Good Neighbor Podcast: Port Saint Lucie

EP# 258: Erik Perry's Journey from Marine Vet to Eco-Friendly Landscaping Pioneer with Grass Ninjas Landscaping

• Garfield Bowen & Erik Perry • Episode 258

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What makes Erik Perry with Grass Ninjas Landscaping a good neighbor?

What happens when a dedicated Marine Corps veteran pivots from being a handyman to founding a thriving landscaping business? Meet Erik Perry, the founder of Grass Ninjas Landscaping, who shares his transformative journey on the Good Neighbor Podcast. Tune in to hear how Erik turned a severe injury into an opportunity, crafting a niche in Florida-friendly, sustainable landscaping. His story is not just about overcoming personal adversity but also about fostering eco-consciousness in an industry often misunderstood.

Erik breaks down the myths surrounding landscaping, particularly the belief that manicured lawns are detrimental to the environment. He delves into the art of creating landscapes that are both beautiful and beneficial to the local flora and fauna, using native plants that require less water and fertilizer. Whether you're a homeowner looking to enhance your outdoor space or someone who cares about sustainability, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice. Join us as we explore the resilience and innovation that define Grass Ninjas Landscaping.

To learn more about Grass Ninjas Landscaping go to:
https://grassninjasfl.com/

Grass Ninjas Landscaping
(561)461-8138

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Garfield Bowen.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a landscaper? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, eric Perry, with Grass Ninjas Landscaping. Eric, how are you doing today? Good, good, how are you doing today? I am well, listen, we're excited to learn all about you and your company. Tell us about your business.

Speaker 3:

So we are a veteran-owned and operated landscaping and lawn maintenance company. We are located in the Treasure Coast. We serve Palm Beach Gardens up to Port St Lucie. Currently we're fairly new but we've been around the block for a little bit. But we kind of specialize in not just lawn maintenance but we specialize in a lot of Florida-friendly landscaping. So we try to you know, being born and raised here, it's really important to us that we also not only just you know create a beautiful landscape for you, but we also create one that's good for you know, our local flora and fauna, and good for our Florida environment.

Speaker 2:

Listen, eric. We love veterans. How did you get into this business?

Speaker 3:

So my background actually. So in the Marine Corps I actually served as a utilities man so I did everything from generators, electrical HVAC, so I've always been into trades and then so kind of what happened with landscaping. I got injured a while back when I had my handyman business. I got severely injured, I was out, I wasn't able to work for about a year. Business I got severely injured, I was out, I wasn't able to work for about a year and I really had to kind of reevaluate what I was really capable of doing is.

Speaker 3:

I went from like remodeling kitchens to I was in a wheelchair and I kind of had to really figure out, you know that, operating a business it wasn't, you know, just me like the business had to be more than me. So landscaping it was an opportunity to figure out how to scale better. It's a lot easier to um to train employees on uh, using equipment and landscaping than it was to try to find someone in the handyman field where they had to do all these different trades. So it kind of it. It kind of pushed me to um to actually kind of move into a field where it was easier to kind of scale than handyman stuff.

Speaker 3:

And then a friend of mine essentially started. I was trying to figure out a business and it almost was like a joke we're talking about like I posted on Facebook about like a hot dog stand or something to where, like it didn't require you know me having to be there. I could kind of, you know, figure out how to grow a business and scale a business and work on the business that are not in the business and um, ended up a buddy of mine was actually going to school for landscape design, um, and then so with my kind of business or small business background and kind of skilled trades, and then his kind of landscaping thing, um, or his landscaping degree that he was working on, um, it kind of made sense that like, hey, let's do something in landscaping, but with us it had to be a little different. Let's have a little bit of flair and kind of focus on, like I said, that they afford a friendly landscaping.

Speaker 2:

It makes sense. What are some of the myths and misconceptions about the landscaping business?

Speaker 3:

So one of the myths and you'll see it a lot is that a lot of people feel that landscaping or you know the perfectly manicured lawn or light is not good for the environment, that a lot of plants that people pick are either not native to where you're at. They need, you know, extra care, so you're using extra water and fertilizer and all that stuff. But one of the things you can do is you can actually, instead of you know, creating a lawn that's really high maintenance, you can create a lawn that's really not just even respectful of you know our Florida environment, but that thrives and does really well in it. So you can create a, you know, a landscape design for your yard that's not only good for the environment but it actually thrives in it. So you're using less fertilizer, you're using less water. You can actually make something instead of bad for our local environment. It's actually helping and contributing to it okay.

Speaker 2:

So, eric, you know you seem like you're really into your business there, when you're not.

Speaker 3:

I I get passionate, but yes, I get very passionate about my business when you're not so busy running your business.

Speaker 2:

What does eric like to do for fun? So?

Speaker 3:

not to not to make it sound kind of cheesy but I I've always wanted a business. I've always wanted a business since I was very young. So a lot of, even in my free time like last night, I went to go out and see a friend but what it was is we were actually talking about a veteran business network that we wanted to kind of create to help promote local veteran businesses. So it's like if I'm not working on my business, I'm usually either outside fishing, hiking or I'm actually doing something where I'm networking with other businesses. But one thing that I do and that we do a lot is we volunteer a lot. There's a local veteran group in the Treasure Coast area called Do you Give a Ruck. You can find them on Facebook.

