OCS Influencer Trent Cotney recommends out-of-the-box thinking during the off season. 

Editor's note: The following is a transcript of a conversation with Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese. You can listen to the interview or read the transcript below.

Emma Richardson: Hi everyone, this is Emma Richardson for OutdoorCoffeeShop.com and I'm talking to our OCS influencer, Trent Cotney. Trent, how are you?

Trent Cotney: Good, how are you?

Emma Richardson: I'm doing just fine. We're talking about October's influencer topic, which is seasonal opportunities for outdoor contractors. Trent, do you have anything you'd like to share?

Trent Cotney: Yeah, absolutely. And obviously it depends on where you are in the United States, but there's a lot of opportunities. If you're in a cold weather climate, you can focus on things like hot tub spas. One of the biggest ways that I've seen landscaping outdoor contractors gain value is through heated driveways, walkways, paths like that, winterizing, extending into lighting and things of that nature. If you're in warmer environments, you can still engage in working on things like soil and civil and site work. The other thing that I see a lot is preparing for spring, which, I'm in Florida, so our spring basically is almost year-round. So you can do a lot of plantings and things like that, as well as make sure you're checking the irrigation for when you'll need it in the summer.

Emma Richardson: Yeah, thinking outside the box is kind of the name of the game there. You have to make sure you're going a little outside your wheelhouse, learning some new stuff.

Trent Cotney: Yeah, absolutely. There's plenty of opportunities out there. It is, I can tell you, just looking at my yard, I could use about five people out there right now. 

Emma Richardson: Oh, you and me both. All right, well, thank you so much, Trent. We'll catch you next month.

Trent Cotney: Sounds good. Thank you.

OCS Influencer Trent Cotney suggests confirming digital models to ensure you're estimating the right way.

Editor's note: The following is a transcript of a conversation with Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese. You can listen to the interview or read the transcript below.

Emma Richardson: Hi everyone, this is Emma Richardson with OutdoorCoffeeShop.com and I'm talking to our OCS influencer Trent Cotney for our September topic. Trent, how are you today?

Trent Cotney: Good, how are you doing?

Emma Richardson: I'm doing just great. Well, we're here to talk to the people a little bit about technology and innovation in the outdoor space. Do you have anything you'd like to share?

Trent Cotney: Sure, absolutely. You know, you're seeing obviously AI is on the tip of everybody's tongue at this point. So you're seeing a lot of AI being integrated into marketing, modeling, estimating, you name it. We're also seeing drones and a lot of digital modeling out there. You know, drones can be very useful, especially on large-scale landscaping projects to get a sense of topography and where you would put things. The one thing I would say, putting my legal hat on, is I would say just make sure that you trust but verify, especially if you're using these tools for estimating. Go out. Nothing is better than getting boots on the ground to make sure that you're estimating the right way.

Emma Richardson: Absolutely. I think it's so important to make sure that people are doing their research before they're fully committing to these tools. You have to really make sure you have your research done before you commit to any of this.

Trent Cotney: Absolutely.

Emma Richardson: Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Trent. You have a great rest of your week.

Trent Cotney: Thank you, you too.

Outdoor Influencers celebrate their inaugural year of giving back to the outdoor industry. 

The Coffee Shops™, the award-winning websites where the industries meet for technology, information and everyday business, announces the 2026 Influencers for OutdoorCoffeeShop™.    

Each month, Influencers respond to a topic that is relevant and timely such as business growth, sustainability and eco-friendly solutions, design inspiration and more. OCS features Influencer responses through interviews, videos and articles. These Influencers represent every corner of the outdoor living industries, including contractors, associations, distributors, manufacturers and service providers. Their contributions are showcased in dedicated sections on the website and shared on social media. 

“Our mission with OutdoorCoffeeShop is to amplify the voices of professionals shaping the outdoor living industry,” said The Coffee Shops’ President and CEO Heidi J. Ellsworth. “From landscaping to hardscapes, pools, spas and decking, these Influencers are on the frontlines, bringing insights that will strengthen businesses and elevate professionalism across the industry.” 

