bowling alley. Lots of contests, games, prizes.
- [37:48]
C
Lots of non bowling games as well as bowling games. Just having a. He has a really good time, making it fun and.
- [37:53]
B
Exactly.
- [37:54]
C
For everybody.
- [37:54]
B
Paper, rock, scissors. Yeah, there you go. It gets intense.
- [37:58]
C
Yeah, for sure.
- [37:59]
B
For sure. Costume party, you know, Costume contest.
- [38:03]
C
Yeah, that's right. That's right. But then Thursday morning, it's the morning show.
- [38:07]
B
Thursday morning we get the morning show,
- [38:08]
C
which is which we're interviewing you.
- [38:10]
A
Yes.
- [38:11]
C
So Paul's interviewing you on the morning show. So it's me and Eric Triplett and you and Paul and then Caleb and Brittany. So Caleb's interviewing Brittany Allman on the morning show. I thought it'd be fun to get that husband wife perspective dynamic, because I always enjoy listening to the two of them on a podcast when it's just the two of them, you know, and. And just their dynamic is hysterical. You know, Britney's always, like, shutting Caleb down and making jokes and keeping him in check, and he's like, yes, ma'.
- [38:38]
A
Am.
- [38:38]
B
I don't. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself for the past ten years or what. What. How long has it been since 2019. Yeah, I've been like the.
- [38:47]
C
The Q and A Q and A guy.
- [38:49]
B
I run around. I'm. I'm actually going to be sitting down. I don't have to, actually.
- [38:53]
C
But it's going to be a fun time because you and Paul just have good laughs, and he can really. You guys are gonna unpack some stuff and bring some value to that, and people get to ask you questions for once.
- [39:03]
B
Right.
- [39:03]
C
That's the whole point of the morning show is not only are we podcasting live on stage, and you get to participate that. And participate in that, like the actual live studio audience, but you get to ask questions as well at the end of every session, essentially every episode. And Cornell Mack will be doing the Q and A with Catchbox, and he's an athlete, so he'll have a good time chucking that across the room and. And playing catch and everything and running around getting. Getting the Q and A while you're having your time on stage to share your story and get people to actually ask you questions.
- [39:35]
B
So it's gonna feel weird for me, but hopefully everybody else enjoys it, so.
- [39:41]
C
Oh, it'll be good.
- [39:42]
B
Yeah. And then.
- [39:42]
C
And then we'll still have Pod Row Thursday during the day, but Thursday evening, just kind of hang out, relax. I mean, Equip still has their thing. They always have stuff on Thursdays, you know, they've got. Not really. Not this. Not the concert series, but they have their own. I forgot where. Where it is or what it's called. But if you go to their website,
- [39:58]
B
I believe, like, it's gonna be.
- [39:59]
C
No, no, Thursday night at some other. Some other downtown area.
- [40:02]
B
I'll put it in the links.
- [40:04]
C
Yeah, yeah, because some other area where they're gonna have just kind of a. An area to hang out, you know, But But a similar vibe is 4th street, where there's places to eat and music and things of that nature, but not a stage.
- [40:16]
B
Just make sure you know you're listening, you're watching this. In the show notes, I'm gonna have a detailed list of all the things we're talking about. So if you're interested in these things, you could just click on it and it'll take you right to the page you need to go to, especially if you're going to equip. I almost suggest just, you know, making an itinerary, even though it's like, we got a plan. Plan everything. It's like, well, actually, if you want to do a bunch of stuff right, it makes sense.
- [40:41]
C
There's so much. You have to create a plan so you can get the most out of the opportunity for sure, and not be like, oh, man, I didn't know about this, or, oh, I forgot about this, or, I ran out of time. Well, you got to plan ahead of time.
- [40:50]
B
Yeah.
