Landscape industry legend Richard Sperber joins Rob to unpack what really drives long-term growth and why most companies still get it wrong. From building Valley Crest into a billion-dollar powerhouse to rebuilding Sperber from scratch, Richard reveals the people-first, no-nonsense operating philosophy that actually scales.
00:00 — The core problem: obsession with outputs over inputs
Richard opens with the danger of short-term financial pressure and how it erodes learning and long-term thinking.
00:52 — Welcome to the show + technology hiccups
Rob introduces Richard with jokes, sports banter, and podcast foibles.
02:23 — Richard’s origin story: ValleyCrest to Sperber
How he grew up in the business, scaled ValleyCrest to $1B+, merged into Brickman/BrightView, and eventually rebuilt Sperber.
04:12 — The consolidation era & the modern growth constraint
Richard explains consolidation, culture clashes, and why people — still today — remain the #1 growth lever.
05:47 — Why landscapers stay small: micromanagement & lack of trust
Many owners hold everything, stunting team growth and company growth.
07:04 — The “app-ification” of landscaping & why Richard hates it
Too many apps → less learning, less accountability, no teamwork, and weaker client understanding.
08:33 — Why real estimating requires walking the job
Tech shortcuts eliminate the “shared learning walk” that develops real decision-makers.
10:32 — Mentorship, in-person interaction & lost tribal knowledge
Why remote work and tech tools rob junior people of accelerated learning.
11:33 — Inputs vs outputs: the mistake of PE-backed urgency
Short-termism destroys craftsmanship, growth, and culture.
13:15 — Organic growth vs acquisition: which is harder?
Hint: mergers are way harder — because people resist change.
14:35 — Getting leaders to take ownership
Why Sperber pushes decisions down and expects managers to behave like owners.
16:29 — Empowerment + accountability, minus fear
Richard: “You can’t fire people for making mistakes. That’s how they learn.”
18:31 — The bike analogy: letting people wobble
Why leaders must let people ride, crash, and re-ride.
19:11 — Why firing after a mistake is dumb
“If they leave, your competitor gets the benefit of their education.”
21:23 — The growth inflection points (AM → Branch → Multi-Branch)
When and how to hire account managers and build scalable structure.
23:38 — Promoting from within vs hiring externally
The Peter Principle is real — especially in sales leadership.
27:00 — Loyalty vs performance: firing with context
Why you must think about the impact on everyone who stays.
30:06 — The linchpin: everything is people
Customers, employees, vendors — the entire business is human.
32:59 — Data overload & why most metrics don’t matter
Leaders drown teams in useless outputs instead of focusing on the vital few.
34:33 — AI, automation & the power of personal presence
You can’t AI your way out of dead grass or broken trust.
37:10 — Bringing ValleyCrest culture into Sperber
Patience, high standards, shared learning, and real human relationships.
42:20 — The 8 simple metrics (without listing them)
Richard refuses to name them — but drops hints: margins, retention, enhancements, collections.
43:25 — Legendary ValleyCrest rituals (truck giveaways!)
How they drove safety, loyalty, and life-changing employee impact.
46:47 — Richard’s real education: boardrooms, mentors & hard lessons
Why he never needed business books — he lived the MBA.
49:42 — The bright future of the green industry
More passionate entrepreneurs than ever; real opportunity ahead.
53:40 — Trade shows, global trends & European inspiration
Richard has his eye on Dreamscapes and massive European landscaping expos.