MDS Landscape Maintenance: From Employee to Owner, a Dream Realized
When opportunity knows, you better answer. That was Dondi Schutt’s attitude when her husband’s boss decided he was closing his business.
Michael Schutt had worked for the landscaping business for more than 20 years. He knew the ins and outs of the business, and he knew how to provide a great service to customers. “He had a lot of ideas of how to do the job even better, with more efficiencies,” Dondi says.
But the couple didn’t have the funds needed to buy the necessary landscaping equipment to open their own business.
And that’s where Michigan Women Forward stepped in. Thanks to a Michigan Women Forward small business loan, the Schutts were able to buy equipment – some from Michael’s previous employer and some brand new. As a result, they were able to start MDS Landscape Maintenance, named after their combined initials.
The company, based out of Columbus, Michigan, now helps 10 regular customers with lawn cutting, fall and spring clean-ups and snow removal. Business has been so good that they are looking to add another worker to their two-man team.
Dondi says that without help from Michigan Women Forward, she’s not sure if they’d have opened their business yet, let alone be ready to expand.
“My husband was working an extra job, trying to pull in as much money as he could. We were saving $500 a week,” Dondi says. “But getting this loan allowed us to just do it. And it’s going great.”