- [40:50]
C
Also, the Road to Equipment Facebook group, there's almost 4,000 people in there now, and I created that also in 2016. So that was 10 years ago when I created that, when I kind of took the mantle of the rally and tried to direct it, you know, get it organized and direct. Even Stan, when he first introduced me to his wife back then, he was like, hey, this is Naylor. He kind of made us more organized, you know, because we had a group and we could communicate. We could streamline our communication, kind of have a hub of communication. That was the whole whole. The whole goal for me to create that Facebook group, because, you know, people would promote stuff on their social media platforms, but not everybody was followed by everybody. And things got lost in translation. If you didn't catch that one video or something, you know, that one live stream, you might have missed out. So now we have a place in a Facebook group where you can post the win in life. You know, Cornell posts and Mitchell posts, and I post, and everyone's, oh, who's doing what where? You know, oh, man, I can't find a hotel room. Hey, can we have extra space in our Airbnb? Like, it's real community and connection in that group, and it's all dedicated to Quip Expo, but it also has all the links to everything. Every time somebody has a meetup or something going on, it's in there. It's pinned to the top of the group. So you always have a place to go to look and see what's going on each day, each night. And if you have questions, and even Equip is in there and they're answering people's questions. That's how popular the group is. So it's just a great hub of communication. So in addition to the links that John's talking about, you can also go to that group, if you haven't already joined it road to. To equip on Facebook, and you get all kinds of information there, and you can ask questions and. And connect with the community.
- [42:26]
B
Maybe, you know, share a hotel room or an Airbnb with somebody if, you know, they.
- [42:30]
C
Sure.
- [42:30]
B
Because a lot of people have gotten
- [42:32]
C
helped out in that group. They've, you know, gotten. A lot of different things happen. You know, when you have thousands and thousands of people coming from all over the place, you know, your truck breaks down or this or that.
- [42:41]
B
Like, how many people like, hey, I'm at the. I'm at the airport. Is anybody else leaving at, like, you know, getting here at like, two, right? Oh, yeah, let's do a ride share or something, you know, but again, bringing the community together. So we're. I got this. I got the signal here. We're going to be leaving soon. We're here at the Hype, or, excuse me, Pod house in Scottsdale, Arizona. Naylor, thank you for spending some time with me here, as always. Like, you know, you're just always doing stuff for the community and you need to get your roses, man. You know, people need to realize that, you know, this is not. These aren't things that you do for yourself. Most of these events, they're always for others. You're serving others at a higher level.
- [43:33]
C
I mean, don't get me wrong, it helps me as well, because I love community, so that's also why I'm doing it. So it's not, like, completely selfless, but I get what you're saying. It's helping me grow as well.
- [43:44]
B
Right.
- [43:44]
C
So I'm growing and I'm helping others grow at the same time. Time, yeah.
- [43:48]
B
So it, you know, it's like we're just giving back to, you know, we've built lifelong friendships because of this industry. And it's like, why can't we share that with everybody else? We can make that. It's not going to be like, hey, everybody has a personal connection to us maybe, but they definitely can find their own way, their own people, their own clan, if you want to say, you know, and like, we right now, we have our own, you know, like, here at Pothouse, we have a group of guys that are all together trying to make content that's going to benefit others, whether it's making you laugh or breaking down things to help you discover new technology. Like is this what this conference was? The Lawn and Landscape Technology Conference? We share it with you so that you could make yourself and your business better. But any closing remarks you want to make?
- [44:44]
C
No, I think we covered it all. Thank you guys for for listening to our stories all the time and me sharing everything. And hopefully I'll see some of you or all of you at at Equip or maybe even the LCR Summit. You can go to lcrsummit.com I'm sure Paycheck has that in the show notes as well. And remember the Facebook group Road to Equip so you can communicate and or stay in communication for for Equip. And hopefully we'll see you there. Safe travels. It's coming soon. Don't wait.
- [45:12]
B
Yeah, again, if you're going to Equip, use promo code Paycheck. You get like super cheap tickets right now, so just make a couple little plans and not only will it save you money, but it'll make your life easier. So with that being said, I want to thank you all for listening. As always, God Bless. Keep pushing through and we'll catch you on the next one. Thank you once again for listening. If you've enjoyed the show, please leave, leave a review and share it with fellow business owners. Your support means the world to me and helps keep the show going strong. I want to give a special shout out to our friends at Yardbook. Their continued support has been instrumental in bringing this podcast to you week after week. If you haven't checked them out yet, visit yardbook.com and see how they can give you the tools to streamline and manage your lawn care business. Also, don't forget to explore the resources and upcoming events that I've collected just for for you in the show Notes. These are curated to help you stay ahead in your business with the latest tips, tools and networking opportunities. Whether it's a new tool, an insightful article, or an event you don't want to miss, I've got you covered. Until next time, keep pushing through and God bless.
- [46:27]
C
Sam.
- [46:53]
B
Ra.