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Content

What Budget? How to Create a Budget You and Your Team Can Understand Like a Scoreboard

📅 December 26, 2025 ⏱️ 46:45 🎤 Jim Cali, Kevin Keim, Steve Alli, Liz Helton, Jason New

Chapters

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  • 0:00
    Budgeting for Mobility Costs
    An example of cost-saving by re-evaluating mobility contracts is shared, highlighting the impact of diligent budgeting.
  • 3:34
    Budgeting as a Financial Plan
    The hosts explain why a budget is essential for setting financial goals, planning for growth, and making strategic decisions.
  • 5:22
    Budget vs. Forecast
    The distinction between a static budget and a dynamic forecast is clarified, emphasizing the need for regular updates.
  • 11:53
    Revenue Budgeting & Seasonality
    Discussion on how to create a revenue budget, stressing the importance of considering seasonal fluctuations in the landscaping industry.
  • 17:05
    Budgeting Tools & QuickBooks
    An overview of budgeting tools, from basic QuickBooks functionalities to more robust platforms, and the role of AI in analysis.
  • 31:18
    Labor Cost Budgeting
    Focus on direct labor as a critical cost area for landscapers, with advice on using historical data and class-based analysis.
  • 48:21
    P&L Budgeting & Key Percentages
    A breakdown of ideal P&L percentages, highlighting gross profit, overhead, and net income targets for landscape businesses.
  • 52:21
    Controlling G&A and Insurance
    Strategies for identifying and controlling general and administrative expenses, with a strong emphasis on regularly shopping for insurance.
  • 1:03:48
    Communicating the Budget
    The importance of communicating budget expectations and performance to the team, framing it as a 'scoreboard' for success.
  • 1:12:43
    Key Takeaways for Success
    A recap of actionable insights, including measuring what matters, using historical data, and focusing on controllable costs.

Speakers

J
Jim Cali
Host — principal and coach of McFarland Stanford
K
Kevin Keim
Host — McFarland Stanford
S
Steve Alli
vice president of accounting services
L
Liz Helton
chief financial officer
J
Jason New
Host — co-founder and principal at McFarland Stanford

Key Takeaways

✦

Always start budgeting with your historical data to create realistic expectations, rather than just hoping for better outcomes.

✦

Utilize budgeting tools in QuickBooks or simple Excel spreadsheets to track actuals against budgeted figures, enabling timely adjustments and informed decision-making.

✦

Pay close attention to direct labor costs, which are typically the largest expense; budget them tightly by analyzing historical percentages and job-level efficiency.

✦

Regularly shop around for insurance policies (at least once a year) to avoid complacency and find significant cost savings, as loyalty often doesn't pay off.

✦

Communicate budget goals and performance to your team, focusing on the metrics they can directly influence, such as gross profit, to create a 'scoreboard' mentality and foster accountability.

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