The Power of Peer Groups: Hear from RealGreen Customers
Twice a year, a collective of like-minded green industry colleagues (and RealGreen customers) have a peer group gathering, coming together for a few days to share insights, learn from each other, and network. We were lucky enough to have the chance to sit in on their most recent event, hosted by Yard Guard Montana, to learn more about professional peer groups, why they’re important, and how they can benefit all who participate.
This time, participating peer group members were Wayne Brockman, Co-Owner, Brockman Tree & Lawn Care; Colin Engstrom, Owner, Yard Guard Montana; Sidne Gardner, Office Manager, Yard Guard Montana; Brad Woods, Owner, American Turf and Tree Care; Bob Brower, General Manager, Lawn Plus; and Kylie Kelty and Brad Kelty of Farison Lawn Care. They shared their candid thoughts with us; here are some key takeaways.
Interested in learning more about this topic? Group members Wayne Brockman of Brockman Tree & Lawn Care, Sidne Gardner and Colin Engstrom of Yard Guard, Brad Woods from American Turf & Tree, and Bob Brower from Lawn Plus will be presenting on The Power of Peer Groups at our 2025 Beyond Service User Conference. Click here for more details.
RealGreen: What would you say are the main benefits of being part of an industry peer group?
Colin Engstrom: We believe [peer groups] elevate the industry as a whole. The cool thing is that we have different seasons and experiences than people in other regions, and we get to learn from them to improve our business.
Kylie Kelty: It’s absolutely crucial to meet with other people in the same industry but not necessarily in the same market. You know, we’re not competitors; we’re a team, and we can discuss what we’re struggling with. We come to find we all struggle with the same thing, and it’s good to hear different sides of what everyone is doing.
Brad Woods: You’re talking to companies who have already tried different things – ‘Well, this works. This doesn’t work.’ So it makes it a lot easier to grow faster with that input. It’s so beneficial to take one to three things away and work on those to grow your business.
Wayne Brockman: I joined the peer group in 2020. It’s great for networking. Members can offer advice. They can critique pain points in our business and help us grow, and we can offer that to them as well. On top of that, you make great friendships.
Sidne Gardner: When you go to a conference and meet people, you can have conversations, but you don’t get to know people that well. By getting everyone together, you get to learn who’s an expert at what. Then, when you have an issue, you just call that person because you’re friends. You know each other.
RG: Would you say the collaboration among peers has helped you learn more about effectively running and growing your business?
Brad Woods: I’m learning so much, and I try to teach as much as I can. Colin and Sidne (from Yard Guard) are amazing at how fast they’re growing, and that helps push our company. You don’t want to grow too fast and have the wheels fall off, but they’re an inspiration.
Colin Engstrom: By spending more time and going deeper on a few things, you get more out of it. At a conference, you meet people, but how do you have deeper conversations and solve problems together? That’s what peer groups allow you to do.
Kylie Kelty: One struggle we can all relate to is cancel rates. And one thing we all have in common is employees – hiring and keeping them happy. So we share ideas on that. It’s important to have a good culture; we all share the same values and can be an asset to each other.
Wayne Brockman: An on-site visit to a company is very beneficial. It’s totally different when you see it – you have more opportunities to ask questions. And for the hosts, it’s great because we notice things they might not because they’re in it every day.
RG: How has this peer group helped you foster a sense of shared culture and community in the lawn care industry?
Colin Engstrom: There’s no point in hiding things. There aren’t secrets. Everyone knows what you need to do to get better.
Wayne Brockman: We’re all from different markets, so we don’t have to worry about competition, and everybody wants to share their knowledge. They don’t want to see you suffer through the same problems; they’re proud of what they’ve done, and they want to see it work for you. So I think that’s really beneficial.
Yard Guard: We don’t mind sharing information because we believe it elevates the industry as a whole. And so that’s what we’re doing. For example, we have a different season than people in the south, east or New York. We get to learn their experiences, too, and we get to use that in our business as best as we can.
RG: How did you join this peer group? What do you look for in potential members?
Colin Engstrom: We were nominated to join our peer group and had to interview for it. That’s how ours works, but many companies offer peer group facilitating services. Ours is self-facilitated, but others are professionally facilitated.
Wayne Brockman: I met several of these guys over 10 years ago through RealGreen while going to the conference. They just became friends year-round. We use these opportunities as just another way to see each other and catch up, and help each other grow.
Brad Woods: I’d been trying to get into a peer group for a long time. When I actually started focusing on trying to get in, I think it was Wayne who let me know they had an opening, and I was fortunate to be invited. It is so pivotal.
Wayne Brockman: When it comes to looking for additional members, the biggest thing is someone who is motivated, wants to grow, is looking to better themselves as well as their business, and is willing to work at it. If you’re happy where you are, that’s great. But if you’re looking to grow and improve, peer groups can help identify and solve the issues holding you back.
RG: What typically takes place during a peer group gathering?
Kylie Kelty: Networking is huge. Meeting people and talking about how they run their businesses is invaluable. You also learn things about software that you might not know because there are so many ways to use it.
Wayne Brockman: Every meeting is a little bit different. At least once a year, we focus heavily on the numbers. A meeting like today, we focus a little bit more on identifying weaknesses and trying to get advice on how we can turn them around.
I actually sought out a group that was based on RealGreen, even though there are one or two members who don’t use it because I felt it was easier to compare numbers. We could talk about our processes. The benefit of having someone who uses another software is that you can find out if they are having similar issues. What can they do with their system that we can do with ours, or maybe hadn’t thought of in a certain way?
Sidne Gardner: The last meeting we had, we had the opportunity to focus on someone who was having a specific challenge. We took the time to dive into that challenge, offer suggestions, ask questions, whatever. And everybody took a lot away from that. If we’re helping someone solve a problem, everyone is benefiting from that.
RG: Is your peer group all work, all the time?
Wayne Brockman: This time, we went to Yellowstone for a couple of days, traveled through Jackson Hole, and spent time hiking, seeing wildlife and trying different foods. It’s a great way to bond and enjoy the area you’re visiting.
Sidne Gardner: We gather for dinners, breakfasts – we are able to connect outside of the learning environment and build stronger relationships.
Peer groups aren’t just networking opportunities—they can be a hotbed of innovation and growth in the lawn care industry. By sharing challenges, strategies, and insights, professionals can elevate their entire business ecosystem, transforming individual struggles into collective success. If you’re ready to learn more, join us at the Beyond Service User Conference and register for our customer panel, “The Power of Peer Groups,” for a deep dive into the transformative world of peer group collaboration. Your next breakthrough could be just one conversation away.
