In this episode of the Digital Toolbox Podcast, host Enmanuel Tejada interviews Rob Crayton, owner of Crate & Scape's Landscaping. They discuss Rob's journey in the landscaping industry, his decision to start his own business, and the services he offers. Rob shares his strategies for acquiring new customers, including word-of-mouth referrals and targeting management companies for commercial contracts. He also talks about how he generates income during the winter months through snow removal and maintaining contracts with management companies. Rob emphasizes the importance of being hands-on and building relationships with clients. Rob Crayton shares his insights on landscaping and running a successful business. He emphasizes the importance of presentation, professionalism, and hard work. Rob discusses his strategy for managing work during different seasons, including focusing on landscape design and clean-up during the winter months. He also shares the key sacrifices he made to build his business, such as selling personal assets and dropping out of school. Rob provides tips for new landscapers, including starting slow, working on finances, and making decisions based on current needs rather than future expectations. He encourages aspiring landscapers to focus on the journey and to seek advice and support from experienced professionals.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Background
03:11
Starting Your Own Path in the Landscaping Industry
07:53
Services Offered by Crate & Scape's Landscaping
23:03
Generating Income in the Winter Months
26:53
Getting Creative and Being Hands-On
28:18
The Importance of Presentation and Professionalism
43:15
Strategies for Managing Work During Different Seasons
49:37
The Sacrifices and Challenges of Building a Business
54:35
Tips for New Landscapers: Starting Slow and Making Smart Decisions
59:42
The Journey of Building a Successful Landscaping Business
Keywords
landscaping, business, commercial contracts, management companies, snow removal, winter income, landscaping, business, presentation, professionalism, hard work, seasons, strategy, sacrifices, tips, journey, advice
In this episode of the Digital Toolbox Podcast, host Enmanuel Tejada interviews Rob Crayton, owner of Crate & Scape's Landscaping. They discuss Rob's journey in the landscaping industry, his decision to start his own business, and the services he offers. Rob shares his strategies for acquiring new customers, including word-of-mouth referrals and targeting management companies for commercial contracts. He also talks about how he generates income during the winter months through snow removal and maintaining contracts with management companies. Rob emphasizes the importance of being hands-on and building relationships with clients. Rob Crayton shares his insights on landscaping and running a successful business. He emphasizes the importance of presentation, professionalism, and hard work. Rob discusses his strategy for managing work during different seasons, including focusing on landscape design and clean-up during the winter months. He also shares the key sacrifices he made to build his business, such as selling personal assets and dropping out of school. Rob provides tips for new landscapers, including starting slow, working on finances, and making decisions based on current needs rather than future expectations. He encourages aspiring landscapers to focus on the journey and to seek advice and support from experienced professionals.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Background
03:11
Starting Your Own Path in the Landscaping Industry
07:53
Services Offered by Crate & Scape's Landscaping
23:03
Generating Income in the Winter Months
26:53
Getting Creative and Being Hands-On
28:18
The Importance of Presentation and Professionalism
43:15
Strategies for Managing Work During Different Seasons
49:37
The Sacrifices and Challenges of Building a Business
54:35
Tips for New Landscapers: Starting Slow and Making Smart Decisions
59:42
The Journey of Building a Successful Landscaping Business
Keywords
landscaping, business, commercial contracts, management companies, snow removal, winter income, landscaping, business, presentation, professionalism, hard work, seasons, strategy, sacrifices, tips, journey, advice
Enmanuel Tejada (00:02.253)
So now we're recording them into the intro and then we're gonna get a poppin out
Rob Crayton (00:03.087)
Okay.
Enmanuel Tejada (00:07.921)
Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Digital Toolbox Podcast. I am your host, Enmanuel Tejada I own a digital marketing agency called Landscape Maverick, and this is a podcast where we bring on guests that are in the lawn care, landscape, hardscape industry, and we have them give us some advice, tell their stories, and it's going to be an awesome episode today. I have a guest for you guys. We have Rob Creighton, Oprah in Ohio. Rob, man, go ahead and introduce yourself.
Rob Crayton (00:32.91)
How you doing? My name is Rob. I own Crate and owner of Crate Skates Long Care. I'm on Cleveland, Ohio, Northeast Ohio, yeah. That's it. Cleveland, yo.
Enmanuel Tejada (00:43.661)
Nerf is so high bro, damn man let's go. I'm excited for this one man. So Rob tell us man, so before you even got into landscaping bro, what were you doing? Who was Rob Crane at the time?
Rob Crayton (00:51.438)
But I, this, I mean, the game tells me.
Enmanuel Tejada (00:55.725)
Hey.
Rob Crayton (00:57.325)
My old man, so I grew up in the industry. So my dad, quick small backstory. So my dad had a company, he retired. But I started out cutting grass like in like in 94. So I'm talking my age a little bit. I was like five, six, Aaron's line more pushing. And that's how I got going. He ended up, we ended up, his name and his business was crake landscaping.
Enmanuel Tejada (01:15.661)
world.
Rob Crayton (01:25.868)
we ended up having, we did all the right A's in the state of Ohio. He had 88, like out the humble. So we had 88 in Ohio and we had 40 in PA. We had self contracting. So that's kinda how like I got into understanding about like running crews, managing, talking to clients, all through that. Cause I worked there my whole entire life. And then as I got older, I was like, you know what, I'm gonna start my own business. And then I just, I just.
You know, left my father's business and did it on my own. You know, I'm a trailblazer. I like to do it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (02:00.397)
Travel boys, hey man, it's your own path, yeah. And let me ask you Rob, so I mean, what was it that you, cause you had a clear path, right, with your dad's company, so what made you, what made you kind of want to go with your own path?
Rob Crayton (02:08.491)
Yeah, yeah, I did. Yeah, I did.
I think that the more that I got into, once I really buckled down into the industry and realized like, okay, like I'm looking at the other companies and just what could, where I wanted to see the business go, my old man was like, nah, we cool right here. And we kind of butted heads, but it was like more or less one of those things where it was like, all right, listen, just start your own. You know what I mean? Like.
Enmanuel Tejada (02:41.165)
God, yeah.
Rob Crayton (02:41.803)
And it was more, and it really ain't no beef. It was the best thing for me because what it did was it made me under, I had all the tools. I've learned how to run our equipment, trimming bushes and strapping yards and plowing and learning how to work on equipment and going through the ups and downs. So we grew up with used trucks, raggedy trucks, trucks breaking, like reverses going on in the winter time. So when these things happened with me, it was like, okay, like I know what to do. So.
You know, kudos to my old man because he gave me all the tools that I needed to run my own business. Where I'm at right now. I have no, you know, we still good. We ain't got no beef. Like, it's no, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I still call him for advice sometimes. You know, he laughs about, I remember when I was at that stage in my life, in my business, like when I was, yeah, so it's all good.
Enmanuel Tejada (03:24.717)
for sure, yeah, it was just you saw your own vision.
Enmanuel Tejada (03:32.461)
Ha ha ha.
Enmanuel Tejada (03:36.653)
That's awesome, man. And what were some of those things that he wasn't doing or that he didn't want to do, but that you did want to start doing?
Rob Crayton (03:45.449)
I think that some of the things that he didn't want to do was like, I wanted to expand more to like different, a different client base. I think more or less it was like, all right, dad, it's my turn. And he was like, no, this is still my baby. You know what I mean? Like he grew this. And I think that, you know, it could have been trucks like, we need to get a March blower.
Enmanuel Tejada (04:05.133)
Hmm.
Rob Crayton (04:11.497)
We need to, you know, cause then we can save money doing this. He's like, nah, that's too much money or, hey, we need to go get like, leaf vats, you know, that, you know, for the, you know, instead of we putting the things on Tarps and I mean leaves on Tarps and moving in a certain place. It was like, yo, I'm tired of working this hard. Like you got all this new equipment, this new technology. Why are we not using this stuff? Why are you not buying this stuff? So I learned how to.
