Podcast
The Cost of Doing Business
Hosted by Weston Zimmerman · EN
The Cost of Doing Business Podcast is here to help business owners find the path to profitability. We look beyond the glamour and glitz of the Instagram highlight reel by digging into the behind-the-scenes work necessary to achieve our goals. Your host, Weston Zimmerman, is the co-founder of SynkedUP. This award-winning landscape business management software is making a real difference for owners looking for a budgeting and overhead recovery tool and helps with estimating and job costing.
25episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep 100. The Cost of Starting My Business Too Early | Kory Jones
2w ago00:46:50Summary readyMost people romanticize starting a business early. Nobody talks about the stress it puts on your family when you're not prepared. In this episode, Kory Jones talks about what he wishes he knew before starting his landscaping business… from cash flow struggles to hiring challenges to learning that passion alone isn't enough. One of the best lines from the episode: "You can do the right thing at the wrong time." Give Kory a follow: https://www.instagram.com/jonesoutdoors.ut/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #landscapingbusiness #businessowner #synkedup #knowyournumbers
SummaryEp 99. 30 Years in Business and Thinking About the End Game | Mark Arsenault
4w ago00:36:41Summary readyMost guys don't think about the end when they start a business. In this episode, Weston sits down with Mark Arsenault from Green Monster Landscapes to talk about what changes when you've been doing this for a long time… and start thinking about what comes next. Mark shares his path through nearly three decades. Building crews, going through a full reset, and rebuilding the business in a way that actually fits how he wants to work. They get into something that hits for a lot of contractors. A lot of owner operators aren't building something they can step away from… they're building a job. When you start thinking about retirement, that reality hits a little different. Give Mark a follow: https://www.instagram.com/greenmonsterlandscapes/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #landscapingbusiness #businessowner #synkedup #knowyournumbers
SummaryEp 98. I Almost Quit Landscaping After Years of Losing Money | Jason Nolt
Apr 1300:37:42Summary readyRunning a landscaping business isn't always what it looks like from the outside. In this episode, Weston sits down with Jason Nolt of Authentic Homescapes to talk about the early years of his business… and how close he came to quitting altogether. Jason shares what it actually looked like behind the scenes. Losing money, wearing every hat, growing too fast, and hitting a point where it just wasn't working. We get into what changed, what he learned stepping away for a season, and what helped him turn things around when he came back. If you've ever felt stuck or like you're spinning your wheels, this one will hit. Give Jason a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authentichomescapes/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #landscapingbusiness #businessowner #synkedup #knowyournumbers
SummaryEp 97. When Is Enough Enough in Business? | James Doyle
Mar 3000:37:56Summary readyIn this episode, Weston sits down with James Doyle of Innovative Lawn & Landscape to talk about what happens when growth comes fast and the pressure to keep pushing never really goes away. James shares what it's been like building his company over the last 9 years, the struggle of never feeling satisfied, and the question a lot of owners don't talk about… when is enough actually enough? We also get into hiring with intention, learning how to let go as an owner, and why focusing on efficiency instead of just more revenue can be the next step in growing a healthier business. If you've ever felt like you're always pushing for more but not sure where it ends, this conversation will hit close to home. Give James a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innovativelawnandlandscapellc/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #businessowner #entrepreneurship #landscapingbusiness #synkedup
SummaryEp 96. Pressure Is the Price of Running a Business | Wes Roberts
Mar 1600:25:16Summary readyRunning a business comes with pressure. That's part of the deal. In this episode, Weston sits down with Wes Roberts of Wes Roberts Landscaping to talk about the mindset it takes to keep going after nearly three decades in the industry. Wes shares how the biggest obstacle in business is often yourself, why challenges never really go away as you grow, and how pressure can actually give purpose to the work we do as entrepreneurs. If you've ever asked yourself "why am I doing this?" while running your business, this conversation will hit home. Give Wes a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesrobertslandscaping/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #businessowner #entrepreneurship #owneroperator #synkedup
SummaryEp 95. The Hard Part of Scaling Nobody Warns You About | Jordan Daneker
