The Opportunity

After decades of building Nanak’s Landscaping, founder Deva S. Khalsa faced a challenge familiar to many entrepreneurs: how to continue growing the business while preserving the culture, reputation, and values that had defined it for generations.

Founded in 1976 by Deva S. Khalsa, Nanak’s Landscaping earned a reputation as one of South Florida’s premier commercial landscape companies through decades of quality work, strong client relationships, and a commitment to service.

As the company continued to grow, Deva recognized an opportunity to take the business to the next level while preserving the culture, reputation, and values he had spent decades building. He wasn’t simply looking for a buyer—he was looking for the right partner.

That opportunity aligned with Leykar Investments’ approach to value creation.

When Leykar Investments began evaluating the South Florida commercial landscaping market, CEO Jay Leyva recognized an opportunity that extended beyond acquiring a single company. The vision was to build a stronger organization by bringing together complementary businesses, strengthening operations, and creating a platform positioned for long-term growth.

The Strategy

Over several years, Leykar acquired and integrated complementary businesses, including Nanak’s Landscaping, GemLawn, Nutrients Plus, and Innovative Grounds Maintenance.

Rather than operating as independent companies, each business contributed unique capabilities that strengthened the organization as a whole.

In 2024, these companies were unified under a single brand—Shinto Landscaping—creating one organization with expanded capabilities and a stronger regional presence throughout South Florida.

Creating Value Through Active Partnership

Leykar’s role extended far beyond providing capital. Working alongside management, the team focused on building a stronger, more scalable organization through:

• Organizational integration
• Leadership development
• Consolidated management
• Shared purchasing and operational efficiencies
• Fleet optimization
• Sales strategy
• Technology implementation
• Financial reporting and accountability
• Brand development
• Cultural alignment
• Geographic expansion

Each initiative was designed to strengthen the business while minimizing disruption to employees and customers. Throughout the transformation, preserving what Deva had built remained just as important as creating what came next.

Measuring Success

The transformation produced measurable operational and strategic value.

Highlights included:

• Significant revenue growth
• Expanded customer base across South Florida
• Increased operational scale and efficiency
• Successful integration of multiple operating companies
• Retention of the majority of employees throughout the transition
• Creation of succession and exit opportunities for multiple business owners
• Establishment of a unified regional brand positioned for continued growth

The result was a stronger organization capable of serving major commercial properties, multifamily communities, and institutional clients throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.

A Successful Exit

Throughout the transformation, the organization retained the majority of its employees, preserved the culture that had made Nanak’s successful, and created exit opportunities for founders while positioning the business for continued growth.

Rather than replacing what made these businesses successful, Leykar built upon it—strengthening operations, creating new growth opportunities, and developing thoughtful succession and exit strategies aligned with each founder’s long-term goals.

On February 11, 2026, Shinto Landscaping was acquired by LMC Landscape Partners, a portfolio company of Trivest Partners.

The acquisition represented the successful execution of the investment strategy developed by Jay Leyva and Leykar Investments: build a regional market leader with the operational strength, leadership, and scale to become an attractive strategic acquisition.

Following the transaction, local leadership remained engaged, customer relationships remained strong, and the organization successfully transitioned into LMC’s growing national platform.

The Shinto Landscaping story reflects Leykar’s belief that successful investing begins with understanding what founders have built before determining what comes next. By partnering alongside management, strengthening operations, and preserving the values that made each company successful, Leykar helped create a stronger organization, a successful transition for multiple founders, and long-term value for everyone involved.