Operational Scalability: Joshua Malik of Joshua Tree Experts On How To Set Up Systems, Procedures…

Operational Scalability: Joshua Malik of Joshua Tree Experts On How To Set Up Systems, Procedures, And People To Prepare A Business To Scale

As you grow the business, you have to put processes and systems in place. As a leader, I had to determine which roles weren’t right for me or were taking up too much time. You should only be doing the things you like and are good at. You have to hire people that can take on those other responsibilities. There was a time when I did all the marketing, for example, so I had to hire a salesperson as we grew to handle marketing plans and strategies. I hired a general manager to handle day-to-day business. We put operation managers and departmental supervisors in place. We developed a customer service team that handles all of our calls. You just have to develop the organizational chart.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, scalability is not just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. Entrepreneurs often get trapped in the daily grind of running their businesses, neglecting to put in place the systems, procedures, and people needed for sustainable growth. Without this foundation, companies hit bottlenecks, suffer inefficiencies, and face the risk of stalling or failing. This series aims to delve deep into the intricacies of operational scalability. How do you set up a framework that can adapt to growing customer demands? What are the crucial procedures that can streamline business operations? How do you build a team that can take on increasing responsibilities while maintaining a high standard of performance?

In this interview series, we are talking to CEOs, Founders, Operations Managers Consultants, Academics, Tech leaders & HR professionals, who share lessons from their experience about “How To Set Up Systems, Procedures, And People To Prepare A Business To Scale”. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Joshua Malik of Joshua Tree Experts.

Malik started in the arborist industry when he graduated from high school in 1992. By 2005, he opened Joshua Tree Experts based in his small three-car garage that initially offered plant health care and general tree care. After nearly a decade of perfecting the business model, Joshua Tree Experts launched new services, including lawn care and pest control, to cater to client demand and offer prospective franchisees multiple revenue streams. In 2021, the brand began franchising and is now available in several states.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I was one of those kids in high school that did well in sports but didn’t do well academically. I was more of a troublemaker than a straight A student. But I loved working with my hands and always had labor jobs. I started in the industry when I graduated from high school in 1992. When 2005 rolled around, I was working for a few mom-and-pop shops, and I was able to really gather what was working and use it to start my own business. At that point, education and training weren’t being implemented because there weren’t as many certified arborists working for the companies that did tree and shrub spray. I already had all the licenses required to launch that service, and no one was marketing very well. So I got in touch with a local marketing firm to launch my services, and that worked really well.

Joshua Tree Experts opened in 2005, initially offering plant health care and general tree care. It was a home-based business in Pennsylvania being run out of a small, three-car garage. But the company had a great niche. No one offered our kind of trained certified arborists. In 2009, I bought a good commercial site and expanded with an internal team and infrastructure. Then in 2017, the company added lawn care services, including fertilizer and weed control. That’s when we really began marketing that service, and it paid off. When 2020 came around, we rolled out pest control, monthly visits for commercial sites, quarterly visits and mosquito, flea and tick spray for residential customers. Now we have three services in one: tree care, lawn care and pest control. We recently sold our first two franchises, including one in NY and one in PA.

Now, I’m heading into my 31st year in the industry, having started at the most entry level position and working my way up to where I am today.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I don’t make a lot of mistakes, so when I do it really pisses me off! My biggest mistake recently was probably when I first launched our lawn care department with Joshua Tree. I ended up buying the wrong equipment — I should have done more research on it. I was too focused on the long-term vision and not what was directly in front of me. We had really developed our lawn care program around a certain product, and we weren’t flexible in that. That was the biggest mistake, I think.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

With Joshua Tree Experts, it all comes down to our culture and values. Now, as we bring new franchisees through our doors for Discovery Day, everyone is blown away by our team members and how educated we are in professional tree care. I invest a ton back into the business and everybody within the company understands that. People are amazed at how committed we are to growing. We’re really trying to continue doing well and seeing steady growth within the business.

One of our specific core values is “team player” and a willingness to help one another. It’s unbelievable the welcoming reception people get when they join our team. We are just genuine people — we have BBQs with confirmation candidates and they get to meet every single team member. That is a big differentiator.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

The three traits that have been most important are my leadership abilities, my communication skills and my focus. I’ve really honed those skills over the last several years. If I have a passion to succeed at something, I don’t just jump in with one foot. I dive in headfirst and stay there until the success comes. That is why I’ve remained so committed to the green industry.

Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?

It’s all about surrounding yourself with the right people, but that means you have to be willing to let go of the people who aren’t right. They might be great people and have great values, but if they aren’t good at their job, you have to be able to disconnect from their personal feelings. Sometimes, that means they aren’t in the right seat but you unfortunately don’t have the opportunity to create the right seat for them. The wrong people in the wrong seats can really hurt the company. Everything we do is about the greater good for the company, so we have to make all of our decisions around that mission. I’ve learned first-hand that you have to be able to make those hard decisions.

What does Operational Scalability mean to you?

In terms of Joshua Tree Experts, it’s about providing multiple services, growing client count, improving rates-per-hour, investing in assets like vehicles and real estate, providing long-term retention with employees by continually adding benefits, cross-selling and upselling services, expanding territories and reaching new markets.

Which types of business can most benefit from investing in Operational Scalability?

The green industry can really benefit from operational scalability. If you are a landscaper who is providing maintenance, design, install, mowing and mulching, for example, you already have a built up clientele of people utilizing your services. By adding the Joshua Tree Experts brand, you can gain instant recognition and start cross-marketing new services to those existing clients with the backing of our knowledge in terms of hiring, equipment, etc. You can launch quickly and successfully.

Why is it so important for a business to invest time, energy, and resources into Operational Scalability?

There is a return on investment that comes with scalability — you are increasing your topline revenue. In the green space specifically, scaling means you are adding more equipment, vehicles and other assets. Our equipment average is about 20 years, for example. After you’ve paid it off, it will still hold value that can come back to you later. It also makes you more competitive in the marketplace. You are able to do jobs more efficiently, outbid competitors, etc. If you think about that topline revenue, it can add more to the bottom line, which in turn helps you grow your asset portfolio and gives you an attractive return.

In contrast, what happens to a business that does not invest time, energy and resources into Operational Scalability?

They just don’t go anywhere. A lot of small companies don’t have the capital or time to grow. Those companies aren’t able to focus on their vision. They can’t work on the business, only in the business. They can’t develop themselves professionally when taking on new challenges. Their numbers may fluctuate a little bit, but they get stuck and can’t think about the long-term plan.

Can you please share a story from your experience about how a business grew dramatically when they worked on their Operational Scalability?

As you grow the business, you have to put processes and systems in place. As a leader, I had to determine which roles weren’t right for me or were taking up too much time. You should only be doing the things you like and are good at. You have to hire people that can take on those other responsibilities. There was a time when I did all the marketing, for example, so I had to hire a salesperson as we grew to handle marketing plans and strategies. I hired a general manager to handle day-to-day business. We put operation managers and departmental supervisors in place. We developed a customer service team that handles all of our calls. You just have to develop the organizational chart.

Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the “Five Most Important Things A Business Leader Should Do To Set Up Systems, Procedures, And People To Prepare A Business To Scale”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

1 . Identify the goal and create a clear communication of the plan.

2 . Ensure you have the right people in place.

3 . Provide in-depth and ongoing training for those people as they onboarding.

4 . Invest in support resources for your people, especially technology tools.

5. Focus on the culture of your company and your team.

What are some common misconceptions businesses have about scaling? Can you please explain?

That it is easy. Business owners, mostly within the franchise system, believe that investing in a business is like investing in a stock or bond. Eventually, a certain amount of money will yield you a return without any effort. That is a very common belief amongst business owners. The truth is that you have to be willing to work harder to even consider reaping the benefits of that investment and business. There isn’t any business, despite what a franchise consultant might say, where you don’t have to be all in to be successful.

How do you keep your team motivated during periods of rapid growth or change?

We do a lot of vision days. We are always talking about our long-term vision and relaying it to the team. That is a major part of our onboarding process. We have a culture video, for example, that outlines our core values. We have quarterly team meetings, award ceremonies and anniversary celebrations, as well as fun group activities like bowling, white water rafting, paintballing, skeet shooting, etc. These things keep people on track and allow them to get to know their coworkers on a personal level.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

There are three kinds of people in this world, those who wonder what happens, those who watch what happens and those who make things happen. I’ve always skipped the first and second and went right to number three.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Plant a tree today. Most of the homeowners I talk to want a tree in their yard that they should have planted 20 years ago.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!

Operational Scalability: Joshua Malik of Joshua Tree Experts On How To Set Up Systems, Procedures… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.