Why Landscaping Businesses in NZ Feel Overwhelmed (And How a Business Coach Can Help)

by Sean Foster | August 6, 2025  | Business Coaching

If you run a landscaping business in New Zealand, you will be very familiar with the pressure: shifting seasons, weather delays, quoting jobs on the fly, managing staff, and keeping clients happy. The days often feel reactive, the plans are always last-minute, and your time constantly stretched thin.

And it’s not just a matter of working harder. You’re already doing that.

The real challenge is that your business has grown, but the systems have not kept pace with this growth.

Common Challenges for New Zealand Landscaping Business Owners

When every day is spent firefighting, solving team issues, fielding urgent calls, adjusting schedules, it’s hard to step back and plan. Your calendar fills itself. Quotes are rushed. Projects drag on. And downtime disappears.

It’s not because you’re not capable. It’s because no one showed you how to shift from tradesperson to business owner.

That’s where a business coach in NZ can help you build clarity and structure, without losing your hands-on edge.

Top Problems Solved by Landscaping Business Coaching NZ

• No clear pipeline: Jobs come in waves, often through word-of-mouth, with no forecasting or visibility on what’s next.
• Inconsistent quoting: You’re guessing more than calculating, which leads to profit erosion or pricing anxiety.
• Team dependence: You’re answering every question, solving every issue, and trying to be everywhere.
• Seasonal stress: Workload swings from overloaded to silent, with little control over the flow.

Related Article: How to Find the Right Business Coach Near You in New Zealand

How to Regain Control with a Landscaping Business Coach in NZ

1. Systemise Your Quoting and Scheduling

Create a consistent process for site visits, quote templates, and follow-ups. Use tools like these popular options: Tradify, Fergus, or a simple spreadsheet to standardise how work gets planned and tracked.

Hint: I am biased towards creating a visual roadmap of how things should flow in a business. It’s often best to start this process by simply mapping it out on paper, after that, formalise the flow by entering that into the Systems section of Sukuma, or Lucid charts. With tools like this you can identify the core Functional Areas in any process and show how they are interconnected and what needs to be done in each area.

I also came across this program that looks pretty good for Landscaping businesses with costs ranging from free to around $50/month. I have not tried this myself but seems worthy of investigating further.

2. Forecast Like a Real Business

Start thinking ahead by tracking your leads, close rates, and project timelines. This lets you anticipate workload gaps and staff needs instead of reacting week to week.

Hint: Many of the landscaping software programs will have these features built in, but there is nothing better than also having a large visual board that is updated at least daily. This must be accessible to your staff members as well.

3. Develop a High-Performing Team in Your Landscaping Business

Train your team to own their tasks, problem-solve on site, and communicate clearly. The goal isn’t to micromanage, it’s to lead. A business coach can help you grow leadership within your team so you’re not the sole decision-maker.

Hint: Have you absolutely clarified the culture in your business? This is a process, it cannot be just scripted out. Culture is living and requires full and complete ‘buy-in’ from all of your staff. This article outlines what culture is all about and how to build it.

4. Set Aside Time to Work On the Business

Even two hours a week spent looking at your numbers, updating processes, or planning for next quarter can move you from reactive to proactive. That’s how you get ahead.

Hint: In a busy landscaping business, where your attention is constantly drawn to reactive activities, it will take discipline to ‘zone’ out and to get away from the daily noise, but it’s essential. A super handy discipline to develop is 90-day planning, and you can read more about it here.

5. Get Outside Perspective via your Landscape Business Advisor

Sometimes you’re just too deep in the day-to-day to spot what needs changing. A business coach in NZ gives you structured support and accountability to make real improvements.

Hint: Working with a landscaping business coach or business advisor is all about your growth and the success of your landscaping business. The right coach takes the time to truly understand you, helping you develop as a business leader so you can guide your landscaping business more effectively. It’s essential that you feel comfortable working with your coach. They should encourage you, challenge you to improve, and support you to reach your full potential.

Importantly, a great landscaping business coach doesn’t need to be an expert in every aspect of landscaping; their real value lies in using proven, practical methods to help you grow and succeed as a business owner. Choosing a coach who offers real-world results will ensure you get the best out of yourself and your landscaping business.

How Coaching Supports Landscaping Businesses

Business coaching offers proven benefits for landscape businesses in New Zealand, significantly improving both operational performance and leadership skills. Research from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) shows that about 70% of business owners experience stronger leadership skills through coaching. Landscape business owners also see over 50% gains in productivity by streamlining systems in their day-to-day operations. These improvements mean you can take on more projects, improve scheduling and quoting, and grow your landscaping business more efficiently.

In addition to operational improvements, business coaching for landscape businesses in NZ leads to revenue growth, often exceeding 40%, thanks to better strategies, smarter cost control, and higher team engagement. Employee retention rates also rise, which addresses the ongoing challenge of keeping skilled staff. Overall, ICF research demonstrates that working with a business coach empowers landscape business owners with tools, accountability, and clear strategies for long-term success and better work-life balance.

Related Article: What Can a Business Coach Help Me With?

Take Control of Your NZ Landscaping Business - Start with a Business Coach

You didn’t start your landscaping business to be overwhelmed by admin, constant decision making, unpredictable weeks, or stress.

If you’re ready to create more structure, grow your leadership, and get ahead of the chaos, a business coach in NZ can help you get there.

Contact us to find out what your next step could be.