Enmanuel Tejada (04:34.189)
Mmm.
Rob Crayton (04:38.056)
Labor in the working hard. I've learned it with my old man as I got older. I'm like, hey listen We got to try some things different. So then it was like, okay, even when it came to like plows we were running Myers forever I'm the one introducing them like we need to run balls while we're running balls plops like me run V plays It's easier faster. no, I don't know. I don't know it took him forever It was like until like my one out of business We had to start looking and we ended up getting you know, like boss plows boss plows, which is a great plow it I
I like them. I like Western too, but like both laws of great plow for us So, you know, it was a lot of things like this just those things where it's like yo like trust me on this I'm wish you on this those like it just came to a point where it was like Let me just get out here and get on my own You know and I bought my own like no hell about my own trucks my own equipment like I don't know about no money saves like I sold cars like toys I had like just like stuff that I had like
Enmanuel Tejada (05:12.045)
Thank you for watching.
Enmanuel Tejada (05:24.749)
and
Rob Crayton (05:36.615)
I always had a truck, but I had like, you know, I had a fast car, so that just to get out here and get it, I sacrificed. Yeah. Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (05:44.813)
sure man and I resonate with that too Rob like as far as wanting to set your own path because I moved out so right now I'm 24 I moved out when I was 22 and there was no reason for me to write nobody was kicking me out but I knew that if I wanted to be the man that I envisioned in my head that was a part of it it was me going out me versus the world me facing the world and not backing down not having somebody behind me that's like not having somebody you know trying to baby me or stuff like that like no like go out there yeah yeah yeah and sometimes it's like that in life man so I
Rob Crayton (05:51.495)
Okay.
Rob Crayton (06:00.295)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (06:10.15)
That builds character.
Rob Crayton (06:14.278)
Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (06:14.605)
it's what kind of similar in that aspect right there for sure.
Rob Crayton (06:16.802)
Yeah. Yeah, it definitely builds character and then it's just like, you know, there's gonna be just certain things that you're not gonna understand about yourself about improvising and trying to figure these things out, having critical thinking about if it's gonna be the right move without no help or like if you, you know, just certain things you're not gonna, nobody can just tell you you have to go through it. You know what I mean? Even if you fail the first and second time, like you're gonna get better like the third. So.
Enmanuel Tejada (06:30.573)
Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (06:41.549)
You have to go through it, exactly.
Rob Crayton (06:46.693)
And those are things that like nobody can tell you that a lot of that you have to go through. Especially if you run into business like especially like you have to take some serious ails to for you to understand how it's played. That's how that's how what I believe at least. Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (07:04.685)
No, no, I'm right with you, bro. I'm right with you. And funny enough, without that, it's funny because a lot of people try to avoid those L's or sidestep them as much as they can. But I'm like, I think we're similar in this too. Like we look at it the other way around. Like I'm looking for the failure so I can make it happen, learn what the fuck I need to learn and then do it right.
Rob Crayton (07:20.709)
Yeah!
Yeah, not necessarily looking for it, but like when you're going through something, I wouldn't say like looking for it, but you know, like expecting it. Like, you know, like it's not going, it's not, this is like, it's business, you know, you can do all the analytics you want to and having everything set out, but still once it's time to put the rubber on the road, it doesn't mean that it's going to work according to the plan, you know, so, but when you, when you get through those hard times, you still gotta,
Enmanuel Tejada (07:30.669)
Expecting it expecting it. That's the word. Yeah
Rob Crayton (07:53.251)
Alright, look, we're gonna get past it, it happened, you know. Just like what we were talking about before, like if somebody's truck's breaking down in the middle of the wintertime, and then you don't have no idea even how to just get it back on the road and finish the night, like those are things like, those things matter. Like, okay, how do I prevent this or what can I do in the meantime? Like if your truck overheating or like I'm saying, a brake line blow, like can you figure it out?
to get through the last few hours to daylight so you can get it to a shop or to fix it. Or do you have a backup plan if you only have one truck? You know, things like that. Like even, you know, it's a lot of little stuff like that. But yeah. Okay.
Enmanuel Tejada (08:30.989)
Enmanuel Tejada (08:35.149)
For sure, man. And let's start pivoting into that actually, because you actually dropped a lot of game in those five couple minutes that we started before we started recording, man. So I want to re -go over that for the guys on the podcast here. Yeah, man. So let's get into it. So first things first, what services do you offer at Crate & Scape's Landscaping?
Rob Crayton (08:41.795)
Yeah, we'll do it. Okay. All right. Yeah.
Rob Crayton (08:53.538)
So right now we do landscape design, weekly maintenance. And then I'm just hopping into this fertilizer game. So I just bought my first fertilizer machine. So that's the next, I'm pivoting into that as well, trying to get into more of the fertilizer game. I just think it's a big benefit nowadays. Because fertilizer, well, I just bought it, yeah. So the thing that's coming up, getting into,
Enmanuel Tejada (09:15.309)
God, so those are things you wanna do, but then what are some of the things that you guys have been doing in the past?
Rob Crayton (09:23.649)
Well, I just bought the machine so I couldn't not necessarily I want but like I like I well, yeah for that Yeah, but like landscape maintenance no plowing ice control Landscape design stuff like that not too much hard stage yet But that's something I want to get into in the irrigation irrigation be good for you, too. And I gotta Yeah
Enmanuel Tejada (09:41.581)
Yes, sir. Yeah, yeah, man. So you got to, you got the good progression going there, right? Because of course, hardscape is probably going to be probably more profitable. But it does require a lot more expertise, right? Than, than, than landscaping and long maintenance. So I'm glad you're going to, you're going to be experiencing down the line too. And so let's, let's talk about this then. So when it comes to routes that you have, how do you, how do you bring in new customers into, into your business?
Rob Crayton (09:46.465)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (09:50.528)
with it.
Rob Crayton (09:55.297)
Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Crayton (10:04.384)
Okay.
Rob Crayton (10:08.256)
So a lot of my customers come from word of mouth Instagram so social media social media word of mouth and That's pretty much it. I did a lot of back work on how a lot of my commercial work came from Hopping in the management company. So look at Google and management companies in The top 25 management companies in the United States and then I just sign up for all of them that
Enmanuel Tejada (10:36.173)
Haha.
Rob Crayton (10:37.504)
Really helped because in it that really that helped to or just reach out to the companies Trying to figure out like you Hey, I'm in Cleveland. You got any work Let me know or just in the emails to those management companies and stuff like that that helped out helped a lot as I got more in a commercial game for sure and then Yeah
Enmanuel Tejada (10:55.149)
Wow, that's interesting take right there. So you were kind of doing cold outreach with management companies, right? Cold email, cold phone calls.
Rob Crayton (11:00.191)
Yeah, yeah, like a lot of the bigger management companies you can sign up as vendors and so I would sign up and then I would end up calling them and just and then hey I'm in Cleveland area I do a 25 mile radius if you got anything in the area let me know so I want a few came into a you know one or two and then they like your work and then you end up getting more for snow plowing and it's just a big cycle.
Enmanuel Tejada (11:26.029)
Wow, that's dope, man. So how else? Cause okay, so you got a lot of people from word of mouth, but how did you originally bring on the people that gave you the recommendation? Where you, are you into like cold, door knocking or door hangers or do you have.
Rob Crayton (11:26.655)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (11:37.918)
I was cutting grass. Nah, just, it was, a lot of it was friends and family in the beginning. Like most companies, you know, friends and family, you know, reaching out, hey, like I know you cutting grass. So after I left my father's, my dad's company started my own. I had one machine, a little raggedy ass trailer, and I was just riding around just trying to hit, you know, I had like seven, and then seven turned into like, you know, 25 and.
Enmanuel Tejada (12:07.437)
Hahaha.
