The UpFlip Podcast

210. How this 24-year-old built a $1.5M/year business

24 snips
Oct 27, 2025
Chase Gallagher, founder of CMG Landscaping, transformed his childhood lawn care hustle into a $1.5M/year business. He shares his pivotal shift from low-margin mowing to high-ticket landscaping, emphasizing the profitability of drainage projects. Chase discusses his savvy customer acquisition strategies using Google and social media, as well as his consultative sales process for enormous projects. He highlights the importance of investing in marketing before equipment and reveals future ambitions of a coaching platform and private equity ventures.
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ANECDOTE

From Flyers To Trailers

  • Chase started passing out flyers at age 12 and built Buzzcut Lawn Care from that hustle.
  • By 13 he sold his dirt bike to buy a trailer and invest in equipment, accelerating growth.
ADVICE

Start Small With Project Work

  • Start project-based landscaping with a truck and hand tools instead of expensive mowing gear.
  • Rent big equipment when needed and focus spending on marketing first, not machines.
INSIGHT

Why Drainage Is High Margin

  • Drainage and planting projects deliver the highest margins because they leverage equipment efficiently.
  • These services combine grading/equipment work with light manual finishing for rich profitability.
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