In this episode of The Landscaper Grow Show, host Mark Lamberth talks with Jacob Romkee of Vintage Lawn Service in San Jose, California about how he and his brother turned a post–high school lawn route into a maintenance-first company that now dominates its niche with subscription revenue and carefully chosen specialized services.

Jacob shares how they deliberately built two full weekly and bi‑weekly “mow and blow” routes first to keep cash flow steady year‑round, then layered on one‑time cleanups, irrigation repair, aeration, and lawn renovation so they could escape constant price wars with “Chuck in a truck” operators.

He breaks down why maintenance still makes up 70–80% of their work, how a $700 aerator paid for itself in a week, and why they’re now exploring high‑ticket, organic‑friendly options like boiling‑water weed control that fit Bay Area values around safety and sustainability.

You’ll also hear Jacob’s playbook for collecting over 600 five‑star reviews in seven years, including the exact question his crews ask at the end of every job to catch issues before they become bad reviews and to turn happy customers into vocal online fans.