For professionals entering the landscaping industry, the newly elected president of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) offers a pointed warning about modern mentorship. “Be very careful who you take advice from,” says Alex Salazar. Having watched young professionals turn to TikTok influencers and AI chatbots for guidance, he argues that the answers of real substance lie elsewhere—among competitors and fellow professionals willing to share what they know.

Salazar, who co-owns Groundcare Landscape Company with his brothers, traces this conviction to a lesson learned during a prior career in banking. A training program at Wells Fargo called “11 Ways to Wow” left a lasting imprint. “It doesn’t matter if your competitors know what you’re doing,” he recalls. “There’s no secret formula that’s going to enable you to be successful. What matters is that you do it, how you do it and that you’re consistent.”

He has carried that philosophy into his family business and his volunteer role at the CLCA. “I can tell people, ‘This is what I do, this is how I do it’ and I’m not worried they’re going to take my knowledge and put me out of business,” Salazar says. “Because it’s really hard to run a business, to do the things you say you’re going to do consistently. It’s really hard to actually get it done.”

Turning competitors into collaborators

That collaborative mindset proved essential during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through his CLCA network, Salazar sensed commercial work slowing as clients pressed pause on services. However, referrals from the same network opened a new avenue in high-end residential properties. Homeowners, stuck at home and demanding greater attention to detail, forced the company to raise its standards.

For young professionals considering the trades, Salazar recommends building relationships with direct peers—even rivals. “Some see competitors as threats, but I’ve gotten countless referrals from mine,” he notes. “The reason we survived the pandemic as well as we did. I had a network.”

He cautions against the allure of quick fixes from social media. “A lot of people are creating TikTok channels. They want to get an audience, but much of what they say isn’t accurate,” Salazar states. “The reality is, building a strong business isn’t easy. You can’t watch a five-minute video and learn what you need to know. It’s an investment—in yourself, in your network, in your craft.”

Read the full article in the latest issue of Pro Landscaper USA.