How it began
Matthew and Anna Nightser own and operate a tree trimming and removal service, Hedgewood402 located in Bellevue, NE. Their journey began five years ago when Matthew worked with a family member learning the trade. He made the decision to go out on his own after two years and opened Hedgewood402. Matthew’s organization is a one-man show and his hard work, commitment to quality and his determination have grown this business. He receives most of his new business through referrals from his current customer base.
Maintaining sustained growth
After three years of building a committed clientele, Matthew began to run into issues of growing his sales. He wanted to grow and knew with his reputation that he could find more work. The issue was that he couldn’t complete enough jobs quickly enough to take on more new jobs. It wasn’t an issue of ability or passion to secure more work.
He needed better equipment to complete his work at a faster pace. He needed a Dump Trailer. This trailer would help Matthew with both time management and increase his gross margins. The purchase of this trailer would allow Matthew to compete for projects substantially quicker. This trailer would cut his time at the city dump by over seventy-five percent. The increased size of the Dump Trailer would also reduce the number of trips to the dump. As a result, he could gain valuable labor hours which would allow him more time to complete additional services and spend time marketing his business.
When it came time to biding larger jobs he would have to outsource some of the work. He did this because he did not have the equipment to handle the material. With this Dump Trailer, he could now reduce outsourcing and keep the business for himself.
How we helped
We met with Matthew and Anna and discussed their needs. Matthew clearly knew what he needed to grow. They were looking for a partner who listened and understood the challenges of a small business.
We provided Matthew and Anna with the loan for the Dump Trailer. This investment into Hedgewood402 was a success! Issues that had long held them back were cleared away and our partnership helped them generate their best year ever.
For the first time, Matthew is expecting to hire employees for his company. The loan and purchase of the Dump Trailer have created an opportunity to take on more business. He now has the resources to grow his business and take on larger jobs that he would have passed on.
