Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Barlion.
Hi Michael , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Fresh out of high school I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career and I got a job at a local landscape company working in commercial landscaping. With in a year, I was promoted to landscape foreman, I was 19 years old, and I had been promoted over guys that were more than double my age. I figured at that point I could do this on my own. I enrolled at the University of Cincinnati’s business and horticulture program. I immediately took my core horticulture classes to learn landscape design, construction, and also received a certificate for turf grass management. Business started taking off and this was my calling.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Landscaping has always been a challenging and competitive industry. Being an owner-operator put a huge strain on my sales, and I had to learn how to delegate while still maintaining high-quality work. It took me 20 years to finally get out of the field, and only because an injury forced me to stop. Though it was incredibly difficult, it opened up many new opportunities. Theft has also been a major struggle. Six years into the business, my trailer and all my mowing equipment were stolen from my driveway, which was devastating. A few years later, I discovered an employee had been stealing equipment and pawning it off. While the police recovered my equipment, I had to buy it back from the pawn shop to get it quickly. Another mower was stolen a few years after that. Sadly, theft has been a constant setback. Finding good employees was another challenge. I was ready to give up, but over the past three years, I’ve been fortunate to have an amazing crew of hardworking people. Our latest struggle came when the property we had operated on for seven years was sold without warning. The new owners initially said everything would stay the same, but a few months later, we were told to vacate so they could build a new building. After having the perfect shop setup, we had to scramble to find a new property. We’ve found a place nearby and are in the process of securing it, but moving will cost us thousands. It’s been a tough couple of months, but I guess it’s true that when one door closes, another opens.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We have found a niche in commercial landscaping. Home Owner Associations have become our specialty. We have the best communications with our clients and employees, that sets us apart from other companies. We deliver a residential quality while working on large scale projects. Our attention to detail and problem solving also sets us apart from our competitors. We not only have the best name in the business, but we also supply the same quality and standards.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The landscape industry is evolving with autonomous mowing, and it’s already gaining momentum. The challenge for smaller companies like ours is the high upfront cost of these machines. Larger companies will have the advantage, making them more competitive since they can handle the initial investment while we might struggle to keep up. Hopefully, over the next few years, we can grow enough to position ourselves to invest in the latest technologies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://allscapesandsizes.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllScapesandSizes
