Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Urbanczyk.
Hi Jennifer, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Scott Anderson and I started the “tree service, woodshop, furniture, firewood, & mulch” business model in Moab, Utah in 2010. We had a Zero Waste tree service that utilized every part of tree waste in our operations. From tables to spoons to firewood for the boiler to heat the shop, we minimized our waste and actually only had one trash can.
After starting our family we moved back to Texas where we started the same concept. This time we use much of the mulch we produce in compost and soil mixes we manufacture in-house. Everything else is milled and turned into home goods, furniture and firewood.
We do work all around San Antonio and Central Texas working to preserve some of the oldest oaks and historic trees in Texas. All our products are made in the shop by local artisans of locally sourced wood. We are able to employ a 4 crew tree service whose goal is to save trees, promote tree health and longevity.
We love trees and do what we can to save them and use the by-products to their fullest potential.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Running a business and raising a family is hard work. We moved to Texas to be near family for support and now we have it!
Our goal has always been to keep tree waste out of landfills and repurposes what we can. We produce high-quality products whether that’s soil, spoons, or dining tables. We also provide quality well paying jobs that people enjoy and are proudly doing. We have stuck with that goal in mind but have had to redirect our focus from land clearing and soil manufacturing to specialized tree care, plant health, and the woodshop.
Shifting focus was tedious but now we are happy with where we are and so excited to be creating new things in the woodshop and growing in all directions.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Urban Tree Company provides expert tree trimming, tree removal, and tree cutting services in South Texas and the Hill Country. We are ISA Certified Arborists equipped to serve large commercial projects as well as smaller residential needs. We offer long-term tree maintenance plans to ensure the longevity and health of your trees now and into the future.
What makes us even cooler than being tree doctors is that when we are called to remove a tree, we use every piece we can in usable goods made locally by hand in our woodshop. We have massive trees to work with and we love sculpting root balls into headboards, tables, and furniture. We have large slabs to use in dining tables and large furniture. Every day is a challenge, trying to find the perfect use for each piece of wood that comes across my workbench.
I am really proud to be working with such talent in the woodshop. Our team is constantly learning and eager to try new things. Our tree service is likewise top-notch, always up to date on the latest tree-saving science and techniques. Our employees are really here for the trees, knowing the value they bring to your home, neighborhoods, and life in general.
Everyone at Urban Tree respects trees in life and after they come off the sawmill too. Each product we make is a small extension of that tree’s life, which is pretty amazing. We’re all tree huggers at heart.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I was at a dinner the other day, inevitably the question of… “Well, what do you do?” came up. Usually, that is a question to be avoided at dinner parties or in general. But this time, I was so eager to talk about what I do, and I noticed that everyone was eager to talk about what we do. We were all “makers” of sorts. It was a really nice setting where we could all talk about ourselves and “what we do” for work or what-not openly.
Everyone is a maker of sorts and once we share our passions and are open about “what we do” people use those commonalities as channels for connection. The next thing you know you’re networked, linked by the struggles you share as a business owner, laughing about the lessons you’ve learned along the way and sharing q’s and a’s about how you got where you are and where to go next.
Networking can be scary, but everyone is a maker at heart. As far as a mentor, find someone who has what you want and does what they do. Or take a class from them or something.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.urbantreecompany.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbantreecompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbantreecompany
Image Credits
Lauren Moffett (Rose) Photography and Jenni Urban Photo