Rob Crayton (12:07.581)
That's how I kind of started, like, you know, and I was just hustling, just hustling, man, just really hustling. But I had to figure out a plan because I did want to get out the hustle and bustle of just trying to get customers. So a lot of times, especially here in Cleveland, it's just like everybody, everybody's cutting grass. Like it's a million landscaper. So I had to figure out what's really setting me apart. Like, yeah, I like driving the older trucks, but all right, let me make sure my trucks are clean. Let me make sure that.
I ain't got no rest spots and stuff like that. And my truck exhaust is not loud pulling up. And you know, we got t -shirts and stuff like that. Like things that I kind of already knew, but like, all right, if I'm trying to get a hiring client, I can't have this. It's gotta look a certain type of way. So that kind of helped along the way too. And then my work was so much better starting off, cause I worked with my father for so long. So I was striping up yards and doing the same stuff. A lot of, you know, the accompanies a couple.
Knocks is ahead of me we're doing and that kind of you know helped me gain more clients And I'm more personable like I talk a lot to my clients and stuff like that too. So like, you know having conversations Nah
Enmanuel Tejada (13:16.813)
So it's not like you just show up, mow it, and then you're gone before they even find out.
Rob Crayton (13:21.372)
No, a lot of times they pull up, I say, how you doing? Like, how's, you know, we just end up having just regular conversations. So like I'm building a relationship along with like they're a client. So that's the, so, cause once you likeable is over with, you know what I mean? And that's another thing. Exactly. So then, so if you're already likable and you do great work, they're going to keep pushing like, you know, we should get crazy. Cause he's a, he's a good professional young guy. Like he does great work. He's very respectable, respectful and stuff.
Enmanuel Tejada (13:34.637)
that makes you even more recommendable. Yeah.
Rob Crayton (13:50.715)
That those things really matter like they wouldn't like and then also to when they had a problem They're calling me even even not like If it was the problem, they can hit my line text me right away. I don't have nobody in the middle I know that so I don't have those issues about like We need to talk to the boss right now. No, they can get away. They can give me right away. You ain't got to talk to my guys a lot of times my guys are able just
Enmanuel Tejada (14:13.613)
Ha ha.
Rob Crayton (14:20.538)
They'll call me, hey, call your, call Mr. So -and -so, she need to talk to you, or even my managers. My managers or some of my contacts with a lot of my commercials, they text and call me, and they like the fact that they ain't gotta talk to somebody else. They can talk to me, and we can get it done faster that way. I'm more hands -on, too, in my business than a lot of other people. I like to be in the trenches. I'm not one of them guys who wanna be clean, running around in a clean truck and not doing no work.
And talking like I'm gonna be outside. I want to be in there like with my guys and getting things going Not that guy No, they're not even and then and then it wouldn't be they want to be in front of the camera talking about something I don't know what they talking about. You have no pictures. You've never been dirty like you've never been dirty in no piece
Enmanuel Tejada (14:51.433)
Let's go I like that I like that bro because I know exactly what you're talking about bro. You see this dude with the clean shirt Not a single stain on him. No, no dirt or nothing, but nah man. I like that
Enmanuel Tejada (15:14.349)
HAHAHAHA
Rob Crayton (15:15.409)
I'm trying to hear none of that like you it's fake man. It's all cat like I don't want to see that like I'm outside with my guys every day I'm just and I think it's come from an old -school standpoint. I like to be outside Yeah, yeah, that's not that's not a plan for everybody. I know everybody don't want to do that I got friends that run business that tell me Rob man you why you don't get you you need to get you somebody's telling this and the third I'm like, yeah, it'll get there when it's time, but right now I don't feel like
I'm at that plateau where I need somebody to do that. When it's time, I feel like, okay, I need to scale back, I need to do something different, I will. But in the midst, when I'm training guys and I'm rolling with my guys as we build my company up to a place I wanna go, I wanna be in this field with them, let them know, like, listen, I'm getting dirty with y 'all, I'm working late with y 'all, and we in this together. This is no like, you know what I mean? I won't even buy myself, I'm not gonna buy no.
you know, guys pulling up in top of the line trucks and then your guys don't have nice stuff. I'm not that guy like, no, I wanna make sure that listen, we all here together, we all in the trenches together. When we level up, we all level up.
Enmanuel Tejada (16:28.749)
I'll say probably get you guys because those same people that you mentioned that just ride around in a clean truck and not a not a single stain on them and everybody else is dirty you know I got their minds they're working though you look at this dickhead over there look
Rob Crayton (16:43.895)
And that's what I'm saying and then the morales down and then run around town is when they do leave all this guy He he act like he this big boss me. He ain't doing nothing. Nobody want to hear that, you know, so
Enmanuel Tejada (16:53.165)
Yeah, bro, I can't I can't imagine that builds up resentment with them too cuz they're like you asked them you asked them like yo Can you you know you say yo, can you can you hammer that down? Or can you go get the rake and they feel like yo, what's up with him? Like why is he telling me this? He's not doing nothing. He's mad clean
Rob Crayton (16:58.55)
Dude!
Rob Crayton (17:08.374)
Or yeah, they like or This motherfucker only want to come out and act like he doing something just for the gram But he ain't even like you know you do it your trustful and baby You don't know nothing about the industry like it could be something like that like but I'm not knocking nobody's husband like but I feel like but I feel like it Yeah, but I feel like when you win. I feel like this is when you in my industry
Enmanuel Tejada (17:18.477)
laughter
Enmanuel Tejada (17:26.509)
Exactly, yeah, yeah, exactly. We're just talking about how you take a different take on it.
Rob Crayton (17:35.094)
I feel like if you ain't never been in the trenches, then you ain't got no, like, I don't want to hear you on Instagram talking all this BS about how to start no biz. You know what I'm saying? I don't respect the guys that actually been out here for a while. No matter, no matter if it was a year or not, like, I feel like if you, if you've been in the trenches for a little bit, for like a year, just to understand, and then you hop out and you do something different, I got respect for you, but I don't have respect for the guy that just like.
You're not really out here. Like you never, you don't know what it is to like really be out here. It's gonna be like.
Enmanuel Tejada (18:04.525)
100%, 100%, bro. And we see more and more of that every single day. And Rob, so let's talk about it, man, because you do a lot of landscaping right now, it's spring rush, still happening. But you mentioned that, of course, and I live in New Jersey, you're living in Ohio, so we're in the North and it snows here, right? Like we can't just, you can't landscape all year long. So let's talk about how you get creative with still making income even in the winter.
Rob Crayton (18:08.597)
Yeah!
Okay.
Rob Crayton (18:18.741)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (18:25.333)
Yes, for sure. Nah. No, no, no.
Rob Crayton (18:33.3)
So, all right, so a lot of times, so I do no purpose. I do strictly, I do strictly contracts and most of my contracts are commercial. So I get, ooh, I got a light, hold on, there you go. So I take on enough where I feel like, okay, can I pay my bills? Can I pay the bills? Can I float the guys during the winter time? Cause I take care of my guys when -
Enmanuel Tejada (18:45.645)
Mmm.
Rob Crayton (19:02.452)
whether it snows or not. So I got like a, like my employees are like my family. So I tell them, hey listen, them days it don't snow, I'ma still take care of you. You still won't get a paycheck weekly. It might like, you know, so they get half they pay during the winter months. And then, cause I still get commercial, cause I got consistent money coming in from my commercial contracts, whether it snows or not. So last year we only went out like 12 times. So I'm still getting.
I'm still getting like big checks coming in every month so I can take care of everybody and still buy equipment for the winter time, buy assault and everything else. So I kind of just gauge it, take on enough work where I know if it does we do get a six to eight inches or a big storm we can handle it, everything is good but my guys getting taken care of and I still got money in the bank moving into the season.
Enmanuel Tejada (19:57.517)
I gotcha. So that, so that those contracts, you said they pay you whether it's no's or not. They pay you the whole amount, right?
