With over 20 years of business success to his credit, Peter is a certified franchise executive and the visionary leader of Sunshine Brands™, parent company to The Grounds Guys® franchise and The Sprinkler Guys® franchise. Peter is passionate about sharing the culture of C.A.R.E. by teaching the principles of C.A.R.E. Leadership. He and his company were recently featured on the hit TV show "Be The Boss Canada" and he is the author of the book “CARE Leadership” which shares the extraordinary story of how the ten van Stralen Brothers built The Grounds Guys® franchise from the ground up. Peter shares how eight simple but powerful leadership principles helped The Grounds Guys® franchise grow from a small start-up to a multi-million dollar brand. In his spare time Peter can be found fishing with his kids or conquering the local hills on his mountain bike.
BeTheBoss.ca: Tell us about The Grounds Guys® franchise business concept.
Peter van Stralen: The Grounds Guys franchise business is a full service Landscape Management franchise. We are in the business of making commercial properties and residential homes look beautiful by maintaining and caring for their green spaces. We are not just another landscape company; we are all about culture, innovation, and professionalism. Our company is based on The Culture of C.A.R.E. – Customers First, Attitude, Respect and Enjoy life in the process!
BTB: How and when did you become involved with The Grounds Guys® Franchise Opportunity?
PV: When I was 18 and my brother Tim was 19 we started two companies, Sunshine Landscaping and Sunshine Tree Service. Over the years all ten van Stralen brothers joined forces to eventually form The Grounds Guys®. I became CEO in 2005 when we began to transition to a franchise based business.
BTB: What was your background prior to joining The Grounds Guys® Franchise Business?
PV: I’ve worked up through the ranks from team member to team leader, to ops manager. I completed my HLT diploma and began managing our commercial division. I worked in sales and business development before becoming our VP of franchising. I graduated as a CFE – Certified Franchise Executive after taking on the role of CEO.
BTB: What are some of the advantages in being a The Grounds Guys® franchise business owner?
PV:
- Excellent systems for safety, efficiency, profitability and quality
- Cutting edge technology
- Peer to peer sharing and learning
- Coaching and mentoring
- Well respected brand
- A home office team working hard to help our franchise partners succeed
