In this episode, Marty Grunder and executive coach Chris Psencik explore how small, consistent actions compound into extraordinary results. Drawing from Captain Michael Abrashoff's leadership principles in "It's Your Ship," they break down practical applications across the Four P Framework: Platform, People, Process, and Profits. The conversation emphasizes that success in the landscape industry comes from mastering the details that most people overlook.

Marty's Desk Pad

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a Review for the Grow Show!

️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel!

Episode Timestamps

01:58 - Introducing Chris Psencik

03:50 - The Importance of Little Things in Business

05:00 - Book Discussion: Creating Owners & Leaders

08:37 - The Four P Framework

10:00 - Platform: Speed and Execution

14:49 - People: Training and One-on-Ones

18:01 - Process: Systems and Efficiency

18:54 - Proactive Client Engagement

20:02 - Analyzing and Improving Proposals

21:16 - Maximizing Software Utilization

22:19 - Bite-Sized Profit Strategies

23:22 - Overcoming Sales Challenges

25:17 - The Importance of Peer Groups

30:28 - Success Through Attention to Detail

33:40 - Sign Up for GROW 2026!

Key Learnings

Speed Kills (In a Good Way): When a customer is ready to buy, they have Google, ChatGPT, and a list of competitors at their fingertips. The companies that respond fastest win. Chris shared how many businesses complain about needing more sales when the real problem is response time. The calls are coming in. The return speed is the bottleneck.

Marty's Take: "Good things come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who didn't. Seize the day. What are you waiting for?"

Create Owners, Not Employees: Captain Abrashoff's transformation of the USS Benfold offers a blueprint for landscape companies. He turned a failing ship into one of the Navy's most productive by pushing decision-making down, creating clarity, and building relationships at every level. The key insight: you cannot scale by micromanaging. You scale by creating people who think and act like owners.

Chris's Perspective: "So many people think they can just white-knuckle those companies and grab their bootstraps and get their hands dirty. But once a company reaches a certain size, it takes successful people to really do that."

Leverage the Wins: Recognition does not require elaborate systems. A shout-out with a Payday candy bar. Acknowledging someone in a team meeting who embodied a core value. These small moments reinforce culture more than any policy manual. The mistake most companies make is not capitalizing on things going well.

Example from Marty: When a crew member spotted a drainage issue, reported it, and helped close a $3,800 sale, that story became a teaching moment about what "speed kills" means in practice.

Train When You Have Time, Execute When You Don't: Chris highlighted how Curtis Atkinson uses the winter months strategically. Instead of viewing slow seasons as downtime, he treats them as preparation time. His team enters spring ready to execute rather than scrambling to figure things out when revenue opportunities are highest.

The Principle: "Think with the end in mind. Where do we need to get? We need revenue. When do we want it? First an...