Aspire Founder Mark Tipton Bids Farewell, Reflects on Impact and Future Vision

Mark Tipton, the visionary co-founder of Aspire, took a final bow as CEO Monday afternoon, marking the end of a remarkable 12-year journey dedicated to transforming the green industry. 

“Our purpose, from the beginning, was to change lives,” Tipton said as he kicked off Ignite 2025 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Tipton’s speech served as a powerful reflection on Aspire’s profound impact on businesses and lives, while also casting a confident gaze toward a future shaped by its integration with ServiceTitan.

Tipton opened by sharing heartfelt anecdotes from countless interactions with clients over the years, emphasizing that Aspire's core purpose has always been to "change lives by changing an industry." 

He highlighted impressive success stories, including Yellowstone Landscape's ability to add 4-5 percentage points to their gross margin after implementing Aspire, despite already having robust processes in place. 

He also shared the transformative journey of Marty Grunder, who, after adopting Aspire in 2019, gained the visibility needed to triple his business and "is having fun again."

Beyond individual business success, Tipton underscored Aspire's broader mission to "raise the game of the industry." 

A key testament to this commitment is the "Aspire in the classroom" initiative, which sees Aspire software being taught at 30 universities and 2 technical high schools. He proudly noted that more than 50 students at BYU have already received college credit and Aspire certification through online courses, with similar programs poised to launch at three other major universities.

"Today is different," Tipton stated, acknowledging the bittersweet nature of his departure as CEO of Aspire. He expressed immense pride and gratitude for everything accomplished with his team and clients, emphasizing that the true source of his pride lies not in the software itself, but in the people—the Aspire team and the clients who entrusted them. 

"That’s what I will miss the most — working with you. The conversations, the ideas, the energy you bring to every interaction," Tipton remarked, underscoring that while software matters, "the relationships are what make it meaningful."

The speech concluded with a moment of "reflection and gratitude," as Tipton thanked clients for their trust, challenges, and for transforming Aspire into "not just a software company, but a community." He promised to continue cheering on Aspire's journey, believing that the future is bright and that incredible things await.

“Building Aspire has been the greatest experience of my professional life.”

-Scott Goldman

Todd and Chad Reinhart selected for Aspire’s Founders Award

Todd and Chad Reinhart, brothers and founders of Reinhart Landscaping & Snow in Illinois, are recipients of the second annual Founders Award from Aspire.

The Founders Award was one of four presented to an individual or team at Ignite, the Aspire customer conference at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. The selections were revealed Monday during the event’s opening session.

"These individuals have finished each year stronger than the last, and all of them have shown true leadership and a commitment to making a lasting impact," said Jon Gohl, Aspire's director of customer experience.

The Aspire honorees:

Founders Award

Todd and Chad Reinhart

Reinhart Landscaping & Snow

Bloomington, IL

ReinhartServices.com

About the Founders Award: The Founders Award honors an individual who has made lasting contributions to the company, community, and industry—through mentorship, advocacy, or leadership— by embodying our core values: Change Lives, Achieve the Extraordinary, and Be a Dream Team. 

Why the Reinharts won: Todd and Chad Reinhart are being honored for their visionary leadership and pioneering efforts in the landscape industry. They've embraced innovative technology such as robotic mowers, driven success through data, and made a lasting impact on their community and workforce through extensive outreach and educational programs, including Aspire in the Classroom at Illinois State University and three community colleges.

Finalists: James Egan, Land Design Associates; Seth Kehne, Lawn Butler.

Impact Award

Paul Hansen

SouthWest Landscape

SouthWestLandscapeInc.com

About the award: This award honors an individual or company that has made a significant impact beyond their business, driving positive change within their community and the industry. 

Why Hansen won: Paul Hansen is recognized for his significant impact on California's landscape industry. As a leader in the California Landscape Contractors Association, he has championed sustainable practices and industry advocacy. At SouthWest Landscape, he has driven extraordinary growth—revenue has doubled from $6.1 million in 2016 to a projected $12.5 million in 2025—and fostered a culture of operational excellence using Aspire.

Finalists: The Team at Landscapes by D&J; Kevin Hunt, Shinto Landscaping.

