Gary Garvin, president of J&G Landscaping, lays out the challenges he's experienced in the industry, how his company has contended with those challenges and more.
Green Industry Pros: How did 2024 go for your company?
Garvin: We had a phenomenal year. We were busy every day of our season.
Green Industry Pros: What factors contributed to that busyness?
Garvin: We do landscape construction work. There's nobody left in our region (in Wyoming). I'm down to one competitor.
Green Industry Pros: What challenges did your company encounter?
Garvin: Labor is our biggest hurdle every year and has been for the last 15 years. Nobody wants to tackle it. Nobody wants to do labor work anymore, and even though we have nice equipment, you just cannot find people who want to run a shovel.
Green Industry Pros: Is there any technology that you’ve incorporated to combat the labor challenge?
Garvin: If it comes out and can save labor, we buy it. Mini excavators that take the place of a shovel and ride-ons—we own it because we can’t find laborers.
Green Industry Pros: What’re your expectations for the next three to five years?
Garvin: All my expectations are that our margins are going to go up, and we're going to be able to pick and choose what we do.
