Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Olsen.
Hi Robert, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started Goldenstate Landscapes back in 2008 with just 2 employees, one truck, and a whole lot of determination. At first, it was all about maintenance and irrigation retrofits—helping our customers keep their landscapes looking good and their water bills under control through the Great Recession.
We grew the old-fashioned way: one customer at a time, one employee at a time. No big investors, just hard work and word of mouth.
Over the years, we expanded our services and built a solid team. Today, we’re a full-service landscape company focused on B2B clients—that means we work with HOAs, apartment communities, and businesses, tailoring what we do to fit their unique needs.
We’ve come a long way since that first truck, but our approach hasn’t changed: treat every property like it’s our own, and every client like a partner.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it been a smooth road? Not even close — but that’s what makes it interesting.
Honestly, running this business has been one big exercise in problem-solving. The company can only grow if we, as leaders, keep growing right alongside it.
In the early days, it was just me — selling the jobs, designing the plans, then throwing on a hat and running the crews. As we grew, we built what I’m most proud of today: an amazing, professional TEAM that’s way more advanced than anything I could’ve imagined back in 2008.
We’ve faced the big stuff — the Great Recession, the COVID pandemic — and the small-but-frustrating stuff, like the company card not working at the gas station when the trucks needed to roll. Every hurdle taught us something and pushed us to be better.
So no, the road hasn’t been smooth — but that’s kind of the point. Those bumps are what got us here.
We’ve been impressed with Goldenstate Landscapes Inc., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Goldenstate Landscapes provides professional landscape maintenance and installation services for a wide range of commercial properties — including HOAs, office campuses, hospitals, apartment communities, and shopping centers.
Our work goes beyond routine upkeep. We offer water-management solutions, tree care, and low-voltage lighting installations to improve the function, efficiency, and appearance of every site we maintain.
What sets us apart is the way we combine hands-on industry expertise with responsive, personalized service. We focus on practical solutions that keep landscapes healthy, sustainable, and consistent year-round.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
It’s our commitment to finding and developing the best people.
We’ve defined a set of core fundamental principles that guide us every day, and we call it “The Goldenstate Way.” It’s the foundation for how we’ve been able to grow and thrive over the years.
We stay rooted in our community, which means we understand the people we serve and the landscapes we care for. But the real key is our mindset: we’re committed to helping each other learn, grow, and succeed.
When every team member is improving, the quality of the work improves too. When we support our clients with that same approach, the relationships last. That steady cycle — people growing, projects improving, partnerships strengthening — is what drives our success.
When the team thrives, the company thrives — and so does the community we serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goldenstatelandscapes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldenstate_landscapes/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Aorganization%3A108887113&keywords=Goldenstate%20Landscapes&origin=ENTITY_SEARCH_HOME_HISTORY&sid=dL(
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GoldenstateLandscapes
