Today we’d like to introduce you to Hernan.
Hernan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started doing lawn maintenance and landscaping when working for a friend during high school. I enjoyed the outdoor work and seeing the result of my hard work pay off. Eventually, I decided to start my own lawn maintenance business and work for myself. Initially, I wasn’t sure exactly where I wanted to take the business, if it would be a summer gig, help me pay through college, or something more long-term. Over the course of the next few years, I went from working out of a sedan with borrowed equipment, to purchasing a truck and better equipment to service our growing base of customers. From there it was a continuous effort to improve the business and differentiate myself in the competitive lawn maintenance market through outstanding service, fast response times, and a unique branding strategy. Today I have 2 awesome employees and expect to continue growing in the coming years, bringing Howdy Lawn Care to more and more neighborhoods.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A busy schedule, equipment failures, and an increasingly complex business are some of the struggles I’ve encountered, and still encounter today. I started the business my senior year of high school, followed by 3 years of college while juggling my business, as well as my personal/family life. This scarcity of time meant that I had to be pretty organized if I wanted to keep it all together. Within the business, equipment is what keeps you going. If a mower stops working or a truck breaks down, the grass will keep growing regardless, and you may be out of a job if not fixed in time. Unfortunately, that has happened to me more times than I can count. A growing business means things will get complicated, and if not addressed, then like a house of cards the whole thing collapses. Ensuring I am paid on time, bills are paid, work is high quality, calls are answered quickly, estimates are sent, etc. are all tasks that require structured processes – they can’t be done “whenever you can get to it”.
Fortunately, I have been able to successfully address most of these struggles – time management, keeping equipment spares and maintenance processes, and creating standard procedures for all my daily tasks have helped ease these concerns, and helped me grow and stand out among the competition.
While it hasn’t been a smooth road, the bumps I did encounter helped me become a better business owner and person overall.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Howdy Lawn Care is a local lawn maintenance and landscaping company servicing the North San Antonio area of Stone Oak, Encino Park, and Bulverde areas. Our goal is to provide an easy, care-free lawn maintenance experience through a friendly and personable brand. While we take pride in our work just like all other lawn care businesses, we feel that what makes a lawn care business unique, and really, any business in any industry, is all the quiet parts that aren’t really talked about. At Howdy Lawn Care, we want to give you an answer as soon as possible throughout the entire experience with us. From getting your estimate to scheduling your service, we’ll aim to get that done within 1 call, 1 online form, 1 day. Tired of checking in on your landscape and reaching out to get a quote all the time? Each visit our technicians will review and suggest services your home may need, and send you a one-click estimate request. Done and done. Enjoy this, and many more features and conveniences offered by Howdy Lawn Care that extend far beyond the mowing service itself.
I’m proud of the team, which has seen this business go through its ups and downs, and have stuck around to see the potential in store. They’ve remained true and representative of the brand – professional and passionate. As we continue to grow, we want our employees to have the opportunity to grow their careers as well. Internal promotions, scholarships, and other growth opportunities are all on our timeline.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is simply to just keep moving forward, no matter what. The amount of times I have felt like things have been too difficult to keep going is too many to count. But after every difficult moment in my life, business or personal, I have always come out better and more prepared than before. I truly believe this lesson is what will make Howdy Lawn Care, and everyone who has a stake in it, succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.howdylawncare.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howdylawncare/
