{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Leadership in Action","title":"Growth By Acquisition - James Evans - Leadership in Action- Episode #53","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2549,"description":"Today’s guest is a local entrepreneur who comes from a financing and consulting background. He’s a landscaping legend, and the kind of leader that rolls up his sleeves and gets it done. James Evans is the CEO of Jim’s Landscaping, and Principal at Gladstone Capital LLC. Host extraordinaire Mark Stiles interviews James to learn more about his background, hear James’s tips for entrepreneurs, and explore the challenges of running a successful landscaping company. \n\nTakeaways:\nYou don’t need to quit your day job to start a business. Having a steady source of income removes risk, and can make financing your business easier. \nWhen you take on a side project while still holding a job, it is important to be transparent with your employer. Establish boundaries, and communicate clearly what your plans are.\nAs an entrepreneur, you need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Things go wrong, and it’s important to be able to adapt.\nLandscaping companies offer a unique opportunity for acquisition. Many owners are looking to retire, but there are not many people looking to take up the mantle. These situations offer an easy way to acquire a business that is already running smoothly.\nThe ability to prioritize is important when you run your own business. You will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of the company but you will only have so much time to devote. \nWhen starting a new landscaping company, growth can be slow and costly. Each employee will require tools and transportation, which can add up quickly.\nWhen James acquired his landscaping company, he put a high focus on elevating customer service. He makes sure that a human always picks up the phone, that emails are responded to quickly, and has updated payment processes allowing customers to pay with credit cards.\n \n \nLinks: \nFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimslandscapingma/ \nTwitter: https://twitter.com/glad_cap \nLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-r-evans/ \nWebsite: https://jimslandscaping.com/\nWebsite:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/IuCGxG0AnoXRGw4ouuWTzAz9mTnP2TIUaYp4k1b97o4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQyMDg2LzE2ODU1/NjUyMjUtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}