The Wright Way Forward

At Clicklease, we’re proud to partner with trailblazers like Wright, companies that not only innovate in their industry, but do it with a deep understanding of their customers’ needs. Wright’s journey from a local landscaping crew to a national leader in mower technology is a perfect example of what happens when passion meets purpose. Our fast, simple leasing helps dealers offer Wright’s cutting-edge equipment to more landscapers, getting these game-changing machines into the hands of the people who need them most, without the roadblocks of heavy upfront costs. Together, we’re empowering businesses to grow faster, work smarter, and transform their communities.

If there’s one word that defines the Wright brand, it’s innovation. Not the buzzword kind. The kind that’s born out of boots on the ground, machines in the field, and a relentless push to improve from the inside out.

We sat down with Jake Segrin, Business Development Manager at Wright, to dive into the journey behind one of the most recognizable names in the landscaping equipment industry. From humble beginnings as a commercial landscaping company to a national leader in mower innovation, what we found was a company that understands their customers on a whole other level, starting as a landscaping business themselves. Wright is rooted in the realities of the entrepreneurs who use their products every day.

From Landscaper to Manufacturer: The Wright Origin Story
“Wright actually started as a commercial landscaping company,” Jake says. “We were cutting lawns in Maryland. That’s where it all began.”

But even in those early days, Wright wasn’t your average operation. Productivity and efficiency were their obsessions. They built their own CRM-style software, Clip Software, before that was even a thing in the industry. Though they eventually sold the software company, that entrepreneurial spirit carried through everything Wright touched.

As the landscaping world evolved, so did Wright. When hydro-powered walk-behinds began to outpace the older belt-driven models, the bottleneck shifted from machine to operator. Wright saw the gap and did something about it.

“Wright invented the very first Velky,” Jake explains, referring to the stand-on sulky attachment that helped operators keep pace with the faster equipment. “Then we made the Grass Gobbler. Eventually, we combined the walk-behind and the Velky into a single unit and created the very first stand-on mower.”

While other brands were building walk-behinds and zero-turn riders, Wright took a different approach. “We started with stand-ons,” Jake says. “Once we became a mower manufacturer, we stepped away from landscaping entirely. We were all in on creating equipment to make landscapers' lives easier.”

Jake is quick to identify the moment Wright moved from building accessories to manufacturing full mowers as a major turning point, but it wasn’t the only one.

Key Turning Points: The Evolution of Wright

“Recently, we’ve made major investments in our team. Growing sales. Growing marketing. Investing in the lab and in research and development. It’s not just about making machines. It’s about giving each department the tools they need to accelerate their growth.”

This growth mindset isn’t driven by market share. It’s driven by a deep desire to serve their customers better. “We compete against ourselves,” Jake says. “Every time we build something new; it’s got to make our last model want to raise its game. That’s how we deliver real value to landscapers.”

Wright has always leaned into product innovation. The first dual-wheel mower for better hillside stability. And most recently, a leap into the future with autonomous mowing technology. “We’re now in our fifth year with the autonomous ZK mower,” Jake notes. “It’s not replacing jobs. It’s filling them. They scale their businesses even faster because they increase productivity and in turn increase clientele.”

How Wright Innovates: Listening to the Field
Ask Jake what fuels Wright’s product pipeline and he doesn’t point to a lab or a product roadmap. He points to the people using the mowers.

“We’re out there,” he says. “Events. Demos. Social media. Dealer visits. We listen. Our CEO, Ed Wright, is personally active online, jumping into forums and responding to customers directly. Not many CEOs are doing that.”

That feedback loop extends beyond the obvious channels. Wright goes a step further. They look at something most manufacturers celebrate as a warning sign. “We treat parts sales as failures,” Jake explains. “It’s weird to say because parts sales are profitable, but if a dealer has to sell a part, it means the customer had downtime. And downtime means they weren’t making money.”

Wright tracks not just warranty claims, but every parts order. They use it as fuel to improve product longevity. “We’re constantly asking ourselves how to reduce part sales. How do we build it better from the start?”

The State of the Industry: Summer, Service, and Support
Jake notes the industry is in full-on busy season mode. “Dealers are hard to get ahold of, and that’s a good thing. It means showrooms are full. Service bays are backed up. Customers are out making money.”

But behind the scenes, major shifts are happening. EV technology is the conversation on everyone’s mind, but Wright has taken a more practical approach with autonomy.

“Early adopters of the ZK mower are now coming back. Not just for one unit. For fleets. They’re seeing the ROI,” Jake says. “It’s not about eliminating people. It’s about letting employees do more meaningful work. The robot mows row after row. That person can now do garden beds, trimming, tree work, and take on more clients.”

But the technology is only one piece of the puzzle. For Wright, the full customer experience matters, especially when it comes to service. “There’s a reason people get frustrated with companies. The long hold times. Being transferred over and over. We make a conscious effort with our dealers and distributors to not be like that. If a landscaper’s machine is down, they’re not making money. Our whole network has to be built around helping them get back to work fast.”

What Sets Wright Apart: Culture, Craftsmanship, and Care
So what truly sets Wright apart? Jake doesn’t hesitate. “Our roots. We’ve walked in the customer’s shoes. We were the customer. That empathy. That firsthand experience. It’s part of our DNA.”

He shares how impressed people are when they visit the manufacturing facility. “Everyone’s highly trained. They’re cross-functional. There’s real pride in the work. You see it in the way machines come off the line. Ready to go. Minimal PDI required. We want our dealers to sell them and never see them again unless it’s for a new sale.”

Wright’s responsiveness is another differentiator. “I’ve seen Ed, our CEO, reply to a customer comment on social and within a week, we’ve had an internal meeting and implemented a change on the assembly line. That kind of responsiveness isn’t common in this industry.”

And perhaps most importantly, Jake emphasizes the culture at Wright. “It’s exciting. It’s energizing. A lot of us look forward to Mondays. Not because the job is easy. Because it’s meaningful. We’re building something real here.”

Advice for the Next Generation
Before wrapping, we asked Jake what he’d tell someone just getting started in the landscaping business. His answer wasn’t about equipment. It wasn’t about pricing strategies or upsells. It was about people.

“Treat every customer like a human,” he says. “Answer the phone. Return the call. Care. It’s basic, but it’s rare. Especially today when everything’s behind a screen.”

The Bottom Line
Wright isn’t just building mowers. They’re building trust, relationships, and a better future for the landscaping industry. From the very first stand-on to the autonomous revolution, they’ve stayed true to their roots. Hard work. Human connection. Never settling for “good enough”.

Jake’s energy is contagious, and it’s clear that the team at Wright isn’t just showing up to work. They’re showing up for you. And that might just be the real secret to Wright’s success.

At Clicklease, we share that vision. We believe every business should have access to the tools that help them succeed. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Wright, giving more landscapers the ability to put the industry’s most innovative mowers to work without the wait.