Blueville Nursery in Manhattan, Kansas, is different from most nurseries around the country. Even though 30 of the company’s 45 acres are devoted to growing trees, evergreens, shrubs and sod, the nursery itself accounts for a small percentage of annual sales.

Two weeks out of the year, young soccer enthusiasts and college soccer coaches from around the country converge on Kalispell, Montana to attend Flathead Soccer Camp. What makes this non-residential and not-for-profit camp different from other such venues is its founder and operator, Mike Stebbins. The 66-year-old orthodontist started the camp 15 years ago primarily to give local youngsters a place to grow their soccer and life skills.

The old saying about giving a man a fish holds meaning for the Ackerman family in Wichita, Kansas. When 10-year-old son, Michael, asked his mom for an expensive pair of boots, she suggested he could mow the neighbors’ lawns to help pay for them. Acquiring his first customer, Michael was hooked, knowing exactly what he wanted to do the rest of his life. Today Mom and Dad work with Michael at Michael’s Complete Lawn Care, Inc.

A well-maintained landscape lends more than dollar value to a property. In Ocean County, New Jersey, for example, beautiful shade trees, attractive gardens and manicured turf create an inviting environment for both county office workers and visitors. Nowhere is that more evident than in the county seat of Toms River.

Six years ago, Chuck Knuppel and Lisa Engle worked highway construction, but both wanted to be their own boss. So they quit and started a lawn maintenance company. Since then, their revenue stream has doubled annually, and neither has any regret about their decision.

It helps that they look like the boys next door for brothers, Tobin and Dana George, to give their customers that personal touch. Yet, with 500 lawns to mow a week, that’s not easy.