Barriers to Entry

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably speed-eating a burrito on your barely-there lunch break and skimming this blog between meetings. So I’ll get straight to the point.

To quote Jerry Maguire: “Show me the money!”

Here it is—this month, we’re diving into one of the most valuable (and overlooked) exercises you can do for your business: discovering what makes you different. What’s your edge? What sets you apart from the competition?

I explore this in-depth in my course, but here’s the big idea: if you want to grow your brand, attract the right clients, and charge what you’re worth, you have to find your unique selling proposition, or your special sauce. To achieve this, you need to understand a critical concept—barriers to entry.

What’s a Barrier to Entry, and Why Should You Care?

In business, a barrier to entry refers to the difficulty in entering a particular market or industry.

• High barrier = hard to enter.
  
  
• Low barrier = easy to enter.
  
  

Simple enough?

But here’s where it gets interesting. As landscape designers and architects, we’re in an industry that’s often perceived to have a low barrier to entry, especially in areas like landscape maintenance. Anyone with a truck, trailer, and mower can call themselves a landscaper and get to work. (Ask me how I know—been there, done that. See: gator photo below.)

...and before you think of calling the number, don't, it's been reassigned to a police office :O

The problem? People assume our work is easy. “Mow, blow, and go,” they say—completely missing the nuance, skill, and strategy behind everything from plant selection to stormwater management.

The Misunderstood Industry Advantage

Sure, it might be easy to enter the landscape industry—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to succeed in it.

That’s your opportunity.

The public's misunderstanding of what we do creates room for you to elevate your brand above the noise. The trick is to raise your barrier to entry. Position yourself in a way that makes your value crystal clear—and impossible to replicate.

You don’t need to serve everyone. You simply need to attract the right clients by showcasing what you can offer that no one else can.

So, What’s Your Special Sauce?

What do you bring to the table that others don’t?

• Deep horticulture knowledge?
  
  
• A knack for outdoor living and pool design?
  
  
• A refined design/build process?
  
  
• An ability to interpret complex zoning and permitting regulations?
  
  

Too many businesses lean on generic promises: “Professional!” “Creative!” “We put the customer first!” Slap an oak tree on a logo and call it a brand. As Tommy Boy once said:

“If you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will… I’ve got spare time.”

Your clients don’t want a box full of vague claims—they want authenticity.

So ditch the fluff and focus on what makes you unique. Do the work. Look in the mirror. Ask yourself, What can I offer that no one else can?

Let’s Do It Together

Finding your uniqueness can be challenging, but you don’t have to go it alone.

Drop a post in our private Facebook group (link below) and share what sets your business apart. Let’s all help each other raise the bar—and increase the barriers.

Because in a crowded industry, your greatest asset isn’t your equipment or your logo—it’s you.