Running a family landscaping business isn't all sunshine and fresh turf. Just ask Laura from Vast Landscapes. She and her husband Daniel started their business back in 2017, combining his skills on the tools with her background in admin and accounts. Daniel had years of hands-on experience in the landscaping industry, while Laura brought in the structure from working at IBM in admin and finance. Together, they saw an opportunity to turn their shared passion into something meaningful.
"We realised that combining both our skills, we could build something we were really proud of," says Laura. And that they did. Vast Landscapes was born with a focus on quality, custom work (the kind of landscaping that transforms a home).
They started small, just the two of them, and over time handpicked a network of subcontractors to help with the workload. "We're fussy about who we work with, so we pick and choose carefully," Laura explains.
Their work covers everything from concreting and retaining walls to outdoor kitchens, stonework, and full construction landscaping. Based in Sydney, they operate across the Hills District, Hawkesbury and Northern Beaches.
But as the jobs got bigger, the admin got heavier.
Watch the full case study here, or keep reading below:
The Admin Avalanche
Like most small trade businesses, Vast Landscapes hit a common wall: quoting, tracking jobs, and managing variations was chewing through their evenings.
"Quoting was taking forever and would often end in tears late at night," Laura admits. "We'd be up until midnight, just trying to get quotes done properly and not miss anything."
While Daniel handled things on site, Laura was buried in spreadsheets. Communication back and forth got tricky too, especially when job details changed or clients requested on-the-spot variations.
"We were arguing, stressed, and just knew something had to give."
The Search Begins
Laura turned to the Tradie Wives Facebook group (a go-to hub for women married to admin challenged tradies). "I heard about NextMinute through Anna-Kate in the group," she says.
The turning point came with a quote that really stuck with her: "If you do nothing, nothing changes."
"That hit home. I realised we had to change something if we wanted our business (and marriage) to survive."
Choosing NextMinute
What stood out to Laura about NextMinute was that it wasn’t just another generic tool. It was designed for tradies, not corporates. It had quoting templates, job tracking, project tools, and it was easy enough for Daniel to use too.
"He's not great with technology," Laura laughs. "But once I showed him how easy it was, he was totally on board."
Quoting in a Fraction of the Time
Once they got rolling, things changed quickly. What used to take hours now takes a fraction of the time.
"We can now turn around a detailed quote in an hour or two instead of staying up all night," says Laura. "It’s made a huge difference. Honestly, it saved our marriage."
Instead of calling Laura for every detail, Daniel just opens the app on site. "Now he checks project info, materials, variations, everything, right in NextMinute. He doesn’t have to call me anymore."
"It’s also given us better visibility. We know where we’re spending, what jobs are hitting their targets, and where our margins are."
From Clarity to Confidence
Laura says they used to rely on gut feel. Now they have real numbers.
"NextMinute gave us better visibility into where we’re spending and whether we’re hitting our profit margins," says Laura. "That’s one of the biggest changes - having the confidence to know exactly how each job is tracking."
That kind of insight is priceless for a growing trade business. No more second-guessing or flying blind.
Expansion Plans and Apprenticeships
With NextMinute handling the admin load, Laura and Daniel are thinking bigger. The goal now is to expand the business and take on more luxury, high-end landscaping projects.
"We love landscaping and seeing a blank canvas turn into something incredible. That’s what we love most about what we do. We’d love to train apprentices who are just as passionate."
Stepping Up with the Landscape Association
Vast Landscapes is also a proud member of the Landscape Association, which Laura says has been a key part of their professional growth.
"We joined because we wanted to align with an industry body that represents professionalism, quality and best practice. It also shows our clients we’re serious about what we do."
"The networking, the support, the events like the Landscape Expo have been great. It's helped us meet suppliers and connect with other landscapers too."
Advice for Other Tradies?
"Do it. Do it now," Laura says. "It will save you time, money and stress - and your marriage."
"It simplifies the admin side so the team can focus on what they do best — creating beautiful landscapes."
Want to stop quoting at midnight?
Give NextMinute a go and get back to doing what you love (without the paperwork hangover).
