Running a tree service business is about much more than climbing trees and cutting branches. The most successful companies know how to manage profitability, build repeat customers, and create systems that make the work more efficient.
In this article, we share insights from Dave Sheridan of Ascension Tree Care. His journey from engineering software sales to co-owning a fast-growing tree care company offers valuable lessons for arborists, business owners, and anyone looking to grow their service-based business.
1. Chase Profit, Not Revenue
One of the biggest mistakes new tree service owners make is chasing big-ticket jobs without thinking through the actual profit margin.
It’s easy to see an $8,000 or $10,000 job on the calendar and feel like you’ve struck gold. But if you underestimate the time, crew hours, and equipment costs, you might end up making less than you would on a series of smaller, faster jobs.
Profit funds growth. If a job looks big but the numbers don’t work out, it may be better to pass and focus on more profitable opportunities.
2. Know Your Numbers and Quote Accurately
Quoting tree work is essentially doing the job in your head before you start. You need to think through equipment needs, crew time, wood disposal, and safety considerations.
Dave learned early on that underestimating complexity, especially on large removals, can sink a job’s profitability. Large wood is a perfect example. If your crane can’t reach and lift the biggest sections, you’ll spend hours cutting them into small, movable pieces, which eats into both time and profit.
Experience helps refine quoting accuracy, but you also need a disciplined approach to budgeting and job assessment.
3. Leverage Personal Networks Early
When Ascension Tree Care started, personal connections played a huge role in keeping the schedule full.
Simply telling friends, family, and acquaintances about the new business brought in jobs. Everyone knows someone with a tree that needs trimming or removal. Even casual conversations, like chatting over dinner, led to work.
While word-of-mouth isn’t enough to sustain growth long-term, it’s a powerful way to generate momentum in the early days without heavy marketing spend.
4. Avoid Marketing Missteps
In the first year, Dave admits they overspent on marketing by “spraying and praying.” Paid Google ads, Yelp ads, and lead services like Angi List brought in calls, but not always profitably.
The lesson: it’s not hard to make the phone ring, but it’s harder to do it in a cost-effective way. A steady, quality lead flow lets you price jobs for profitability instead of desperation. That means you can win fewer estimates but still meet your revenue goals.
5. Implement Systems Early – CRM as a Game Changer
One of the smartest early decisions Ascension made was adopting a customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Their CRM stores client contact details, schedules estimates, tracks proposals, and manages work orders. It also supports their newer plant healthcare division, which involves multi-year treatment plans and seasonal renewals.
A CRM eliminates the chaos of spreadsheets, paper notes, and scattered emails, making the business more professional and scalable.
6. Plant Healthcare – Recurring Revenue and Higher Margins
Plant healthcare has become a growth engine for Ascension. This service covers soil amendments, fertilization, pest management, and disease treatments for trees and shrubs.
The benefits are clear:
- High profit margins.
- Recurring revenue with annual treatment plans.
- Customer loyalty that feeds other services.
Plant healthcare also positions the company as a tree preservation expert, not just a removal service.
7. Reduce Customer Friction
Ascension Tree Care works to make it easy for customers to say yes. They offer:
- Free estimates for defined projects like removals, trimming, and planting.
- Paid arborist consultations for diagnosis and treatment planning, which filters out tire-kickers and values their expertise.
- Video-based quotes for quick assessments, saving time for both parties.
These options improve efficiency and help match the right service to each customer’s needs.
8. Focus on Your Own Growth, Not the Competition
Successful tree service owners spend more time improving their own operations than worrying about competitors.
Dave has met many top operators in his region and found they share this mindset. They focus on their crews, equipment, and customers. Not every new company that opens in town.
9. Build a Business Someone Would Want to Buy
Even if you have no plans to sell, run your company like you might one day. That means:
- Keeping clean, accurate books.
- Maintaining an organized CRM.
- Building a recognizable brand customers trust.
Buyers pay more for a well-run business with systems and reputation, not just trucks and a customer list.
Take These Lessons and Grow
Ascension Tree Care’s continuing journey shows that a successful tree service company blends skill in the field with smart business practices.
By focusing on profit, building repeatable systems, and adding high-value services like plant healthcare, you can create a business that’s both sustainable and scalable.