On this Weekly Update on Trades Talk, Justin White breaks down how K&D is planning for 2026, and why he believes AI agents will soon change everything about how landscaping companies sell, fulfill, and scale.

He shares insights from a two-day strategy session, his investment lens on early-stage AI companies, and answers hot-seat questions on revenue growth and hiring from Brian Fullerton’s peer group. It’s tactical, future-focused, and packed with real lessons from the front lines of building a billion-dollar business.

• How AI agents will reshape sales and proposals in the trades

• The four-part strategic planning framework K&D is using for 2026

• A three-part system for scaling revenue beyond the owner

• Why structured hiring beats gut instinct every time

• Why now is the perfect time to lean into AI, even if it’s still early

If you're serious about growth, tech adoption, or building a team that lasts, this one’s a blueprint. Attending SYNKD Live in New Orleans? Come to our Disruptor Social!

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White sits down with Jeremy Talboy, founder of North Georgia Landscape Management, to talk growth, leadership, and the systems behind a $20 million leap. Jeremy shares how authenticity, clear strategy, and a people-first culture have helped shape one of the Southeast’s standout landscape companies.

From doubling revenue with smarter systems to avoiding the pitfalls of private equity, Jeremy unpacks the practical moves and mindset shifts that made a big impact.

In this episode, Jeremy shares:

• Why switching from EOS to Lean Scaper better aligned with his team and goals

• How dedicated pruning crews helped fix a common HOA complaint and protect reputation

• Why investing in Greenius and Jobber streamlined training, ops, and customer experience

• The power of authenticity and showing up, on social and in person, to build influence and trust

If you're scaling fast or just trying to stay grounded while growing, this episode brings a real-world look at what works, what breaks, and how to stay ahead.

On this weekly update on TradesTalk, Justin White reflects on a high-stakes win and the mindset spiral that followed.

After attending the first-ever FutureScapes USA event in Los Angeles, K&D took home the Residential Project Over $500K award and earning a spot at the global finals in Saudi Arabia. But with growth came self-doubt. Justin opens up about hitting a wall of imposter syndrome just days after the celebration.

This episode is a deep dive into the real emotional journey of leading a company aiming to scale fast and what it takes to steady yourself in the middle of the ride.

• Major win at FutureScapes and what it means for K&D’s global stage

• Why imposter syndrome shows up even when things are going well

• Leadership feedback as a sign of a healthy culture, not failure

• Mindset shifts to overcome doubt and show up stronger

• Tools that work: cold plunges, meditation, and reflection through TradesTalk

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re the right person to lead your business to the next level; this one’s for you.

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White sits down with Greyson Walldorff, Founder of Lawn Capital, Blake Meahl, CFO and Maintenance Operations lead at Garden View Landscape, and Todd Zimmerman and Meg Butterley from Kress. Together, they break down the electric and robotics revolution in landscaping; not as a future trend, but as a current shift that’s already changing how top operators work.

They share firsthand insights from adopting electric fleets, deploying autonomous mowers, navigating turf legislation, and dealing with team pushback. Whether you’re in a regulated state or not, the message is clear: those who adapt early will own the next chapter of this industry.

• Grayson shares how Lawn Capital went 90% electric across urban Atlanta, including trucks, handhelds, and mowers

• Blake explains how California’s turf legislation and noise regulations are forcing operators to rethink equipment investment and operational models

• Todd introduces the Voyager: Kress’s fully autonomous ZTR designed for weekly route work, with cost savings and crew efficiency in mind

• Meg discusses the shift from theory to execution and how Kress is partnering with progressive companies to modernize their fleets

• Justin challenges owners to pick a lane: become the Netflix of your market or risk becoming Blockbuster

This episode is a crash course in how forward-thinking companies are using electrification and automation to cut costs, retain talent, and win bids. All while staying ahead of regulation and market pressure.

