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Aug 2026

Posted at 11:13h in Blog, Money, Quoting + Tracking

You quoted 550 labour hours for a project. It ended up taking at least 100 labour hours more than quoted. You've probably experienced this several times before. You finish the job, know it dragged on longer than expected, and realise you've lost money. So, let’s look at what tasks are being overlooked and how you could start including them in your quotes, so you don’t throw money away. Where the hours actually go but don’t get quoted When landscapers start tracking properly, the blowouts show up in the same

Aug 2026

Posted at 08:12h in Blog, Entrepeneurship

Do you truly understand the value you bring to every project, every client, and every property you work on? If you did, you would never question the price on your quote. Yes, your pricing is calculated using labour, materials, equipment, and overheads. But those numbers only tell part of the story. Your greatest value isn't what you install, it's what you know. As a professional landscape contractor, you don't simply lay pavers, install plants, or build retaining walls. You create functional, sustainable outdoor spaces that increase property value, reduce

Jul 2026

Posted at 02:27h in Blog, Money, Quoting + Tracking

We have all experienced a situation like this often regularly. A client is disputing an invoice and hasn't paid. BAS is due. Wages need to be paid on Thursday. Supplier accounts are overdue. Vehicle and equipment repayments are coming out this week and next. Suddenly you're wondering how you'll get through the month without dipping into your overdraft or personal savings. A lot of business owners assume that if sales are coming in, everything will eventually sort itself out. Unfortunately, cash flow doesn't work that way. Cash

Jun 2026

Posted at 07:27h in Blog, Entrepeneurship, Money, Quoting + Tracking

Rising fuel costs: it's time to pass them on If you've been absorbing the hit in petrol prices and hoping prices will return to pre-conflict levels, it's time for an honest conversation. The conflict in the Middle East has sent fuel prices surging. Diesel has jumped from around $1.60 to $3.40 per litre and now seems to have settled at around $2.50 per litre in May. That's a near 60% increase for a commodity that every contractor relies on quite heavily. Prices are unlikely

May 2026

Posted at 07:58h in Blog, Entrepeneurship, Leadership

Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you’re not as capable, qualified, or deserving as others think you are even when there’s clear evidence that you are. It’s that internal voice that says: “I don’t really know what I’m doing… I’ve just been lucky.” And there is often an internal story that says - “I’m not good enough to be running this business”. Imposter syndrome doesn’t always look dramatic or obvious. For a landscaper or horticulturist who has built a small team and is starting to grow, it often

Apr 2026

Posted at 08:05h in Blog, Entrepeneurship

Phil Antcliff and Jack Hayes have operated Fifth Season Landscapes, a premium, successful, multi-award-winning Design/Construction, Pool and Maintenance Business in the North Shore of Sydney for the past 16 years. In this interview, my clients and I had the opportunity to ask Phil and Jack questions about their business. A condensed version of our 80-minute Zoom meeting is summarised below. The First 5 Years of Business Q: How did your partnership begin? A (Phil/Jack): We came from similar backgrounds. Sporty, outdoors and a strong work ethic and ran small

Mar 2026

Posted at 19:32h in Blog, Entrepeneurship

Running a landscaping business is not easy. The early mornings, the physical work, the constant problem-solving, the pressure of keeping jobs profitable, keeping staff happy and wanting to stay, and clients satisfied - all of this can wear anyone down. If you’re feeling stretched, tired, or frustrated at times, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong, it means you’re in the thick of running a real business. Every business owner goes through some or all of these challenges from month to month. And yet, despite how

Feb 2026

Posted at 10:40h in Blog, Entrepeneurship, Uncategorized

Right now is a great time to review how your business performed in 2025. A simple, honest review will help you identify what’s working, what’s not, and where to focus your energy in 2026.   Part 1 – Quick Rating Exercise Start by rating the major areas of your business out of 10. Be honest: this isn’t about judgement, it’s about clarity. Think about how each area actually performed, rather than how you wanted it to perform.   Example: Time Management If you plan the following week every Friday, create your personal

Nov 2025

Posted at 09:44h in Blog, Marketing

In October, I invited my friend and business ally, Ineke Clark, to speak with my clients in an 80-minute Zoom session about how to market our businesses more effectively. Ineke is the owner of Ambition Social, a social media and brand strategy company based in Adelaide that provides mentoring and consulting to business owners around Australia. Here are some of the highlights from our chat.   Question: How can someone create a strategy for their business? Answer: It starts with defining their goals for their business. Whether that’s attracting better

Oct 2025

Posted at 13:39h in Blog, Entrepeneurship, Leadership

Setbacks are an inevitable part of a business. A challenge can feel discouraging when it happens unexpectedly. However, the ability to recover, learn, and stay motivated during tough times often separates resilient business owners from those that struggle. Below, I explore some common examples of setbacks faced by landscaping businesses (such as financial losses or losing a valuable team member) and offer strategies to bounce back while keeping morale high.   Example 1: Losing Money After Finishing a Project One of the toughest situations for a landscaper is

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