Waterloo Turf's Tim Lovett on Reinventing the Artificial Turf Market

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

08 Apr 2025

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“We see customers become better parents. They put down their phones, step away from Netflix, and actually go into their backyards to kick soccer balls around with their kids,” says Tim Lovett, CEO and Co-Owner of Waterloo Turf, describing how artificial turf affects their customers’ lives.

In today’s time-constrained world, Waterloo Turf positions artificial turf as more than just a low-maintenance lawn alternative—it’s selling a lifestyle centered around reclaiming free time. With their December 2024 franchise launch, the Austin-based company is expanding this vision nationally across the Sunbelt.

The Lifestyle Pitch: “Get Your Saturdays Back”

Waterloo Turf’s tagline—”Get your Saturdays back”—directly addresses their value proposition. “What we’re giving people is freedom from mowing. We want them making memories,” Lovett explains.

The lifestyle benefits extend beyond saving time on lawn maintenance. Lovett describes how customers spend more time with their children outdoors. “Instead of playing six hours of golf on the weekend,” he notes, these homeowners are “spending time in the backyard for 30 minutes.”

This focus on lifestyle benefits rather than just practical considerations indicates a shift in artificial turf marketing—moving from a utilitarian product to one that promises to enhance quality of life.

From Start-Up to Franchise: The Waterloo Turf Story

The company began when founder Lance Ingram launched Waterloo Turf in 2021 after leaving medical device sales in search of independence. While Ingram sought his own time back and financial freedom, his company now helps customers reclaim their weekends through maintenance-free yards.

When Waterloo expanded to San Antonio in January 2024 with a full-time manager, it proved Ingram’s business model could work without his direct oversight. This validation opened the door to franchising, which is where Tim Lovett entered the picture.

With experience as an operations executive at a home services franchise platform, Lovett had been searching for a turf company to franchise for about a year. The partnership raised over a million dollars in seed capital to build franchise infrastructure before launching in December.

Modernizing Artificial Turf for Today’s Market

Part of Waterloo’s strategy involves addressing outdated perceptions of artificial turf. “The biggest misconception we encounter is that turf isn’t pet friendly,” Lovett states, explaining that modern turf technology offers different types of turf and different types of infill that make it suitable for pets.

Another misconception is aesthetic—that artificial turf looks unnaturally green. “When somebody thinks turf is lime green carpet, it’s because they can’t get the image of the Astrodome in the 90s out of their minds,” Lovett says. Today’s products feature natural brown thatching that creates a more realistic appearance.

The Commercial Opportunity: Beyond Residential Lawns

While homeowners form a key customer base, commercial applications represent a significant growth area. Hotels, bars, restaurants, rooftop venues, government properties, and retail spaces are all adopting artificial turf solutions.

For commercial property owners, the appeal is multifaceted: “They don’t want to manage a mowing crew,” Lovett explains, especially when such crews can be unreliable and expensive. Combined with water savings, artificial turf offers commercial clients an opportunity to lower their operating expenses and reduce the management needed to run the property.

Creating the First National Turf Brand

What makes artificial turf ripe for franchising? According to Lovett, “There’s no other national turf brand” in the service sector. This gap presents a great opportunity for a franchise owner to be the first mover in their local market under a national brand name.

Unlike many home service franchises that focus their brand on themselves and on labor, Waterloo positions itself as a recreation and leisure lifestyle brand. Their recently launched website showcases the stories of what will happen when they get artificial turf, helping customers envision how they can “live every day like it’s Saturday.”

The Expansion Strategy: Finding “Team Captains”

Waterloo is targeting Sunbelt metros for immediate expansion, including Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, as well as Phoenix and Las Vegas. These markets represent a true copy paste of what Austin is currently doing.

The company seeks franchise owners they call “team captains”—individuals with confidence who want to build a big business and ultimately dominate in their local market. Current franchise owners include former collegiate athletes and a Navy veteran, backgrounds that embody the leadership qualities Waterloo values.

Quality as the Foundation for Growth

When asked about lessons learned, Lovett emphasizes product quality as the cornerstone of their business strategy: “The best long-term decision is always to work on your product quality.” While short-term thinking often prioritizes marketing and sales, Lovett believes “if you’re thinking about your business long term, there’s nothing more important than reputation.”

This philosophy has guided Waterloo’s growth “one square foot at a time,” with the mantra that “no square foot is as important as the current square foot that we’re installing.”

Looking ahead, Lovett sees substantial opportunity in the growing artificial turf industry, positioning Waterloo to benefit from trends related to water conservation and lifestyle preferences across the Sunbelt.

As environmental concerns and time limitations continue to shape consumer choices, Waterloo Turf’s approach—combining quality installation with lifestyle branding—is well-positioned to reshape both the artificial turf industry and how Americans view their outdoor spaces.