Upcoming Events

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

David Bender, CEO of Weeded! Lawn Service in Richmond, Virginia, joins Phil to share how he built a snow operation that grows in one of the trickiest low-snow markets in the country. From choosing a client model that demands zero tolerance service, to designing custom equipment on the fly, to building a business that runs without him being awake for 83 hours straight, David shares the operational, structural, and mindset moves that made it possible. He also opens up about his SIMA speaking debut, why "lawn friends" beats "clients," and why the two questions he asks himself during every snow event have nothing to do with money.

Key Learnings

Pick a Blue Ocean for Your Company Name - A generic name puts you in a bloody sea of competitors on Google, but a distinctive name plants your flag in uncharted water and makes you unmistakable in your market.

Sell to Clients Who Want It Clean - In a low snow market especially, the only way to make money is to attract clients who want zero tolerance service on every event, so build a client base that fits your model instead of chasing everyone.

You Make the Decision, Not the Property Manager - You cannot run a snow operation while waiting on 53 property managers to approve action, so set the expectation up front that you are the decision maker on their lot.

Build the Business to Run Without You - Preparation, delegation, and communication systems are what let you sit on a beach while a storm hits and trust your team to handle it.

Take Care of the People Doing the Work - Give your subs good hours, clustered lots, quick pay when they walk in with paperwork, and grace when they damage a curb, and they will pick you over the contractor paying $50 more an hour.

Take Care of the People You Work For - Treat your client's money like your money, their tenants like your tenants, and their lot like your lot, and the trust follows.

Ask Two Questions on Every Snow Event - Are we taking great care of the people working for us, and are we taking great care of the people we work for? If the answers are yes, the money side works itself out.

Say No to the Wrong Revenue - When a national buyer offered 60% of what David was earning on Walgreens locally, he walked away because it was the wrong revenue, and the right revenue has always come back around.

Custom-Built Equipment Turns 80 Hours into One - A one-yard salt spreader on a custom trailer pulled by a Ventrac turned 80 man hours of sidewalk salti...

• (00:00:00) - Welcome and Introductions
• (00:00:38) - Snow in Virginia
• (00:02:50) - The SIMA Talks
• (00:04:54) - Bethesda to Cornell
• (00:07:35) - Family and Jiu-Jitsu
• (00:08:48) - Finding a Blue Ocean
• (00:11:14) - Meet the Lawn Friends
• (00:15:16) - Winter Scale Up
• (00:16:46) - How Snow Grew from One Truck
• (00:20:11) - You Have to Want It Clean
• (00:22:21) - Who Makes the Call
• (00:23:53) - Walking Away from Walgreens
• (00:24:46) - The Control Freak Story
• (00:26:12) - The Subcontractor Mindset
• (00:28:42) - Care Creates Referrals
• (00:31:36) - Planning the Cash
• (00:34:21) - Seasonal vs T&M
• (00:37:14) - Custom Trailers and Brine
• (00:42:04) - What's Next
• (00:46:14) - Know Your Numbers

Upcoming Events

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Capacity Planning | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 How do you determine your true operational capacity?

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

Eric Gagnon, President of G&G Landscape and Development in Maine, joins Phil to share his journey from commercial electrician to full-time snow and landscape professional. From partnering with his brother and later navigating a family buyout, to losing his father at 19 and letting that shape how he approaches business and life, to building a self-performing operation that runs on seasonal contracts and an automated salt-sales system, Eric shares hard-won lessons on leadership, technology, and why serving the community matters as much as growing the business. He also opens up about loving snow, being a self-described loader guy, and pursuing a vision of excellence that blurs the line between work and life.

Key Learnings

Look in the Mirror Before You Commit Another Decade - Eric changed careers when he stopped liking who was looking back at him, so pay attention to that feeling instead of grinding through a job you don't enjoy for the rest of your career.

Take the Leap Even When It Means a Pay Cut - Moving from a secure electrical job to full-time in the family business meant less pay and less security, but the freedom to build something of your own is worth the trade-off.

Different Visions Between Partners Wear You Down - When one partner wants to grow big and the other wants to stay small, every conversation feels like someone has to compromise, which erodes the relationship over time.

Buyouts Between Family Members Are Hard but Worth It - Family buyouts get emotional and people say things they shouldn't in the heat of the moment, but the right structural change can restore the personal relationship and strengthen both businesses.

Address Conflict Before It Festers - In personal relationships and business, letting things sit only makes them worse, so have the hard conversation as quickly as possible.

Everything Happens for a Reason - Losing his father at 19 forced Eric to spread his wings earlier than he would have, and shaped a perspective that hard experiences often prepare you for what comes next.

