Cutting Grass
In the summer before his sophomore year in high school Neil was shining. He had formed his own Summer Team and was on a winning streak that attracted local attention to the courtyard next to the local gym.
Small crowds would show up to see the little point guard weave victories and enjoy Neil’s commentary during the games.
This was hometown entertainment better than baseball (which Neil played too, just alternating days and timings).
Neil also made time to date the prettiest girl in school. She had smiling blue eyes and blonde hair with a budding woman’s shape. She came from a prominent family that approved Neil accompanying their daughter, often inviting him over for lemonade and cookies after games or an occasional weekend dinner.
Neil’s girlfriend’s father was particularly interested in Neil and would engage him in business related conversations. The father was a successful Developer who owned the best Golf Club in the region, hosting national level tournaments. 
He wanted to see how Neil handled himself in a real business situation so he made him an offer to landscape an area around the entrance to the Clubhouse to test Neil’s response.
He saw in Neil a good potential as an entrepreneur and potential catch for his daughter. Neil knew nothing about landscaping. A bush was a bush. A flower was a flower was about it.
But a challenge was a challenge and a blue-eyed trophy went to the winner. So Neil asked if he could go to the exclusive Club and survey the proposed landscaping job.
A little extra summer money would also be handy he thought. Of course he was shown around the Club, assessed the area and job conditions. A week later he would submit his quotation.
Neil had all the hands and feet that he needed to do the job, but quickly surmised that he needed an experienced landscaping professional foreman to oversee Neil’s teammates. The search was on.
He started by going back to the Club and talking to the existing groundskeepers. Neil spoke with the Head Groundskeeper explaining the Owner’s offer and his ability to bring in his teammates to do the physical work as a summer job, but he wondered if he could use some of the Club’s hand tools and wheel barrows to do the work.
As the Owner had made the job offer the Head Groundskeeper relented to Neil’s request with a “you break it, you pay for it” smirk. So Neil had the labor and tools solved but no landscaper.
It so happened that the Club’s old landscaper had recently quit in a tiff with the Head Groundskeeper. This termination was upsetting to the Grounds Staff but they had no say other than giving Neil the landscaper’s phone number.
One call and the deal was done. The old landscaper already knew of the project as he had done the layout and projections but was thwarted by the Head Groundskeeper who wanted a bigger cut and his own control.
The old landscaper jumped at the opportunity to get back at his nemesis and to get a paycheck bonus.
Within a week in consultation with the old landscaper Neil had a quotation on the table and jobs waiting for his teammates. His girlfriend’s father accepted the offered contract with a smile.
The landscaper with Neil’s hands and feet finished the project quickly, cleanly and under budget resulting in nice bonuses for all involved… with nice smiles.
But that was just the beginning…
The potential father-in-law Club Owner then told Neil that he was having a contract renewal dispute with the Head Groundskeeper.
“Would you be interested in taking over that job contract? He asked. “You set your terms and I will let you use all the Club’s machines and equipment. You can hire and fire whoever you want. The Club guarantees contract payments every 2-weeks. What do you say young man?”
WOAH! That was a leap in trust! And a BIG paycheck!
“I’ll need a few days to study the situation and costs if I may?” a 16-yearold Neil stammered.
This was a bit more than mowing lawns for $5.00. So Neil went back to the old landscaper to see what really needed to be done, who to keep, who to let go, what equipment needs repair or replacement, overhead costs… the works.
This was a first class operation worth over a million dollars annually… a big bite for a 16-year old basketball player!
So what the heck! A challenge is a challenge. Neil put his contract offer on the table.
THE CONTRACT WAS ACCEPTED…. AND SIGNED!
Neil was now a big business MAN.
The transfer of operations went smoothly with the old landscaper as the Head Groundskeeper and existing grounds staff all being re-employed at higher salaries.
Neil headed monthly meetings with all staff. He bought new equipment and repaired others. He listened and acted positively to the appreciation of the staff. Grounds keeping improved and Members took note.
Neil structured operations that minimized his work load and maximized his summer activities and school work time.
He also made a personal decision to re-invest his profits in improving his new landscaping company. This eventually resulted in a fleet of trucks full of landscaping equipment parked in his backyard… and Neil didn’t even have his Driver’s License yet.
Neil also increased his company’s client base by expanding to other large company’s corporate offices landscaping needs. The contract with the Golf Club did add to Neil’s credibility. This resulted in Neil becoming a self-made teenage millionaire.
But what happened to his girlfriend?
It was never meant to be but it was fun while it lasted. There were fun nights when she snuck out of her bedroom window and headed to the caddy shack on the 14th hole near the road with the hole in the fence where Neil could park.
Her father once did remark to Neil that “someone left the light on in the 14th caddy shack last night.” Neil said that he would look into it… sure thing.
Neil sold the company after graduating from high school with a full athletic scholarship for college.
This meant he would not be able to continue managing the landscaping company so he arranged with his bank to finance the takeover of his company exclusively with and for all the company’s staff complete with all equipment and long term contracts for over $ 2,000,000.
That was a nice graduation gift that went both ways.
Neil didn’t really need the money but more enjoyable was the satisfaction he got from giving back to those who made it happen. That was the way Neil did business being cutting grass or serving BLTs.
Give and you get back. It is that simple.
Thomas
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October 5, 2025 at 5:46 am
Who writes these
October 5, 2025 at 9:38 am
See reply in your email.
October 5, 2025 at 7:59 pm
You would think these stories are made up, unless you knew Neil. This is how he operated in life. He just learned at a very early age!