The Hero’s Journey of a Pro Foodscaper
- Milton Dixon
Our friends at Foodscaper are rolling out their new Foodscaper Entrepreneurship School. Matt is a graduate of ours and has become a leader in this movement. The content of this Blog is from a newsletter we received from Matt and Lindsay in April, 2025. We think that it’s brilliant that it connects one’s work with their own emotional and spiritual journey.
If you are looking for meaningful work, that makes a difference in the world and in people’s lives, this is a way to create beautiful landscapes that are edible and health enhancing as well.
Welcome to the foodscaper’s hero’s journey, a bold and daring path toward your dream career as an edible landscaper!
Let’s go…
1. Start in the The Ordinary World
You’re the one who always talks about pawpaws, jujubes, and obscure berry varieties. Your yard is wild and wonderful, and people compliment it… but no one takes it seriously.
You feel the disconnect: the world is full of lawns and chemicals, but you know there’s a better way.
2. The Call to Adventure
One day, someone says, “I’d pay you to make my yard like this.” Your heart skips. What if this could be more than a hobby? You begin imagining a life outdoors, doing meaningful work, healing ecosystems and feeding people. The idea takes root.
3. Refusal of the Call
Doubt creeps in.
“I’m not a businessperson.”
“I don’t have certifications.”
“Will anyone actually pay for this?”
You stall. You read more, plant more, wait for someday.
4. Meeting the Mentor
You find The Foodscaper community You connect with others doing this work already. You go to The Fooodscaper Conference. You listen to The Foodscaper Podcast.
You learn about Matt Lebon who says, “You don’t need to have it all figured out. Start small. Start now!” Matt gives you tools, encouragement, a game plan.
You realize, wow, this IS a path others have walked before you. You’re not alone.
5. Crossing the Threshold
You say yes to your first paid job. It’s messy and exciting. You design an herb spiral, install some raised beds, and even teach a family about composting. You start calling yourself a professional foodscaper.
This is no longer a hobby. You’ve stepped into a new identity, baby!
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies
Now the real work begins.
You face tricky clients, weather delays, self-doubt, burnout.
But you also find allies through The Foodscaper who get it. You begin building systems, learning to charge your worth, and figuring out what kind of projects light you up. Your client base grows with more word-of-mouth referrals.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
You begin dreaming bigger. You want a real business.
But that means getting serious — bookkeeping, branding, sales calls, maybe even hiring help. It feels scary, like you’re about to lose the very freedom that brought you here.
You wrestle with the big questions:
How do I scale without selling out?
Can I make this sustainable — financially, emotionally, and ecologically?
You take the leap and join The Foodscaper Entrepreneurship School!
8. The Ordeal
It’s all going great, until a hard season hits. Maybe it’s an exhausting install, a slow month, or overwhelm that leaves you questioning everything. You consider giving up — going back to safety, predictability, a desk job. But deep down, you know you were made for this work.
You dig in. You get help. You remember your big why.
9. The Reward
On the other side: Clarity. Confidence. Money. Clients who love what you do. A waiting list. Work that feels aligned.
You’re not just a foodscaper — you’re a business owner. A leader. A changemaker!
10. The Road Back
You begin to give back — teaching others, mentoring newbies. You realize the transformation wasn’t just in your skillset, but in you. This journey made you more courageous, more capable, more confident.
11. The Resurrection
You’ve built a something truly resilient and regenerative — a business that reflects your values, supports your lifestyle, and nourishes the world. How many people can say that?!
You’re not just surviving in this industry — you’re helping to shape it.
12. Return with the Elixir
You show others that this path is possible. That lawns can become food forests. That people can make a living doing what they love. And that transformation begins with a single step — one foodscape, one client, a deep belief in yourself!
If you find his message compelling, you should check out the course too. Who knows? It might just lead you to something different than the standard options our culture offers us all!