What happens when the business you fought to build nearly breaks you and then becomes the vehicle for your next chapter?

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff Harkness sits down with entrepreneur David Koehn to unpack a journey that started with $12,000 borrowed from his father, a lawnmower, and a Ford Explorer — and ultimately led to building and selling Koehn Outdoors. David shares the mistakes that nearly put the company under, the strategic shift that transformed the business, and why building a team capable of operating without him became one of the most valuable things he ever did.

David and Jeff also go inside the sale to Bland Landscaping, including why trust mattered more than simply finding the highest bidder, what surprised David during post-close integration, and why owners should expect change after a transaction. Now entering what he calls the “3.0 version” of his life, David is using those lessons to mentor and coach other entrepreneurs navigating growth, leadership, and eventual exits.

Key Discussion Points

• Why David left his hometown at 21 with no real plan beyond creating a different life

• Borrowing $12,000 from his father — and the condition that forced him to go all-in on entrepreneurship

• Growing from residential lawn care into commercial landscaping and HOA work

• Why chasing revenue and large installation projects nearly drove the company into bankruptcy

• The decision to abandon construction work and become intensely focused on recurring maintenance

• How consultants, better systems, budgeting, and peer relationships helped transform the business

• Why hiring business development talent earlier could have accelerated David’s growth

• How stepping away from operations proved David had built a company that could function without him

• Why David chose a trusted strategic partner instead of running a broad auction for the highest bidder

• The realities of post-sale integration: systems, safety, compensation, communication, and cultural change

• Why owners should never believe that “nothing will change” after a transaction

• How David transitioned from owner-operator to investor, advisor, and CEO coach

• Why mentors can dramatically change the trajectory of an entrepreneur’s life

• David’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: action wins