IM Landscape Growth Podcast

Firing on All Five Cylinders: Jeffrey Domenick’s Framework for Growth

Episode Summary

In this episode of the IM Landscape Growth Podcast, Jeffrey Domenick shares his journey from the construction industry to building a $40M regional landscaping business. He breaks down his “Five-Cylinder Engine” framework for intentional growth, emphasizing retention, innovation, market share, client expansion, and large projects.

Episode Notes

“In many ways, landscapers are industry professionals first and salespeople second, but teaching them how to sell effectively can change their businesses.” — Jeffrey Domenick 

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Topics Discussed:

[00:07] Introduction to Jeffrey Domenick
Robert Murray introduces Jeffrey Domenick, who shares his diverse career journey from construction to landscaping.

[01:17] Jeffrey’s Early Career and Landscape Architecture
Jeffrey recounts his start in landscaping, earning a degree in landscape architecture, and gaining experience at Del Webb and the Brickman Group.

[04:53] Professional Growth at NDS and SiteOne
Jeffrey discusses his time at NDS, learning professional sales processes, and scaling SiteOne through acquisitions and strategic growth.

[09:35] What Is the Five-Cylinder Engine?
Jeffrey introduces the "Five-Cylinder Engine" framework for business growth and explains its foundational principles.

[11:41] Cylinder 1: Retention
Jeffrey emphasizes the importance of retaining existing customers and how attrition impacts overall growth.

[13:04] Cylinder 2: Innovation
He discusses adding new services and products to grow revenue organically and stay competitive.

[15:45] Cylinder 3: Market Share
Jeffrey explains strategies for acquiring new customers and increasing market presence through proactive sales efforts.

[19:56] Cylinder 4: Wallet Share
Jeffrey highlights ways to maximize the value of existing customers by offering additional services and building stronger relationships.

[23:49] Cylinder 5: Projects
He underscores the role of large projects in driving significant revenue and the need to replace project-based income annually.

[28:50] The Importance of Sales Management
Jeffrey shares insights into effective sales management, focusing on measuring activities and avoiding inconsistent growth patterns.

[33:30] Reducing Friction in the Buying Process
Jeffrey talks about streamlining sales processes to improve close rates and make it easier for customers to say yes.

[33:45] How to Connect with Jeffrey Domenick
Jeffrey provides his contact details and invites listeners to reach out for industry insights and mentorship.

Actionable Key Takeaways:

  1. Retention is Key: Maintaining existing customers and reducing attrition is the foundation for stable revenue growth.
  2. Diversify Services: Add 2–3 new services annually to drive incremental revenue and meet evolving customer needs.
  3. Be Proactive in Sales: Avoid passive customer acquisition—target specific audiences with tailored outreach.
  4. Maximize Existing Clients: Focus on introducing additional services to current customers to increase wallet share.
  5. Leverage Large Projects: High-value projects can significantly impact annual growth but require planning for future revenue replacement.
  6. Focus on Sales Efficiency: Measure and improve metrics like proposal turnaround time and close rates to optimize performance.
  7. Simplify Client Decisions: Reduce friction in the buying process to improve client satisfaction and retention.