Aaron Collins

I was chatting with my barber when I first learned about the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC). I had been describing my lawn care business when he told me I should consider competing in YEC, a competition for students interested in entrepreneurship.

In March 2020, when school was closed, I wanted to find something to fill my time and a way to make money. My dad told me I could visit with a few neighbors to see if they would be interested in letting me take care of their lawns. I acquired five clients on the first day!

After a few months of mowing, I realized this could become a successful business. That’s when I began narrowing my vision for Aaron’s Lawn Care. Now, in my fourth year, I have 30 recurring clients that I do lawn care services for every week. With the money I’ve made, I purchased a truck that hauls my 14-foot trailer, two commercial stand-on mowers and other necessary lawn care equipment.

My involvement with the YEC has helped me gain valuable knowledge and experience for my lawn care business. My first time competing was in 2022 as a seventh grader. I received third place at the Leavenworth County YEC. The next year, at the same YEC, I received first place. In 2023, I qualified for the state competition, and in 2024, I won the county competition and proceeded to compete at the state level again. As a freshman in high school, I received an exemplary ranking at state. I highly recommend participating in the YEC for those who are considering it. Just be yourself, be confident and be open to feedback!

This year, I am a sophomore at Leavenworth High School. While finishing high school, I will focus on improving my professionalism and customer satisfaction skills. I also want to increase my efficiency while maintaining excellent quality services. I believe these improvements will help me increase my profit margins.

Once I graduate high school, I plan to use the income from my business to expand the company’s clientele, employees and services. A few years down the line, I would like to open a second location, and eventually own a regional business. Most importantly, I hope to be a great leader and provide an exceptional workplace for my employees.