Turning dirt into dollars isn’t just about moving earth—it’s about moving the needle on your business mindset.
On this episode of the Millionaire Landscaper Podcast, we sat down with Keegan Lair, part of the second-generation leadership at Ted Lair Design & Build. What started in 1982 with Keegan’s father, Ted, a single truck, and a rented garage has evolved into a $12 million-per-year powerhouse in Iowa.
If you are a hardscaper looking to transition from “shovel and lawnmower” operations to high-end landscape architecture and massive installs, this episode is your blueprint.
Here are the top takeaways from Keegan on how they scaled their family business, retained top talent for over 20 years, and mastered the art of the upsell.
1. The Shift: Elevating Craftsmanship Scales the Business
Early in the business, the company operated like many others—maintenance, mowing, and smaller installs. But around the year 2000, a shift happened that changed their trajectory.
They stopped thinking small.
Instead of small garden walls and standard pavers, they moved to massive natural stone installations—flagstones the size of kitchen tables and boulders weighing two tons or more.
The Lesson: You can’t charge premium prices for average work. By elevating their craftsmanship and tackling complex, heavy-duty hardscaping, they separated themselves from the competition. As Keegan noted, raising the technical skill level of one crew member (like precise stone cutting) and having them teach the rest of the fleet lifts the entire company’s value.
2. Design is Your Secret Weapon
One of the biggest differentiators for Ted Lair Design & Build is their investment in Landscape Architecture.
Keegan, who holds a degree in Landscape Architecture, emphasized that they aren’t just “installers”—they are solution providers.
-
Credibility: Having degreed designers on staff puts clients at ease, especially when dealing with complex backyard elevations or drainage issues.
-
The Full Package: They handle the process end-to-end: Design, Estimate, Sell, Manage.
Pro Tip: If you want to scale, stop giving away sketches on a napkin. Professional design capabilities justify professional pricing.
3. Retention: How to Keep Crews for 20+ Years
In an industry plagued by turnover, Ted Lair Design & Build boasts employees who have been with them for 15, 20, and even 30 years. How do they do it?
It’s not just about the paycheck (though Keegan admits they pay aggressively). It’s about culture and respect.
-
Work-Life Balance: They shifted from the “sunup to sundown” mentality to a structured 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM schedule. They respect their crew’s family time.
-
The Little Things: It sounds simple, but Keegan mentioned having an ice machine and stocked water bottles so crews don’t have to stop at gas stations.
-
Growth Paths: Their Operations Manager, Aaron, started as a laborer planting shrubs. He’s now been there for 30 years running the show. Show your team a ladder, and they will climb it.
4. Pricing Strategy: “Buyers vs. Non-Buyers”
Are you afraid to raise your prices because you think you’ll lose the job? Keegan offers a liberating perspective on estimating.
“There are buyers, and then there are not buyers. If you price something at $10k versus $12k, it might not make a bit of difference to the buyer. But to the non-buyer, even $10k was too high.”
The Financial Takeaway:
-
Target Margins: Aim for a minimum of 50% gross margin on hardscapes and planting.
-
Don’t Undersell: If you present the right product and the right solution, the right client will pay for it. Stop negotiating with yourself before you even send the proposal.
5. Surviving (and Thriving) in a Family Business
Mixing family and business is often cited as a recipe for disaster, but the Lairs make it work through clarity of roles.
-
Stay in Your Lane: Keegan runs Design/Build. His sister, Melissa, runs the Garden Center. Ted provides high-level oversight.
-
Let Talent Breathe: Ted’s management style was “low regulation.” He provided the resources and let his family (and employees) excel in their strengths without micromanaging.
The Golden Rule of Scaling
When asked for his single biggest piece of advice for the Millionaire Landscaper audience, Keegan kept it simple:
“Treat your customers like gold.”
It sounds cliché, but at the $12M level, it’s operational fact. Don’t overcommit. deliver on what you promise, and do it better than anyone else. That is how you turn a one-time install into a lifetime of referrals.
Ready to take your hardscaping business to the next level? Make sure you subscribe to the Millionaire Landscaper Podcast so you never miss an interview with industry titans who are turning dirt into dollars.
