Interview Series: Bret Achtenhagen of Seasonal Services on Growing a Family Business

In this episode, Marty sits down with Seasonal Service's Bret Achtenhagen to talk about his family business, the roundabout way he ended up in the green industry, and how the business evolved over time. They talk about the company's focus on residential work, how they keep the whole team focused on quality work, how they market for more work and more during this episode. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a Review for the Grow Show! ️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel!   00:00 - Introduction & Welcome01:32 - Meet Bret Achtenhagen02:12 - Bret’s Early Life and Family Business05:27 - Starting Seasonal Services11:05 - Defining Success and Core Values17:30 - Navigating Challenges and Growth20:19 - The Power of Radio Marketing26:18 - Building Relationships with High-End Builders27:40 - Using LinkedIn and Fleet Management30:42 - Useful Marketing Tactics and Awards33:06 - The Importance of Peer Groups for Growth37:59 - The Dynamics of Building a Family Business43:39 - Final Thoughts & Please Share This Episode!   Show Notes Define Your Niche and Stick to It - "Define who they are and what they want to be. And then stick to that... most of our competitors that never seem to really rise above three, four, 5 million, they're trying to be everything to everybody."   Core Values Based on Philosophy - Built their foundation on Aristotle's ethos, pathos, and logos (ethics, passion, and logic): "Our core values are founded on ethos, pathos, and logos... it's a three-legged stool."   Target Market Clarity - Focus on million-dollar homes with clients who "admire, enjoy, and respect creativity, quality, craftsmanship, expertise and extraordinary customer experiences."   Growth Challenges Are Predictable - "When we hit 5 million, it seemed like the wheels got wobbly... when we hit 10 million, the wheels got wobbly and at 15 million, now our wheels are a little wobbly." Each growth stage requires new systems and approaches.   The 2008 Reality Check - Bank called demanding $300K when farm property value dropped from $1.6M to $650K: "I felt naked, I felt vulnerable. And at that point... we really started to get serious about systems."   Radio Show Marketing Strategy - 16+ years hosting weekly gardening show builds brand authority and recognition: "I go to restaurants... every weekend in church, people call up and say, I really loved your...