Landscaper Cultivates Grass Business
Although Travis Mc-Gaughy initially had no plans to return to his family’s landscaping company while studying business administration in college, 10 years later he is making a big impact in the landscaping industry. After working for his father’s landscaping business for several years, in 2011 he launched his own, Total Landscape Management. More recently, he launched a second company, SYNScapes Hawaii, which offers artificial grass installation.
Total Landscape Management provides landscaping services for residential and small commercial clients, while utilizing eco-friendly water-saving practices and all-natural fertilizers.
mw-ent-090314-lawn
While running Total Landscape, McGaughy noticed the demand for artificial grass.
SYNScapes Hawaii is a retailer of SYNLawn, an international synthetic grass provider. With SYNScapes, McGaughy sells and installs SYNLawn products. Mc-Gaughy has found that the artificial grass is perfect for those who don’t have a lot of spare time to maintain a yard. Many clients also install SYNLawn for pet areas, personal putting greens or rooftops.
It also is a viable option for those on a budget.
“It’s good for people who can’t pay those increases in water, because every year water (costs) keep rising,” McGaughy explains. “I have been seeing a lot of clients of mine changing their yard out just because they will save money by not having to water or maintain their yard. And there’s no bugs, no weeds and it always stays green.
“There may be an upfront cost to it, but in the long run, you save money without having to spend that monthly bill on water,” he adds. “And I want to save my clients money.”
According to McGaughy, there are a few important features that distinguish his product. First, SYNLawn is designed to be cooler than other synthetic grasses on the market – certainly an important aspect to have in Hawaii’s heat. Also, while some synthetic grass needs stands to help it stick straight up, SYNLawn does that all on its own.
Getting SYNLawn requires a one-time installation, and McGaughy has that worked out: When SYNScapes has a sale, he contracts his own Total Landscape Management to install it.
The team also occasionally may return for maintenance to “rejuvenate the fibers,” or, in layman’s terms, fluff it up.
McGaughy has acquired a lifetime’s worth of knowledge in the landscaping industry. Growing up, he spent summers working alongside his father at the family landscaping company. By the time he graduated from college, his father’s business was growing and he decided to come home.
“I wanted to help out my father,” McGaughy recalls. “It is just something that I felt was right to do.”
That his approach to business is rooted in family, he feels, sets his companies apart.
“I want to provide a more personable relationship with clients,” he says.
coconnor@midweek.com
