Ep 340. Spring Rush Recap, Business Updates & Preparing for the Rest of the Season!

Summary

Side Hustle Squad Podcast – Episode 340 Spring Rush Recap, Business Updates & Preparing for the Rest of the Season! Host: Mike Garvey | Date: June 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this solo update, Mike Garvey recaps the completed spring "rush" in his lawn care businesses, shares fresh business developments, and details his forward-looking approach to summer and fall. The episode provides tactical insights for entrepreneurs in the green industry—especially those running their ventures as a side hustle. Listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at business growth, marketing pivots, and the real challenges of scaling, as well as encouragement to keep planning ahead.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal & Business Updates

• Travel & Networking:

  • Mike is heading to Belton, Texas (near Austin) to celebrate the opening of a new shop for Marshall Lawn Solutions.
  • He highlights the importance of industry connections, especially within coaching groups. “Really looking forward to it and just kind of being together with some other people. Especially love being with John Pajak and doing that.” (01:25)

• Robotics & Business Expansion:

  • Recent meetings with colleges and corporate partners about expanding robotic mowing demos.
  • “We’re doing a lot of updates, pushing that ball down the field and getting, getting our feet under us with the robotic demonstrations and the demos and all that good stuff.” (02:05)
  • Becoming an authorized Crest dealer and launching a mobile showroom for potential customers.

2. Operations Recap: Spring to Summer Transition

• Fertilization & Weed Control Updates:

  • The coastal branch is midway through its annual three-round weed control cycle; finishing up mosquito treatments and gearing up for round three of fertilization.
  • Servicing unique properties: “A lot of lawns—well, they're not lawns—just properties with just all rock, especially along the shore community. So that is something that we're expanding and, and, and really keeping the weeds out of these rocks. That's the goal.” (03:08)

• Business Flow:

  • The spring rush is essentially over, with customers set for the season.
  • Time to “pivot” marketing strategy and look ahead to fall, particularly for the new North Jersey branch.

3. Fall Marketing Strategy & Customer Acquisition

• Targeting Fall Services:

  • Emphasis on aeration and overseeding as customer acquisition levers.
  • “I think that biggest push for gathering new customers is those customers that are unhappy with their current company.” (05:17)
  • Strategies listed include:
    • Digital marketing (Facebook, Instagram)
    • Every Door Direct Mail
    • Referral programs

• Market Gaps:

  • Not all competitors offer aeration and overseeding—“a missed opportunity” and a way to gain new clients.

• Retention Tactics:

  • Offering package deals to convert fall service customers into year-round clients with early quotes for the following spring.

4. Forward Planning & Mindset

• Always Looking Ahead:

  • “Always thinking ahead, never thinking just one day ahead, but let's think months ahead, let's think years ahead, let's think five years and 10 years ahead down the line.” (08:00)
  • Coastal business is in a good place, but the focus is on setting up aggressive, diverse fall marketing—combining mail, digital campaigns, and targeted local pushes.

• Branch & Facility Updates:

  • The North Jersey truck and operation is running with Rob in place, ready for fall intake.
  • Nearing the next phase of construction at their new HQ, including major landscape and infrastructure projects.

5. Community & Collaboration

• Mike emphasizes networking, sharing ideas, and partnering within the industry.
  • “It's really exciting stuff and I'm happy to talk with you guys, listen to you guys, collaborate, get ideas. That's what it's all about is networking and making each other better.” (10:55)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growth and Networking:

  • “Congratulations to them. Heading to Belton, Texas…So that's the update. I'll be getting down there, coming back before the weekend starts, closing out a big week here.” (01:10)

• On Expanding With Robotic Equipment:

  • “I’m really starting to see how this is evolving with the robotics, being authorized Crest dealer, bringing the mobile showroom to our partners and to our potential customers. So really exciting stuff.” (02:30)

• On Preparing for the Fall Rush:

  • “People we gather up that we don't get now—who picked another company, maybe a cheaper company…we’re going to start targeting people and areas to do aeration and overseeding.” (04:30)

• On Mindset:

  • “We’re caught up, we’re feeling good…But we want to start thinking about our fall marketing push and how we're going to be getting these new customers.” (07:50)

• On the Podcast and Community:

