How Derek Clelan Built a Design Team Delivering 1,000 Projects a Year

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White sits down with Derek Clelan, founder of Your Haven Landscape Designs, to break down how one idea , a simple design service,  turned into a full-scale design machine supporting contractors across the country. After going bankrupt at 24, Derek rebuilt from the ground up. Now, just over a year into launching Your Haven, he’s built a 44-person team, delivered over 1,000 designs, and created a recurring revenue model that’s changing how contractors sell work, reduce change orders, and deliver better projects. In this episode, Derek shares: • The mindset shift that helped him bounce back and rebuild • How the Backyard Blueprint and Pro Memberships are fueling rapid growth • Why contractors need better design support to scale their business • The culture and execution strategies driving his team’s success If you’re looking to sell more work, improve efficiency, and build something lasting, this episode delivers real, tactical insight from someone who’s doing it in real time.