Excellence Achieved Award

The Aspire Team at HeartLand Company

Kansas City, MO

HeartLandCompany.com

About the award: This award recognizes a customer who has achieved consistent, strategic growth by fully integrating our software, using its technology and integrations to drive measurable and lasting success. 

Why HeartLand’s Aspire Team won: HeartLand's Aspire team is honored for its exceptional role in enabling rapid growth through acquisition. By prioritizing a people-first approach, team members have used Aspire to drive seamless integrations, elevate operational excellence, and deliver record client satisfaction across their national network.

Finalists: Daniellee Anacan, Juniper Landscaping; Jason Dumayne, Alliance Landscaping.

Rookie of the Year Award

Carlos Camacho

Custom Cleaning and Management Services

Jupiter, FL

CCMSPB.com

About the award: This award honors a new customer who has achieved early and impactful success with Aspire software, demonstrating a strategic adoption laying groundwork for long-term success.

Why Camacho won: Camacho is being honored for his exceptional leadership and strategic vision in the early adoption of Aspire. He successfully implemented a customized, bilingual training plan, leading to a 100% user adoption rate and a 40% reduction in operational errors within the first 90 days.

Finalists: Thomas Jacoby, Ward's Lawn Service; Kailye Nolte, Local Landscapers.

ServiceTitan, Aspire, FieldRoutes leaders tout opportunities, commitment 

Ara Mahdessian says, “Your success is our success.” Mahdessian, a co-founder of ServiceTitan along with Vahe Kuzoyan, assured Aspire and FieldRoutes registrants at Ignite in Anaheim, CA, of the correlation between customers’ happiness and their company’s own growth.

Mahdessian and Kuzoyan were joined on the main stage at the Anaheim Convention Center by Eli Zevin, general manager for Aspire, and Dylan Henryson, general manager of FieldRoutes, for a fireside chat hosted by outgoing Aspire CEO and co-founder Mark Tipton.

“This is mission-critical software,” Mahdessian said of customers using Aspire and FieldRoutes. “This is their business. It is their livelihood. It is, in many cases, their name on the door. For us to earn their trust and partnership, that is a very sacred commitment. We will move mountains and  do everything it takes to make that partnership successful.”

Kuzoyan also stressed the importance of the software’s reliability for those partners.

"Aspire is critical to your business,” Kuzoyan said. “That criticality demands a very high standard of reliability. This is a top priority for ServiceTitan, and we're going to do whatever is necessary to get to a better place and stay there. This is personal."

Zevin reassured registrants that the Aspire team would continue to focus on helping customers improve their businesses and their lives. He also highlighted the industry's changing technology.

"There is an incredible opportunity to increase that impact over time and really in an accelerated way,” he said. 

Henryson showcased the capabilities that FieldRoutes customers, but also Aspire customers in their industry, will have because of the brand’s partnership with ServiceTitan.

"I see us working closer and closer with ServiceTitan,” Henryson said, “tapping into their insight, tapping into the resources, and working together to be the operating system of the trades. That opportunity is immense.”

Ignite 2025 is underway in Anaheim, Calif., with more than 1,000 contractors and industry experts in attendance for Aspire’s three-day user conference. More than 50 industry leaders are speaking at Ignite, with a lineup of more than 60 product and thought-leadership sessions scheduled — all starting this afternoon at the Anaheim Marriott.

KEY TIMES

Monday at 5 pm PT: The Welcome Reception begins. This is your chance to pick up your attendee badge and explore the venue.

Tuesday at 8 am PT: Embrace Change and Achieve Excellence with John Foley, Former Blue Angel, on the Main Stage. Foley will share invaluable insights on cultivating trust, leadership, and teamwork in challenging environments.

Tuesday at 11:15 am PT: Product Roadmap keynotes — Aspire in the Anaheim Convention Center’s Main Stage, and FieldRoutes in the Marriott’s Main Stage.

Tuesday at 7 pm PT: Ignite the Night! This is going to be an amazing event. You will NOT want to be late for this one!

Wednesday at 8 am PT: Building Tomorrow, Together — a fireside chat with change-makers and visionary leaders Breanna Neerland, Todd Reinhart and Mike Lowrance.

» See the full Ignite 2025 agenda.

» Read all the recaps and highlights from Ignite 2025 Day One.