Mar 200:58:42Summary readyScaling a business sounds great on paper. In reality, it can get harder before it gets better. In this episode, Weston sits down with Jordan Daneker, co-owner of Evolve Design + Build, to talk about the side of growth most contractors don't expect. Jordan shares what it's really like scaling fast, why more revenue doesn't always mean more money, and how cash flow, confidence, and systems become critical as your team and overhead grow. We also get into the moment when the owner becomes the bottleneck and what it takes to get out of the way. If you've grown your business and thought, "This isn't what I thought it would feel like," this conversation will hit close to home. Give Jordan a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolve_design_build/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #businessgrowth #designbuild #knowyournumbers #synkedup
SummaryEp 94. I Was Winning Jobs and Still Losing Money (Here's Why) | Cody Adkins
Feb 1600:20:58Summary readyMost contractors don't lose money because they're bad at the work. They lose money because they don't actually know where it's going. In this episode, I sit down with Cody Adkins of Tri-State Outdoor Living to talk about what it looks like when you're winning jobs, staying busy, and still coming up short, especially when winter hits. Cody shares how square foot pricing left him negative on jobs, the pressure of going into winter with four kids, and what changed once he started breaking down labor, overhead, and profit instead of guessing. We also get into running lean crews, paying guys more to produce more, and why efficiency matters more than chasing bigger jobs. If you've ever thought, "We're slammed, so why does this still feel tight?" this one will hit close to home. Follow Cody on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codyadkinsofficial/ https://www.instagram.com/tristateoutdoorliving/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #owneroperator #knowyournumbers #pricing #landscapingbusiness #synkedup
SummaryEp 93. Why Charging More Didn't Hurt My Business | Thomas Vanamerongen
Feb 200:27:47Summary readyMost contractors don't undercharge on purpose. They just don't see everything that's actually coming out of their business. In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Vanamerongen of Niagara Waterscapes to talk about the wake-up call that came when he realized his pricing didn't reflect reality. Thomas shares how starting out at $65 an hour quickly turned into $90, then $110, once all the hidden costs were laid out in black and white. We talk about pricing confidence, head trash, and imposter syndrome, and why letting the market tell you no is better than saying no for yourself. We also get into niching down and building recurring maintenance revenue. If pricing ever feels uncomfortable or you've caught yourself second guessing your numbers, this conversation will hit close to home. Give Niagara Waterscapes a follow: https://www.instagram.com/niagara_waterscapes/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #pricing #owneroperator #contractor #knowyournumbers #synkedup
SummaryEp 92. Growing Too Fast Almost Broke My Landscaping Business | Dan Wanders
Jan 1900:22:38Summary readyGrowing a business fast sounds great until the bills start stacking up. What matters is what you do once you realize something's off. In this episode, I sit down with Dan Wanders from Raymar Landscapes to talk about what happens when growth gets ahead of cash, systems, and planning. Dan shares how pushing too fast led to some tough seasons, and how slowing things down, tightening up his process, and paying closer attention to the numbers helped him get back on solid ground. We get into efficiency, equipment decisions, job costing, and the mindset shift that comes with growing at a pace the business can actually handle. It's an honest conversation about learning the hard way and coming out better on the other side. Give Dan a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raymarlandscapes/ If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #businessgrowth #hardlessons #contractor #knowyournumbers #synkedup
SummaryEp 91. Working Hard Only Works for So Long | More 2025 Highlights
Jan 500:33:53Tap to summarizeThis episode brings together more honest moments from The Cost of Doing Business podcast, featuring contractors talking openly about pricing, job costing, and the limits of working harder to make a business work. These aren't theories or shortcuts. They're conversations about guessing at pricing, learning the difference between gross profit and real profit, and realizing how small mistakes compound when you don't truly know what your jobs are costing you. From mindset to systems, this is what it sounds like when contractors reflect on what actually moved their business forward. If you've ever felt busy, worn out, and still unsure why certain jobs didn't pan out the way you expected, these conversations will feel familiar. Featured: Matt Martin - @tussey.landscaping Randall Stolzfus - @m.r.landscapes Elliot Young - @emerald_meadows Nate Butler - @summitridgelandscape Kevin Robinson - @robinson_outdoorsllc Sean Hotaling - @nvslandscapes Wesley Trumpler - NVS Landscapes Jesse Weidner - @weidnerlandscape Logan Conklin - @conklin_landscape_solutions Clayton Canby - @mountainlakelandscaping Kalei Duke - @aloha__pavers Christopher Huser - @husers_outdoor_design_build Benjamin Zimmerman - Tussey Landscaping If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out: SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP #contractor #owneroperator #profit #businessgrowth #knowyournumbers
Transcribe →