The Business They Built From a Barn

What does it really take to build a company from two brothers working out of a barn into one of Southern Arizona's largest landscaping businesses?  In this episode of the Voice of Growth Podcast, Manny Teran sits down with Brian Ham, former co-owner of Santa Rita Landscaping, to discuss entrepreneurship, leadership, surviving the 2008 financial crisis, building systems, selling a company, and the unexpected identity crisis that follows a successful exit.  Brian shares how he and his brother grew Santa Rita Landscaping from a pickup truck and long days in the field into a business with more than 200 employees and over $20 million in annual revenue. Along the way, they survived the collapse of the housing market, rebuilt after shrinking from 187 employees to just 37, and ultimately sold the company after nearly a year-long acquisition process—just one week before COVID changed the world.  The conversation explores leadership, referrals, operational excellence, EOS, hiring great people, conservation, hunting, Teddy Roosevelt, and why every entrepreneur should "do something hard every day."