Seasonal Contracts Build Better Businesses - Fixed monthly billing lets clients budget with confidence and lets you build the team, equipment, and quality of service the market expects, regardless of whether the winter is mild or brutal.

Cap Your Salt Applications - Salt is a volatile commodity, so capping applications in your seasonal contract at a set number and...

Upcoming Events

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Finding & Managing Subcontractors | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 How do you find subcontractors who actually show up when it snows?

Capacity Planning | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 How do you determine your true operational capacity?

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

Robert Holmes, founder of Spectrum Weather and Specialty Insurance, joins Phil to demystify weather insurance for the snow and ice industry. From explaining what an independent broker actually is, to walking through real-life examples of how contractors use lack-of-snow policies to protect equipment rentals, collateralize operating loans, and build client-loyalty credits, Robert shows why weather insurance isn't just for the biggest operations. He also shares the story of his 18-year path from research meteorologist and Antarctic weather-station builder to founder of a family-run brokerage that helps contractors turn weather risk into a Lego box of solutions.

Key Learnings

Know the Difference Between Agent and Broker - An agent works for the insurance carrier, but an independent broker's fiduciary responsibility is to you, which means access to the best coverage across carriers instead of whatever one company sells.

Weather Insurance Triggers on Snowfall, Not Expenses - Claims are paid based on measured snowfall against a defined threshold, so you don't have to prove salt costs went up or your labor spend spiked to collect.

Airport Measurements Keep Things Clean - Coverage typically uses a central, historically tracked location like a major airport because it's a disinterested third party with reliable data underwriters can price against.

Insurance Offsets Big Contract Risk - Landing a large contract usually means renting or buying expensive equipment that has to sit ready, and weather insurance can protect that outlay if the snow doesn't come.

Weather Policies Can Collateralize Bank Loans - Snow-only contractors going into winter cash-poor can use a lack-of-snow policy to name their bank as an additional loss payee, giving lenders peace of mind on operating capital loans.

Whoever Owns the Risk Buys the Policy - Property managers, HOAs, landlords, and even municipalities buy weather insurance too, so if the risk lives with your client, they might be the buyer instead of you.

Buy Insurance Earlier in the Season - As winter approaches, carrier capacity in high-demand markets like Chicago fills up, so a policy that costs $X in August could cost 20% more if you wait until Octob...

• (00:00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro
• (00:01:32) - What Spectrum Weather Does
• (00:02:43) - Broker vs Agent
• (00:04:03) - How Weather Insurance Works
• (00:06:05) - Why Ice Doesn't Cover
• (00:07:20) - Where the Snow Gets Measured
• (00:10:43) - Real World Use Cases
• (00:13:34) - Who Really Buys the Policy
• (00:16:09) - Why the Midwest Loads Up First
• (00:19:32) - The Box of Legos Approach
• (00:21:52) - From Meteorologist to Weather Derivatives
• (00:25:00) - Antarctica and Holmes Ridge
• (00:27:35) - Bringing the Family In
• (00:29:08) - Final Advice and How to Reach Robert

Upcoming Events

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Finding & Managing Subcontractors | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 How do you find subcontractors who actually show up when it snows?

Capacity Planning | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 How do you determine your true operational capacity?

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

Tabetha Hart, President and Co-Founder of Tamarisk Business Advisors and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, joins Phil for a short but meaningful conversation about why the businesses that look most successful from the outside often trap the owners who built them. Tabetha shares the origin of the Tamarisk Method, why growth without intentional design multiplies owner dependency instead of reducing it, and why the real purpose of a business isn't just to make money, but to create options for the owner, their family, and their team.

Key Learnings

Successful Looking Businesses Often Trap Their Owners - Profitable, growing companies can still leave the owner unable to step away because every decision, team, and customer runs through them.

Growth Without Design Multiplies Owner Dependency - Scaling revenue without intentional structure means more employees, customers, and decisions bottleneck through the owner, so the business gets bigger while freedom shrinks.

The Purpose of a Business Is to Create Options - Revenue and profit matter, but the higher purpose of a business is creating options for the owner, their family, and their team.

Exit Planning Isn't About Retirement - It's about stewardship and intentionally building a business that can thrive beyond you, protecting your family, your employees, and the value you spent decades creating.

Clarity Comes Before Change - Owners are often too close to their businesses to see where dependency exists, so the first step is objectively looking at financial performance, leadership, risk, and how decisions really get made.

Ask What Options Your Next Decision Creates - Before every major business decision, ask whether it makes the business more dependent on you or less, and whether it builds something that can endure.

