You don’t need years of experience or a big crew to build a successful business. In this course, Steve Griggs shows how to start a landscape design company that runs on creativity and good management, not hard labor.
Most landscapers think success means more jobs and longer hours. Truth is, that’s the trap. You end up working harder and earning the same.
Steve Griggs lived that story. He grew up watching his dad head out before sunrise every day to do construction work in New York. No complaints. No shortcuts. Just pure grit.
As a teenager, Steve was trimming hedges while his dad collected the checks. And that’s when it clicked: real money comes from running the job… not doing the job.
Fast-forward 40 years, and Steve now runs a 7-figure design business built on creativity, not labor. He designs outdoor spaces for high-end clients and lets his subs handle the heavy lifting.
In this course, Steve shows you exactly how to do it. You’ll learn how to sell lifestyle instead of labor, how to sound confident even if you’re new, and how to run jobs that actually make money. He’ll walk you through the design process, the client conversations, the mistakes that cost him thousands, and the systems that made him millions.
You’ll see how to spot red-flag clients, protect yourself with contracts, and keep your wits when things go off the rails.
This course is for people who are done working for someone else, who want to create, lead, and get paid what they’re worth.
If that’s you, this is where you start.
Steve Griggs
Founder and Principal Designer, Steve Griggs Design
Steve Griggs has spent more than 40 years designing and building outdoor spaces across New York. He’s been featured on Bravo TV’s Backyard Envy and wrote the best-selling book Straight Dirt.
He started with a rake in his hands and built a business that now closes 7-figure projects. Steve teaches what actually works in the real world — the lessons, the screw-ups, the shortcuts — so you can skip the hard part and start strong.
Why did you make this course?
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You are not a landscaper. You are the brains behind the beauty
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Overcoming the fear: I have never done this before!
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What do clients really want? What are they willing to spend big on?
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Know your why
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Homework
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Basics of starting your business
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Research business names
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Develop your personal brand
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Always be professional
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Build trust
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Focus on sales first
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Business tools that I use
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Know your numbers
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The secret sauce
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Homework
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The pen is mightier than the shovel
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Understand the design process
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Basics of design
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Focus on one client
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Good, better, best
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Prepare for the sale
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Get them excited about their backyard
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Handling objections
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The design is the most important
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Get your foot in the door
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Homework
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Mastering subcontracting
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Subcontractors are not your partners
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Become the orchestrator and conductor, not the laborer
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Take care of your subcontractors
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Red flags to watch out for
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Final thoughts
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Homework
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Intro to FAQ
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FAQ 1 - What if a client ghosts or doesn’t pay?
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FAQ 2 - What if I underbid and lose money on a project?
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FAQ 3 - How to fire a sub-contractor without the drama?
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FAQ 4 - What if a sub-contractor finishes a milestone early?
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FAQ 5 - When should you make a change order for the scope of work?
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FAQ 6 - How do you provide excellent customer service?
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FAQ 7 - What if I stop getting leads?
0 min
FAQ 8 - How do I scale once I’m overbooked?
0 min
FAQ 9 - Sketch examples
0 min
FAQ 10 - Will you be offering 1-on-1 coaching?
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Why did you make this course? Transcript
Why did you make this course? > Why did you make this course?
You are not a landscaper. You are the brains behind the beauty Transcript
You are not a landscaper. You are the brains behind the beauty > You are not a landscaper. You are the brains behind the beauty
Overcoming the fear: I have never done this before! Transcript
Overcoming the fear: I have never done this before! > Overcoming the fear: I have never done this before!
What do clients really want? What are they willing to spend big on? Transcript
What do clients really want? What are they willing to spend big on? > What do clients really want? What are they willing to spend big on?
Know your why Transcript
Know your why > Know your why
Basics of starting your business Transcript
Basics of starting your business > Basics of starting your business
Research business names Transcript
Research business names > Research business names
Create a simple Instagram profile and start sharing your work and ideas.
Develop your personal brand > Develop your personal brand
Always be professional Transcript
Always be professional > Always be professional
Build trust Transcript
Build trust > Build trust
Focus on sales first Transcript
Focus on sales first > Focus on sales first
Business tools that I use Transcript
Business tools that I use > Business tools that I use
Know your numbers Transcript
Know your numbers > Know your numbers
The secret sauce Transcript
The secret sauce > The secret sauce
The pen is mightier than the shovel Transcript
The pen is mightier than the shovel > The pen is mightier than the shovel
Understand the design process Transcript
Understand the design process > Understand the design process
Basics of design Transcript
Basics of design > Basics of design
Focus on one client Transcript
Focus on one client > Focus on one client
Good, better, best Transcript
Good, better, best > Good, better, best
Prepare for the sale Transcript
Prepare for the sale > Prepare for the sale
Get them excited about their backyard Transcript
Get them excited about their backyard > Get them excited about their backyard
Handling objections Transcript
Handling objections > Handling objections
The design is the most important Transcript
The design is the most important > The design is the most important
Get your foot in the door Transcript
Get your foot in the door > Get your foot in the door
Mastering subcontracting Transcript
Mastering subcontracting > Mastering subcontracting
Subcontractors are not your partners Transcript
Subcontractors are not your partners > Subcontractors are not your partners
Become the orchestrator and conductor, not the laborer Transcript
Become the orchestrator and conductor, not the laborer > Become the orchestrator and conductor, not the laborer
Take care of your subcontractors Transcript
Take care of your subcontractors > Take care of your subcontractors
Red flags to watch out for Transcript
Red flags to watch out for > Red flags to watch out for
Final thoughts Transcript
Final thoughts > Final thoughts
Intro to FAQ Transcript
Intro to FAQ > Intro to FAQ
FAQ 1 Transcript
FAQ 1 - What if a client ghosts or doesn’t pay? > FAQ 1 - What if a client ghosts or doesn’t pay?
FAQ 2 Transcript
FAQ 2 - What if I underbid and lose money on a project? > FAQ 2 - What if I underbid and lose money on a project?
FAQ 3 Transcript
FAQ 3 - How to fire a sub-contractor without the drama? > FAQ 3 - How to fire a sub-contractor without the drama?
FAQ 4 Transcript
FAQ 4 - What if a sub-contractor finishes a milestone early? > FAQ 4 - What if a sub-contractor finishes a milestone early?
FAQ 5 Transcript
FAQ 5 - When should you make a change order for the scope of work? > FAQ 5 - When should you make a change order for the scope of work?
FAQ 6 Transcript
FAQ 6 - How do you provide excellent customer service? > FAQ 6 - How do you provide excellent customer service?
FAQ 7 Transcript
FAQ 7 - What if I stop getting leads? > FAQ 7 - What if I stop getting leads?
FAQ 8 Transcript
FAQ 8 - How do I scale once I’m overbooked? > FAQ 8 - How do I scale once I’m overbooked?
FAQ 9 Transcript
FAQ 9 - Sketch examples > FAQ 9 - Sketch examples
FAQ 10 Transcript
FAQ 10 - Will you be offering 1-on-1 coaching? > FAQ 10 - Will you be offering 1-on-1 coaching?
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