Teen Neighbors Turn Mowing Gig Into Nearly $600,000 Landscaping Firm

They began cutting grass for neighbors and now Roadkill Lawncare & Landscaping is on track to pull in about $700,000 this year.

When Anthony Heathco and Colton Roush were 15 and juggling school in Grand Junction, Colorado, a neighborhood posting from Roush’s mother led to a steady client who needed heavy help around his yard. What started as after-school and weekend chores evolved into a company that reported close to $600,000 in revenue last year and expects roughly $700,000 by year’s end.

The pair started with borrowed equipment and modest rates, charging what worked for local homeowners while earning about $10 an hour early on. Their high‑school side project brought in between $5,000 and $10,000 annually at first and included roughly 20 regular lawn accounts. A family suggestion about a name stuck, and “Roadkill” became their trade identity as they learned the basics of running a small enterprise.

Growth accelerated once they invested in heavier gear. After figuring out rental limits because of their age, they saved and returned to buy a compact loader from a local dealer. Sales staff recommended financing the purchase and offered a zero‑interest arrangement over a two‑ or four‑year term, allowing the two to keep cash in the business while spreading payments. The machine cut the time on large jobs dramatically and opened the door to projects they had previously turned down.

With that capacity, Heathco and Roush shifted from routine mowing to more complex landscape work — irrigation fixes, hardscape installations and multi‑day renovations — and began pricing by project instead of by the hour. Customers noticed faster turnaround and a broader set of services, which helped the company capture larger contracts and steady seasonal work.

Local business advisers say the pair followed a familiar scaling playbook: start with repeat customers, reinvest earnings in productivity, and diversify services to raise average job size. “Young owners who put profits back into tools and training often move from hobby income to sustainable revenue,” said a small‑business consultant who studies regional trades. For residents, that means more professional competition for established landscapers and a new employer in the community — a notable shift for a venture that began with two teenagers and a borrowed mower.