Ever feel like your crews spend more time in traffic than on turf? Then this episode is for you.

In this week’s episode of The Beer Garden, we’re breaking down one of the most overlooked levers of profitability in landscaping and snow: route density. That’s right, how close your job sites are to one another can make or break your bottom line.

We’ll crack open a cold one and dive into:

• Why route density is your best friend when it comes to labor efficiency, fuel costs, and scheduling sanity

• The hidden (and expensive) costs of poor route planning

• How to build tighter routes using tech, service zones, and territory-based marketing

• The micro-shop strategy: how satellite yards can transform your ops and hiring

• Metrics that matter: How to actually measure your route efficiency

• Real-world tips to avoid common route planning mistakes

We also chat through examples, tactics, and some near-disasters from our own businesses.

If you’re looking to grow smarter, not just bigger, this one’s a must-listen.

Remember, tighter routes = fatter margins!

The Beverages:

•Wild Rose Brewery - Big Hoodoo Lager

•TRVE Brewing Co. - Tunnel of Trees

📩 Got questions or want help implementing? Hit us up:

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re tackling one of the most chaotic (and costly) problems in many landscape and snow companies: inconsistent, unstructured pay.

If your crew members are randomly asking for raises… if your hiring conversations feel like a poker game… or if payroll feels more like a monthly gamble than a strategy—this episode is for you.

We break down exactly how to build and implement a standardized pay structure that improves morale, simplifies hiring, and ensures your payroll actually makes sense for your margins.

You’ll learn:

• Why standardized pay reduces drama and turnover

• How to build role-based compensation with clear skill expectations

• How to handle top performers and low performers within the system

• How to roll out your new system (without blowing up your team)

• How to make it part of your hiring, training, and performance management

We even share a real-world example wage sheet and give actionable steps you can take this week to start building or refining your own system.

✅ Download the Sample Wage Sheet ✅ Book: Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits by Greg Crabtree ✅ Book: The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack

The Beverages:

Banded Peak Brewing - Mount Crushmore

New Image Brewing - Quad Dub

📩 Got questions or want help implementing your own system? Hit us up:

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io

In this episode of The Beer Garden, we’re digging into one of the most misunderstood—but most impactful—tools in your estimating arsenal: production rates. Whether you're still eyeballing bids or operating off tiered pricing, understanding production rates can help you price more consistently, boost profitability, and simplify performance conversations with your team.

What we cover:

• What are production rates
• Why production rates matter
• Sales & production team tensions
• How to determine your production rates
• Why being too specific with your production rates can cause trouble
• How production rates differ based on average job size (AJS)

📈 Whether you're just starting to formalize your estimating process or ready to fine-tune your numbers like a pro, this episode has something for every landscape or snow removal contractor.

🎧 Tune in, take notes, and let’s finally stop guessing our way through job pricing.

The Beverages:

Crooked Stave - Nightmare on Brett

Jasper Brewing Co. - Crispy Tall Bois

Get in touch:

Facebook Group: The Beer Garden: Landscape Leaders Roudtable

Facebook Page: IssueID

Youtube: The Beer Garden

Instagram: IssueID

Website: IssueID.io

Email: thebeergarden@issueid.io