We had the chance to sit down with Josh Stockel on The Land It Podcast and talk through what it really takes to build a commercial site work company that lasts. Dave Jacobus, owner of HLC Site Services, shares how he went from mowing lawns in high school to running a respected grading and site development operation with multiple crews across North Carolina.
Over the last 20 years, Dave has learned that the things that actually grow a business aren’t fancy ads or shortcuts — it’s relationships, reputation, and doing the job the right way every single time. In the episode, he breaks down the shift from residential to commercial work, how he keeps crews running smoothly with a lean team, and why picking the right clients matters just as much as the work itself.
If you’re in land clearing, excavation, or site development and want to build a business with steady commercial work, this conversation lays out the blueprint: earn trust, build relationships, and deliver results.
Key Takeaways
- Growing from small residential jobs into steady commercial contracts
- Why strong relationships and a solid name will outwork any marketing budget
- How to manage multiple crews without losing control of quality
- How to avoid bad clients — and burnout — as you scale
- Lessons learned from 20 years of real-world dirt work
Listen to the full podcast now:
