Silvis Group Inc. has renewed its license agreement for an additional six-year term as a LandOpt Contractor, extending exclusive LandOpt license rights for its Westmoreland County territory through 2020.
Located in Mount Pleasant, PA, Silvis Group is a full-service landscape company specializing in design/build and maintenance services. A LandOpt Contractor since 2008, Silvis is one of the earliest adopters of the LandOpt System, the foundation upon which more than 30 landscape contractors nationwide operate their businesses today.
Founded in 2004, LandOpt works with independently owned landscape contractors across the U.S., helping them increase their profitability, cash flow and revenue.
Jacob H. Silvis IV (aka Jake), founder and president of Silvis Group, acknowledges the value that the LandOpt System has brought to his business and the potential for growth that still exists by making the decision to renew the agreement. Six years ago, when Silvis joined the LandOpt Contractor Network, his company was generating slightly less than $2 million in revenue. Today, that number has doubled and Silvis now stands as one of the largest single-location contractors in the entire LandOpt Network.
According to David Gallagher, LandOpt’s director of success, the growth of Silvis Group over the past six years has been steady and marked with important milestones along the way. “As an example, it was a Silvis sales professional who was one of the first in our Network to sell more than $1 million in a calendar year,” Gallagher says. “It’s clear from the results that Jake and his team have achieved that they are committed to the LandOpt System. This renewal is further testament to that commitment and to the value that LandOpt provides. They are dedicated to the process and I fully expect to see this growth continue as we move into their second license term.”
Silvis Group was also #16 on Green Industry Pros magazine’s 2014 Landscape Industry Hidden Gems list (download here), which recognizes fast-growing landscape companies from across the nation.
Silvis shared that LandOpt has helped to change the culture within his business. “There are so many ways in which LandOpt has made an impact; my team understands the financial aspects much better, specifically how all of the numbers correlate. The HR tools have allowed us to put the right people in the right roles. Really, it has impacted every aspect of our day-to-day business.”
Rural market not holding them back. Gallagher is quick to point out that Silvis has achieved most of his success in a territory that is largely rural and does not afford the density and well-balanced mix of commercial and residential opportunities that might be typical in a more urban market. “I point out the makeup of Jake’s market simply because we often hear contractors explain that their success is limited because their market is ‘different’ when, in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Silvis Group is a prime example of how processes, systems, and a proactive approach to sales can yield success just about anywhere. As they stand today, their company currently accounts for roughly 10% of the Network’s collective $33.5M long-term maintenance base.”
Of his reasons for renewing the license agreement, Silvis simply states, “After some time, people think that they’ve got all the answers, and that thinking leads them to slide backwards. I’m not willing to take my team backwards. The journey has only just begun. The entire Silvis team is committed to remaining fully engaged with the LandOpt System because we see the opportunity for continued growth and improvement.”
