The Secrets Behind 1,000+ Sprinkler Jobs a Year

This week, I sat down with Brian Welper, founder and CEO of Tough Guys Landscaping and Lighting. Brian and his brother started the company in 2007 as a college side gig with a Walmart mower and a roommate’s truck. Today, the company runs lawn maintenance, sprinklers, landscaping, and outdoor lighting across Southeast Wyoming.

We covered what happened when Tough Guys grew to 75 employees before it was ready, why character matters more than experience in a seasonal service business, and how the team delivers more than 1,000 sprinkler winterizations each fall without losing the customer experience.

The Key Takeaways

1. The Business Started Small and Grew Organically

Brian and his brother were looking for extra money while attending the University of Wyoming. They bought a mower from Walmart, used a roommate’s truck, and picked up lawns as they went. The name started as a joke, but the business became real.

“We bought a mower from Walmart and just were looking for side gigs, going around, used our roommate’s truck, and then it kind of just started growing from there.”

— Brian Welper

2. Fast Growth Exposed Weak Processes

After acquisitions in sprinklers, snow removal, and landscaping, Tough Guys reached roughly 75 employees. Margins and quality suffered. Brian’s experience taught him that growth without the right systems and leaders can weaken the brand instead of strengthening it.

“Tough Guys at one time expanded too much too quickly and they got too big. At one time, I think we had 75 employees and our margins were awful. Our quality was awful.”

— Brian Welper

3. Character Beats Experience When You Can Train the Work

Tough Guys screens hard for work ethic and culture fit, then teaches sprinkler repair and landscaping in-house. The company interviewed more than 50 candidates for spring hiring and brought on only four. For Brian, technical skills are trainable; character is not.

4. A Bad Hire Can Cost More Than an Open Position

Brian recalls a manager saying the company should simply hire people with a pulse. One poorly trained hire was put onto lawn spraying the next day and caused more than $100,000 in damage. The lesson: do not compromise on the people who represent the company.

“You can’t just hire someone with a pulse.”

— Brian Welper

5. The Four-Day Week Helps Retain Seasonal Talent

The team works four 10- or 12-hour days, giving employees a three-day weekend. Brian treats time away from work as a meaningful benefit, especially in a seasonal labor market where dependable people have options.

6. Reliability Requires Real Overhead

Serving more than 1,000 sprinkler winterizations in the fall takes more than field crews. Tough Guys carries equipment, mechanics, administrative support, and enough phone coverage to answer customers when they call. That overhead may make it harder to compete on price, but it supports a reliable customer experience.

“Answering the phone is everything.”

— Brian Welper

Looking Ahead

Brian is focused on controlled expansion into nearby Cheyenne, continuing to grow outdoor and holiday lighting, and protecting the culture Tough Guys rebuilt after 2019. His advice to other operators is to grow at a pace their people and processes can support.