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Phil Harwood on Why Snow Should Be Your Most Profitable Service | Announcing GROW: Snow 2026!

📅 July 15, 2026 ⏱️ 50:43 🎤 Marty Grunder, Phil Harwood

Chapters

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  • 0:00
    Snow: Most Profitable Service
    The episode opens with the core message that snow removal should be a highly profitable service, and if it's not, there are fixable issues.
  • 0:32
    The Importance of Early Planning
    Marty Grunder introduces Phil Harwood and stresses that planning for the snow season should begin in summer, not just before winter.
  • 0:47
    Snow as a Year-Round Business
    Phil explains that successful snow contractors treat it as a 12-month business, planning and preparing continuously for the next season.
  • 1:37
    Mindset: Emergency Service Provider
    The discussion shifts to the mindset required for snow professionals, likening their role to emergency service providers who find purpose and reward in their work.
  • 2:12
    Achieving Snow Profitability
    Phil outlines four key areas for profitability: accurate pricing, effective budgeting, skilled sales, and efficient operations.
  • 3:20
    Equipment Readiness Strategy
    The hosts discuss crucial steps for equipment readiness, including timely inspections, maintenance, ordering, and personnel training.
  • 4:32
    Salt and Material Planning
    Phil advises on proactive salt and material planning, emphasizing early procurement, understanding inventory costs, and using contractual escalators.
  • 5:48
    Customer and Contract Management
    The conversation covers managing customer relationships, reviewing account profitability, and strategically handling contracts, including 'trigger depths'.
  • 7:44
    Announcing GROW: Snow 2026!
    Marty and Phil announce an upcoming 'GROW: Snow' event in Dayton, Ohio, designed to provide in-depth training and best practices for snow contractors.

Speakers

M
Marty Grunder
Host — Grunder Landscaping Company and the Grow Group
P
Phil Harwood
Snow Fighters Institute

Key Takeaways

✦

Treat snow removal as a year-round, 12-month business, not just a seasonal afterthought, by continuously planning and preparing.

✦

Develop accurate pricing strategies that cover all direct and indirect costs, including profit, and understand your cost structure rather than just matching competitors.

✦

Invest in equipment readiness by conducting end-of-winter analyses, making repair/replace decisions early, and placing orders well in advance due to lead times.

✦

Proactively manage salt and material procurement by forecasting needs, securing contracts early, and considering inventory storage and cash flow impacts.

✦

Review all customer accounts for profitability, making informed decisions about which relationships to retain, renegotiate, or let go, using data to empower your choices.

✦

Educate customers on what zero tolerance means and how it's priced, and negotiate to remove 'trigger depth' clauses from contracts that limit your professional judgment.

✦

Scrub contracts for scope details, ensuring that all services, including potential extras like blizzard work or drift clearing, are clearly defined and billable.

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