Podcast Summary: The Home Service Expert Podcast

Episode: From Turf to Triumph: A Leader's Journey with Dillion Georgian

Host: Tommy Mello
Guest: Dillion Georgian (CEO, Turf Distributors and related turf industry ventures)
Release Date: January 5, 2026

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Tommy Mello sits down with Dillion Georgian, a trailblazer in artificial turf distribution and installation. Dillion shares the story of his rise from humble beginnings to leading multiple companies in the turf industry, delving into strategies for efficiency, scaling, leadership, and building valuable businesses from the ground up. The discussion moves from tactical company turnarounds to the deeper personal lessons learned from entrepreneurship, with engaging anecdotes, actionable advice, and hard-won wisdom for home service entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Dillion’s Background & Entry into Turf

• Started in turf at 18, initially picking up manufacturer scraps and selling on Craigslist in California.
• Bought out his partner, shifted from consumer retail to B2B contractor sales, then fully into distribution by 2018.
• “The contractor game is really where it’s at… 2018, really moved out of retail, sold those retail stores and got fully into distribution.” – Dillion (03:09)

2. CEO Transitions: Stepping Away and Coming Back

• Achieved early financial milestones and planned to step back for family, but found lack of challenge unsatisfying.
• Returned after 8 months when his successor left, bringing new perspective and made swift cuts to overhead.
• “I shaved my overhead about 40% in a 12 month period.” – Dillion (04:39)

Memorable Moment (14:53)

• “Three weeks until I was like, looking at, like, hey, what else can I go do? Like, I’m not a guy who could sit on the beach or sit at a bar. Like, I gotta go do stuff.” – Dillion

3. Efficiency, Lean Teams, and Bonusing

• Deep dive into labor efficiency—reviewed P&L, gave leaders budget responsibility, cut non-essential costs.
• All key leaders have P&L accountability and performance bonuses tied to EBITDA.
• “Efficiency is… your back’s against the wall… Anything under [our net margin] is like losing money.” – Dillion (05:13, 07:01) * Discussed the power of incentivizing A-players over spreading resources on B-players. (06:22)

4. Ownership & Equity Incentives

• All key people have equity stakes (not phantom stock), with payouts only if the company sells or there’s a majority change.
• Discussion on balancing real equity, phantom equity, and driving owner-like responsibility.
• “The goal of an entrepreneur… is you want… your team to carry that and drive it forward…” – Dillion (08:30)

5. Exit Strategies & Multiples

• Always prepares company for potential sale—financials always “good to sell.”
• Multiples in distribution are around 7x, aiming to maximize this through strategic structure.
• Tommy’s advice: Work with M&A bankers to optimize value drivers before selling. (12:11–12:54)

6. Building, Testing, and Launching New Ventures

• Serial entrepreneur: started other ventures during sabbatical (golf cart business, floor tiles, racing simulators).
• Looks for financial upside and industry gaps before entering; focus on direct-to-consumer, brand-building, and margin control.
• “Revenue before expense. No matter what startup… we could build a great plan… if there’s expense in there and that revenue’s not proven, it’s not happening.” – Dillion (19:37)

7. Inflection Points in Scaling

• Pivoted from retail to centralized distribution in 30 days; consolidated resources, eliminated will-call, improved delivery—which revolutionized profitability.
• Sold retail stores, focused on B2B, used competitors’ showrooms in a white-label partnership.
• “That changed the profit of my business immediately.” – Dillion (22:56)
• Memorable moment: 150 people applied to buy his stores after announcement. (22:56)

8. Comparing Business Models: Distribution vs. Installation

• Built Right, a service company, focuses on installations via big-box partnerships (Home Depot/Lowe’s).
• Favors service model over distribution: better cash flow, scalable labor, minimal equipment.
• Subcontracts work for efficiency—“hundreds of projects with two project managers… 14 sales reps.” (24:44)

9. Technology, Systems, and the Future of Home Services

• Emphasizes strong adoption of technology, AI, and systems.
• “It’s all about technology and systems these days and leveraging AI. Like you get a lot done.” – Dillion (26:54)

