Starting a Business

Starting my own business has always been an ambition of mine. It was not ever really a choice in my mind, but more of a calling to be able to create a job that can help others and does not feel like work. I have had a lot of jobs in my life where going to work felt exactly like that, work. I always felt like there were options in the world to create something that was mine and that could offer beneficial services. I’ve always loved being outdoors and being outside. Rock climbing has been a passion of mine since I was in my early 20’s. When I started learning how to climb in the tree industry I knew that this is something I would want to continue to do and grow as a business. I learned from some of the best in the business: shoutout to Richard Withey and Colin Dandridge, thanks guys! Doing something I was passionate about and combining that with a job was a dream come true.

Starting the business felt easy to me, but growing the business, is the hard part, but it has been fun. I started this company with just my 1997 Honda Passport and my 5ft x 10ft boat trailer. I just .. started. I named my business, made it official, advertised myself to my friends and family and started working. For awhile I was a one man business. I did sales, estimates, trims, removals and groundsman. I worked hard but I felt good. I was fortunate to have friends who wanted to help grow my business with their skills join me along the way and began building the business. I find the problem solving involved in owning my own business to be one of the most interesting and fulfilling parts of being a business owner. I have tried and failed at other business ideas in the past, but without those experiences to learn from I would not be where I am today. As far as I’m concerned it’s those failures that helped me turn the right idea into a success. Everyday challenges are presented in this business, and if you lay down and give up you never really dive into that void where the growth happens. 

I worked hard when I started the company to ensure I was also knowledgable and giving the best advice to my clients as possible. I knew that being an arborist was the way to do that. I had three years of field training but then committed to six months of studying to become an arborist. I passed the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) test and was proud to be able to offer the knowledge I gained to my clients. Being an Arborist means that you are part of a larger International community of other people doing the same thing we do, everyday. The ISA is a great resource of knowledgeable people that I tap into all of the time for continuing education.

After recieving my ISA certification I wanted to know more. I began working on my Plant Health Care certification and I am a Qualified Supervisor with the Department of Agriculture. This certification allows me to assess the health of trees, diagnose trees, and create treatment plans. I worked under David Walker for two years who was then a Qualified Supervisor and taught me what I needed to know about assessing and various tree treatments. Much love David, not only for that training, but the continued education you continue to provide. The key to success for Colorado Trees is the collaborative effort of all of the people involved in daily operations to do a job well done in a safe manner. No one person would be able to accomplish our work with the efficiency and safety required of a team. I am thankful to all the people in my life who got me to this point. I always want to thank my parents for instilling the work ethic that is the backbone of the work I do. I  thank the many people I have climbed with over the years that have pushed me to go further out on that limb, figuratively and literally. Finally, I also need to thank my wife and kids for their continuous support of my passion to climb higher and help make trees healthy and beautiful.

Go for it, take the leap!