L&L Insider: Landscaping news from last month

Top Gun teachings

Former Blue Angel pilot turned motivational speaker John “Gucci” Foley served as the

keynote for Aspire’s Ignite 2025 event.

John “Gucci” Foley has made a life out of living in the danger zone. As a former Blue Angels pilot — Foley knows the importance of teamwork inside and out.

That’s why he led a keynote address at Aspire’s Ignite 2025 event in Anaheim, California.

With the Blue Angels, Foley explains that each year, new pilots were coming in to fly with the team, so getting everyone up to speed on the same page was essential. And not just for the crowds’ entertainment purposes but as a matter of life or death.

“About one third of my team was new every year,” he says. “We had to adapt to the change and still perform. Not only that, but we had to be physically and mentally at the top of our game every single day or someone’s life was on the line.”

The three principles of the Blue Angels that Foley taught attendees were — connect, align and commit. As for which one is the hardest to implement within your own team, he says it’s the latter.

“Commitment is a choice,” he says. “Nobody can force it on anybody.”

Despite new people constantly coming into the fold, Foley says the Blue Angels had sky-high goals when it came to performance. They were looking for 300% improvement after only 90 days.

One thing that helped him personally deal with these pressures was changing his mindset early on.

“The world is coming from you — it’s not coming at you,” he explains. “That’s the perception that needs to drive your behavior.”

Once all angels were on board with this way of thinking, Foley says there’s an easy four ways to get a team into their high-performance zone. Those are: beliefs, brief, trust and debrief.

Foley says teams should never settle and should always be pushing to achieve more through these four steps.

“There’s always a gap between where you are and where you want to go,” he says. “If there’s not, then you need to change your goals.”

Typically, Foley says leadership teams tend to fall into one of two categories — a culture of excellence or a culture of caring. But he says the best teams have both.

That’s why proper briefing and debriefing time is just as essential as the job itself.

For example, Foley says the Blue Angels debriefed for twice as long as their actual airtime every single day. That didn’t matter if it was practice, demonstration, show or other event.

Scheduling debrief time is critical, Foley says. And he warns attendees that these debriefs shouldn’t include any ego or blaming. It’s about getting people, at any level in the company, to acknowledge their mistakes, own them and vow to fix them.

According to Foley, there are five dynamics to a good debrief. They are:

1. Respect — Create a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable talking about mistakes.

2. Humility — Check your ego at the door. No one should feel superior to anyone else.

3. Honesty — Lay it all out on the table without fear of repercussions or judgement.

4. Accountability — Own any mistakes and take the necessary steps to fix them.

5. Gratitude — Do all this with joyful effort.

Step 5 is why Foley says the Blue Angels always use the phrase “glad to be here.” Because acknowledging that joy is so uniting.

“Don’t only debrief when things go wrong,” Foley says. “Do it every day. And make sure to celebrate your victories, too.”

LMN, SingleOps and Greenius form unified Granum brand

This brand launch follows the merger announced in November 2024, bringing together the three companies.

Granum has launched as the new parent brand uniting LMN, SingleOps and Greenius into one company.

This brand launch follows the merger announced in November 2024, bringing together SingleOps, LMN and Greenius. The products will continue as LMN by Granum, SingleOps by Granum and Greenius by Granum — delivering the same functionality and support, now under a single unified company brand.

“Landscapers and arborists are the backbone of communities across North America, and our job is to help them run better businesses and build better lives,” says Mark Sedgley, CEO of Granum. “With Granum, we're 100% committed to serving the green industry as their #1 software partner — bringing together the trusted power of LMN, SingleOps, and Greenius with hands-on partnership that makes a real difference on the ground.”

The companies that fall under the Granum brand:

LMN by Granum: The platform for full-service landscaping companies to estimate and budget, job cost and schedule effectively, and keep crews productive in every season.

SingleOps by Granum: The platform for tree care and arborist businesses to save time, stay organized and run smoothly from the first estimate to the final payment.

Greenius by Granum: The employee development and safety platform is built for landscaping and tree care businesses to onboard faster, reduce incidents and develop crews.

Emory Oak Partners launches Cerv Property Solutions

Cerv is the unification of six companies Emory Oak has been operating for over five years and will be led by Kade Thomas as founder and CEO.

Cerv Property Solutions, a new property services provider across the residential and commercial services sector, has announced its launch.

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Cerv is the flagship services brand of Emory Oak Partners and will be led by industry veteran Kade Thomas as founder and CEO.

It offers six core services to customers, including landscaping, pool care, janitorial, pest control, exterior (window washing, power washing and gutter cleaning) and waste services. Cerv is the unification of six companies Emory Oak has been operating for over five years. Cerv is pairing proprietary data with a digital app and actively exploring AI technology to reach new clients. The business is operational in 14 cities and nine states.

“The residential and commercial services sector has been the sole focus of my entire career," Thomas says. "I’m a true advocate for the industry, but I will be the first to admit that it has gaping areas for improvement.

“We’ve taken everything we love about the industry and combined it with a modern approach — and I couldn’t be prouder of the outcome,” Thomas adds. “Our mission is simple: redefine property care by raising the standard across the sector. This industry has needed a shakeup for years, and at Cerv, we’re here to deliver it.”

Rain Bird acquires Rachio

Rachio will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Rain Bird and will continue to be led by Chris Klein, CEO and co-founder.

