High school student makes six figures mowing lawns
High school student RJ Duarte started mowing lawns at eight years old, now he has a full-fledged business that generates well over six-figures.
“As I kept going it turned into more and more and then, you know, like 2012, I brought on a business partner, Owen Johnson,” Duarte told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney
Both Duarte and Johnson admit they had no business plan, no venture capital and no bank loans, but through word of mouth and a good reputation they soon found themselves busier than ever.
The business has already reached a milestone of $100,000 in gross revenue.
“We worked kind of all summer and all year to make that, but yeah,” he said.
The company now employs one full-time employee as well as part-time teams of other high-schoolers to help with day-to-day tasks.
“At one point during the summer, when we’re at our peak, we had 14 kids on one day, but typically we run about five or six full-time.”
And the business partners’ accolades keep rolling in as well.
“In 2015, we won the Young Americans Bank Business Award and it’s just kind of gone up and up from there ever since.”
In 2016, they were recipients of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Ernst & Young Foundation.
“I started mowing lawns when I was eight years old and I just kind of grew it from there, you know, as I kept going it turned into more and more and then, you know, like 2012, I brought on a business partner, Owen Johnson, and then in 2015, we won the Young Americans Bank Business Award and it’s just kind of gone up and up from there ever since.”
Despite his busy work schedule, Duarte said he still plans to continue his education after high school.
“I’m looking at Colorado State University in Fort Collins,” he added.