David Bartlett doesn’t look 17, not at all. In fact, residents of the 65 weekly properties he maintains think he’s north of 21. That works to his advantage, but appearance isn’t the only thing that misdirects customers. Bartlett’s equipment, personality and dedication all point to an individual who is much older and wiser than his age.
At 6:30 every morning, the owner of Bartlett Yardworks in Bottineau, North Dakota, leaves his parents’ house for his 20’ x 40’ storage unit in town, something he’s had since April of last year. He hooks a 7’ x 18’ twin-axle trailer onto his ’04 Ram 2500 diesel and heads off to nearby Lake Metigoshe where customers have summer homes.
On his trailer is a new 25-hp Walker Mower with a 48-inch GHS deck. He purchased it from Outfront Power Equipment in Fargo at the end of last season to replace a used MT 26. He still has the latter for a backup.
David’s trailer also hauls around an array of Stihl handheld equipment, a Honda push mower, and a debris dump box he built himself. For fall cleanup, he makes room for a Billy Goat leaf blower. A Hi-Dump™ for his Walker Mower would be a nice addition, but he suspects the additional weight would likely be prohibitive on the steep terrain so characteristic of his accounts.
Learning Curve
Along with his weekly accounts, David also does around 70 cleanups in the fall, what he calls his busiest time of year. “I’m learning,” he admits, “and adding a few services as I go. Currently I mow, aerate and do some snow removal, along with other odds and ends customers ask of me.”
How to price is part of his learning curve, David adds. Jobs start at around $35 and range upward depending on the property. As David points out, lake properties can be tricky with hills, retaining walls, tight corners, sheds to mow around, outdoor living spaces with fireplaces and kitchens, and other natural and man-made obstacles. “That’s where the Walker Mower comes in handy,” he emphasizes. “It’s compact and maneuverable, and the floating deck doesn’t scalp the lawn.”
The Bartletts live only two miles from the Canadian border. Lake Metigoshe, an international waterway, is less than a mile from the border and cuts across into Canada. “I have friends who visit who’ve never been to Canada,” David tells. “I put them on my jet ski and take them across the border. That’s no problem as long as we don’t go ashore.”
The new recreational watercraft is a luxury for the young entrepreneur. His father, Jim, taught engineering at North Dakota State University in Fargo for 13 years before moving his family to Bottineau. “Dad always taught me and my brothers to be responsible,” David recalls. “As kids, he would challenge us to buy toys that were more than toys: They had to be something that taught us something. It didn’t make me and my brothers very happy, but it certainly was a learning experience.”
That experience helped David determine his choice of mowers, always looking for quality and sound engineering. The jet ski, on the other hand? You can’t work all of the time.
At the ripe old age of 17, David Bartlett already has 65 weekly accounts to maintain, along with another 70 fall cleanups.
Lake customers, who are home only part time, trust David to look after their properties.
A dump box is especially handy during fall cleanup season.
Hills, retaining walls, tight corners and sheds are just a few obstacles that highlight lake properties.Building Trust
If 17 seems young, how about 13? That’s when David and his older brother, Andrew, discovered there was money to be made mowing lawns. With another older brother, Jonathan, chauffeuring them around, the two mowed 13 properties the first year with a couple of push mowers. In the spring of 2014, they formed Bartlett Yardworks and graduated into an Exmark zero-turn mower. A year later, Andrew left to take a different career path.
“My company has grown mostly by word of mouth,” says David. “I’ve put out door hangers while Andrew, who now owns a production company, helped design my website and a brochure I use as a mailer. He has also produced a video that introduces me to prospective customers and helps build trust.
“With lake properties, where customers are here only part time, having someone who is trustworthy and will look after their properties is all important,” David emphasizes. “I may spot something that I can take care of myself or, if not, I can email, call or text them and find someone who can do the job. The bottom line, though, is having trust that I will do the right thing.”
David has done the right thing so far—to the tune of grossing nearly $70,000 in 2016. Not bad for a 17-year-old who says growth has been stunted by not having a credit score, something that will change this year when he turns 18. One only knows what he will do with the additional credit. Maybe he’ll want a later-model truck, or perhaps another trailer with a new Walker Mower would be nice to outfit another crew. Rest assured, whatever he buys will make him money.
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