Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob McElreath.
Rob, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started landscaping while I was in high school. Landscape maintenance companies hire more help in the summer months, so while I was out of school I would work for extra cash. After graduation, I began working full time in landscape maintenance. Soon I learned of the installation portion of the landscape industry. I moved jobs and began installing large landscape projects and constructing Koi ponds. I worked my way into management and learned of the landscape construction industry. I worked my way into a project management position and was soon given the opportunity to run the company.
I ran the company for a few years and from there decided to open my own. In 2013, I opened McElreath ProLandscapes LLC. We began at 500k a year in 2013 and as of now we are a 3 million a year company and growing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Life is a challenge and building a successful business is a lot more of the same. I went to college at nights, so if you can imagine what it was like getting up at 5am, getting off work at 4 or 5pm and heading straight to class until 10pm. That didn’t leave time for much sleep, homework or personal time.
I always tried to be the best at my job so I moved up the ladder fairly quickly and it was a challenge to be young while in upper management in the construction industry. I was constantly having to prove myself. It is always a challenge to start off as the underdog.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ProLandscapes – what should we know?
We are a landscape construction company, specializing in large new construction and multifamily development. We install irrigation, trees, shrubs, sod, mulch, soils, drainage and do some grading.
We are known for getting the job done. If there is a difficult project, they call us because they know we can find a resolution and get it done. If there is a project that is behind and the GC is under the gun because of the schedule, they call us because they know we can and will get the project complete on time.
We are the best, that is what makes me the proudest. That is also what sets us apart from others.
We are the cleanest, fastest, most knowledgeable, and by far the best at what we do.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
First and foremost my employees deserve credit for being great employees, all of them. They are the best around. We are one big family. More specifically, Daniel Gonzalez and Jose Romero. They worked for me while we were at my past employer and they took the chance, came with me and have been the corner stones of McElreath ProLandscapes.
My mother was an inspiration, not just for her accomplishments, but for the support and good foundation she insisted on from her children.
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