Hometown Lawn, LLC (HTL) is a local, family owned small business offering lawn, landscape, irrigation and drainage solutions to the Kansas City area. Formed in April 2010 with one employee, HTL has grown into a company of over a dozen employees that has provided services to over 2,500 clients. Woman owned along with a licensed Civil Engineer we see unmatched value to the competitive edge.

Forming a business in the middle of the greatest recession in recent history and in an industry that has no barrier-to-entry, seems all but foolish to most. Maybe so, but need, desire and old-fashioned hard work seem to formulate success. At the beginning, Holly was employed part-time and David was self-employed as a partner in a small engineering firm that was struggling in the poor economic conditions. Realizing and recognizing the need for an alternate income, he started mowing lawns on the weekends and after-hours and Holly began spreading the word. Resourcing friends, family and social media the HTL client list grew as did the demand for services.

In the years to come, HTL saw revenues more than double and staff nearly triple. The company was acquiring and renewing contracts by many nationally recognized businesses because of the value and service being provided.

A strategic goal for Hometown Lawn has always been to take advantage of its engineering resource in a manner that is consistent with the growing demand for advanced construction means and methods. Since 2013, multiple larger scale construction contracts were awarded to HTL meeting this goal. Understanding the federal laws and how to fiscally implement them is a service that our clients exclusively experience.

Company philosophies are basic.

“Don’t fall in the hole”

Meaning that logic and common sense prevent you from “falling into a hole” and it’s often simple intuition that can take you far as you go through your day. The other is “The last two percent”. In a business where there are many providers, you must stand out. To many, the first 98% is easy and complete, it’s that last 2% that makes the difference. We complete the last 2%.

Hometown Lawn is a unique business in a not-so-unique industry. With one call, clients are able to resolve any outdoor issue from their structure to the street for exceptional quality at a sound cost completed with their satisfaction.

  • A Fox-4 News feature on David and Hometown Lawn aired June 2012 and can be viewed on the Hometown Lawn YouTube page. www.YouTube.com/HometownLawn “How it all Began”
  • HTL was a featured “Company to Watch” in the July 2013 issue of Thinking Bigger Business.
  • HTL is registered with the Kansas Board of Technical Professions to provide Engineering services. KSBTP License # E-2153

1. How has your company contributed to the greater community in which you do business?

Hometown Lawn, LLC participates in the City of Olathe Adopt-A-Street program. Twice a year our staff meets, on a Saturday on personal time, to perform litter control for our adopted one-mile stretch of arterial roadway.

Hometown Lawn is also a supporter of local Boy Scout troops. We have assisted local troops in utilizing our resources to perform duties they may need help with at no charge to them.

Unfortunately our industry, like others, has its battle with fraudulent providers. When requested or made known, we have helped several victims complete tasks abandoned by other vendors at discounted rates or no charge. We feel it is important to stand behind our industry in the eyes of the community and make right what others may have not.

We are also continuously supporting community and development organizations such as Rotary International and the Olathe Chamber of Commerce.

 

2. Write down one word you would use to define your small business. Then use that word as a basis to explain what sets your business apart from other small businesses.

CORE

I have impressed to all of our staff that we are nothing without our core. Our core is our client base and our basic skill set of services.

I frequently speak of core clients. These are the clients with us from the very beginning, often friends and family. I impress that we have no business growing or servicing others if we can not satisfy the needs of our core clients. If, and only if, our core clients are 100% satisfied to the last 2% should we be seeking to grow our business.

Our core service set is each one of our disciplines: Lawn, Landscape, Irrigation and Drainage. If the scope of service is outside of our core group of services than we should not be performing the task. A task outside our core is more than likely a task we are not set up or trained to handle. If we are neither of those, than we are not competitive nor are we able to complete the task to the final 2%.

It is very easy for a business to lose focus. A lost focus is lost profits and lost performance. Maintaining our core structure keeps us on task and focused, able to perform our mission of:

Exceptional quality at a sound cost completed with your satisfaction.”