Chris Verme was born and raised in San Antonio Texas and has been in horticulture for over 25 years. Chris Started VHS Outdoor Living Co. in 1999 and they continue to provide artistic designs and quality builds for south Texas clients for all of their landscaping and outdoor living needs. Chris has always been drawn to the outdoors, where his love for horticulture and construction first took root. That passion continues to drive how VHS operates today. Chris’ true love is building beautiful landscapes from the ground up, although most of his time is now spent as a sales consultant for the company. A graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, Chris studied Construction Management, Finance, and General Management. He combines that education with decades of real-world experience to help clients turn outdoor living dreams into lasting, functional space.
Company: VHS Outdoor Living Co.
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Chris Verme: My name is Chris Verme and I am born and raised here is San Antonio, Tx. Although I am from Texas, I do not own a horse, cowboy boots or a ten-gallon hat. I am more urban than most folks would expect. I live in the downtown area of San Antonio with my wife and children.
I have been in horticulture for over 25 years. I started VHS Outdoor Living Co. in 1999 and we continue to provide artistic designs and quality builds for our south Texas clients to this day. I am graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, where I studied Construction Management, Finance, and General Management. I combine my education with my experience in horticulture to help clients turn outdoor living dreams into lasting, functional spaces.
VHS Outdoor Living is a turn-key design-build firm for outdoor living hardscapes and comprehensive landscape construction. We provide both residential and commercials installations. Our goal at VHS is to not just offer a variety of outdoor living services, but also to create relationships that reach beyond business to create life long friendships between management staff, employees and the customer. Our company fosters a strong work-life balance, cultivating a dedicated yet adaptable team environment.
What was the defining moment or challenge that prompted you to pivot your business model, and how did you recognize it was time for a change?
Chris Verme: 2008/2009 was the first time we recognized a shift in client investment patterns. We strategically expanded our services beyond traditional landscaping. This involved a two-phase re-invention: first, the introduction of comprehensive design services, and subsequently, a pivot from exclusive landscape installation to full-scale outdoor living solutions, encompassing all facets of residential and commercial exterior construction. This evolution established us as a comprehensive single-source provider, a model that continues to define our organizational structure and market approach.
In 2017, we addressed the escalating challenge of attracting and retaining skilled craftspeople, a difficulty exacerbated by market saturation and the regional surge in the Fracking industry. In response, we strategically transitioned to a predominantly general contracting model. This approach involves partnering with other small businesses, enabling us to deliver enhanced services while simultaneously reducing operational costs. This significant strategic shift, in conjunction with our internal staff, remains a cornerstone of our current operational success.
2020/2021, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted South Texas, mirroring its effects on urban centers nationwide. While we initially anticipated a downturn, we experienced an unanticipated surge in demand as consumers, facing travel and social restrictions, increased investments in home improvements such as pools, patios, and landscaping. This period underscored the critical need to strengthen our operational infrastructure to accommodate the expanded workload. Consequently, we implemented essential strategic adjustments, including the introduction of a new CRM system, enhancement of insurance policies, expansion of our workforce, and modernization of outdated processes, all vital for scaling to meet the increased demand.
Finally here in 2025, in response to prevailing political and social uncertainties, the threat of tariffs, and inflationary pressures, VHS is strategically re-inventing its market approach to maximize market share and ensure stable employment for our team. This strategic pivot involves a concentrated focus on social media and targeted advertising, a departure from our established practices over the past three decades. Our current initiatives include developing engaging digital content, providing valuable informational resources, and introducing special offerings to navigate the evolving economic landscape. Furthermore, we are continuously exploring innovative strategies to maintain our leadership position within our industry and regional market.
Can you walk us through the most significant change you made to your business model and the immediate impact it had on your company’s trajectory?
Chris Verme: In our highly saturated regional market, differentiation has been paramount to our success. Our strategic approach involves continuously identifying and leveraging unique advantages, from our brand identity and digital presence to our unwavering commitment to quality leadership within our service area. We consistently seek innovative strategies to distinguish ourselves amidst the competitive landscape and maintain our prominent position.
How did you convince your team, investors, or stakeholders to embrace such a dramatic shift, especially if it involved risk or uncertainty?
Chris Verme: As a self-funded entity, our strategic transformations, even significant ones, are approached with deliberate and incremental steps. We prioritize continuous reinvestment in our operations, viewing each pivot as a calculated risk for which we proactively allocate flexibility within our budgets, timelines, and processes to accommodate necessary adjustments.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced during the pivot, and how did you overcome it to ensure the new model’s success?
Chris Verme: A significant challenge for companies like ours lies in accurately anticipating shifts in client investment behavior, regardless of internal operational efficiency. While I, too, am a property owner and investor, discerning evolving spending trends among our clientele often proves difficult until a strategic pivot becomes clearly necessary.
Looking back, what’s one key lesson from your pivot experience that you’d share with other CEOs considering a major business model shift?
Chris Verme: Vigilance is paramount for business owners; complacency can be detrimental. We maintain a constant focus on future trends and market shifts, enabling us to initiate strategic pivots proactively, well in advance of significant industry changes, rather than reacting belatedly to their full impact.
