What made you choose this industry?
I was a biology major in college and I always had an interest in the environment. I saw landscape as a way of making a contribution to the environment in a more productive manner than chaining myself to a tree. As a landscape contractor, you take a piece of raw dirt and when you are clone, it is a place where people want to be. In addition, having a science degree makes you a great observer of what is happening around you. You ask questions, evaluate the situation and come up with solutions. These are invaluable skills for a business person.

Why did you start this business?
While I was still a sophomore in college, I knew that if I got a business going, I would be in control of my own future. I didn't want to do a lot of traveling. Being a landscape contractor allowed me to be at home while my family was growing up.

How did you get your start-up capital/initial investment?
Our start-up capital has all been self-generated. I started the company with a 1962 Peugeot I bought from a wrecking yard for $75, putting shovels, picks and sprinkler fittings in the trunk. We have always subscribed to the philosophy that if we can’t afford it. Then, we should not have it. We have never been highly leveraged. It has just been one small step after another. When we look back over our 25 years, it turns out we have come quite a distance.

What was the biggest challenge when you started?
When I first went to get my contractors license. I was 20 years old and the lady at the counter told me I had to be 21 so I came back six months later. When you start out that young, gaining credibility in the business community can be difficult. As time goes on you demonstrate reliability and competency which leads to more work. Over the years, that has grown and now clients see us as a part of their development team.

What was your best business decision?
Retaining key employees. I would say that out of our 250 employees we probably have 10 people that have been here for 10 year or longer. In today’s environment, that speaks well of any employer, especially in the landscape industry. Related to that is a company atmosphere of ‘associates,’ instead of people who 'work for Dale.’ No one at Terrain works for Dale: they work for themselves. That creates a strong team atmosphere where people have an ownership interest in the company. Lastly we are trying to change the perception of the profession. When you think of a landscape contractor, one does not think of a rocket scientist, but closer to a clay laborer with a rusted pickup truck and shovels. For us, we make sure that we present ourselves professionally in all that we do.

How do you market your products/services?
We believe that business is based upon relationships. Obviously, we have to be competitively priced, but we do all we can to build and maintain relationships in the business community. We often participate in community service projects. Christmas in April and Habitat for Humanity are projects we have been involved in. Valley Partnership also does projects that we are happy to be involved with. We like to give back and build relationships.

What are your plans for growth?
We began a process of growth back in 1997 when we founded our landscape maintenance company, Landscape Care, as a separate entity from Terrain Systems. That company has grown to 11 crews. Starting in mid-1998 we merged DKS Land Design into Terrain Systems. That brought us new leadership and a nursery now called Southwest Tree Growers. In the next five years, our goal is to become a regional landscape provider. We have identified firms in eight metropolitan areas across the West for acquisition. If acquisition fails, Terrain will open branch offices in these key cities.