Brody Dickson from the Barrington FFA Chapter in Illinois is setting the bar high for youth agribusinesses nationwide.
In the span of two summers, Dickson has made an estimated $50,000 in revenue from his business, BD Landscaping. This is about what a full-time landscaper would make in a year. Through BD Landscaping, Dickson employed local high school students as an opportunity to value hard work, introduce them to agriculture and earn an income.
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- Before
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- After
How It Started
When Dickson stepped into the business world as a golf caddy the summer before his freshman year, the job came with many perks, but payment was not one of them. The next summer, one of his friends, Luke, offered to pay $20 an hour to help him weed garden beds — something Dickson was familiar with — and he had to take the opportunity.
On his first job with Luke, Dickson asked the customer how he got in contact with Luke. The man mentioned Nextdoor, a local neighborhood app that can be used to buy and sell items, receive help and more. Dickson created an account for himself that he felt would be more rewarding than his previous job or working under someone. At the time, starting his landscaping business seemed to be the only way because he had already garnered experience and practice in the field.
Growing the Business
Dickson has done many jobs, such as hedging and picking weeds, after creating his Nextdoor account. His dad also taught him how to fix engines for equipment, so they spent hours together.
As the business grew, Dickson needed to hire others to handle the workload. As he hired more people, they started to do snow removal and moving. His nine-person crew led to his $50,000 in revenue.
“Being the boss to all of my friends has been hard but taught me valuable lessons about managing relationships and not just people,” Dickson says. “After work, we can still get a round of golf in.”
Since his business has grown, Dickson has explored different and new opportunities. Through the ups and downs of his journey, he has learned valuable lessons about dedication, teamwork, business management and finding a balance.
