From Burnout to Booked Out: How “That Lawn Guy” Built a 50‑Client Route in St. Louis

In this episode of The Landscaper Grow Show, host Mark Lamberth talks with Mark Rodriguez of That Lawn Guy LLC in the St. Charles area of St. Louis about how he walked away from a decade in middle management at a senior living facility and turned a part‑time side hustle into a full‑time solo lawn care business built around freedom, relationships, and smart marketing.

Mark shares how he focuses on core services—weekly mowing, light tree and hedge trimming, brush and cleanup work, small grading and elevation fixes—and brings in trusted local help on bigger jobs, while staying personally hands‑on with every yard.

He explains how he built his first 10–15 clients through friends, family, and word of mouth, then completely changed his pipeline this year by adding a simple 15‑second video ad, a basic website, and profiles on Google, Nextdoor, Facebook, and Instagram—going from almost no new calls to four or five leads a day.

You’ll also hear how he structures his schedule so he can take his daughters to school, text customers proactively when he needs to shift a visit, and use bundled monthly packages for hedge trimming, bed clean‑outs, and weeding to raise revenue without feeling “salesy” to price‑sensitive homeowners.

  • How Mark transitioned from dining services director to full‑time solo lawn care operator after burnout and a layoff
  • The services That Lawn Guy focuses on today: mowing, light tree and hedge trimming, brush cleanups, and small grading work
  • How he built his first client base through friends, family, and referrals before ever spending a dollar on advertising
  • The exact low‑cost marketing moves that now generate 4–5 calls a day: Google Business Profile, simple website, social media, and a short video ad
  • Why strong communication—calling or texting clients when schedules change—lets him design his own workday while keeping trust high
  • How he uses “bundles” (monthly pricing that includes mowing plus seasonal hedge and bed work) to increase income and make pricing easier for clients
  • The service area he covers in the Greater St. Charles region and why he’ll travel a bit farther for the right long‑term customer
  • Mark’s advice for new owners in 2026: start with people you know, do excellent work, ask for reviews, then reinvest in simple ads that keep your phone ringing
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