  • “I can't believe we're at 340 episodes, but it's super exciting. I appreciate all the love and support and the base that we have listening. It's really exciting stuff.” (10:39)
  • “That's what it's all about is networking and making each other better.” (10:55)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Business Updates & Texas Trip: 00:54–02:00
• Robotic and Equipment Expansion: 02:00–02:55
• Coastal Fertilization & Weed Control Progress: 03:00–03:55
• Fall Strategy Planning & Customer Acquisition: 04:00–05:40
• Marketing Approaches and Thinking Ahead: 07:24–08:15
• Operational Readiness and Construction Progress: 08:15–09:10
• Industry Community Reflections & Podcast Milestones: 10:39–11:05

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Summary

This episode is a concise but highly practical check-in from Mike Garvey, relevant for both established operators and newcomers in the lawn care industry. The recurring theme is an entrepreneurial mindset: adapt as seasons change, leverage unique services for growth, prioritize planning, and engage the industry community. From robotics to direct mail to building out a new shop, Mike models how to think several moves ahead—and keep hustling.

Transcript

[A]

Are you ready to kick back and get inspired? Grab your favorite drink, pop the top and join the side Hustle Squad with Mike Garvey. This podcast is the perfect resource for anyone who's already started their side Hustle or is just considering taking the lead. With in depth interviews featuring guests from the green industry and beyond, you'll gain valuable insights and learn what it takes to succeed in running a business while juggling a full time career. From personal stories to practical tips, the Soc side Hustle Squad podcast has everything you need to turn your passion into a thriving business. Now, here's your Side Hustle Squad host, Mike Garvey.

[B]

Hey, what's going on guys? It's your host Mike Garvey with the side Hustle Squad podcast coming at you from Branded Bull Studio here on a Thursday. Thursday. Wrapping up the week, I'm actually traveling to Texas just outside of Austin to meet up with John Pajak and the Marshals. I am in a coaching group with with John Pajak. Really excited for them. They own they own a fertilizing and weed control business in Texas. They are opening their new shop so I'm traveling down there to join them and network with some other people, celebrate them opening their new shop. Really looking forward to it and just kind of being together with some other people. Especially love being with John Pajak and doing that. So really Marshall on solutions. Congratulations to them. Heading to Belton, Texas which is about an hour away from Austin. So that's the update I'll be getting down there. Coming back before the weekend starts closing out. A big week here. Had a really great meeting with some potential people that are looking forward to possibly getting together with the with roped and partnering on the robotic end. So we're doing a lot of updates, pushing that ball down the field and getting, getting our, getting our feet under us with the robotic demonstrations and the demos and all that good stuff. So that is really something that we're looking forward to pushing the ball down the field on that end. And it's not just commercial customers or other landscapers. I mean we're talking, we had a meeting with a college, another company that handles that college. So I'm really starting to see how this is evolving with the robotics being authorized Crest dealer, bringing the mobile showroom to, to our partners and to our potential customers. So really exciting stuff with that as far as the coastal fertilization weed control. We're cruising right along, kind of got caught up all we're in our round two of weed. We do three rounds a year for Weed controls and weed controls. I do a lot of, a lot of rock, rock beds. We have a lot of lawns. They're not lawns, they're just properties with just all rock, especially along the shore community. So that is something that we're expanding and, and, and really keeping the weeds out of these rocks. That's, that's the goal. So, so we're on round two of that. We finish another round of mosquito right before Memorial Day. And then we're gearing up for round three of fertilization, lawn fertilization, and going to start plucking away at that. So all really good stuff. And you know, this. I feel like the spring rush is over. The people are set up with who they're going to be using. I think we need to start pivoting towards what is our marketing strategy for the fall, especially for the new branch. Growing up in North Jersey, we have our truck now situated up there with Rob and that's, you know, he's all ready to go and to be able to handle any, any new customers that come in up there. But it's time to start thinking about the fall and, and it's going to be here before we know it. We know our, our biggest time for aerations and seedings. People we, we gather up that we don't get now who, who picked another company, maybe a cheaper company, maybe a company that, you know, they got the customer went with the other company for whatever reason. And we're going to start targeting people and areas to do aeration and overseeding. And you know, I, I think we, that biggest push for gathering new customers is that customers that are unhappy with their current company. And I think that it's time to start thinking about that. And how are we marketing to them? Are we marketing to them through Facebook, Instagram? Are we marketing through every door, direct mail? Are we doing, you know, a combination of different things? You know, how are we getting to a referral program from other customers? Like how are we going to do as many aerations as we possibly can this year to grow the business? Especially in the North Jersey area, A lot of people don't offer aeration and overseeding. And I think that it is a missed opportunity for those companies that aren't. And I think that maybe we can pick up customers from there to say, hey, we can do your fertilization and weak or weed control on your lawn along with your aeration and just go with us for the remainder of the season if you can. And then maybe we'll, and then, you know, we'll send you a quote for the next season to sign up and start just getting new customers that way. That's what I found A lot of, a lot of how we have our fall push, I would call it, you know, for new customers is is by offering the aeration and overseeding. Hey, guys.