Rob Crayton (20:02.61)
Yeah, and then a lot of how a lot of the contracts based out is they start paying like December so like so January February March. Hey, I'm funky. I'll get like paid snow money until June So when there's a nest when it's spring rush happens, I'm not really okay. I can still get equipment if stuff kind of break down I ain't worried about it cuz now I'm still I'm still sitting on snow money
And then it's generating money for spring cleanups in March and everything else, because you spend so much money in the spring trying to get things. And things happen, stuff breaks down here and there. Things get crazy in the first couple of that first three, four weeks of just April. Like, end of March, April, it's stressful. You got a lot of phone calls coming in, a lot of work. You're trying to make sure your guys understand what's going on. So that kind of floats the business.
From the first couple months and a little bit during the winter time as well cuz like it's not it's really don't start snowing until December so we still doing fall cleanup stuff like that until it kind of snows and then boom by time We're done. We didn't it starts snowing and then I already got maybe like one checking it from from November from snow from from snow plowman because they come in so by time December comes so it's like 30 net 30 and stuff like that
Enmanuel Tejada (21:26.413)
And those same contracts, do they also include landscaping in them when the time comes?
Rob Crayton (21:31.569)
Yeah, a lot of times, so a lot of times I've gotten, I've gotten a contract for the winter time and then end up getting the snow plow, the landscaping in the summer. So, yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (21:42.413)
So that everything so you pretty much cover them for the whole year under that same contract
Rob Crayton (21:45.104)
I covered them for the whole year. Yeah. No, different contracts, but like it was different contracts. Snow, like it's so, so, you can do it that way. I know a lot of people do it like, okay, like we'll take care of everything. And then you just pay like a certain amount a month. Most of my contracts I didn't got from other companies dropping the ball first snow or word of mouth. Like, so in between.
those seasons where the guys don't show up or the first snow falls and they don't show up, then I end up getting them and then we work into the springtime, you know. And a lot of times it's different. Like I know I got one management company, it's different. So they got me for like landscaping is different. It's like per time and it's snow, snow is just, snow is his own entity when it comes to that. Like they pay different for snow than they pay for landscaping. But I got it for everything. So, but you do have contracts where,
You might have it where somebody might have a contract from a commercial property and they got everything priced out for 12 months and they just getting paid per month. I don't like that because I'm trying to, I want those big checks to come in there every now and again for snow like towards the end of the year, instead of they breaking it down so far. But that's just me. I mean, that's just my preference. Yeah. Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (23:03.277)
That's that's what you prefer. Okay, and this so you and you mentioned earlier that you for landscaping purposes you you target those management companies Are those the same companies that give you the commercial contracts or is it do you have a different way of getting those contracts?
Rob Crayton (23:16.162)
So so yeah, so a lot of times it could be a lot of management companies that I Got a thought I got a dude shout out to my one my one homie though. He definitely You might have to talk to him too. He's dope. His name is Matt He's got another company in the West side of Cleveland called believe Me and him be locking in a lot on a lot of commercials. So stuff on the east side I'm gonna eat out here on the West side. We'd be locking in a lot of stuff too So like having good contacts with other companies
Also as a benefit to because a lot of times they can't take these commercial contracts across town But they want all of them so you might get you might get the east side or you might get the south side of stuff too that That helped me a lot too. And we do that to each other. But was it one of most of my question though?
Enmanuel Tejada (24:04.909)
It was, do the same management companies give you some of those contracts too for Snow?
Rob Crayton (24:10.092)
Yeah, yeah for sure. So it might be other locations. So the way to get into the commercial game up here, at least what I'm seeing, you gotta go through management companies. There's no more dealing directly with like say like it's a target, target and they don't have a team that deals with vendors that do landscaping or snow plowing. You gotta go through a management company. They get a little cut off top and then they facilitate the work. That's how it normally goes.
Enmanuel Tejada (24:39.181)
So what do you mean then? Are you saying that instead of going to... Instead of going to... What was that story that you said? Target, yeah, so instead of going into Target and trying to find somebody there, you would target the management company that manages Target.
Rob Crayton (24:39.499)
up here.
Rob Crayton (24:49.579)
I just had to say, it's hard.
Rob Crayton (24:58.731)
Yeah, so they got a whole management team that deals with like, yeah, they got a management team that deals with like, they plumbing, landscaping, they lighting, they got a whole management company that does all of that. So you got different companies.
Enmanuel Tejada (25:11.405)
And how do you find out who that person is though?
Rob Crayton (25:14.059)
Lot of time, man, like so I think you gotta do some research. That's what it is. Like you gotta do some research. So a lot of times if you're in the industry, you can probably kind of find out. Like you might have companies called like, it's Springwise, you got KBS, you have like Divisions, there's another management company that's up this way. So it's a lot, you deal with those companies and then you have a contact manager, like a contact you're dealing with.
And if they like you, you do good work, they might be moving you up. Cause a lot of people just do trash work and then they just drop off. But the thing is, but that's the only way to really get in a commercial game. You got to deal with the management company. They take their little bit off top and then you kind of kind of work it. But you have to do some due diligence on the ground. Like do some groundwork, find these companies and sign up for them. And normally it's kind of easy for the most part. You just got to figure out like who.
If I'm in a certain area, okay, I want to do I'm gonna hop into the commercial gang. Let me start messing with the management companies like Dollar General, Walgreens, like they all got a management companies Target, Walmart, let's go. They all got different management companies they're dealing with that you can sign up for and actually do work and It's another one. They do want to do it with Target. I forgot the name of it Service channel is another one.
Like Service Channel deals with a lot of the big box stores too. So those are the things you gotta sign up. But you just gotta take some chances, just sign up, sign up, sign up. That's the way to get into the management game. I mean to the commercial game. That's what it, for me, that's what it is.
Enmanuel Tejada (26:53.805)
Yo, that's that's some game right there. So I hope everybody everybody that's listening right now, man That is some game right there if you're and I get I because that's one of the questions that I ask my clients right before they start working with me Do you work residential or are you also doing commercial? I don't know how to get into commercial and that's some game right there. So guys listening in
Rob Crayton (27:07.145)
Right.
Rob Crayton (27:11.304)
Yeah, that's the hundred. I'm probably gonna get some flack because that ain't supposed to be out on the street. Like that's something not supposed to be telling it like the game is to be so and I told man. But at the end of the day, like, you know how, you know, at the end of the day, it's just like, you know, it's enough work out here for everybody. As long as somebody's stepping on nobody's toes. Like it's enough work out here for everybody. And then it come to you, staying on top of that.
Enmanuel Tejada (27:16.301)
Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (27:22.125)
Yes.
Enmanuel Tejada (27:35.021)
Of course, yeah, especially the person that goes after it.
Rob Crayton (27:38.088)
And then it come to skillset because everybody ain't got the same type of skill. So you can you can probably get the contract, but they're going to probably call call me. Hey, this song so messed up. I need you. I need Creighton Bay because that happens like it happens here and there like so. But yeah, what? But the wedding.
Enmanuel Tejada (27:55.053)
For sure, bro. Yeah, and that's that's some game right there, but I appreciate you dropping that bomb I hope everybody implements on that and then how else do you get creative, right? So it sounds like in the spring to summertime you're 100 % focused on landscaping and then winter to Fall to winter you're picking up leaves and doing snow removal. How else do you get creative or is that pretty much just it right there?
Rob Crayton (28:00.52)
Yeah!
Rob Crayton (28:05.959)
Mm.
Rob Crayton (28:14.182)
Leave, yep.
Rob Crayton (28:18.215)
I mean we do a lot of you know, we do like march and stuff too. So we do that Landscape design I'll put in a lot of loans and stuff. but really
Enmanuel Tejada (28:27.709)
what was it you read about the trailer or something like that?
