“Is a peer-to-peer group right for you?”

That’s a question many business owners might want to consider, because, after gaining enough information on the topic, many owners will see that having regularly scheduled meetings with fellow business owners can be one of the most valuable things you can do for the growth, safety, profitability and general enjoyment of your business. There’s a commitment of time and money, when you might ask, “Is that commitment worth it?” But it seems that for most members in the current four TCIA-organized peer-to-peer groups, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!”

Members of the “Tree Care Executives” peer-to-peer group include, clockwise from lower left, Jon O’Malley, facilitator, George Pogue, Chris Ahlum (who was a guest at this meeting), Dan Ostvig, Stacy Hughes and Trumbull Barrett. Photo courtesy of Jon O’Malley.

“TCIA’s peer-to-peer groups are unique in that they are the only ones of their kind dedicated to the tree care industry,” says Erin Demers, TCIA’s manager of workforce retention and recruitment. “Peer groups support business owners with identifying and developing strategies to advance their businesses, whether they are looking for high-level strategic support or are still working in the field and want to start truly working on the business.”

In a nutshell, peer groups are an association of professionals that gather several times a year and go over issues related to running their businesses. Friendships are often made in these groups, but the primary focus is understanding what makes a business successful and comparing pros and cons.

“It’s the most valuable, best-kept secret of being a TCIA member,” said one business owner at the peer-to-peer meet and greet held at TCI EXPO ’24 this past November in Baltimore, Maryland. Asked why that is, several people chimed in. “You find out what works for other business owners and what doesn’t.” “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” “You have the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other,” and, “You can express challenges you face while running your business.”

As another member said, “You don’t have to spend 30 years to find out if something works. Likely, someone (within your group) has already tried it and can tell you whether it’s worth it or not.”

All this occurs in a casual and safe environment, where everyone has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). You feel assured that everyone will keep your information confidential, and that includes sharing of financial statements when members choose. One thing everyone agrees upon? The annual dues are more than recouped in the value of information shared among members.

Micah Pearson, left, operations manager with Paragon Tree Care in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, chats with Chris Ahlum during a Peer-to-Peer function at TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, Maryland. TCIA staff photo.

A place for everyone
At present, there are four TCIA groups.

The “In the Field, to In the Business” group focuses on businesses under $1 million in annual revenue. Typically, the owner is in the field and wants to reduce that time and focus more on running the business. There’s a need to learn how to delegate better while stepping away from production. This group meets once a year in person, often at TCI EXPO, then every other month virtually, with no meetings during the busiest months of the summer.

“Many members can cut a tree and run a saw, but this is more about financials, running the business and leadership,” says Chris Ahlum, president of Ahlum and Arbor Tree Preservation, an accredited, 45-year TCIA member company based in Columbus, Ohio. For example, says Ahlum, “During TCI EXPO ’24, Ed Morrow gave one of the talks, then came to our group and did a deep dive into setting up financials, both profit and loss and balance sheet.”

“I was having trouble with my marketing and lead generation and had paid a lot of money to other ad agencies, and given them a lot of time and effort with no return,” says Daniel B. Dunn, CTSP, a member of the “In the Field” group and president of SkyView Tree Experts, a newly accredited, three-year TCIA member company based in Santa Rosa, California. “One of my peers in the group recommended a new company they have been using that generates a lot of leads for them.

“We just started working with them, so I do not have a lot to say, but the items they are looking at and the changes they are already making seem a lot better. Plus, this outfit offers a money-back guarantee. So I am happy with that. I would have never reached out to this company without the recommendation of a peer member.”

Ahlum is now facilitator of the “In the Field, to In the Business” group after being a peer-to-peer member from 2016 to 2020. “I was a member of a peer-to-peer when Mark Tobin was the leader. I looked up to him as a mentor, and I aspired to be like him when I took over from my dad,” in 2017.

Now Ahlum is looking to give back to another group of tree care professionals. “We started this group a year ago with two people, and we are up to five. We are looking for more to join us.” As a side benefit, Ahlum says, “I have lifelong friends from that original peer-to-peer group who I communicate with today.”

The dues for this group are $4,000 annually, which can be paid in one lump sum or as a monthly subscription. “You definitely get that money back, and the subscription makes it easier,” says Ahlum. “But it is a commitment,” he adds, and because of that financial commitment, people apply themselves more, so they do see a return on their investment.

Advanced groups
The “Growth Focused” group is for businesses with revenues of between $1 million and $5 million. This is for owners who want to expand their operations and grow their profitability. The owner rarely is still working in the field and is looking to add more lines of business or start another division. Generally, this is when an office manager becomes the HR person as well. Staff then have someone other than the boss to talk through their issues with. This group meets two hours virtually every month and in person twice a year, and the cost is $6,000 annually.

The “Tree Care Executives” group generally is for members with $5 million to $7 million in sales, with some $10-million firms. It’s for organizations that want to open another branch or maybe start a separate landscaping division, and they are working on succession planning. Also, they typically have an additional leadership team and want to talk through how to best implement the different layers of management.

This “Executives” group costs $8,000 annually. It meets virtually every month for two hours and has three to four in-person meetings. Some of those meetings are at the business of one of the members, giving attendees an opportunity to compare and contrast their own businesses, while learning more about best practices.

“We recently had one of our members, who has a good-sized business with multiple lines of revenue, who was struggling in a few areas,” says Jon O’Malley, owner of Ascend Business Results and facilitator for the “Executives” group. “With the help of our group asking a bunch of great questions, we recommended a multiple-step process for him to improve his situation and his results. The first of these steps was to increase his cash on hand, as he was running too tight for the size of his company. It’s only been a month since that meeting, and he reported just yesterday that he’s already improved his cash position and is already planning on having a stronger 2025, from this one simple improvement.”

Positive changes to a member’s business seem more common than not, as O’Malley says, “All of our members experience at least one of these business-improving ideas every time we meet. Most of them are not earth shattering, but they’re great, incremental gains that we’ve all acknowledged wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for this peer support.”

TCIA also offers a “Women in Tree Care” peer-to-peer group that operates the same as the other peer groups but is dedicated to women in the industry. The group meets two hours virtually every month and has at least two in-person meetings per year. It costs $6,000 annually.

Members of TCIA’s various Peer-to-Peer groups and others interested in learning about the peer groups attended a reception during TCI EXPO ’24 in Baltimore, Maryland. TCIA staff photo.

More to come
TCIA is looking to start two other specialty groups, one focused on directors of companies who aren’t owners and another on sales and marketing. With enough interest, these groups should be forming soon.

As part of the peer-group fees from each group, the cost of the meeting, such as conference room, food and facilitators, is covered.

Summing up
“Being a member of a peer group is a commitment – but the value is immeasurable,” says TCIA’s Erin Demers. “The groups provide a confidential space for similarly scaled businesses in the tree care industry to come together and navigate the issues they are facing. Instead of spending years working through issues on their own, peer-group members solve problems more efficiently and ultimately become more profitable, all through collaborating with other business owners who bring their experiences to the table.”

Peer-to-peer groups, then, seem to be an excellent means of learning how to grow your business, with a side benefit of perhaps making a few new friends. If you’re doing less than $1 million and you want to get out of the field, there’s a group for you. If you’re doing a few million dollars and you’re looking to expand, but recognize there’s a big financial commitment and want to find the right path, there’s a group for you. If you’re running a larger tree company and you need an exit strategy, there’s a group for you.

Michael Roche, now retired, is the former owner of Vermont Arborists, an accredited, long-time TCIA member company based in Stowe, Vermont, now a SavATree company. He is still a Certified Arborist and a Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP), now living in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.