Yesterday the Midwest Entrepreneurs class was treated to the entrepreneurial story of another hard working, highly successful—and to many in attendance “unconventional”—local business owner. I say “unconventional” due to the fact that John “Beefy” Huston runs his business in very hands-on and low-tech fashion; thus not conforming to the norms and expectations of many people today. He is, as he put it, “old school.”

The story we heard on Tuesday is not about conforming or worrying about often superfluous expectations. It is instead about working hard, treating customers with respect, keeping your word, doing what you do as an entrepreneur better than anyone else can, and, as a result, being able to live out the life you want to the fullest.

The captivating entrepreneurial story of John “Beefy” Huston is told below by Midwest Entrepreneurs class member Nick Kamberis. Enjoy!!

Prof. Gabel

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Mr. John Huston, or “Beefy” as friends, family, and others in the surrounding area know him, is a local entrepreneur who owns his own landscaping business. He did not grow up knowing the landscaping business as he went to the University of Illinois graduating with a degree in animal sciences. During high school and college summers he worked on his father’s farm until he sold it. Since he didn’t have work anymore after college he chose to go into the landscaping business.

He started his own landscaping business in the summer of 1995 and continued working until the present, making his business 21 years old and still going strong. He gets most if not all of his product that he uses from Hoerr Nursery located in Peoria. The main way Beefy gets his clients is through customer satisfaction, repeat business, and positive word of mouth. He uses a remarkably small amount of advertising and does not have a website, he does not even use a computer.

Beefy normally works on older houses, renovating the surrounding landscaping, but also works for business including banks and family owned firms. He normally works a 30-mile radius around his home town, but sometimes ventures farther for family and family friends. He owns six trucks and three trailers and a lot more landscaping equipment. His only employees are usually 2-3 high school and college kids, where he can give them some spending money. His busy days are between the months April and November, depending on how the weather is.

Since landscaping is technically a seasonal job, during the winter he spends his time substitute teaching at local schools around the area. He also drives a bus for the schools, for basketball games and such. This is not done mainly for money but rather networking and being seen at community events. If he is not teaching or driving a bus you will not see him around town as he is traveling around the world, although not so much this year as he is working extra to pay off a new house he had built last year.

One of the main things I got from listening to Beefy speak to us is that if you are going to be working with people, always be nice to them because “word gets around” and they give you referrals. Another thing is to impress your client by showing up early when meeting with them. And finally, the most important thing, always love what you are going to be doing for the rest of your life; like Beefy loves landscaping (and the travelling it allows him to do).

Nick Kamberis