Rob Crayton (28:30.278)
Nah, I don't win all the trailers. See me, I don't rip my ass out. I know a lot of guys do it. Like I work too hard to get my stuff. So I'm too worried, I'm too scared. Like somebody gonna take it off the site. Like I ain't got time to really go drop it. I know I could probably drop the trailer off and go get busy, but majority of the work, we'd be busy until November. Cause a lot of times the weather don't really shift here until like December. So we can do leaves.
We still cutting still. A lot of the last year contracts run until like November 15th and then you're doing leads from November 15th until the first snow. And then about that time, by the time December 1st come, you're already getting your first check from November, December, you're getting your November check from Snowplow. So by the time that comes, you kind of good. Like if you got the right contracts for the winter, for Snowplow season. And once I make sure I got the right contracts.
Enmanuel Tejada (29:27.949)
Yeah, for sure. And I like that strategy too.
Rob Crayton (29:30.725)
yeah, cause I'm not trying to be out here, like I really don't even like being in the cold like that, doing leaves. So, so soon as that kind of like, so we'll run leaves until like, you know, like, until like December. And then once that happens, I'm done. Like once the, once the checks come in for the winter time, I'm over. Like that November snowplow contract money coming, I'm done. Like we're done and that's it, you know.
Enmanuel Tejada (29:53.677)
and then now you only come out if there's, if it snows and you go and remove it, pretty much.
Rob Crayton (29:57.316)
Yes, no, but we still like, we do parking lot sweeps too. So like I got parking lot, I got clean up parking lot at several of my own commercial lots. So we still do that. So we still, you know, we do like, you know, cleaning the lots and stuff like that. And gotta do that stuff. But that stuff was just really just like ass money. Like it don't really pay like I should. Nah, nah, it's not like that. It's just like, you know, and I kind of do that on my own or I'll get one of the guys to do it if they want some extra like little cheese in between. But yeah, it's definitely a strategy.
Enmanuel Tejada (30:14.733)
Yeah, there's no tools like that that many tools require.
Rob Crayton (30:27.332)
that I'm not very grateful I found that strategy, because it was tough a couple years ago trying to figure that out. October, November, I was laying my guys off, and then they ain't had no jobs. You know what I mean? So now it was like, okay, how do I figure this little in -between out? Because I don't have no, back then I ain't had no working capital. This was all off the dribble. I ain't have no money savings. Everything I put in, every money that I made, I put back into my company. I don't...
Enmanuel Tejada (30:50.125)
Haha.
Rob Crayton (30:55.235)
You know what I mean? I'm not the guy that like, my guys gonna eat before I do. My guys in the business gonna eat before I do. As long as my bills is paid and my guys is paid, I'll figure it out. And I want my business to keep going. It's not about like, well, no, I gotta have a certain type of money for myself. Nah, man, we in the trenches right now. When you build your business, you gotta think that way. And I gamble a lot and I take a lot of, not necessarily gamble.
But like the sacrifices I make on this business finally starting to pay off because I made a lot of big sacrifices in the beginning For me to figure out where I'm at now, you know what I mean? Like for us like okay, like your business Yeah, then cuz
Enmanuel Tejada (31:36.141)
Hell yeah, bro, and I respect that, bro. I respect the hustle, too. And would you mind telling us a couple of those sacrifices, bro, if it's not too much?
Rob Crayton (31:42.338)
No, no for sure. No, no for sure. So I mean one of the things I did Let me see I think I was at a point where like when I was working for my father I So I had a G a GXPGA I don't know if you know those it was like a fast Pontiac LS motor I was in the cars like big time like big time in the cars car shows so that I
Didn't even want to sell this car. I bought I had to buy a brand new one. I knew a pickup truck. So this is when I look all right I'm done buying these old 90s trucks cuz I had a bunch of them I had You can scroll through my Instagram. I had a 96 dually I had a 96 dump and I had like an I had a 94 dump truck and then I had a I had a 2015 crew cab, but the thing was I thought I could break it down like
I had to realize, okay, I gotta sell some of this old shit and realize this ain't gonna work. And it's rushed up here. Like a lot of people don't understand, we got rusty trucks, we in a rust build too, so that all happened. So after I sold my GA, I was like crushed, but I realized, okay, I gotta make it happen if I'm about to sell this car that I don't even overly know, I don't want two grand on it, and I'm about to sell my car. I was going to car shows, winning car shows and everything. That stuff was out the window.
Like, and I ain't never looked back, you know what I mean? Like, I dropped out of school, you know what I mean? Like, I was going to grad school, I wanted to be a teacher. I wasn't even trying to landscape at one point. I was over it, because I grew up doing it. Like, so I dropped out of school, which, I mean, that happens. That's something that happens all the time. So that's small compared to that. But like, sacrifice time, kick his family. Like, I don't, I don't, or even, no, I don't go out. Like, I know a lot of people, somebody got a jewelry, 20s and stuff. And I don't have, and that's fine. You can do that. Like,
But I think for me and how like, you know, like I saw how my father grind, like I got that mindset where listen, like what are we partying for? Like what are you partying for when you know you still gotta get more equipment? Like are you at a place where like, and that's, and it might be, it might be for me, it might be a little bit of a, what's the word to call it? I'm.
Rob Crayton (34:02.975)
Well, I'm gonna think I might be doing too much like, all right, like you do need to have some fun sometimes, but in my mind it's like, the most important thing is to make sure I put every dime back into this business to keep it pushing. And like to the point where now like, all right, I can go look and realize I ain't got no, I got no rust on my trucks. I got dump trailers now. I got a whole bunch of equipment, sauce for this plows, everything paid for. The only thing I got to know the one is one truck. All my other stuff is paid for.
And that's the way I wanna run my business. So I just realized, okay, I'm doing well, but I wanna do better. Where can I do more at? And I think once I get it in my head where I wanna be at, I'll know when I know. Then I can say, okay, now I can start kicking it. But until then, it's like, nah, you gotta put that work in you. Because it's somebody else that's trying to get my spot. Yeah, it's a lot of work for everybody, but when you in a certain market, it's only like four or five people everybody knows.
You know what I mean? So like, how do you break into that? You gotta have to do the better work. You gotta make sure your work is crispy every time you go out. You gotta make sure your trucks is super clean. Like, dang, like they popped out of nowhere and they got all clean trucks. Like make sure you got good equipment, good guys, make sure everybody's logoed up. And then you put out fire content all the time. And that's what I do. And I just feel like,
Enmanuel Tejada (35:16.269)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (35:27.676)
What you keep doing is you're gonna get to a certain place where you want to be and so and I think that's just something that a lot of people don't understand like a lot of Younger guys like man, I'm kicking I'm turning up and I man I understand but I think I'm at the point even when I was in my early 20s I gotta be locked in cuz I'm trying to get to a certain place When I'm locked in I'm gonna yacht and I got you know, I'm throwing up bags money like this and I'm like, hey I made it, you know what I mean? I made it all cut and grass or like something like that. That's my
Enmanuel Tejada (35:50.797)
Ha ha ha.
Rob Crayton (35:57.692)
I mean, it's... You know what I mean? Like, yeah, I got to... I want to do that. But...
Enmanuel Tejada (35:58.285)
Hahaha!
I love it. I love it, bro. I love it. And I love the fact that you also mentioned that appearance is pretty much everything, right? Like you got to make sure your guys have company shirts, the trucks are wrapped, everything is clean, the website is clean, the presentation is clean, everything clean, man.
Rob Crayton (36:15.196)
Yeah, they gotta be tired. Yep.
That's, but that was something I learned back, like especially when you went Cleveland. So I'm in Cleveland, I'm in the city, just in the general area. What's gonna separate my company? And then like, not to put color on it, cause it's not, but like, I know like, when you, when you, when you black, it's like, I don't want to be like, I don't want to pull up in no raggedy trucks. I don't want to pull up in nothing. Like I want to sit the time, like listen, like I'm just.
