Voices of the Bay: Bristol’s Noah Sweeney of Sweeney’s Lawn Service

With a second-hand push mower and weed wacker in hand, Noah Sweeney set out to make some extra money the summer before starting eighth grade. These days, the Mt. Hope High School junior is the owner of Sweeney’s Lawn Service (SweeneysLawn.com) and is responsible for maintaining trucks and trailers, professional-grade equipment, employees, billing software, and disability insurance, while still playing on the boys’ varsity basketball team. The Bristol resident says hard work and customer communication have been key to growing his business. No surprise, Sweeney is a member of the DECA chapter at school, a global organization that prepares students to be entrepreneurs and leaders in business, marketing, and finance. He plans to explore studying landscape design or horticulture after graduating. Last October, Sweeney invested in his first snowplow, and when we met in January on the eve of the biggest storm to hit Rhode Island in four years, he was inundated with requests for snowplowing services.

BUSINESS PLAN 101: It was the summer before eighth grade. I had a $100 Target gift card and traded it to my aunt for cash. On Facebook Marketplace, I bought a used push mower and a weed wacker as a bundle deal. It wasn’t anything special, but it did the job. I knocked on my neighbor’s door that night, cut their lawn for 20 bucks, and picked up about probably three customers per week that summer just to make a little extra cash on the side.

FIRST CUT: The day I bought that mower, I had no clue how to cut grass. I honestly asked the guy, “How do you start this?” I told my neighbor, ”I’ve never cut a lawn.” I wanted my own money and to be independent. At that age, I couldn’t get a job. My first idea was to seal-coat my own driveway – I didn’t enjoy it.

INGENUITY: The next summer, I bought a cart for toddlers and stripped it down to the frame and bolted plywood to it so it could hold my mower and attach it to my bike, because of course, I couldn’t drive yet, and I wanted to expand beyond my neighborhood. The following year, I hired a kid who could drive.

WORK ETHIC: When they meet me, customers say, “Are you the son or the manager or something?” No, I’m actually the owner of the business, and they go, “Wow, I can’t believe you’re actually the one behind the phone.” My mom’s just a total go-getter. I think that’s honestly what a lot of it is, you know, kind of born and raised and seen people grinding it out. My grandpa, he’s probably 75, he works 12 hours a day, every day.

OFFICE SPACE: To handle admin stuff, I researched customer relationship management software (CRM), and use the Jobber app to keep track of everybody’s invoicing and scheduling. Customers can request work there, see their paid invoices, put a credit card on file, and get a reminder the day before we come.

WORD OF MOUTH: Be honest and upfront. You do a good job for someone, they’ll tell one person. You do a bad job for someone, they’ll tell 10 people. Communicate. Let them know if you’re not going to be there, “Hey, my truck broke down, I’m running about 30 minutes late.” I get great reviews for my communication.

REWARD: I’ve always been hands-on, and I love being outdoors. But the big part is the visual satisfaction. You create a plan and then do the work and plant. I love seeing everything come together.