From Stagnant to Scalable
Case Study
Isaiah Hanson - Owner/Operator
Streamline Lawn Care and Spraying
Lawn maintenance company
Isaiah had been running Streamline for 10 years. Although the business was established, it was stagnant. He wanted to grow the business but wasn’t sure how or what the next steps were.
Goal: Create a growth plan that was scalable and develop the team so he could get out of daily operations.
Services Provided: DiSC assessments, operations and financial strategy.
Jamison: Before we started coaching, what challenge were you experiencing in you business.
Isaiah: Slow growth. Looking back, I didn't know how to manage personalities very well. So starting the coaching with a DiSC assessment lead to me understand my own leadership style and how I implemented strategies, which made a pretty big difference.
J: After going through the DiSC training, what’s an ah-ha moment you had about yourself as a business owner.
I didn't have a lot of strategy or plan of action. I learned I’m not a detailed person and that's not how my brain works. So, for me, it was gaining that awareness then knowing it’s ok, giving myself a little bit more grace, but allowing somebody else to help me with creating action in my business. And that’s what we did with the operational coaching. We were then able to implement a lot of the ideas that I had that I wasn’t acting on.
Over time, I’ve gained the skill to implement, which has been super beneficial. So just knowing that that was my weak point helped. Sometimes you don't even realize what you're doing until you have some clarity and understanding on how you operate.
J: Awesome. So on the flip side, what was one of your biggest strengths that you identified after taking the DiSC assessment?
Oh, so one of my biggest strengths is that I’m very outgoing and positive, and so that really played a big role in our team culture, in the company, and being able to motivate people. So now I realize how much of a strength and gift that is naturally. I’m great at motivation and leading people to want to do their job well.
J: When we started operational coaching, we focused on the organization of your team. We created structure and a growth plan. What changes have you had in your business since doing that?
The org chart was very beneficial to me. I kind of understood it a little bit before that, but not to that level. So, understanding what those duties needed to be for the leaders instead of just like, “okay, this guy does this, well, let's just throw him here”. Now they have to hit KPIs. To be honest, I didn’t even know what a KPI was before you, so... But now we have KPIs in every position, and we have expectations of everybody within our company so we can hit our revenue goals as a team.
J: We also did a deep dive of your financials and growth planning to map how to get to the next level. We did a breakdown of your sales goals and how you needed to structure your business in the day-to-day. What were some of the takeaways from that part of the coaching?
I: Yeah, math is the path. That was big for me. If I had a little bit of money in the bank account by the end of the day, I said, “yeah, we did all right”. Looking back, I didn't really know what I was doing, though. It sounds ridiculous now, like, why wasn't tracking daily metrics? I mean, that's a pretty big part of business. Working with you to get the tools and knowledge was key. And billable hours, that was a huge one. Now we're hitting profit margins that can sustain a company versus hitting profit margins that are just, you know, surviving.
J: When we calculated your billable hour, and I put it into my formula, I saw the moment where it clicked for you. When you saw the strategy and the difference it could have, how quick were you to make changes in your business?
I: We did it immediately. I did a static price raise first, across the board, which absolutely needed to happen. And it's funny, and I think a lot of small business owners have this belief, if you raise your prices, you're going to lose all your customers. All of our customers stayed with us except for one. So that was a huge lightbulb right there. But going back to having a clear plan and metrics in a company means you can serve your customers at a higher level.
J: This is where I love to say work smarter, not harder.
Yeah, you're going to be all around happier based on the fact of understanding financials, metrics and margins. I can now see the whole picture instead of feeling like I have to hustle for everything.
J: When you have a team and a large client base, you have to be strategic and you have to play it smart. Since our coaching container, you definitely have continued to be strategic. Over time, what growth have you seen?
I: Obviously the money drives the business, right? So our profit goals have significantly changed. But one of the coolest things that I've noticed, though, is the team. And I think this is another big one for small business owners. We just like to bottleneck everything because we think that nobody can do it like us. We have to be a part of it. I had to be involved in everything. Once we strategized the team structure, KPI’s, and I understood finances and had a growth plan, it allowed me to get out of the way and allow my team to grow. And that when it gets exciting.
J: My last question for you is how would you describe the coaching experience I provided?
Oh, yeah, I don't think I'll ever forget it because that is what really changed the trajectory of my business. I remember thinking, “this is the next step, I have to listen.” Because I was so busy doing my own thing. I was very stubborn. And I'll say this, too. You can cut this out if you want, ... people that pay, pay attention. And it's so true, and it was so true for me, because after I wrote you the check for your coaching, I was all in, like tell me what to do.
I will say this, Jamison, and I've told you this before, your fee, I would have paid it 10 times over, knowing what I know now, and seeing where it got me now. It's a drop in the bucket. Huge help and huge blessing. God puts people in your in your life at the right time. Don’t not listen.
Bottom Line
This business wasn’t stuck because of lack of ideas—it was stuck because there was no clear structure to execute them.
With the right systems, financial clarity, and leadership awareness in place, the business moved from stagnant to scalable. If this sounds like you, it’s not too late to grow.