As a loser from Chicago turned summer job into a multimillion-dollar business
'04.01.2018'
Source: CNBC
Christie Webber, the president of Christy Webber Landscapes, the largest landscaping company in Chicago, once called herself a loser and earned only by mowing lawns from time to time and cleaning leaves. Now her company owns equipment for $ 6 million, with a payroll of $ 20 million and a staff of 400 people, writes CNBC.
For the first time, Webber began mowing lawns in 1983, when she moved to Windy City. At that time, she, with an education and degree in physical education, worked in retail and tried to earn extra money somewhere else.
Christie borrowed money from her mother and bought equipment necessary for planting works. Over time, she managed to form her client base, and she was already able to hire employees.
As the business began to grow stronger, Webber began to think that the services that she offers were not enough. The woman set herself the task of not only mowing lawns, but also performing more complex tasks, such as planting gardens or creating green roofs and installing irrigation systems.
Basically, men worked in this industry, and Webber played into its hands, as they did not take the female landscape designer seriously.
For example, at meetings of the Landscape Contractors Association in Illinois, men often asked her: “Honey, what are you doing here?”. But Webber did not confuse such questions, she tried to take the opportunity to expand their knowledge.
In addition, men often boasted that they were cheating their customers and taking more money than their work actually cost.
Webber did not pay attention to sexism and bad advice. She continued to work and soon made herself the name of a good landscape designer in Chicago. Male competitors were surprised by this success.
By the end of 90, Webber became involved in commercial work. In 1998, her company won a bid from the sports arena United Center. It was a big contract in those days.
In 2004, Webber was involved in designing, planting trees and flowers, and installing irrigation systems for Millennium Park... “This project made me recognizable,” Webber recalls. Since she was new to the market, this project brought her some money.
“You must be able to manage such a project. You must have people on the ground. You have to understand how to buy, how to communicate, how to present a project, ”says Webber.
At that moment she did not have such opportunities. Therefore, she failed to make money on the project. Millennium Parkbut significant work has been done. The payment was so small that it was not enough even for the payment of wages to the workers.
But Webber has learned. In 2015, her company installed more than 250 thousands of trees, bushes, flowers and herbs on The 606 on Logan Square in Chicago. She was paid $ 1 million for this project.
Now, according to her, all jobs are provided with a fund of at least $ 1 million, and she gets a profit from 25% to 38%.
Webber also performs a lot of free work. She helps make Chicago more green. She also donated more than $ 100 thousand to the roof reconstruction project for the LGBT center in Holceda.
Answering the question CNBC Make ItWhat you need to do to turn your summer job into a multi-million dollar business, Webber replied that this is a story about a willingness to invest in yourself.
“Don't think that you will work and get a good business. I put my all in it all the time. You have to work hard, nothing is free. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, ”says Webber.
