Who is -
The Dirty Designer?
The roots run deep. The vision stays dirty.
The Dirty Designer isn’t just a company name. It’s about crafting experiences, not just spaces. Getting to know you, your family and the way you live outside. Ensuring the process is just as enjoyable as the result.
It started with a lawn mower
I started cutting grass in 1991, when I was twelve years old, after my grandfather bought me a lawn mower. Mowing his lawn quickly turned into dozens of other neighborhood lawns. I loved being outside, and I took great pride in seeing a job completed. A little money in my pocket didn’t hurt either.
As I got older, it wasn’t simply mowing lawns anymore. I started trimming bushes, pulling weeds, spreading mulch and planting flowers.
After high school, I officially started my landscaping business. I continued to grow, and every time a customer asked if I could do something new, I never said no. Back then I was always reading and checking books out of the library. I tried new things, and sometimes I failed, but I always adjusted and tried again.
I quickly realized that the harder I worked, the more I would succeed. That feeling never left.
Matt Stachel
| Founder & Chief Experience Officer
The Chapter That Changed Everything
After more than twenty years in landscaping, I felt the need to stretch beyond the work I had always known.
I stepped away to build a technology company focused on helping contractors operate better businesses and lead stronger teams. When somewhere along the way, I realized the biggest lessons weren’t just for them — they were for me.
Lessons that stayed with me
• Strong and repeatable systems. Clear expectations and defined processes remove chaos for employees and provide better experiences for customers.
• Culture drives performance. When people feel respected, heard and part of something meaningful, they consistently work to achieve a shared common goal.
• Communication is what builds trust. Fast responses, clear expectations, consistent updates and honest conversations create confidence.
• Great companies aren’t built alone. They grow when teams feel ownership in what they’re helping to create.
Speaking at a national conference, to public and private sector road construction companies, on the topic of job site safety
Detailed plans are reviewed with every crew member, subcontractor, and client before work begins – and throughout the project.
Returning With Perspective
When I left landscaping, I thought it was for good. I never thought that one day I would return to my roots.
Those years away from landscaping reshaped how I think about leadership, culture and the responsibility of building something that people believe in. I returned to landscaping with a completely different vision of what building and leading a company should be.
Those lessons became actions
- Everything has a system. I spent years creating and polishing repeatable standard operation procedures.
- A company you want to be part of. It’s a company where people share their goals for the day, week, month and life. We’re all working as a team to achieve our own goals while helping our co-workers achieve theirs.
- Details prevent problems. I believe in pro-active and detailed conversations to prevent mistakes and problems. We’ll provide detailed next steps at every turn. Clear project updates throughout construction so you always know what to expect. If something does happen, we’ll take ownership and we’ll make it right.
- Great teams build great things. I hire and partner with people who believe in the same values, we are all driven by the same mission and everyone is incentivized to exceed your expectations.
Designing Spaces. Building Memories.
Where craftsmanship, creativity, and experience come together to create places that feel like home.
Success isn’t about choosing the company with the lowest price. It’s about choosing the right partner, who uses dirty hands to provide peace of mind. If you measure the success of a project by clarity, transparency, communication and systems – you’re in the right place.
I FEEL IT! I’M READY TO GET STARTED
WHY DO CUSTOMERS KEEP CHOOSING US