We are proud to announce the following 2026 OutdoorCoffeeShop Influencers: 

• Rachel Mohorn – Heritage 
• Brittainy Klein – Heritage  
• John Kenney – Cotney Consulting Group 
• Trent Cotney – Adams & Reese 
• Rob Murray – IM (Intrigue Media) Landscape Growth 
• Cindy Code – Project Evergreen 
• Kristin Case – Hi-Peak Staffing Solutions 
• Garrett Harris – Sherwin-Williams 
• Julissa Chavez – SRS Building Products/Heritage 
• Amanda Gay – Brava/Aspire 
• Taylor Dahlquist – Elevated Outdoors 

Find more information on the 2025 OCS Influencers.

About OutdoorCoffeeShop 

OutdoorCoffeeShop™ (OCS) is a community and resource hub for professionals in the outdoor space to share ideas, tell stories, research, find learning opportunities and offer help. OCS is the one of many websites under the umbrella of The Coffee Shops (thecoffeeshops.online), which went online in 2002.  OCS is the latest online community for contractors specializing in hardscape, pool and water features, decking and flooring, landscaping and outdoor living. Like the other Coffee Shops, OCS delivers award-winning content, education and information with a focus on outdoor living that will build professionalism and networking opportunities. We are the place where the industry meets!  For more information, visit www.outdoorcoffeeshop.com. 

About The Coffee Shops 

Award-winning websites and online communities make up The Coffee Shops. Starting with RoofersCoffeeShop, which launched in 2002, the growth of the sites has been explosive for the construction trades of roofing, metal, coatings and their customers. Currently featuring four Coffee Shops, RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop®, CoatingsCoffeeShop®, OutdoorCoffeeShop™ and their sister site AskARoofer™, all the sites are committed to advocating for the construction trades by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all contractors, while promoting positive growth, education and success of construction industries overall. The Coffee Shops also feature strong microsites with RoofersCoffeeShop.ca, RoofersCoffeeShop.uk and En Español. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and overall construction information and education. The Coffee Shops are “Where the Industries Meet!” For more information, visit www.thecoffeeshops.online. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Law and Mortar is the perfect podcast for contractors who want to learn more about operating their businesses. 

With over 100 episodes already out, Law and Mortar is the go-to podcast for information about the legal, business and safety side of the roofing industry. In the show, industry experts and leaders Trent Cotney and John Kenney dive into a variety of timely topics for contractors today.  

Trent is a partner at the Adams & Reese law firm with a specialization in roofing litigation and arbitration. He is also a member of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) as well as ten other local roofing associations across the United States. Further, he donates his time to a variety of roofing organizations (such as WCRCA and NWIR), he is a Governor-level contributor to the FRSA Educational & Research Foundation endowment program. At the end of the day, if you are looking for insights on the legal and political side of the industry, Trent is an invaluable resource. 

As for John, he has over 45 years of experience in the construction industry. He has worked as everything from roofing apprentice to estimator to VP, making him an incredible resource to learn from. Today, he is the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group; holds a Florida Roofing Contractors License and Certified Professional Roofing Contractor status; and works with industry organizations like RT3 and NWIR. John’s insights also extend beyond the United States as he works on the international level with the Canadian Roofing Contractors National Technical Committees, the Institute of Roofing in Great Britain and the International Federation for the Roofing Trade in Europe. 

The Law and Mortar podcast is your opportunity to learn from these incredible experts about what’s happening in roofing today. Recently, John and Trent have had candid discussions about immigration in construction, analyzed the impact of AI on the operations side of the industry and discussed how bills in Congress are affecting job sites. Overall, these 20-minute episodes are a great way to stay up to date on what’s happening in the industry.  

Tune in to this month’s episode of Law and Mortar.