In the increasingly competitive lawn care business, Riverhead resident Sean Callahan, 20, has seen his clientele double each year since he started Callahan Lawn and Landscape Maintenance in 2011.
“A lot of it is word of mouth and seeing my work, that’s the best,” Callahan said of his growth. He’s been building his knowledge and experience for half his life – he started cutting lawns when he was 10. He joined Woodhull Landscaping after high school. After two years he set out on his own.
“Considering the tight competition out there right now, he seems to be right on track,” said George Woodhull, Callahan’s former boss. “Sean puts in the hours. He’s here Saturday, Sunday.”
Having learned the trade hands-on, Callahan said he’s bettering his craft by taking business classes at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue. He stays abreast of the latest industry trends by “doing a lot of reading,” taking special classes and attending seminars.
“He’s always the youngest guy at these seminars we go to. Nobody else there his age, just us old guys,” Woodhull said.
Turf management is Callahan’s strong suit. A great lawn is something that comes about through a process, he said. He seeks the best available remedies for fertilizing and controlling pests and weeds, like the chemical-free tick and mosquito repellant he sprays on lawns in the summer.
“It’s a lot safer for kids and pets so it’s really a no-brainer,” Callahan said. He said he currently mows nearly 30 lawns per week and fertilizes or sprays another 30.
An important aspect of running his own operation has proved to be having a good accountant, he said. That helped him structure his business. The most challenging aspect is selling the work to potential customers, especially in an economy that leaves many people with other financial priorities.
Yet Callahan, who speaks softly and doesn’t waste words, said the challenge of it all is fun for him. He likes the bigger projects, watching an unsightly plot of land transform into a crisp, healthy piece of turf.
While almost any company will bill itself as focused on customer service, Callahan said his personal relationships with clients are what truly pay off.
“Talk to your customers,” he said.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti
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