Blog Wide – The Commercial Landscaper

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John Munie

John Munie January 18, 2021

Before John founded Focal Pointe in 1998, he spent years working in family businesses and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Illinois State University. Even at young age, John was fascinated by how brands connect and identify with their customers – a concept he felt was largely overlooked in the landscape industry. Since Focal Pointe’s beginning, John has been committed to building a humble service organization that is built around the client experience. Under this philosophy and John’s ongoing leadership, Focal Pointe has grown into an industry leader and cares for many of the most prestigious properties in […]

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IT

Kevin Kehoe

Kevin Kehoe January 13, 2021

Kevin Kehoe is the Founder of Aspire Software and an industry veteran who has consulted with landscaping companies for over 30 years. Kevin has provided practical solutions, systems, and advice in the areas of sales management, financial management, budgeting, pricing and merger and acquisition – all with the goal of growth and profitability.

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Utkarsh Sharma

Utkarsh Sharma December 17, 2020

Utkarsh Sharma is the Founder and CEO of SiteRecon. SiteRecon platform completely automates property measurements and requires no human intervention. This is his second venture at the interface of artificial intelligence and geospatial mapping. Having built multiple, continental-scale datasets of commercial properties in his first venture, Utkarsh realized that there is no plug and play solution that delivers ready-to-use information about exteriors of a property. Utkarsh started SiteRecon to fill that gap, believing that rapid access to the truth about our physical world is a fundamental right of every business.

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Landscape

Dean DeSantis

Dean DeSantis December 8, 2020

Dean DeSantis is the second generation owner of DeSantis Landscapes, a full service landscape contractor founded in 1974. With its headquarters in Salem, OR and two branch offices in the Portland metro area, DeSantis employs over 120 landscape professionals focusing primarily on commercial maintenance, commercial bid/build and high-end residential design/build. Known for their sustainable focus and strong community ties, Dean is most proud of the workplace culture they’ve been able to create as evidenced by their being named a Top 100 Best Green Workplace in the state of Oregon for 10 consecutive years. Before joining the company fulltime in 2001 […]

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Michel Kripalani

Michel Kripalani November 24, 2020

As Founder & CEO of Oceanhouse Media, a leading publisher of mobile apps that uplift, educate and inspire, Michel has developed apps that millions of people have downloaded. Oceanhouse Media has released over 600 apps in its first 10 years. In 2013, the company was ranked #114 on the Inc 500 Fastest-Growing Private Companies list. Michel is a “digital tinkerer” at heart and is known for developing apps that drive personal and professional performance. Some of his more notable creations are “CommitTo3”, Michel’s personal daily coaching app “Mindset for Success,” and the recently released “Marshall Goldsmith Coaching” app. In early […]

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Landscape

Eli Hall

Eli Hall November 3, 2020

Eli has been in the landscaping industry for over 20 years, took over the family lawn business in 99 from his Grandfather and built it to a self running operation it is today. Joined Entrepreneurs Organization in 2014 in the Accelerator program which grew his mindset with mentors and coaches that guided his values today. 6 years later and now he is giving back to the program as an EO board member and President of the local Accelerator chapter.

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Landscape

Andrew Key

Andrew Key November 1, 2020

Andrew Key, CPA-President of Emerald Isle 2 Years at Emerald Isle BS in Business Economics, UCSB Certified Public Accountant – 1993 Bachelors degree from UCSB, emphasis in Business Economics, CPA since 1993. 7 years of Public Accounting for various types of clients, primarily in tax practice, setting up computerized accounting systems, and applications programming. 25 years of experience in commercial construction mainly with specialty subcontractors, including 17 years of experience in the landscape industry. Facilitated dissolution and recapitalization of a partnership, and ownership transition in two businesses before coming to Emerald Isle. Andrew is the former President of Heads Up […]

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Leadership

Lauren Bailey

Lauren Bailey October 8, 2020

Lauren Bailey is the CEO & co-founder of Upward Projects. Named to the Nation’s Restaurant News “Power 50” list in 2019, Lauren focuses on strategy, conceptualization and development for 15 restaurants over five brands in three states. Five additional locations are currently in development. Recently named to the Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing companies for the fourth year in a row, Upward Projects places an emphasis on preparing high-quality food and adapting and reusing historically relevant buildings that are an integral part of the neighborhoods they serve. The brands are comprised of Postino, Joyride Taco House, Windsor, Churn Ice […]

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Branding and Marketing

Jim Rae

Jim Rae October 4, 2020

Jim first kicked a soccer ball at the age of 3 and started playing professionally at the age of 16 with Dundee FC where he played as a defender. He remained at Dundee for 3 years during which time they won the Reserve League Cup in 1986. He subsequently had spells with league teams below the Scottish Premier League. Jim moved into sales following on from his soccer career and having worked for global businesses such as Xerox and Hays, Jim joined the board of Docuserve as Sales & Marketing Director and laterally Managing Director. Jim led an MBO of […]

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Business Execution

Ben Collinsworth

Ben Collinsworth September 29, 2020

Ben Collinsworth is general manager at Yellowstone Landscape, a company of roughly 4,000, which operates in several states around the U.S. Before that, he was the CEO of Native Land Design, a landscaping company he founded in Austin, Texas. Native sold to Yellowstone after 17 years in operation, growing to a base of 250 employees across three cities. The company was included in the Inc 5,000, Aggie 100, Austin Fastest 50, LM 150 and achieved many other awards over Ben’s tenure.