Stephen Mazelis shares his 30+ year journey from mowing lawns as a teen to running a $3M landscaping business—while serving as a firefighter and association leader. He opens up about how getting out of his own way and trusting his team led to real growth.
Books:
[01:20] From Lawn Mowing to Landscape Leadership
Stephen shares how he started mowing lawns as a teenager and eventually grew a multi-million dollar landscape business.
[04:50] Two Businesses, One Vision
How a zoning requirement led to opening a nursery that now supports his full-service landscape company.
[05:56] Firefighting, Family, and Finding Balance
Stephen talks about volunteering as a firefighter for over 20 years while running a busy business.
[07:35] The Real Growth Constraint? You.
Letting go of control was the turning point in Stephen’s leadership journey—and his biggest challenge.
[09:30] Mentorship That Hits Hard
A consultant’s blunt feedback changed everything. Sometimes you need someone to tell you you’re the problem.
[13:23] Brutal Honesty from Your Team
How third-party-facilitated feedback opened Stephen’s eyes to how he was unintentionally holding people back.
[17:00] Hiring Fast Isn’t the Problem—Firing Slow Is
Why hiring for fit matters more than resumes, and how to quickly spot when someone’s not a match.
[19:19] From Order-Taking to Proactive Sales
Stephen shifts from waiting for the phone to ring to building a sales pipeline through relationship-based commercial outreach.
[21:45] Freedom Through Structure
Why clearly defined deliverables and KPIs are the secret to stepping back without losing sight of performance.
[25:23] The Red Sharpie Test
A simple color-coded system on a shop scoreboard motivates crews and creates accountability in a powerful way.
[26:39] Association Involvement Is a Game-Changer
Stephen shares how being active in industry organizations helped build relationships, credibility, and personal growth.
[30:00] Books That Shape Better Leaders
Stephen is diving into Traction, and 10x Is Easier Than 2x to build systems and scale smarter over the next decade.