The Cost of Doing Business cover art

The Cost of Doing Business

The Cost of Doing Business

By: Weston Zimmerman
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About this listen

The Cost of Doing Business Podcast is here to help business owners find the path to profitability. We look beyond the glamour and glitz of the Instagram highlight reel by digging into the behind-the-scenes work necessary to achieve our goals. Your host, Weston Zimmerman, is the co-founder of SynkedUP. This award-winning landscape business management software is making a real difference for owners looking for a budgeting and overhead recovery tool and helps with estimating and job costing. Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Ep 79. From Mowing Lawns to Margin Mastery: Randall's Journey Into Hardscaping
    Jul 21 2025

    What happens when two buddies in small-town West Virginia go from mowing neighbors' lawns with a John Deere to running a thriving hardscaping company? In this episode, I sit down with Randall from M.R. Landscapes to unpack the raw, unfiltered story behind their evolution from maintenance to installs, how they battled seasonal cash flow nightmares, and the moment they realized hardscaping was their future.

    We talk about building a team, the pain of being stuck on the job instead of working on the business, and the power of budgeting, proposals, and communication in closing jobs fast. If you're a contractor trying to scale your business, navigate partnerships, or figure out when to finally hire that key crew member… this one’s for you.

    Listen in for:

    • Why being on the tools too long might be hurting your growth

    • The danger of “bank account barometer” thinking

    • How SynkedUP helped shift their margins and mindset

    • And what it really takes to lead a team through the highs and lows

    This is the cost of doing business; and it’s what they don’t show you on Instagram.

    If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out:

    SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/

    Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP

    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • Ep 78. He Built a Profitable Business Without a Crew | Kevin Robinson
    Jul 7 2025

    In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Robinson of Robinson Outdoors, right on the jobsite, to talk through what it really looks like to run a thriving landscape business as a one-man crew. We get into the systems, the tools, and the mindset that help him keep production high without burning himself out.

    We talk about how he protects his time, why simplicity wins, the trap of “busy but broke,” and the power of knowing your numbers (instead of just guessing).

    This episode is packed with lessons for anyone building a business that serves their life, not the other way around.

    Whether you’re solo or scaling, Kevin’s story is proof that doing it right matters more than doing it big.

    If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out:

    SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/

    Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP

    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • Ep 77. Real Leaders Build People, Not Just Patios | Aaron Emerson
    Jun 23 2025

    In this episode, I sit down with Aaron from Emerson Lawn & Landscape on a sunny spring morning outside Philly to talk about the not-so-glamorous side of leadership. We dive deep into what it actually looks like to transition from being the technician who does it all… to becoming the kind of leader who builds people, systems, and culture. Aaron gets real about almost losing the business, the mindset shifts that turned it around, and how leadership is less about control and more about letting go, automation, delegation, preparation, training, and anticipating problems before they hit.

    We talk about the hard lessons learned from jobs that bled money, the importance of knowing your break-even, and how building a team that runs without you isn’t just the goal, it’s the responsibility. If you're a business owner struggling to get out of the weeds or afraid to say no to the wrong work, this episode is packed with the kind of leadership gold that only comes from the trenches.

    Because success doesn’t come from working harder. It comes from leading better.

    Give Emerson a follow in instagram @‌emersonlawnlandscape

    If you're interested in learning more about SynkedUP, check us out:

    SynkedUP - Landscape Business Management Software https://synkedup.com/

    Follow us on Instagram: @SynkedUP

    Show More Show Less
    57 mins

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