Look you ain't touching this like even the big comes you ain't touching this and I'm outside and you know I mean so it's you gotta have a certain type of tone when you running your like When you run your business, I just think like when you went to Cleveland area It might be a little different than a lot of other places cuz it snows and this is like I Don't know the Midwest is I just feel like it's a different vibe when it comes when it comes to the last day industry Then it is in the south because I can cut grass the people that's up pretty much cut grass
Like what one month out the year two months out the year y 'all got the grass to strike. I got a different job You know, you got different grass don't strike so you can run through stuff up here. It's like yo them stripes matter up here like You know playing that like like them crooked lines and now that grass gotta be laid like I like we've been talking about people that can't do that last a big thing here like skillset is everybody can work hard, but like skillset is something different like I
Enmanuel Tejada (37:32.845)
Hahaha!
Rob Crayton (37:48.314)
Your bush trimming ain't crispy. All of that. I know I see all these dudes trimming bushes. They're crooked. They're not shaped. Nah, nah, these dudes don't know what they're doing. That little stuff matters. Y 'all, yeah, yeah. And that's what sets you apart.
Enmanuel Tejada (37:58.029)
So all those little things matter, man. And hell yeah, hell yeah, man. And we'll talk about too also in a second about the stripes and all that, but I wanted to hit on the point that you mentioned there too, right? Because for example, you're African -American, you're black, right? So in this industry, probably especially, right? Presentation is probably even more important, right? So I grew up in a rough area too, bro.
Rob Crayton (38:10.873)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (38:23.832)
That's the taste of this.
Enmanuel Tejada (38:25.581)
I grew up in Jersey city, New Jersey. It's not the worst place in the world, but one of my mentors, big shout out to him, Coach C, he always said that, hey, listen, I mean, we're of color, right? So, and of course things change, you know, people are not as brave anymore, but still though, it's probably, I would say it's even more important even for somebody of color to like be presented right, right? That's just like one less reason to get, one less reason to not get a job or to not,
Rob Crayton (38:38.232)
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Rob Crayton (38:52.344)
and...
Yeah, yeah, for sure. And yeah, so I know even, man, that's a whole lot you can say about that. I mean, that's a whole lot I can say, but I think that was, to bring it down, it's like, it's so important to have like the presentation of like, don't matter if you got tatted up, that don't matter. Text don't matter, you know.
Enmanuel Tejada (38:55.405)
build your own representation.
Rob Crayton (39:23.511)
Dress, all that don't matter. It's about like being respectful, making sure you do got something logo'd up, making sure if you do, make sure your trucks are clean, like as much as they can be. Everybody don't have the opportunity to like have a clean truck, but okay, if you got spots of rust, like touch them up with something, like you know what I'm saying? Because at the end of the day, nobody's gonna be, it ain't gotta be a show truck, but it's gotta be at least where, okay, it looks a certain type of way when you go into certain type of neighborhoods to get the certain type of money you want to get.
Enmanuel Tejada (39:28.685)
professionalism.
Rob Crayton (39:52.982)
from certain type of people. And I just pride myself on it. If I'm gonna be African American and I wanna be like, and I wanna make sure these kids, like some people don't wanna go to school. Okay, let me be relatable. Let me make sure that like, hey, you can still be yourself. You can still have your fun and listening to all type of music you want to. But when it comes to the presentation, you do just as good as work as anybody else.
And that's the biggest thing with like, even for my life, I want to put in a culture like, you don't have to be nobody that you're not like, you don't have to be nobody else, you're gonna be yourself. Just make sure that when you stand on business, when you hop out here in this industry, and long as you stand on business, you're gonna be cool.
And that's professionalism, being respectful, understanding that you might have a step or two back, but it don't matter. Like, hard work beats talent any day of the week. You know what I mean? So when you got, once you understand hard work beats talent, and then you got that, you know, you can work hard, and then you get the talent, it's over with. Like, you gonna make it.
Enmanuel Tejada (41:03.725)
Dude, I love it, bro. I love it. Especially love that part that you said, you can be yourself. It's all right to be yourself. Ha ha. Nothing wrong with that.
Rob Crayton (41:09.653)
It's okay to be yeah, and it is a and that's what yeah because I like I know like that's all you can cut your beard off You need to be clean cut man. I ain't doing none of that. I'm a makes I ain't doing none of that I'm listening I'm gonna listen to what I want music I'm listening to when I come outside. I'm gonna make sure I'm clean. I'm like I'm clean cut I mean like trimmed up clean and I'm gonna be a killer every day I'm gonna make the client won't want it like I gotta have creating come on cuz yo, they do some good work. I
Enmanuel Tejada (41:33.421)
Exactly, yeah, yeah.
Rob Crayton (41:39.38)
They got their trucks been clean, they ain't, you know, their guys are respectful and I get that all the time. Like, and that's the difference to putting stuff on a little board, telling your guys you got to be a certain type of way and then leading by example, being outside. And that's what I learned.
Enmanuel Tejada (41:54.637)
Ooh, for me, for example, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's different. Yo, it's different telling somebody, yo, do this, do this, do this, and then you turn around and do the opposite. But when you turn around, you do the thing that you're telling them to do, you're doing it yourself, that is more impactful.
Rob Crayton (42:00.244)
Nah, you gotta leave by then.
Rob Crayton (42:06.42)
Yeah.
Very and that's why I'm still outside because yeah, I could try for a day But when I got my guys doing it and they can do over easy when they start or they trim it and it's super crispy Okay, that reflects to me that means that I train my guys the way it needs to be and I can work on the next guy make sure it's that way like everybody next guy up Okay, you good at that. Okay, I can work on the next guy bring somebody in and training them and in being a boss
Enmanuel Tejada (42:24.141)
Aha!
Rob Crayton (42:35.154)
ain't about just doing the chat, it's about putting the work in outside, not always inside. It's about being in the trenches with your guys. It's not about like, it is about numbers and doing everything and trying to figure out, make sure your business is running a certain type of way, but you gotta be outside with your guys so you can lead by example. Because they're an extension of you. And you got any...
You know, a lot of people don't understand it. They wonder why they, you know, they guys are doing all types of crazy stuff. Cause they don't, they don't, they don't rep you like that.
Enmanuel Tejada (43:10.253)
That's key, man. That's key right there. And let's get to one of the topics here too that I wanted to ask you, Rob. So, man, your stripes, the stripes you guys laid down, man, them things come out crispy. How do you guys, what's your strategy for that? What do you guys do differently than everybody else to strike long that nicely, man?
Rob Crayton (43:15.09)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
I'm a strapaholic. Strapaholic, man.
Rob Crayton (43:28.801)
I don't do it. It's the grass. Like the grass. It ain't like I ain't doing nothing crazy. Nothing like, you know, we ain't sprinkling nothing on there. It's no fairy dust. It's none of that, man. It's tech. It's just, it's none of that, man. It's, it's, it's the, taking your time, keeping your, keeping, keeping it, understanding where the deck is and your tire tracks and kind of lightweight.
When you go this way, you're sitting on the same side of your deck. So you go down this way, and your deck running the other side, you don't go over your lines on the deck. That's how you do it, just keeping everything straight. It's not that hard. But it's about the grass, too. So you're not stripping Bermuda grass. You can't. But if you've got Kentucky Blue foos and stuff that got the blades that kind of lay down, you can really strike that stuff.
Because like five -way ride you can slide. Yeah, but that's a new to grass ain't no way now. You can't do that I've seen it. I ain't ever seen nobody in Florida It be clean it be clean
Enmanuel Tejada (44:29.421)
Now, what if you...
Yeah, that's what I mean. I know what's that. I got a couple of influencers that I watch and they striped, but I don't know what state they're in though, but.
