Meet Jon Solenzio | Empire builder
We had the good fortune of connecting with Jon Solenzio and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jon, how does your business help the community?
My businesses are really about helping regular people who do real work — the guys out in the field, small crews, and small business owners — compete and thrive in a world that’s getting more complicated with technology.
With CJS Landscape Solutions, we’ve been taking care of properties in Pacific Beach and San Diego for over 12 years. We keep communities looking good and functioning well. That’s the foundation.
But the bigger impact comes from the software and AI tools I’m building with CrewRoute. Most small field service companies don’t have big back offices. They’re out there working hard, but they lose a lot of money because they can’t follow up fast enough on extra work they see on jobs, or they’re stuck doing paperwork at night.
We built an AI system that lets a crew lead just speak into their phone on site, and within minutes it reads the client’s actual contract, figures out what’s billable, prices it properly, and sends a professional proposal. It basically gives a two-person crew the operational power of a much bigger company.
On top of that, I’m studying AI Software Engineering at Maestro University and building Magic Layer to teach practical AI to people who aren’t tech people — especially operators and tradespeople. I want regular working people to be able to use these powerful tools instead of getting left behind.
So overall, I’m trying to make technology actually useful for the people doing the physical work that builds and maintains our communities — instead of it only helping big corporations. That’s the impact I care about.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My main business is CJS Landscape Solutions — I’ve been running it for over 12 years here in San Diego, doing landscaping, property maintenance, and field work in Pacific Beach and the surrounding areas. That’s the foundation. It’s real, hands-on work.
What sets me apart is that I’m also building CrewRoute, which is AI-powered software specifically made for field service companies. We created a system where a crew lead can just speak into their phone on a job site, and within minutes it reads the client’s actual contract, figures out what’s billable, prices it with proper margins, and sends a professional proposal. It basically gives small crews the back-office power of a much bigger company.
I didn’t come from tech. I started in the field doing the work myself. It definitely wasn’t easy. I had to learn how to build software while still running jobs every day. A big part of what helped me was writing a book called Measurable Mindset. It forced me to get really clear on how I think about progress, systems, and results — and that mindset carried over into how I build tools for other operators.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that most small business owners in the trades don’t need more information — they need better systems and less admin work. That’s what I’m focused on now.
What I want people to know is that I’m not just building software from an office somewhere. I’m still connected to the actual work. I run a real landscaping company, I’m studying AI Software Engineering at Maestro University, and I’m building tools that I wish I had when I was grinding every day. That combination — real field experience plus modern AI — is what makes what I’m doing different
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was coming to San Diego for a week, I’d keep it pretty balanced between beach time, good food, and some cool local spots.
We’d definitely spend a lot of time in Pacific Beach — that’s where I am. Start the mornings with a walk or bike ride on the boardwalk, grab breakfast at Kono’s or The Mission. For dinner, I’d take them to The Fishery in Pacific Beach for fresh seafood, or Cucina Urbana downtown if we wanted something nicer.
One day we’d head to La Jolla for the seals and some hiking at Torrey Pines. Another day I’d take them to Sunset Cliffs for the views at golden hour — it’s one of my favorite spots, especially if we grab tacos from Oscar’s in Ocean Beach beforehand.
For drinks, I like The Grass Skirt in Pacific Beach or False Idol downtown if we’re feeling something more tiki and fun. And if we want something more low-key, we’d hit up Pizza Port in PB for beers and pizza.
I’d also make sure we do at least one proper beach day — just chill, maybe rent bikes and cruise the boardwalk. San Diego is best when you’re not trying to do too much. Good weather, good food, and time to actually hang out
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a big shoutout to my mom.
She’s been one of the most consistent sources of support and belief in me, even back when I was just out there running jobs every day with CJS. A lot of people only see the tech and software side now, but she saw the full picture — the long days in the field, the grind of building something from nothing, and the late nights trying to figure out how to combine real work with new technology.
She never made me feel like I had to choose between staying grounded in the work I knew and trying to build something bigger. That kind of quiet, steady support makes a huge difference when you’re figuring things out as you go. A lot of where I am today comes from that foundation.
Website: https://solenziojon-svg.github.io/Crewroute-demo
Instagram: Jonnytsunami88
Twitter: Jonnyplants
Youtube: CJS landscape solutions
Image Credits
Craig solenzio
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