Rain Bird Corporation has acquired Rachio, which creates connected irrigation technology.

Rachio will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Rain Bird and will continue to be led by Chris Klein, CEO and co-founder. Over the past 10 years, Rachio has built a following for its flagship cloud-connected smart irrigation controllers. The company has more recently introduced a smart hose-end timer and added new smart lighting control product. These products complement Rain Bird's established expertise in irrigation and water management solutions.

"By combining the resources and capabilities of Rain Bird and Rachio, we will accelerate innovation, expand our product portfolio and strengthen our ability to connect with customers in new and meaningful ways," says Michael L. Donoghue, Rain Bird president and CEO. "This partnership underscores Rain Bird's long-term commitment to ‘The Intelligent Use of Water’ and to driving sustainable practices across the irrigation industry."

"Rachio is excited to join the Rain Bird family," Klein says. "Together, we have a unique opportunity to deliver smarter, more sustainable water and lighting solutions while preserving the innovative culture that has defined our journey."

SavATree names Ryan Berk as CEO

Berk recently served as CEO and board member of Ignite Fitness Holdings, where he was responsible for one of the largest Planet Fitness franchisees.

Savatree has appointed Ryan Berk as CEO, effective immediately. Berk will also join the company's board of directors.

Berk brings over two decades of leadership experience in private equity-backed, multi-unit consumer service businesses across the health, wellness, fitness and retail sectors. Most recently, he served as CEO and board member of Ignite Fitness Holdings, where he was responsible for one of the largest Planet Fitness franchisees, operating over 134 locations across the U.S. and Canada and served as a board member of the Planet Fitness Independent Franchise Council.

He has also held senior executive roles with Ideal Image, Life Time Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness, as well as roles in Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets, Management Consulting at Capgemini, and store operations at The Home Depot, earlier in his career.

Bland Landscaping acquires CSS Landscaping in Jacksonville

CSS was founded in 1996 by Scott Soltau, who will join Bland as regional director to lead its North Florida region.

Bland Landscaping, which is backed by Comvest Private Equity, acquired CSS Landscaping in Jacksonville.

Bland, with 14 branch locations throughout the Southeast, ranks No. 44 on Lawn & Landscape’s Top 100 list. Its acquisition of CSS, a landscaping provider focused on HOA, multifamily and office customers in North Florida, extends Bland’s footprint.

CSS was founded in 1996 by Scott Soltau, who will join Bland as regional director to lead its North Florida region. CSS provides contractual maintenance, seasonal enhancements, irrigation, mulch and landscape installation services.

“We are excited to expand our presence in Florida by partnering with another founder-led team and highly regarded provider of landscaping services,” says CEO Kurt Bland. “Our shared commitment to quality and client satisfaction will drive growth in the Northeast Florida market and throughout the Southeast region.”

“This partnership creates significant opportunities for both teams,” Soltau says. “By combining our expertise and resources, we are well-positioned in the region to continue providing exceptional service for our customers.”

“CSS brings a strong track record that complements Bland’s strategic expansion in Florida,” says Matt Kunz, partner at Comvest Private Equity. “We look forward to supporting Bland’s continued focus on quality growth across the Southeast.”

LawnPro Partners acquires Sea of Green Lawn Care

Sea of Green has served the North Shore of Massachusetts and New Hampshire for over 30 years.

LawnPro Partners has acquired Massachusetts-based Sea of Green Lawn Care. Sea of Green has served the North Shore of Massachusetts and New Hampshire for over 30 years.

Since beginning operations in 1992, Sea of Green has operated as a family business providing lawn care services. Sea of Green offers lawn treatments (fertilization, aeration and seeding) and pest control (tick, mosquito and perimeter pest).

“I am proud of the 33 years I have spent growing Sea of Green,” says Owner Chris Mierswa. “I have dedicated my career to providing homeowners with customized programs tailored to their lawns’ needs. As I contemplated selling my business, it was important that I partner with a company that shares my passion for the industry.”

“Chris is a great ambassador of our industry,” says Bill Viveen, CEO of LawnPro Partners. “He has held a variety of roles for industry-leading organizations aimed at continuously supporting and enhancing the lawn care industry. We share Chris’s passion and are proud of his industry accomplishments and welcome him and his team to the LawnPro family.”

Heritage Landscape Supply Group acquires World Outdoor Emporium

Pat Sneed and Brett Jensen will continue to manage the WOE team of 100 employees.

Heritage Landscape Supply Group has acquired World Outdoor Emporium, a distributor of natural & manufactured stone, bulk materials, nursery and other outdoor living products.

Founded in 1986 with locations in Wentzville and St. Charles, Missouri, WOE is owned and operated by Pat Sneed and Brett Jensen and currently employs a team of roughly 100 people. Sneed and Jensen will continue to lead their team.

“We are thrilled to officially welcome Pat, Brett and the rest of their loyal employees to the Heritage family,” says Chris McMurrough, president of Heritage. “WOE represents our first two locations in St. Louis, which will immediately establish Heritage as a major hardscapes player in the market.

“We are so excited to officially be a part of the Heritage family. When we began to consider bringing on a partner, our hope was to find an organization that would give us the resources to catalyze growth while allowing us to retain the entrepreneurial spirit that has contributed so much to our success,” Sneed and Jensen said in a joint statement.