Speaker 3:

But there are other OEF or OAF, younger veterans, first responders and even civilians who just want to be involved that we do a lot of service projects and a lot of we raise funds. We do what they call ruck marches that we use to raise money, raise food and stuff like that for veterans in need. We just did, for example, in June we did a. We supported a 20 mile march to help raise awareness for veteran suicide and we helped with basically help with the aid station and stuff like that, so things like that. And then we also did a recently with them. We did a service project. There was a Navy veteran who was about to have some issues with the local code enforcement and instead of having liens in the property, we all showed up in force.

Speaker 3:

Uh, we sponsored, we helped sponsor the event. We did a whole yard clean out. We uh, we helped with the fence. We, we helped get the whole yard back to where there wasn't any issues with the city. But it was also a bunch of veterans hanging out and having fun and we just happened to be helping and doing something in the community. So if I'm not working, I'm usually either volunteering, doing something like, or I'm working on a business as well. That's just kind of like. That's just who I am being. In the military I was a Marine. I'm very like mission driven, so I get excited about projects, about missions, about making you know differences in the community.

Speaker 2:

I understand you better than you think. My brother's a Marine. Oh hurrah, that's good to hear.

Speaker 3:

It probably reminds you all the time right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, let's change gears a little bit. Life often does us curveballs. Let's talk about one hardship, one life challenge, something that you've been through, rose above, and you can look back today and say you're better and stronger because of it. What comes to mind?

Speaker 3:

So it's actually it's kind of our core story for our business. I, like I said, I had a handyman business that I was doing really good, but I was the business. I ended up falling and getting injured severely. I tore three ligaments in my knee, my knee was dislocated, but what ended up happening is I had a really bad blood clot that went up to my lungs dislocated. But what ended up happening is I had a really bad blood clot that went up to my lungs, um, and I almost passed away, because I almost passed away from pulmonary pulmonary embolism, um, I was very lucky the doctor said I was extremely lucky, but there was also the injury was so bad I wasn't able to walk. I was in a wheelchair but because of the blood clots I also wasn't able to get the surgery. So I went from a really active handyman business and stuff like that to I wasn't able to walk. I had to I pretty much not to get choked up. I had to sell my house, I had to sell all my tools and I lost my identity.

Speaker 3:

Essentially I was my handyman business and it took a while to kind of get to, kind of, you know, get through that, because when you lose kind of everything. You're like who I don't even know who I am. So getting back into this, it, it. I got that sense of purpose again. Um, getting over that injury, getting back on my feet, you know, having to buy all new equipment and tools and stuff like that, Um it, it was something that it took a lot mentally to get over. Just because it was the losing everything was such a weight on my shoulders. But being able to get back into this and being able to get back in the community give myself that title again with Grass Ledges, Landscaping, it really helped me get over that. And then also with that, like I said, that nonprofit that Do you Give A Rock. The members there, they were always been supportive and they were there for me through that hardship.

Speaker 2:

That's excellent, so I'm sure you build a strong bond with them. Now, eric, I mean I'm going to put you on the spot a little bit. I want you to narrow it down to one thing, one thing that you want our is to remember about grass, ninjas, landscaping.

Speaker 3:

So we're not just a land maintenance company or a lawn maintenance company. We're not just to show, you know, we don't just show up and cut grass. What we really want to be able to do is kind of give everyone you know there's a lot of people that are moving here, a lot of people that grew up here Give everyone that little piece of florida that everyone wants, that little oasis in their backyard. And so with a lot of our landscape design, our florida friendly um design we have, you know, we can do plants that either you attract plants and pollinators, it could be flowers and colors, whatever you want, um. And so it's not just a grass cutting but we can also, like said, create that oasis for you.

Speaker 3:

So when you get home and you're hanging out in your backyard and you're enjoying it with your family, it's not just grass or some plants or just the sun, it's, it's it's your piece of Florida, your oasis that you can enjoy. So it's like that little bit of investment into your home. You're going to get that back in tenfold because you're going to get that time spending it with your family and just enjoying those moments in your new backyard. Or front yard.

Speaker 2:

My listeners are. When they get a chance, they're going to be paying close attention to their lawn and their yard. And they probably have one word on their lips right now, and that's how.

Speaker 3:

How do we get more information on grass ninjas landscaping? So so, right now we're really active on facebook. Uh, you can go to grass ninjas landscaping uh, you'll find us. Um, you'll see us, especially in the portion of lucy and the other, as it goes. You'll see our posting groups, but you can find us grass ninjas landscaping lc on facebook. Um, if we, our website is grassninjasflcom, if you want to check that out. We also are on Instagram as grassninjas, and then you can also call us with 561-461-8137 and reach us directly.

Speaker 2:

Listen, eric. It's been a pleasure having you on the show. I wish you and your business the very best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Thank you. Thank you, this is a great experience.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Port St Lucie. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpportsaintlucycom. That's gnpportsaintlucycom, or call 772-362-3840.