Reflection Questions

Could you completely unplug for two weeks with no contact and be confident your business would run without you?

Are your recent decisions creating more freedom or more responsibility for you as the owner?

...

• (00:00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro
• (00:01:23) - Tabetha's Story and Mission
• (00:02:34) - What Is the Tamarisk Method
• (00:04:39) - Why Options Matter More Than Income
• (00:06:32) - The Trap of Chasing Growth
• (00:08:23) - Clarity Before Foundation
• (00:09:58) - What Writing the Book Revealed
• (00:11:25) - The One Question Every Owner Should Ask
• (00:12:59) - How to Connect with Tabetha
• (00:15:12) - Wrap Up and Grow! Snow

Upcoming Events

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Pricing & Estimating Review | Tuesday, July 7, 2026 Are you pricing for profit or just hoping to break even?

Finding & Managing Subcontractors | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 How do you find subcontractors who actually show up when it snows?

Capacity Planning | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 How do you determine your true operational capacity?

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

In-Person Event

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

Episode #57

Matt Delborrello, Commercial Insurance Consultant with Alera Group and an Accredited Professional in Risk and Insurance, joins Phil to demystify the world of business insurance for snow and ice contractors. From understanding how umbrella liability provides broader protection than raising general liability limits, to why being rated on payroll instead of sales can dramatically lower your premiums, to navigating the excess and surplus marketplace, Matt shares why responsiveness and relationships drive his work, how site selection affects insurability, and what every contractor needs to know before the next slip and fall claim hits.

Key Learnings

Umbrella Liability Beats Raising General Liability Limits - Umbrella coverage isn't auditable like general liability, so it gives you broader protection over auto and employer's liability without driving up your audit exposure.

Sales vs Payroll Rating Changes Everything - Being rated on snow payroll instead of total snow sales gives carriers a more accurate picture of your true exposure and can dramatically lower your premiums.

Guaranteed Cost Contracts Distort Sales Numbers - When clients pay $500,000 whether it snows 2 inches or 200, sales doesn't reflect actual risk exposure, which is why the payroll rating shift matters so much.

Choose Your Clients Wisely - You can run a flawless snow operation, but if your client list is heavy on gas stations and big box retail, insurance carriers may decline to write the account because of slip and fall frequency.

Site Type Matters More Than Industry Label - A local bank and a Walmart are both retail, but they carry completely different risk profiles, so generic application categories without conversation create real problems.

Camera Footage Defends Against Bogus Claims - Forward-facing, rear-facing, and driver-facing cameras give carriers the evidence they need to fight inflated or fraudulent claims rather than just settling them.

You Can Be Involved...

• (00:00:20) - Welcome and Introductions
• (00:01:55) - Inside Alera Group
• (00:05:49) - Insurance 101 for Contractors
• (00:07:47) - Why Umbrella Beats Higher GL Limits
• (00:10:24) - A Day in the Life of an Agent
• (00:14:54) - Why Carriers Don't Get Snow
• (00:20:18) - The Sales vs Payroll Shift
• (00:24:24) - The Clients Carriers Hate
• (00:28:15) - The Bogus Slip and Fall Story
• (00:31:29) - Who Really Decides Your Claim
• (00:38:32) - The Excess and Surplus Trap
• (00:43:16) - One Entity or Two
• (00:45:01) - How to Reach Matt

Upcoming Events

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Contract Review | Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Internal review and update of sales contracts and subcontractor agreements.

Pricing & Estimating Review | Tuesday, July 7, 2026 Are you pricing for profit or just hoping to break even?

Finding & Managing Subcontractors | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 How do you find subcontractors who actually show up when it snows?

Capacity Planning | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 How do you determine your true operational capacity?

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

In-Person Event

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

Joe and Carla Policastro, co-founders of Cycle CPA, join Phil to discuss why financial clarity is the foundation of a healthy snow and landscape business. From managing the cash flow challenges of seasonal work, to benchmarking your numbers against industry peers, to why your bank balance only tells part of the story, this husband and wife team shares how proactive accounting and advisory work help contractors make confident decisions instead of operating on gut feel. They also open up about the personal journeys that drive their mission to serve hardworking business owners in the green and snow industries.

Key Learnings

Your Bank Balance Is Only Part of the Picture - Checking your account daily tells you what you have right now, but future cash flow forecasting shows you what is coming and what to watch out for.

Seasonal Businesses Must Build Cash Reserves - Snow and landscape operations need enough cash saved during busy months to carry them through slow seasons and economic downturns.

Get Your Numbers Fast to Decide Fast - The earlier you receive accurate monthly financials, the quicker you can make confident business decisions.

