Ashly Paladino, COO of Sun Valley Landscaping, shares how the company scaled from $1M to nearly $10M by tackling owner bottlenecks, investing in leadership, and prioritizing relationship-driven sales. Her honest insights reveal the mindset and structure required to reach the next level.
“Most small businesses get stuck because the owner is in the way—and that includes being afraid to let go.” — Ashly Paladino
Mel Robbins – The 5 Second Rule – A powerful tool to help you make confident decisions and take immediate action.
Mel Robbins – The Let Them Theory – A mindset shift that frees you from over-control and people-pleasing.
NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) – The leading industry organization for education, networking, and advocacy in landscaping.
Sales Commitment Card – A tool inspired by Nate Moses to drive sales accountability and shorten timelines (custom-developed, not linked).
[00:00] Intro – Rob welcomes Ashly Paladino, COO of Sun Valley Landscaping
[02:00] From event planning to landscaping – Ashly’s career switch and how she joined Sun Valley
[03:45] Merging two companies into one – The origin of Sun Valley Landscaping
[05:00] Growth mindset – Why they set a $30M goal and how it drives decisions
[06:30] Raising industry standards – Ashly’s leadership role with NALP and Nebraska’s local association
[09:30] Biggest growth constraint – Why owners often hold their companies back
[13:00] Letting go and building trust – How tough conversations unlock scale
[16:00] Leadership structure – Dividing roles between three leaders for focus and momentum
[20:00] Profit vs. foundation – Investing in leadership before they could really “afford it”
[24:00] Two hats – Separating owner and operational roles for better clarity
[28:00] Lessons from a rough year – How a marketing wake-up call sparked massive change
[29:45] Be everywhere – How they rebuilt community connections through networking
[31:30] Golf clubs, boards, and handshakes – Why old-school networking still works
[35:00] Sales process gaps – Inconsistency, delays, and what’s being fixed
[38:00] The power of upfront commitments – Borrowing from Nate Moses’ approach
[41:30] Closing the file – A clever tactic for reactivating ghosted leads
[44:00] Recommended reading – Mel Robbins’ books and mindset strategies
The owner is often the bottleneck. Recognizing this is the first step toward unlocking growth.
Invest in leaders before you need them. Laying the foundation early pays off when scaling.
Be visible in your community. Networking still works—especially when done with intention and generosity.
Hold salespeople accountable. Use tools like commitment cards to create urgency and deliver consistency.
Present in person. For bigger jobs, nothing beats a face-to-face proposal to build trust and close faster.
“Close the file” works. If a lead is ghosting, a respectful sign-off often triggers a quick reply.
Separate owner vs. operator roles. Treat ownership like its own job, not just another hat.