Rob Crayton (44:41.968)
Yeah, maybe maybe I mean I Don't know maybe they got it. a lot of times, you know people got strike kids, too I don't have no strike kids. Everything is factory. I don't have nothing extra It's just like, you know a lot of times to in the beginning of the season We kind of like two times like I do go over my stuff, especially my high -end class that art I'm a cousin to two times to make sure everything is crispy then after that I mean it's kind of just laid after that so
Enmanuel Tejada (44:45.229)
No.
Enmanuel Tejada (45:09.709)
So do you have to stripe every single time or you just do it one time and it's like, like for example, like let's say you lay down the stripes. Do you just, next time you go, you just roll over everything like normal and it'll still stay striped.
Rob Crayton (45:23.247)
So I just go the same pattern. So say like, okay, if you're going like, kind of thing, trying to give you an example. If you are, if you go on my Instagram page, like, all right, if you see me going like, I got one post, I'm going up and down. You can see the old ones from like last week. We're like, okay, he had them in there from last week. So if you go over like the same way, they're gonna be really be in it, then you can go the opposite way. You know what I mean? Then it'll really pop.
It's like the black, yeah. You just gotta go off your tracks. So a lot of times, even for my commercial place, because I don't really go over those twice. So like, it depends. But say like the average, you come in, like the regular commercial place, they ain't paying too much, but you still want to take care of them. So those I'll just go over like once. The next week I'll go the same way. And then maybe a week after that, I might switch it up and then switch it up so the lines would be different.
Enmanuel Tejada (45:51.885)
Rob Crayton (46:20.781)
So there's stuff like that but like a striping easy a lot of times it's striped kids though, too Like, you know, they got this on the back of the deck They have like I know scared got on I know I think scared expert on it for sure But they got like a role in this is like a striper. It just would know striped kid. Essentially It's nothing but like a roll in the laser grass down So the different blades agree to the blades of the grass is different than other side. That's all it is So in the light hitting is different
Enmanuel Tejada (46:47.341)
Gotcha, but damn, you do it organically. Like you don't have any of that. Like you just cut the grass one way, then you cut it the other way and it pops.
Rob Crayton (46:54.893)
Yeah, yeah, a lot of that's because it's the blood it's just how the grass we got it's just the grass up here is is is made looks like it's made to do that up here like you know what I mean like we just The grad like our grass is thinner. You know what I mean? So, you know when the light hits it just reflects differently like up here Yeah, it's just what it is. It's like we got different grass and then and you get like
Enmanuel Tejada (47:06.829)
Hahaha.
Rob Crayton (47:23.02)
A lot of people say the Midwest, we got like especially Kentucky Blue will strike better than anything else. Like Kentucky Bluegrass is like, when we got people fertilizing their yards, my God, it make everything so much easier, man. Cause it really, it really a pop. You can almost tell. Like, yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (47:41.005)
That's dope. That's dope. And what would happen, I got a random question for you that I just thought of. Let's say that you are in the Midwest and you have a lawn that doesn't stripe, like the grass is just not meant for that. It doesn't pop at all. What if you took all the sod out and you laid down Kentucky blue, for example, would the Kentucky blue grow there?
Rob Crayton (47:44.972)
Yeah.
Rob Crayton (48:00.235)
Yeah, yeah for sure Yeah, a lot of times we do side like so I mean you got Kentucky blue you got fools fools to do it five -way Rockers five -way ride do it like you say five -way raw fools I'm probably singing around a fool to something else with like a Five -way ride it is for fools Kentucky blue. That's what we kind of got in the Midwest. So
Enmanuel Tejada (48:04.269)
Wow.
Rob Crayton (48:29.795)
All that grass pretty much drives, you know, we just got different different black different grass is gonna give you different results. So
But like it yeah, but I don't even know I never I don't know if you could put I'm sure you could I'm sure you put like if you had Kentucky blue shit down south or something you wanted that grass there You probably work. I'm sure it would it's just different grass different. It's a lot different It's a few different grass grassy grasses different grass and you different results
Enmanuel Tejada (48:42.541)
That's dope.
Enmanuel Tejada (49:03.297)
Man that's that's that's super interesting right there I'm sure a lot of a lot of people that are like non landscapers have a lot of questions around that so that's awesome that you were able to answer So that's dope right there and then creating man So like let's say that because I know we're getting to the end of the podcast here I don't want to be respectful of your time, but let's say you were to start over Gotcha. All right, cool. Let's do it So if you were to start over man, what are some tips that you would give to yourself or to a new landscaper? That's looking to?
Rob Crayton (49:11.402)
Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Crayton (49:20.202)
No, man, I got time. I got time, so don't worry about it. Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (49:31.597)
make their business better, maybe they have a couple of guys, but they want to get to the point where you are, they want to keep scaling. What are some tips to fast track that?
Rob Crayton (49:37.369)
It ain't no fast track like I don't I don't believe I believe You take a day at a time and you do the best work easy You just take it one day at a time and work on that the last part first part I think what I would do is is that on Try to get your finances together if you can Start slow don't take on a whole lot of work Do what you can and then you move up gradually?
You know what I'm saying? Don't, you know, a lot of guys want to move super fast and it might work for a lot of people. Certain things work good for certain people, but like in life, everything is not, it's different for everybody. So you got to work what's going to work for you. So for me, if you talk about me, so I think where I messed up at, I know I messed up at, I don't want to jump out here too fast.
I was like, I gotta leave my father's company. I gotta hurry up and get up out here. I gotta show him that I can do this. But I failed twice. Like during COVID, I was running, like I had like 200 residentials and I had some commercial stuff. I was overwhelmed and I wasn't necessarily ready for that responsibility because it came so fast and I didn't have enough equipment. I didn't have enough capital. And I would add,
You know, I was, I'm doing this on my own. I'm not about, I'm not the type of person to ask, you know, mom, can you help me? Nobody's coming. Like, you know what I mean? Like I got to do it on my own. So I had to sell a lot of things, you know what I'm saying? Sell things to get back to, I had to sell trucks and like, I realized I had the wrong equipment, just a whole lot. So I think if I went back and told myself, listen, work this job until you able to get what you need and then you gradually.
Enmanuel Tejada (51:08.909)
Wait.
Rob Crayton (51:31.646)
Work your way out where you don't need to work, you know, have me the job it's like work a job until the job until you making enough money where You feel like you can wing it without it You don't understand work on your credit where you can kind of work your credit along with building your business too So then like you can kind of finesse that tool and and do a lot of research understand about the industry you mean about the climb bitch you want to have where
what you really want to do, because it ain't always about just cutting grass. Like if you want to get in the march and like do some research before you really hop out here and get your feet wet, because all of those things are going to prepare you for an easier transition before you get out here and you mess up and then you realize you just spent so much money and then you drop the ball and then you back out of, you exhausted all your resources. I just, I know for me it was,
I had to take the emotion out of it and realize that I wasn't necessarily ready just to really just hop out here because I kept messing up. I know I go by just one thing, feelings ain't facts and feelings don't get you paid. So I should have... So I had to take the emotion out of it and realize, hey, look, I'm not ready for this. I got to take a step back. I got to revamp and get myself together. But I learned a whole lot about that first time I hopped out here because I knew...
Enmanuel Tejada (52:45.641)
I like that.
Rob Crayton (53:00.164)
All right, listen, save some money. You don't need to, okay, yeah. Having four or five trucks is cool, but like the insurance is fucking crazy. So like, all right, you don't need all these trucks. You just need what you need, you know what I mean? Like I was trying to get stuff I didn't need, cause it looked cool. Like, I got all these trucks. Them trucks weren't even going out every day. Like you're supposed to have a spare, but I got two trucks sitting. I didn't need to, I didn't need all those. So like, I had to realize like, okay, what do you really need? So.
So when I was coming to these last few years, okay, I got a crew cab, I got two crew cabs and I got a pickup.
