This episode of the IM Landscape Growth podcast features Ed Hansen, a seasoned entrepreneur in the green industry, discussing his journey and insights into business growth, leadership, and the significance of building a company culture. Ed shares his experiences from founding Hansen Lawn and Gardens to his role in tech innovation with his landscape management software company, EXT.
This episode of the IM Landscape Growth podcast features Ed Hansen, a seasoned entrepreneur in the green industry, discussing his journey and insights into business growth, leadership, and the significance of building a company culture. Ed shares his experiences from founding Hansen Lawn and Gardens to his role in tech innovation with his landscape management software company, EXT.
Introduction to Ed Hansen: Ed Hansen is introduced as a founder and entrepreneur with significant involvement in Landscape Ontario and as a co-founder of EXT, a software company designed to aid landscape businesses (00:00-03:00).
Ed Hansen's Journey: Ed discusses his 20-year journey in the landscape industry, emphasizing the evolution of marketing, customer engagement, and the transition from traditional methods to digital platforms. He also touches on his belief in continuous learning and growth (03:01-07:00).
Building Hansen Lawn and Gardens: Ed shares the story of how he started and grew Hanson Lawn and Gardens into a successful design, build, and maintenance company employing 30 to 40 people. He highlights the importance of training, improving craftsmanship, and the shift towards becoming a destination company for industry professionals (07:01-12:00).
Overcoming Growth Constraints: The primary growth constraint identified by Ed is the mindset of entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the need to envision bigger goals and prepare for growth by planning and adapting to future needs rather than being limited by current capacities (12:01-15:00).
Cultural and Operational Transformation: Ed discusses his realization of being a 'shitty leader' at one point and how seeking external feedback and embracing honesty within the team transformed his leadership and company culture. He also mentions the implementation of processes and technology to improve operational efficiency (15:01-20:00).
Introduction of EXT: Ed explains the genesis of EXT, a software designed to streamline operations, enhance customer communication, and optimize routing for landscape businesses. He stresses the importance of usability and direct communication facilitated by the app (20:01-25:00).
Advice and Resources: Ed recommends "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl for personal reflection and growth. He also talks about the value of mentorship, continuous learning, and embracing external perspectives for personal and professional development (25:01-30:00).