Daily Inspiration: Meet Landon Malave

Today we’d like to introduce you to Landon Malave.

Hi Landon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up on a farm in eastern Colorado, where I learned the value of hard work at a young age. Those early years taught me grit, persistence, and responsibility — qualities that continue to guide me every day.

After high school, I studied horticulture at Front Range Community College and soon after started my own landscaping company. For the first three years, I focused on hardscapes, trees, and traditional landscaping projects. I enjoyed it, but I knew deep down there was something more I wanted to build.

That turning point came when my mom found a Craigslist ad that would change everything. It connected me with Rick Purcel, a world-renowned builder of major water features in zoos, resorts, and hotels around the world. Rick became my mentor, and under his guidance, I saw what was possible with water features. Meeting him transformed the entire direction of my business — from simply installing landscapes to creating experiences.

What started with ponds and waterfalls has grown into LCM Outdoor Living, where we now specialize in large-scale water features and complete outdoor living environments. Alongside that, I launched Athos Rockworks, which allows us to design and build handcrafted faux rock art to create spaces you can’t find anywhere else.

The last few years brought an even deeper perspective. I lost my brother, and through that pain I realized how powerful connection truly is — with people, with nature, and with ourselves. That loss gave me clarity about why I do what I do. Today, we’re not just building ponds or patios. We’re creating sanctuary spaces where families come together, where people heal, and where lifelong memories are made.

Looking ahead, I’m expanding into the Dallas market, continuing to design these spaces not just for private homes, but also for healing. My vision is to create sanctuaries for veterans, ICU families, and others going through life’s hardest challenges — spaces in hospitals, VRBOs near medical centers, and community places where water and nature can provide comfort and peace. It’s my way of giving back to people who are hurting and need a place to breathe, reflect, and connect.

For me, it’s always been about more than construction. It’s about connection.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road definitely hasn’t been smooth. My biggest struggle has been growing the company in a way that allows me to step out of being everything inside the business, while still keeping the deep connections with people that LCM was founded on. For years I was stubborn, stuck in my ways, and a perfectionist. Add to that some past traumas and, more recently, the loss of my brother—and it forced me into a season of reflection and healing.

What I realized is that those struggles shaped me into a better version of myself. I’ve learned to be proud of how far I’ve come and what I’ve built, but also to recognize that the same habits that got me here aren’t the ones that will get me to the next level. Scaling a business takes an enormous amount of time, money, and persistence—but it also requires surrounding yourself with the right people, which isn’t easy.

It’s been a bumpy road, no doubt. But looking back over the last three years, I feel like I’ve gained a ton of clarity by finally getting out of my own way and allowing the right path forward. Honestly, it feels like I’m just beginning. Life is full of challenges, and the key is learning to accept them, overcome them, and not give up.

For me, the hardest part was learning how to take the weight off my own shoulders so it wasn’t all on me. That’s been my greatest struggle, and I finally feel like I’m coming out of it. A lot of that has come from self-reflection, healing, and personal growth. It might sound cliché, but working on yourself really is the best investment you can make. These days I’m working out daily, being intentional with my family time, being intentional with my time overall, eating better, planning more, staying organized, and focusing on being proactive instead of reactive. That’s allowed me to step into a stronger, healthier version of myself—both personally and professionally.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What I’m most proud of is that through my own healing, I’ve discovered what my true superpower is: connection. That realization has allowed me to give it to others through my work. We don’t just build beautiful spaces—we create one-of-a-kind sanctuaries that bring people joy far beyond just having a “pretty backyard.”

I’m an artist and a visionary. I can see a space before it’s ever created—both the water features themselves and the connections people will make around them, even if they don’t realize it yet. That vision allows me to design and build in a way that’s intentional, purposeful, and deeply personal.

What we do is build water features and ponds that bring the beauty and peace of nature right into people’s lives. We use rock, water, and purpose. And behind every single project—big or small—is intention. Intention to create a space where families gather, where people find healing, and where nature becomes part of daily life.

Many of our customers have been with us since the beginning—they send us Christmas cards, they hug me when I see them, and they’ve become friends for life. That doesn’t happen in most contracting businesses, and I think it speaks volumes about what we stand for.

Most contractors see projects as transactions. Yes, we need to make money to run a business, but for us it’s about so much more. We treat our customers like family, not just a number or a dollar sign. And while we put our heart into the relationships, we also deliver a superior product—on time, with craftsmanship that lasts.

That combination—connection, care, and quality—is rare. It hasn’t been without its challenges, but I believe we’re doing something truly different: giving our best every single day, and building spaces that people never want to live without.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something surprising about me that most people who only know my work or my brand might not realize is how much of what I do is rooted in my own healing journey. From the outside, people see beautiful water features and outdoor living spaces, but what they don’t see is that my drive comes from something much deeper—losing my brother, walking through trauma, and turning that into a mission. The spaces I create aren’t just about rocks and water—they’re sanctuaries where people can connect, heal, and find joy. That’s not the typical contractor story, and I think that surprises people.

I’m also a pretty open book with most people I know. A couple of things that might surprise people who only know me through business are that I love competing in long-range shooting competitions and coaching baseball. Those passions carry over into my work in surprising ways. Shooting has taught me discipline, patience, and precision—the same things I bring into designing and building. Coaching shows my love for mentoring, teamwork, and giving back—just like helping clients build spaces that bring people together.

And honestly, another thing that tends to surprise people is that I’m a guy who’s not afraid to be vulnerable. I naturally love and care deeply for others, and I don’t try to hide that. In a world where that isn’t always expected from men, I think it catches people off guard—but it’s also one of the biggest reasons people feel such a connection with me and my work.

So while most people know me as the water feature guy, what might surprise them is how deeply personal and intentional all of it really is, and how even my hobbies and who I am at my core tie into the way I live, work, and serve others.

Pricing:

• 15′ by 15′ by 5′ waterfall- $45-70k
• Natural streams 3′ of water-$1,500 per linear ft.
• Swimming ponds- $95- 250k
• 20 x 20 pond 3.5′ deep- $45-95k
• Design- %5 of overall project cost.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lcmoutdoorliving.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lcmoutdoorliving/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lcmoutdoorliving
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/landon-malave-a6631799/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lcmoutdoorliving
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/lcmoutdoorliving/?invite_code=7ecdd3fdd1bd45cbb532f051dfd9d70f&sender=650770352313506146