John Gulius is a Pennsylvania native who, after years in the corporate world in L.A., decided to return to the East Coast to start his own landscaping business. Through hard work and dedication to his craft, John has become an industry leader in assessing the needs of residential lawns and developing comprehensive care plans. But his most distinguishing trait as a businessman is his ability to build and maintain positive relationships with clients.
Q: Can you share what inspired you to transition from a corporate career to starting your own landscaping business?
JOHN GULIUS: I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors, and landscaping was a summer job for me through high school and college. After graduating from Delaware Valley University with a degree in business administration, I took a job in the corporate world in Los Angeles. But that desire to create something of my own never left me. I saw a chance to combine my love of the outdoors with my business knowledge, and I felt the time was right to return to the East Coast and start my landscaping business.
Q: What skills do you believe are essential for entrepreneurs today?
JOHN GULIUS: Beyond an essential self-belief, a confidence that you can make your vision a reality – because that’s maybe the most important one. But beyond that, I’d say a gift for multitasking. You’re going to be tasked with pretty much every role at the beginning and throughout the process of starting and running your own business. Organization, especially time management, is critical when you’re running things solo. And as for self-belief, it’s having the courage to take the leap and go after your dreams. You have to have resilience in the face of adversity.
Q: How has technology influenced your ability to take on the tasks of an entrepreneur?
JOHN GULIUS: It’s so much easier to be efficient with things like scheduling and task management. But it’s also helped with research and staying on top of industry trends. It’s simpler to learn new skills with the sharing of knowledge and resources, and that enhances both the quality and efficiency of our work. Essentially, technology allows us to manage our businesses more effectively and respond quickly to market changes.
Q: What lessons have you taken from your corporate career that you’ve applied to being an entrepreneur?
JOHN GULIUS: I think the main lessons are learning how best to deal with people, whether it’s in a sales context or in an ongoing client relationship. In a corporate setting, you’re leaning on the reputation of the company that’s hired you. You’re not out to prove anything from scratch. But when you’re starting out on your own, you’re working to build a reputation on your own. I find that it’s paid dividends to maintain that confidence in yourself and your experience, rather than trying to oversell yourself or be too aggressive with making a deal. People don’t want an aggressive sales pitch – they want to see that you have self-assurance that you’re going to deliver what you’re offering in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In that way, your reputation builds naturally.
Q: What advice would you give to people who are building up the courage to strike out on their own?
JOHN GULIUS: The main one is to have a plan. And that means to plan for three or four months of no income, at least, when you’re diving in and going full-time on your new venture. You want to focus solely on your business without having to worry about financial stress at first. It makes all the difference to have that time carved out to build your business.