Benchmark Against Industry Peers, Not Just Last Year - Comparing your numbers to industry averages reveals problems like labor costs running higher than competitors, pointing you toward what needs fixing.

Make Decisions on Data, Not Gut Feel - Business owners without timely, accurate information are operating in the dark, while knowing your numbers lets you plan the future with confidence.

Track Labor Hours Against Each Job - In a labor-intensive industry, knowing how many hours are budgeted toward a specific job and tracking time against it is critical to protecting your margins.

Outsource What...

• (00:00:00) - Start
• (00:00:20) - Welcome and Intro
• (00:01:59) - Why Most Owners Avoid the Books
• (00:03:55) - The Seasonal Cash Flow Trap
• (00:08:27) - How Cycle CPA Got Started
• (00:12:46) - Packages and the Numbers That Matter
• (00:16:23) - Building a Remote Team of 30
• (00:19:17) - Splitting the Work as a Couple
• (00:22:35) - Why Carla Chose Landscapers
• (00:24:59) - An Immigrant’s Resilience
• (00:27:07) - Joe’s Story: Angela’s House
• (00:32:07) - Who They Serve Best
• (00:35:56) - What Actually Sets Them Apart
• (00:38:12) - Making Your Software Talk
• (00:41:20) - Learn More About Cycle CPA
• (00:43:17) - Final Advice for Contractors

Upcoming Events

Snowfighters Institute Webinars: Join us live for monthly webinars built to help snow pros run stronger, more profitable operations. All sessions run 10:00 to 11:00 AM.

Contract Review | Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Internal review and update of sales contracts and subcontractor agreements.

Pricing & Estimating Review | Tuesday, July 7, 2026 Are you pricing for profit or just hoping to break even?

Finding & Managing Subcontractors | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 How do you find subcontractors who actually show up when it snows?

Capacity Planning | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 How do you determine your true operational capacity?

Recruiting | Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Why can't you find good people to hire, and what can you do about it?

Incentive Compensation & Rewards | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Are your bonuses and rewards actually driving the results you want?

Client & Employee Appreciation | Tuesday, December 8, 2026 Are you truly appreciating your clients and employees, or just going through the motions?

See the full webinar list →

In-Person Event

GROW! Snow | September 22 to 23, 2026 An in-person event built for snow leaders and their teams. Two days of snow-specific breakout sessions, a facility tour, and content designed to drive real change at your business. Details coming soon.

This week's episode is a little different. Phil Harwood joins Marty Grunder on The Grow Show to discuss the strategic partnership between Snow Fighters Institute and The Grow Group, share his 40 years of industry experience, and explain why snow removal can be the most profitable part of a service business. From his early days running printing equipment in the family business to his current role as a consultant and attorney, Phil reveals the leadership principles that have served him throughout his career, the trends shaping the future of snow operations, and why building a sellable business benefits every owner regardless of exit plans.

Key Learnings

Snow Fighting Is Emergency Service Work - Snow removal is comparable to firefighting because crews are on call all winter and must drop everything when activity starts, requiring a mindset that embraces the calling rather than resenting it.

Find Companies That Love Snow - The best operators love snow not because they enjoy leaving their families for three days, but because they understand they're providing valuable emergency services that make a real difference.

Degrees Don't Equal Smartness or Success - Education provides knowledge, but you have to apply what you learned and surround yourself with smart people to actually succeed in business.

Outsiders Get Heard More Than Insiders - The same advice from an internal team member often gets ignored but is celebrated when delivered by an objective outside consultant with no skin in the game.

Do What You Say You're Going to Do - The basics like answering your phone, being respectful, and following through on commitments sound like cliches but remain the foundation of successful business relationships.

Be Great at What You Want Your Team to Be Good At - Leaders are always being...

• (00:00:00) - Start
• (00:02:00) - Strategic Partnership - Snowfighters + Grow Group
• (00:02:30) - Snowfighters Origins
• (00:04:54) - Why Your “Why” Matters
• (00:07:01) - From Family Business to Consulting
• (00:09:24) - Why Law School at This Point
• (00:10:20) - The Atrium Disaster
• (00:12:26) - When Core Values Backfire
• (00:13:57) - The Leap to Consulting
• (00:15:37) - Why Outsiders Get Heard
• (00:17:01) - The Basics Nobody Do
• (00:18:08) - Be the Example
• (00:23:06) - Tech That’s Changing Snow
• (00:26:05) - You’re the Hero at Night
• (00:27:05) - Build a Business You Can Sell
• (00:28:41) - Why Snow Wins on Profit