The Edge June/July/August 2026

members’trust by keeping their promises during the integration process. “We focus on long-term relationships, preserving local leadership and investing in the people who built these companies,” Jorge says. “If the employees and custom ers in those businesses feel supported and see new opportunities, that speaks louder than anything we could say. It’s all about turning your words into actions and following through on what you said you would do.” Jorge says their goal as a company isn’t to be the largest platform or to grow the fastest. Instead, they’re looking to build a strong network of high-quality companies that perform well and create long-term val ue for employees, customers and owners. “When you focus on building great busi nesses, growth tends to follow naturally,” Jorge says. LESSONS LEARNED For other companies considering going the private equity route, Jorge stresses the importance of asking the right questions during the initial meetings so you understand how they’re going to support your team and how involved they will be in the strategic decision-making process. “Business owners run into problems when they don’t know the right questions to ask,” Jorge says. She recommends creating a personal board of directors who have participated in a private-equity backed experience and ask questions like ‘What questions do you wish you had asked prior to your part nership?’‘What was your biggest surprise post close?’‘How do you ensure you and your partners are aligned in the vision of what it takes to grow a company?’and ‘How do you ensure you are choosing the right partner that will fit your needs as you scale?’ With this transition to Legacy Lawns, Jorge says one of the biggest lessons she’s learned is the importance of communica tion and pacing. “As owners, we had been working through this partnership for quite some time before it became public,”Jorge says. “By the time we shared the news with our teams, we had already processed it, understood it and were ready to move forward. Our team members, however, were hearing it for the first time and then immediately stepping into the reality of integration.” In response to this, Legacy Lawns makes a point to meet teams where they are and give them space to process changes

to step inside it when it comes to structur ing a partnership. We have the privilege to approach each owner in a way that meets their needs. This has been a big alignment with our equity partners and is already yielding a high level of success.” Jorge says one of the most rewarding parts of the process is when an owner is ready to step away, as it creates an oppor tunity for team members who have helped build the business to step into the next chapter of leadership. “Our goal at Legacy Lawns is to support that transition in a way that respects what the owner built while also empowering the next generation of leaders inside those companies,”Jorge says. WHAT CHANGES While partner companies’cultures and leadership don’t change, Legacy Lawns does provide owners with the support systems that allow the business to grow sustainably. “What we’re building at Legacy Lawns is a strong group of industry leaders who can support those functions across the plat form,”Jorge says. “By providing that support — whether it’s marketing strategy, sales development or financial infrastructure — we allow our partner companies to focus more of their energy where they create the most impact: their teams, their customers and their communities.” Jorges says these changes won’t remove people, but create an environment where they have more opportunities to grow within the organization. “In many cases, shared resources actually allow people to focus more deeply on the areas where they add the most value,” Jorge says. “As the platform grows, there are also new opportunities for employees to expand their roles and careers.” Private equity firm Plexus has been key in providing Legacy Lawns the capital, strategic support and access to resources needed to grow. “It was an incredibly important decision in which partner we chose in this next chapter for us,” Jorge says. “You typically only get to sell your business one time. No do-overs. Choosing the right partner is essential to driving success.” Jorge acknowledges that many in the industry have become wary when it comes to private equity-backed acquisitions. “The skepticism exists for a reason, and I think it’s healthy that owners ask hard questions,” Jorge says. Rather than focusing on messaging, Legacy Lawns earns owners’and team

Photo: Legacy Lawns

at a pace that is comfortable for them. She adds that transparency is incredibly important as team members need to understand why the partnership exists, what it means for them and how it benefits customers. “Making sure people feel informed, supported and included in the journey is something I’ve become even more intentional about as we continue building Legacy Lawns,”Jorge says. Over time, Jorge anticipates they will have an internal team that focuses on M&A and integration. “We’ve learned very quickly that what happens after a partnership closes is just as important as the transaction itself,” Jorge says. “Successful integration — making sure teams feel supported, systems come together smoothly, and owners feel confident in the transition — is incredibly important to everyone involved.” TE

 KEY TAKEAWAYS ■ Legacy Lawns differen

ized support frees local lawn care operators to focus on customers and employees while creating new career growth op portunities.

tiates itself by working to preserve local brands, leadership and culture. ■ Partner selection priori tizes cultural alignment and strong teams over financials, enabling a collaborative network that shares expertise and grows together. ■ Legacy Lawns’ central

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