Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/85696
landscape business 16 years. Last year, he employed 30 people and grossed $2 million during the chal- lenging economy. He has grown his business at an exponential rate primarily using two smart strate- gies: add-on services and subcontracting. "Our goal is to be a $5 million company in five years," he says. No Whining Allowed Born in Norwich, England (pronounced Nar-idge), Delany was nine when he moved to the United States with his parents. Delany's father was a hard- working contractor who instilled a strong work ethic in his son. But rather than go into construc- tion like his father, Delany chose landscaping, completing his undergraduate degree in landscape design and urban horticulture from the University of Arkansas in 1995. His only complaint with the program was the lack of business courses. "I'm still learning the business of running a busi- ness," he says. "Most landscapers are great landscap- ers and horrible business people." After graduating, Delaney worked for a land- scape company in Fayetteville for three years, often complaining about how things were done, until his father suggested he "quit whining and go start his own business," which he did. First operating as AAA Lawns from 2001 to 2008, he and about 25 employees focused on residential lawn maintenance. In 2008, he changed ness of running a business," he says. "Most landscapers are great landscapers and horrible business people. "I'm still learning the busi- his company name to GroundSERV to reflect a new focus on all aspects of property maintenance. This was in response to the economic downturn. "I thought we were going to be in trouble," he says. "So I made a decision to diversify and changed the name of the company to reflect that." He also refocused his business approach, gradually shifting from 60 percent residential and 40 percent " GroundSERV employees put finishing touches on the beds at a local mall. 40 TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE / February 2012 Above: Delany serves on the Property Committee of the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks.