The Harvesters, Bill Arman and Ed Laflamme, wrapped up a year-long process with the Turnaround Tour winners, including Wade’s Lawn Service. They are ready to report back final numbers. The process started with two-day visits from the Harvesters in November and December of 2016, when an initial analysis was done. That was followed by monthly reviews and accountability meetings to keep the owners focused and encouraged. Here is a look at where Wade’s Lawn Service is now:
Marketing and sales: The Wades attend a Business Referral Networking (BRN) group every Thursday morning, serve on the board of directors for the local chamber of commerce and belong to three total chamber groups. In addition, they attend local events like ribbon cuttings and make it a point to visit new businesses in the area to introduce themselves. The company also recently bought pressure washing equipment and will expand into that line of work to increase sales.
People: The Wades increased most hourly pay by $2-$4 per hour, which helped them attract and retain employees.
Safety: While their safety record was overall very good, there was no program in place. The company looks at safety videos regularly and discusses safety practices in morning team meetings, which are constant reminders. They also ask team members to sign a form indicating that they understood the safety presentation. They purchased first aid kits for all trucks and purchased a mannequin (that they named Fred), which is in their shop with his safety gear on. He is a constant visual reminder of how to dress for safety.
Quality of work: The quality of work was inconsistent and needed some focused attention. Ira spent some of his time inspecting jobs, and the company will continue to work on a more structured program.
Facts and figures
Management team: Ira and Deborah Wade, owners; Darris Wade, operations manager; D’Anna Wade, business manager; Irika Skeete, marketing manager
Location: Goodlettsville, Tennessee
2016
Revenue: $334,412
Services: Maintenance and landscaping
Customer mix: 40% residential; 40% commercial; 20% HOA
Employees: 1 full-time, 8 part-time
Gross profit margin: 54%
2017
Revenue: $415,000
Services: Maintenance and landscaping
Customer mix: 80% commercial, 20% residential
Employees: 6 full-time, 2 part-time
Gross profit margin: 49%
Overall results: Sales were up, and GPM went down, but NPM increased by 43% over the previous year.
2020 goal: $1 million in revenue with 50% GPM