Adam Linnemann, owner and founder of Linnemann Lawn Care and Landscaping and The Green Executive
Green Industry Pros: How did you get into the industry?
Linnemann: I started my landscaping business at the age of 14 with a push mower and a riding mower and a wagon behind it mowing lawns throughout the neighborhood. When I was a senior in high school, I purchased a brand-new pickup truck. I remember my dad telling me at the time that I was making more than he did at the public works department for our city. I eventually grew the business to 25 employees. Now, we have maintenance crews, lawn care technicians and several design-build crews. In 2017, my wife Sahra and I started The Green Executive. We were in peer groups, and much of it was things we already knew, and we felt a lot of it was accountability and holding people to what they’re learning. So, we decided to open The Green Executive, and now have three or four service offerings. We offer Profit First implementation, which is a cash flow management system, bookkeeping services and then how to help implement software.
GIP: How do you divide your time between the two businesses?
Linnemann: I have hours and days a week that I work at the consulting business, and then the rest of the time, I work at my landscaping business, particularly focusing on sales and the marketing. I have some good people that are able to run the business without me having to be there. So, I divide my time up typically about three days a week at Linnemann Lawn Care and Landscaping and two days a week at the consulting business.
GIP: What’ve been some of the highlights in your career?
Linnemann: When we implemented LMN and went all in with a software, it did several things for us. Number 1, it allowed us to truly have processes and procedures in place that you have to have in order to run the software, and it allowed us to keep all of our client information and job scheduling in one place. So, by just having a software and really rolling up our sleeves and going all in with it allowed us to become much more organized and process driven.
GIP: What challenges have you contended with and how did you combat those?
Linnemann: I would say hiring good qualified help. We’ve been forced to hire for attitude and train for skill. It’s bringing people in that are eager to work that might not necessarily have the experience but who fit in well with our culture and with our team and who are going to show up every day.
GIP: What has made your life easier?
Linnemann: Years ago when we were growing, we hired an office coordinator, Peggy, and she handles our invoicing and estimating. Hiring someone that can help us out in the office took a lot off my shoulders. If we're talking tools or equipment, having something like a mini track loader or skid-steer literally replaces two or three people, so having that equipment readily available on jobs has been really efficient. We use the Vermeer brand.
GIP: What advice would you give other landscape pros just starting out?
Linnemann: Really know and understand your numbers. Don’t wait five or 10 years. Understand your costs, your breakeven, what it costs to keep the lights on and make sure you turn a profit on top of that. The second thing is that a business needs to pay the owner for his time and turn a profit on top of that. Oftentimes, contractors think that profit equals the owner’s pay, and it doesn't.
GIP: Is there anything the industry could use more of?
Linnemann: I wish there were more women in the industry. I have found women to be much more detail-oriented than men, and I think that’s huge. I also think having customers be able to connect with women is very beneficial.
GIP: What do you like to do outside of work?
Linnemann: Vacationing, we love to go to Cancun. We go a couple times a year. Another major hobby is ATV riding. We go down to Southern Missouri and the Mark Twain National Forest and go ATV riding along some of the rivers and springs.
