We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Marcogliese recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I started my business in 2003. My specialty is taking care of very complex and high end residential gardens. It takes a higher level of horticulture knowledge and attention to detail. When the 2008 Great Recession happened, some of my clients felt like they should spend less. My average client is in the upper class economically. I had a very frank conversation that cutting back spending on the working class is what contributes to deepening the recession. I was able to change their mind and we not only didn’t lose jobs, my company continued to grow. One of my biggest reasons for success is I also pay a living wage and offer some benefits even though I don’t have to. My modo is a happy gardener equals a happy garden and my clients see that by paying my employees as I do, leads to happier, reliable, less stressed, knowledgeable employees that in turn do an incredible job. The other factor is I have fired clients on the basis of their attitudes. No matter how much money they spend with us. If a client is rude, unreasonable, or constantly questioning the value that we offer, I end the relationship. It lets my employees know I value their work environment being a positive and healthy place. I believe in lots of communication and adaptability. We have weekly meetings with leadership to have a chance for everyone to talk about not only the properties, but how they are doing mentally and physically. We also encourage a high level of communication directly with the leadership to the clients so there is an ownership and relationship that grows. I have adapted many ideas such as electric equipment for health safety and the environment, and keeping a drama free work environment is a top priority. Many people in my industry have used threats, crap talking and yelling to get productivity. I find quite the opposite works better.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As I mentioned before, a happy gardener equals a happy garden. I started my company as a side hustle as I was in a band and the goal was to have flexibility in my work life to focus on music as this is what my background of education was in. Horticulture came from my family on both sides going back many generations all the way back 1000 years. So I was always in the garden and in nature growing up as I moved around so much. Being the new kid 11 different times while in school meant gardens and nature were always my best friend. I came from a very chaotic and unhealthy family. So when my company took off I wanted to make sure to have that same feeling I felt while being in nature as a North Star for my employees. A healthy, inviting, healing, fun, challenging and creative environment where most people spend the majority of their waking hours in. My clients and employees always comment on how wonderful everyone is. Thats not to say people don’t have bad days, yet we are a community that supports each other as well. Our services have grown over the years from maintaining gardens to design build, irrigation, electrical lighting, specially pruning. We are constantly learn more and more and encourage that. And I alway promote from within as the leader must know how to follow first to be the best they can be with employees as they once were just weeding. I’m proud of the community service work I have done especially with teenage girls struggling with trauma and addiction. As well as being part of a small business organization that has fought and won to legislate for workers rights amongst many other issues that face small businesses and their employees. We have also been blessed to win some awards for the work we have done in our gardens. And I also love to do news segments with various news outlets like NBC, Fox, ABC, and others to teach people about gardening. Another thing I am very proud of is my employee retention rate. Many have spent 8 years with me and 6 have gone on to start their own companies and I share with them anything I can to help them to be successful.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

My reputation, according to what my industry says and my clients and employees say, is based on follow through. No matter how hard. Standing behind my work. If something goes wrong I always take responsibility and fix it. The work we do is so detailed and done with such care, it makes it impossible to tarnish my brand.

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

At the 10 year mark of running my business I was leveling out on growth as most of my clients are huge estates and we didn’t advertise as word of mouth was and is still the best way to gain new clients and gardens of the caliber we care for. I think the assumption from neighbors was that I was very expensive, which I’m not, so they thought they couldn’t afford us. I also had had my 3 child and they get expensive! A fellow garden company came to me as she was ready to retire and offered to sell her business. The timing was perfect. Well except having 3 children under the age of 5! She had gardens in neighborhoods I wanted to be in where the houses were close together and we would park on the street. So I purchased her relatively large list of clients knowing I would probably only keep a few to gain entry into these neighborhoods. I knew if we had our vehicles with our name and number, came in and just did what we do which is make a garden look it’s absolutely best, the calls would start coming in. And boy did they ever. Each year over the next 10 years I have generated 1/4 more gross income. Like planting a seed and watching it grow! It also stabilized my business as I had a majority of very large estates and if I lost one, which fingers crossed I still haven’t! I would have more diversity and a larger pool. I had to hire more people, invest in training and equipment. And I definitely barely slept for a few years. Yet now it’s like the seed and hard work is now baring fruit so it was all worth it. The hardest part of the acquisition was working with the former owner. They were amazing and I highly respected them and their work. However I made so many changes to the way I had been doing things vs the way they did it was difficult for them to experience. Letting go is hard especially when it’s a business you built and now it’s someone else’s. We are still friends to this day as I made sure they know how deeply I appreciate what they built and I think they are proud that I grew the business to what they always knew it could be.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nativeearthco.com
• Other: I have very little social media presence. I just haven’t had to do this for the type of work and clients I have. However recently I have been persuaded that I should do this! Especially if I ever decide to retire and sell my business!

Image Credits
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