10. Value, Brand, and Pricing in a Competitive Market

• Stresses the importance of brand, quality, and service over racing-to-the-bottom pricing.
• “When you’re doing stuff at your home, you want to spend the appropriate amount of money to have the right company.” – Dillion (30:03)
• Advocates for giving clients options and adding value instead of just discounting. (33:20–43:20)

11. Leadership Philosophy & Direct Communication

• Leads with directness and care; transparent feedback rooted in genuine desire for team success.
• “I love you, and I’m going to tell you the truth because I want to see you succeed in life, whether that’s here… or anywhere else.” – Dillion (44:05, 45:59)
• Tommy adds: “I’m not calling you out. I’m calling you up.” (46:14)

12. Building Businesses to Sell and Personal Purpose

• New ventures have 5-year plans and are built to exit, non-emotional about exiting (move on when growth curve flattens).
• Personal driver: maximize memories with family, model the American Dream, and aim for a billion-dollar net worth—but ultimately about impact and legacy.
• “I want to be able to show the American dream is true…with the right mindset, the right hustle, be broke doing it, and grow from the bottom to the top.” – Dillion (51:00–52:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Leadership:
  “My job as a leader is to be able to develop my leaders and my people… If it’s just all fluff and you can’t get in that real conversation, I’m not going to be able to make headway.” – Dillion (00:00, 46:00)

• On Scaling Change:
  “We have P and L calls with each group every single…first Monday of every single month and just cut out everything we can.” – Dillion (05:06)

• On Not Quitting:
  “Don’t quit… You’ll get pushed to that edge… If you could not fall off and you could hold on…you’re just supposed to learn something…and you’re going to develop a skill.” – Dillion (33:51–34:36)

• On Revenue Before Expense:
  “Revenue before expense. Every time I got myself in a mistake, it’s because we built a plan, and the plan’s never been tested…” – Dillion (38:34)

• On Market Efficiency & Brand:
  “As companies find ways to get more efficient, they’re going to be able to work at less margin than you can… Someone's going to always undercut. That’s just the law of capitalism.” – Tommy (27:32)

• On Purpose & Legacy:
  “If we’re given a good gift and given opportunity, it’s our job to not only make that opportunity happen into a result, but then…help other people… That’s how we make the world better.” – Dillion (61:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:09 – Dillion’s entry into turf and business model pivots
• 04:39 – Cutting 40% overhead: how and why
• 07:01 – How bonusing and EBITDA targets drive leader performance
• 12:11 – Building the business to be always ready for sale & M&A banking strategies
• 19:37 – Revenue before expense: new venture discipline
• 22:56 – The centralization inflection point and retail store sell-off
• 26:54 – How tech and AI streamline home service ops
• 33:51 – Most underrated entrepreneur mindset: Don't quit
• 44:05 – Leadership style: Direct, transparent, and motivating with care
• 46:14 – “I’m not calling you out, I’m calling you up.”
• 51:36 – Personal driver: Net worth goals, legacy, and inspiring others
• 61:17 – Closing wisdom: Purpose, helping others, leaving a legacy

Additional Insights: Books & Resources

• Favorite Books:
  Ed Mylett – Max Out; Tim Grover – Relentless (59:02)
  “He puts life in perspective…and really teaches you how to mentally get through some stuff…” – Dillion (58:13)

Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in moving from the basics of home service operations to the strategic decisions driving massive growth. Dillion and Tommy emphasize the importance of:

• Being lean and efficient
• Building businesses that are always sell-ready
• Focusing on brand, quality, and value—not just price
• Leading transparently with genuine care
• Staying tied to personal purpose and resilience

Final Quote:
“…Really just understanding, like, the purpose that you have in life and what, what you’re here to do, right…and help other people…That’s how we make the world better.” – Dillion (61:17)

For more, follow Dillon Georgian on social media (@DillonGeorgian) and check out Tommy Mello’s book “Elevate”—recommended throughout the episode.