This week Justin breaks down one of the most important tools in the landscape industry: the annual Benchmark Report from Greg Herring and The Herring Group. Hundreds of companies contribute real financial data each year and the results show where the industry is winning, where it is tightening, and what top performers do differently. Justin unpacks the shift from the old twelve percent net profit target to today’s new normal of ten percent. He explains why inflation and market dynamics pushed this change and why profit alone does not always tell the real story of customer experience or long term health. He also shares real examples from K and D’s own journey and why fast growing companies need a clear view of investment versus expense when analyzing profit. In this episode you will hear clear targets for 2026 planning including gross profit, overhead labor, total overhead, operational expense, marketing investment and AR days. Justin explains how to interpret each benchmark and how to use them to strengthen your budget and strategy. You will also hear why construction heavy companies struggled this year, why recurring revenue continues to rise in value and why construction might actually be the hidden opportunity for the next cycle. This is a deep dive for owners, leaders and anyone who wants to understand the numbers behind a healthy landscape company. You will walk away with clearer profit targets, a stronger sense of how to interpret your financials and a better framework for building your 2026 plan. Takeaways • Ten percent net profit has become the industry’s new standard • Benchmark targets help leaders understand performance more clearly • Growth investments can temporarily pull net profit down • AR discipline is one of the most underrated profitability levers • Construction may be a major opportunity while the rest of the industry focuses on recurring revenue If you want a deeper dive, check out Landscape Intelligence inside the Disruptors community. It now includes the full 2025 Benchmark Report so you can benchmark your company instantly.

This week on Trades Talk, Justin White sits down with Ken Thomas of Envisor Consulting to unpack decades of lessons from growing, selling, and advising landscape companies. From the early days of M&A rollups to building the Green Dot Operating System, Ken shares how contractors can scale with clarity, lead with purpose, and build companies that last.

In this episode, Ken shares:

• His path from biology student to founding, scaling, and selling multiple landscape companies

• What he learned during the first major industry rollup and how it compares to today’s PE activity

• How Envisor Consulting built the Green Dot framework used by hundreds of contractors

• The key inflection points and role specializations that come with scaling past $10M and $15M

• Why super crew leaders and pay-for-performance models are shaping the future workforce

• How to align leadership, vision, and culture to drive long-term business success

Whether you’re building your first crew or refining systems at scale, this episode is packed with insights for building a strong culture, growing with clarity, and leading with intention.

This week marks number twenty six of the journey from twenty million to one billion, and the theme is simple. Let go so you can grow.

Justin shares why the past year forced a reset, how K and D navigated one point two to one point five million in lost profitability, and what it looked like to rebuild the leadership team from the inside out. You will hear the story behind new leaders joining the table, how culture was protected through major shifts, and why stepping back is now the most important move for long term scale.

Inside the episode • The biggest lesson of the week: you cannot chase perfection • Why embracing your team’s mistakes accelerates growth • How restructuring created space for real leadership to emerge • Introducing new leaders Brian Gates and Andy Howley and the impact they are already making • The full breakdown of the new eight person K and D leadership team • Why CEOs get stuck acting like COOs and how that stalls growth • The concept of taking back the CEO role and giving the keys back to the team • A powerful quote from Justin’s early days in construction and how it still guides him • The model behind sustainable happiness and why you get out what you put in • A challenge for you as we close the year: define what you desire in twenty twenty six

Justin closes with a message about self trust, living the life you actually want, and going all in on yourself and the people around you.

New week. New clarity. New momentum.

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Nick Bartolo of Essential Partners for a deep dive into wealth building, exit planning, and tax strategy for trades business owners. From Wall Street to the trades, Nick brings a rare combination of CPA expertise, institutional investment experience, and a passion for helping entrepreneurs protect and grow what they’ve built.

In this episode, Nick shares:

• How he went from global investing to advising trades entrepreneurs

• Why most owners misunderstand the “magic number” when selling a business

• How to calculate what really matters: after-tax, reinvested, and sustainable wealth

• The truth about equity rollovers, private equity structures, and risk exposure

• What buyers actually look for—and what they overlook

• Why building a valuable company starts long before you're ready to sell

• How to think like an investor while staying true to your business

• The difference between concentration and diversification at each stage of growth

Whether you're years away from a sale or just getting started on your path to wealth, this episode unpacks the financial playbook every trades leader should know