Austin – Clarks Landscaping Service
Austin joins the Expert Circle Podcast to share how he built Clark’s Landscaping from a handful of lawns into a multi-service operation—while serving full-time in the Army National Guard. We talk about the discipline and adaptability he learned in the military, how he used that stability to “bet on himself,” and what it’s like scaling a seasonal business with real people depending on it.
Key Topics We Cover
- Origins — Austin’s early path: football, factory work, and the decision to join the Idaho National Guard.
- Momentum — How a full-time Guard role created stability to grow Clark’s Landscaping on the side.
- Scaling — Why Austin shifted from “doing everything himself” to building a team (family-first and dependable crew).
- Seasonality — The reality of winter slowdowns and how diversification keeps the business moving year-round.
- Expansion — Christmas lights and snow removal as strategic add-ons to reduce slow months.
- Leadership — Military systems, contingency planning, and after-action reviews applied to everyday operations.
- Systems — Reducing single points of failure, refining workflows, and building repeatable processes.
- Service Mix — From yard maintenance to tree work, excavation, installs, property cleanouts, and more.
- Growth Levers — Recurring maintenance routes, upsells, and training the team to spot opportunities.
- Marketing — Moving from word-of-mouth to scalable lead flow using SEO, location/service pages, and GBP posting.
- Hiring — The challenge of finding trustworthy, high-quality help around expensive equipment.
- Future — Staying adaptable, keeping multiple income “pots,” and building a business that can run without him.
Memorable Moments
Football kicks things off with Austin repping the 49ers while the host claims the Rams—friendly rivalry included.
Mindset — “Your plan never survives first contact” becomes a theme for handling customer issues, weather shifts, and crew changes.
Team — Austin shares how family members became the core of the company, including Alex as the key operator keeping routes moving.
Results — The conversation highlights the shift from “nowhere on Google” to showing up near the top for multiple services.
Clark’s Landscaping Services Mentioned
- Recurring Yard Maintenance (weekly/bi-weekly routes)
- Tree Trimming & Removal
- Landscape Installs (gravel, grass, irrigation, basic hardscape)
- Excavation (skid steer work, new excavator capabilities)
- Property Cleanouts and Junk Removal
- Seasonal Add-ons: Christmas Light Installation & Takedowns, Snow Removal
Lessons for Other Business Owners
Recurring revenue creates stability—maintenance routes keep the baseline strong and make upsells easier.
Systems beat hustle — once the phones, scheduling, and workflows are structured, the owner can move into a leadership role.
Communicate early — Austin encourages customers to tell their landscaper needs ahead of time, not at the end of the season.
Closing Notes
Gratitude — Austin shares appreciation for the partnership and the freedom that better systems created for his business and family life. The episode wraps with future growth ideas—seasonal campaigns, routes, upsells, and expanding marketing channels to stay ahead of each season.
Episode 5: Austin – Clarks Landscaping
Austin joins the Expert Circle Podcast to share how he built Clark’s Landscaping from mowing a handful of lawns into a multi-service operation—while serving full-time in the Army National Guard. We talk about the discipline and adaptability he learned in the military, how that stability gave him the confidence to “bet on himself,” and what it looks like to scale a seasonal business without becoming the single point of failure. From recurring yard maintenance and upsells to snow removal and Christmas lights, Austin breaks down the systems, leadership mindset, and real-world lessons that helped him keep his crew working year-round and keep the business growing.