Jeff Harkness on Capital, Control, and Creating Real Wealth

Episode 93 of the Trades Talk Podcast podcast, hosted by Justin White, titled "Jeff Harkness on Capital, Control, and Creating Real Wealth" was published on September 3, 2025 and runs 43 minutes.

September 3, 2025 ·43m · Trades Talk Podcast

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Summary

This week on Trades Talk, host Justin White shares a powerful episode with Jeff Harkness, CEO of 3PG Advisors, focused on mergers, acquisitions, capital access, and the mindset shifts required to scale and create long term wealth in the green industry. Jeff brings nearly three decades of experience in M&A, with deep expertise in landscaping, tree care, and turf care services. What started as a private training for the Disruptors community is now being shared publicly for the first time. Whether you are just beginning to explore capital options or already in growth mode, this conversation breaks down what is possible when you stop thinking like an operator and start thinking like an owner. In this episode, Jeff shares: • Why private equity and mezzanine capital are flowing into the landscape industry • How to position your company for investment or acquisition • What banks, investors, and equity firms look for before writing a check • The benefits of multiple liquidity events and long term wealth creation • How to move from slow, one customer at a time growth to scalable value creation Jeff also addresses common fears around giving up control, explains why ownership is often less important than upside, and outlines how landscape companies are using institutional capital to go from regional players to market leaders. If you want to understand how the game is really played at the next level, this episode is your entry point.

Episode Description

Jeff brings nearly three decades of experience in M&A, with deep expertise in landscaping, tree care, and turf care services. What started as a private training for the Disruptors community is now being shared publicly for the first time. Whether you are just beginning to explore capital options or already in growth mode, this conversation breaks down what is possible when you stop thinking like an operator and start thinking like an owner.

In this episode, Jeff shares: • Why private equity and mezzanine capital are flowing into the landscape industry • How to position your company for investment or acquisition • What banks, investors, and equity firms look for before writing a check • The benefits of multiple liquidity events and long term wealth creation • How to move from slow, one customer at a time growth to scalable value creation

Jeff also addresses common fears around giving up control, explains why ownership is often less important than upside, and outlines how landscape companies are using institutional capital to go from regional players to market leaders. If you want to understand how the game is really played at the next level, this episode is your entry point.