[C]

Adam Fullerton here with branded Bull. As a proud sponsor of the side Hustle Squad podcast, we're all about helping lawn care and landscaping businesses make and stand out from the competition. Visit [e-mail] to learn more about our professional branding website and graphic design services and how we can help your business look awesome and grow.

[B]

Hey, what's going on, guys? With Jobber, you can easily manage jobs, track your team, get paid faster, all from one simple app. Join thousands of satisfied lawn care professionals who trust shopper to keep their business growing strong. Visit the link in the bio today and start your free trial. It's just time to start thinking, looking ahead because now we're caught up. We're, we, we're feeling good. We, we. At least I am. Larry on his landscaping and, and, and projects and hardscapes and all that. He's booked out till July. But on our, on the coastal end, we're doing well. We're feeling good. We're at where we're, you know, we're happy where we are, but we want to start thinking about our fall marketing push and how we're going to be getting these new customers. So always thinking ahead, never thinking just one day ahead, but let's think months ahead, let's think years ahead, let's think five years and 10 years ahead down the line. So I think it's going to be a couple of combinations again with the, with the every door direct mail campaign, especially up north, and then also possibly doing that some, some in some locations here down in, in Ocean County. So, so that's really what we're looking, looking to do. Just wanted to provide like a little update of what we have going on. We're ready super close to breaking ground again for 2.0 of, you know, construction that has been forever going on at our new sh. Ready to get on this. We're on the schedule for all the work that's ready to be done, including the curbs and the driveway aprons and the, the detention basin that's being built. So it's exciting stuff and it's, it's exciting to go down and see Eric and Michelle at Marshall Lawn Solutions. And I hope you follow them on Instagram. They have a lot of really good stuff going on. I'm super happy for them and gonna do a couple podcasts while I'm down there bringing bring in the equipment and we'll be able to set up and and talk with talk with them hopefully if they we get them for a little while and and sit down with my buddy Pay Jack and and let's talk all things going on with Crests with roped with the new branch and get his insights into what what he has going on as well. So just a little quick update, not a super long one today. Heading out to Texas in a little bit and can't wait to update you guys. Stay tuned. I hope you enjoyed that interview with Chris Kaiser. Make sure you get your equip tickets. It's gonna be here before you know it and we're gearing up for that so hope everybody has a great rest of the week and the weekend. Any questions, reach out to me. If you want to be featured as a guest, we'd love to have you come on and and share your story. And I can't believe we're at 340 episodes, but it's super exciting. I appreciate all the love and support and the the base that we have listening. It's really exciting stuff and I'm happy to talk with you guys, listen to you guys collaborate, get ideas. That's what it's all about is networking and making each other better. So we'll leave it at that. We'll kick it back to Mr. Producer.

[A]

Thanks for tuning in to the side Hustle Squad podcast with Mike Garvey. We hope you enjoyed this episode and gained valuable insights to help you succeed in your side Hustle journey. Connect with Mike using the links in the podcast description. If you love the show, please leave us a well worded five star review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback and support help us grow and continue to provide you with the best content. And don't forget to follow the show to be notified when the next edition of the side Hustle Squad podcast is available. We have many exciting guests and topics lined up so you won't want to miss a single episode. Thanks again for listening and we'll catch you next time on the side Hustle Squad podcast.