By Virginia Scholtz
Northside News
How do you spell entrepreneur? These two teens spell it “Northside Lawncare.”
Dexter Haugle and Will Wersal started their yard care services a couple years back. It all began when they found an abandoned lawn mower and fixed it. They got their clients by knocking on doors, word-of-mouth, and home-printed flyers.
Now they have several mowers, including electric powered riding mowers. Some of their mowers are kept in Chet’s storage building just off Aberg Avenue. Their area of service ranges from Northport Drive to Aberg Avenue and eastward as far as Portage Road.
Getting to the job presents some interesting challenges. The fellows are 15 years old and not yet licensed to drive either car or truck. Their solution is to ride the mowers to wherever the customer lives. Haugle credits their success to the low prices they charge, about half of the big commercial operations.
Previous work connected them to another mowing service. That service put Northside Lawncare in touch with EGO electric mowing products. Haugle and Wersal have an agreement to be test drivers for the company. That way they are able to use the mower without the expense of purchasing a state-of-the-art product.
Mary and Al Tedeschi, new clients this spring, said, “We like having the boys come here ‘cuz they come and get the job done quickly.” Repeat customer Dorothy Borchardt said, “Dexter and Will started mowing my lawn three years ago when they were both in Sherman Middle School. They are hardworking, dependable young men that do a very good job of keeping my yard looking great. I’m so happy with them and seeing kids starting their own business at such a young age.” She mentioned they are good at snow removal as well.
Haugle attends East High School, where his favorite subject is Automotives. His hobby is racing go-carts in Beaver Dam . He has his learners permit and has already bought a truck. Wersal also attends East and likes Geometry best. He is also good at welding.
Why do they do it? “It’s fun. We get outside. We make money.” Do they consider themselves entrepreneurs? “I suppose.”
The service is ready for new customers. For information, call Dexter Haugle at 608-982-1288.
