Landscaping Business Grown From Zero to £230K With NO Team

In this week’s podcast we’re joined by Harry Rickard of Rickard Landscapes, we explore the challenges faced by a successful startup looking to scale beyond word-of-mouth referrals. Having grown his landscaping business to £230,000 in just his first year, Harry is now navigating the critical transition from subcontractors to employees while seeking reliable lead-generation strategies.

The bootstrap success story:

• Founded in April 2023, achieving £230,000 turnover in the first year
• Specialises in soft landscaping – planting, garden design, and installations
• Currently operates with three subcontractors
• All business to date has come through word of mouth and referrals
• Operates within a 40-mile radius of Banbury (Oxfordshire, Cotswolds, Warwickshire)

Harry’s rapid growth has been impressive, but he’s reached the classic entrepreneurial inflection point where the business needs more structure to continue scaling. Like many business owners, he faces the dilemma of needing steady work to justify bringing on employees, yet requiring more help to generate that work.

Key growth challenges:

• Moving from reactive (referral-based) to proactive lead generation
• Uncertainty about how to market effectively on a limited budget
• Fear of employing staff without guaranteed ongoing work
• Need to transition from working “in” the business to working “on” it

For a landscaping business that essentially “starts from zero” after each project, predictable lead flow becomes crucial. Without this, making decisions about hiring employees, investing in equipment, or expanding services remains difficult.

Practical marketing strategies:

• Target neighbours after completing jobs with personalised leaflets
• Advertise in local village magazines and community publications
• Boost effective Instagram content with small ad budgets
• Focus on showcasing before/after transformations with quality visuals
• Participate in local community Facebook groups

Rather than immediately jumping to expensive paid advertising campaigns, we recommend Harry start with low-cost, hyperlocal marketing efforts. For a service business with a defined geographic area, these approaches often deliver better ROI than broad digital campaigns.

Business structure recommendations:

• Bring reliable subcontractors onto payroll to create stability
• Consider part-time administrative support to handle back-office tasks
• Implement quarterly business planning sessions and 90-day goals
• Start documenting processes to make the business less dependent on the founder

The conversation highlights that scaling a local service business requires a balanced approach – bringing enough structure to operate efficiently while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to seasonal fluctuations and evolving market needs.

This episode provides valuable insights for any entrepreneur making the challenging transition from successful startup to sustainable small business with growth potential.

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