I didn't I got a lot I got a lot of like I lawnmowers cuz I two trailers get a third one and what I realized is like I got enough where I can make a lot of money and I didn't I didn't need all that extra stuff like you know I didn't need the glitz and glamour you need exactly what you need it yeah it's nice to have certain equipment that's gonna make the job easy and everything else but if you got the right equipment to get the job done for right now be okay with that
and fall in love with the journey of trying to build your business and don't look at it with it, don't count your tickets before they hatch, you know what I mean? Don't count your eggs before they hatch. And I was doing that, like, man, like five years from now I want this, this, and this. Why I need to get this, this, this, and this? No, no, I'm doing it with whatever the money side can do, that's what I'm doing. I'm not about to do something thinking on the idea where I'm about to be and I don't even have it work and I did that.
So now it's like, I don't buy nothing until, all right, it's dire straight. I gotta go buy some equipment now. Or like, I remember when it was snowing outside, I had two trucks. My one truck broke down. I'm like, okay, I need a third truck. So now it's like this winter, I'm trying to gain more work. Okay, it's time to get another truck now. And maybe I have one backup. Like it's, it's, it's check, not checkers. And you can't rush the process. Like.
Enmanuel Tejada (54:36.717)
Go.
Rob Crayton (55:04.385)
You know, yeah, it's cool to have down Travis dump like all that But if you ain't got all if you ain't got the work, what you buying on why you spending all this money like you don't need no Brand new truck or no Denali or whatever, you know, no platinum out here. Like no get what you need Like I learned it the long way. I got I got 21 Base model. I got exactly what I mean. Now. Can I go get a Duramax? I loaded the Nellie. Yeah, but what's the point? Like it's no point today
because you're gonna tear it up anyway. So like, when I get to a place where like, I want something nice, it won't be a work truck. Like, it's just, it don't make no sense. Like, and a lot of people are so in love with the image of being like the flyest dude out here, but your work not fly. Like, you don't even do great work. And then you be out of business for two years. And that's what it be like. So I don't want, I ain't never want to be that guy. And I think a lot of times me growing up with my father, and we was in older trucks, like, it's one dude that you follow.
Enmanuel Tejada (55:48.333)
hahahaha
Rob Crayton (56:01.279)
This was on here. He said he figured out the plan to have.
But he got, he in Florida, he got a whole bunch of old trucks. I'm like, see, he figured it out. But I've been on that, I've been on that for years. Like, I'm never gonna buy no new trucks. Like, all my trucks. Yeah, so like he got a, yeah, some of this stuff, some of this stuff that like, the ideas he got, like, yeah, like, I'm like, yeah, okay, I see. Like, Chase got the idea, like, okay, he got older trucks. He gonna keep running older trucks. Yeah, that's cool, I'd do that. All my trucks, I got one newer truck, new body style.
Enmanuel Tejada (56:16.237)
yeah, you're talking about Chase, Chase Grant. Yeah.
Rob Crayton (56:35.551)
All my other choices between 03 and 07. I know they're easy to work on and they're easy to work on. I know what I'm looking for. And eventually, yeah, I'm gonna move up some. I'm gonna move to like a 2010, 2011. But I'm in that grinding mode. I don't want no notes. These trucks are $6 ,000, $7 ,000. I can go to Kentucky and get them for cheap. They're easy to work on. They pretty much, and I know what I'm looking for when I buy them and it's good right now. Like I'm trying to figure out, I'm figuring out.
Yeah, you got to figure out your sweet spot. Like, Tate figured out his sweet spot and it's working for him. That's what he, and I know that's what he's telling and I respect that. You know what I mean? Like, you know his sweet spot. So when you know that, it's just like, it's up after that. It's easy.
Enmanuel Tejada (57:23.053)
Boom, I love that. I love that right there. Especially the part where you said, make decisions with where you're at right now, not where you think you're gonna be in a couple of months or next year. Like, don't buy a truck thinking like, next year I'm gonna have this many clients. No, like if you have two clients right now, then make the decision with two clients. Not you thinking that you have 50 clients, for example.
Rob Crayton (57:42.333)
No, no, I got this I got a young do I'm into right now like he got a Ford Ranger Like this I'll get back right so they got a Ford Ranger. I thought I wanted my father He went about he wouldn't hop in getting one of my mores I told it to him for nothing cuz I wanted to win. He got a Ranger. He already talked to him What's the guys to do? I said bro, like Once you get to a point would you think you need a 2500 then you get one?
Like if you're getting too many mortgage jobs or you pulling, you feel like you're getting two or three more, then you realize either you get your 1500 and you think you're there or get to a 2500 and you don't need a Duramax if you ain't even there yet because when you come start or a diesel, you start dealing with diesel, you got diesel problems and everybody can't work on the diesel. What you want to do, take it back to the dealership and be sitting on it for two, three weeks and you down the truck and you paying on it. So a lot of these things is okay. Like get what you need right now that you thinking, okay, this is going to work for right now. Until you get to a place where you can afford it.
Enmanuel Tejada (58:29.037)
Mmm.
Rob Crayton (58:40.732)
Easy, you know what I mean? Like that's why I feel about you slime was I don't need I got all I got the x3s I got all that stuff. I paid half the price I got and I ain't worried about like no notes and all the extra stuff You know what I'm saying? Like it ain't it ain't breaking the bank and then I can keep my prices competitive Cuz I ain't gonna over it like that
Enmanuel Tejada (59:05.869)
Damn bro, that's some game right there bro. That is some game. Yo Rob, I really appreciate your time bro. In case that the owner wants to get in contact with you, whether it's a small landscape, whether they need some advice or a client that's looking for your...
Rob Crayton (59:11.355)
Yeah?
Rob Crayton (59:16.923)
Hit my line. I'm always, people always ask me like, yo, like, I shoot game all day long. I don't, cause nobody did it for me. So like I ain't got no problem shooting. I can give a game to anybody that need it. Cray scapes hit me on the DM. Like I respond back very quickly. Yeah. So like you ain't that just always hit me in the DM. If anybody wants some questions, I'm always hitting back. Always. And it be me.
Enmanuel Tejada (59:35.021)
Let's go.
Enmanuel Tejada (59:42.125)
And what's the best, what's your Instagram tag, what's your phone number if you want to share that or like a specific line that you want to share?
Rob Crayton (59:49.53)
Yeah, it's all in there. So like so Instagram is crate escapes. we want to fill it out
Enmanuel Tejada (59:58.061)
Let's go. Boom. I like that right there.
Rob Crayton (59:58.618)
Yeah, just crazy skates number 216 -647 -8340 All that stuff's on Instagram. Like I'm on Instagram, Facebook Hit my line. Yeah, I ain't got no man. I'm open I want to see everybody win at the end of the day like it ain't I'm good where I'm at and I know and I just remember how hard it was when I started and like yeah, of course I have my father but like Sometimes you know you ain't trying to hear what your parents got to say you want to get out here and you want to fear it on your own and have somebody you can relate to.
Enmanuel Tejada (01:00:06.829)
Let's go. So yeah, anybody that needs advice.
Rob Crayton (01:00:28.378)
It's kind of like, you know, maybe in the middle, if you feel like it's a little cool, that you can feel like you can talk to, you know what I mean? Without no judgment, they really don't know. Yeah.
Enmanuel Tejada (01:00:36.013)
Exactly, yeah, without that feeling like, I'm talking, yeah, exactly.
Rob Crayton (01:00:40.218)
as well, you know?
Enmanuel Tejada (01:00:41.869)
for sure man so yeah guys I hope you guys enjoyed this episode reach out to Rob go follow him on Instagram he puts out amazing content I'm sure you guys are learning a lot and if you guys need anything from him or if you live in Ohio and you need a landscape where you can trust reach out to him man this guy's amazing yes sir yes sir so yeah thank you so much Rob audience hope you guys enjoyed the episode take care peace
Rob Crayton (01:00:49.721)
I appreciate it.
Rob Crayton (01:00:53.953)
Cleatlin, cleatlin, he's not.
Rob Crayton (01:01:00.545)
Alright man, alright man, later.