Cal Kearns was in the landscaping business for five years before he realized what it took to be a success. The owner of C&D Landscape Company in Dayton, Oregon, had to suffer through early growing pains and a bad economy before he “needed to turn his small company into a real business.”

Your customer list includes 60 Homeowner Associations (HOAs) and 120 residential clients, and all told, you mow between 400 and 500 acres of grass a week. Not bad for being in business only 10 years. Isn’t it about time you slow down?

David Wright’s business card speaks volumes. After the catchy name of his company, Wright Way Lawn Care, comes this teaser: “A firstclass cut is measured by the yard.”

We all know how important it is to make a profit. Without a consistent and healthy bottom line, any business will eventually dry up and die. But making a profit isn’t the only top priority for Walker Mower users, or any mowing contractor for that matter.

In business only nine years, this young entrepreneur already maintains some of the highestprofile properties in and around Lafayette, Louisiana. “It’s all about projecting the right image, catering to customers,” says Brad Breaux, referring to working with high-end accounts.

In 2007, we developed the list “What We Believe At Walker” that is displayed on the inside back cover of this issue. This was our attempt to communicate and remind our employees and others outside the company of the company’s core ideology; a clear definition of our operating principles and what we stand for.