See the history of our past 40 years.
1978
My First Steps Into Custom Hauling
Starting Out On My Own
My father encouraged me to be my own boss from the age of 13. That idea sounded good to me but what kind of business to run was unclear. In the spring of 1978 I began looking at trucks to start hauling things. The hauling idea came from my high school entrepreneurial friend Rick Dasko who did some hauling and liked it – he told me about his business adventures.
1979
My First Hauling Load On Day One
My First Days in Business
I bought a 1964 Chevy stake side truck from my teacher, Marty Brakin, and started Schmitt’s Custom Hauling. I had a hauling job the first day I bought the truck and took a picture of the very first load of junk in the bed of the Chevy in front of my Grandma Gener’s house. My childhood friend David Poitras ran the business for 3 months while I went to college in Kentucky. I left for home after the first semester and stayed in the Wheaton area ever since.
1981
Sold The Chevy For A 1972 Ford Dump Truck
Expanding the Hauling Business
I sold the Chevy and bought, by advice from my father, a dump truck from my second cousin Dave Scheffler. That 1972 Ford One-Ton Dump truck allowed me to haul dirt and gravel for homeowners along with debris. Still in college at this time, the business only operated in the spring and summer (April-December).
1984
Schmitt’s Custom Hauling Business Card
Growth, but Not Without Hardship
I graduated from Wheaton College and decided to run the business year round that year and see what would happen. I sold the Ford and bought a Two-Ton dump truck with a 10” plow. The larger GMC improved the business by being able to haul larger loads. Despite working year round and having a larger truck the larger bill that came almost forced me out of business.
1985
Mark Schmitt’s Custom Hauling New Logo
Big Changes to Our Customers
I decided to learn about landscaping and start a new direction to the business. I renamed the business Mark Schmitt’s Custom Hauling. My father bought a used rototiller at a garage sale and I was landscaping. As I became more specific our marketing the theme of helping homeowners improve their property came to the surface. I also started winter snowplowing as a subcontractor. I hired my first full-time employee, a friend from college, Tim Lefly.
1986
Landscaping Services Newspaper Ad
Continued Growth in Landscaping
Landscape construction was a lot of hard work but fun. We expanded our services to planting, installation of rail road ties, and paver walks and patios. I learned a lot on the job. To learn more I read books went to landscape and business seminars and always tried to seek out the best practices for whatever service we were attempting. I also asked others in the landscaping business a lot of questions. Many contractors and suppliers were patient and helpful.
1987
Landscaping Was becoming Big Business
New Partner, New Company Name
I took on a partner. I married Colleen Lynch on July 1, 1987. I also changed the company name to Schmitt’s Hauling and Landscape. Matt Stankus, college bound, started working with me and stayed for the next five summers.
1991
Landscaping Services Advertisement
Landscaping Takes Center Stage
WE incorporated the business and now had three trucks, a tractor, and three full-time employees. The hauling service was becoming a service of the past. The new incorporated name was Schmitt’s landscape Company, Inc.
1992
Our New Logo Take Shape
Ruben Ruiz Joins the Team
Ruben Ruiz joined Schmitt’s Landscape Company as our right hand person in the field. Ruben is still with us today. Ruben is our interpreter, human resources person, driver and landscape foreman.
1996
Landscape Service Catalog
Strong Customer Relationships
Schmitt’s Landscape Company sent out a service catalog to review our services with our existing customers. A new direction was taken to focus our advertising and marketing to our existing customers and move away from yellow page ads.
1997
We Started Our Own Plant Nursery
Our New North Aurora Nursery
Colleen and I bought a small farm out in North Aurora. The property in North Aurora become home to Schmitt’s Landscape Company. We work each year on projects to improve the property and make our company more efficient. The first year we planted nursery stock which we used in the years ahead.
1999
Celebrating 20-Years
20-Year Anniversary
Schmitt’s Landscape Company celebrated 20-years of service.
2000
Trip to Mexico
Exceptional Employees
During the off-season we visited La Tinnaja, Mexico where the majority of our workers live in the winter time. We stayed with our foreman Ruben Ruiz and visited many of the workers and met their families.
2002
We Built a Second Shop Next To The Nursery
Larger Shop Built
We built a second, larger shop that included an employee locker room, bathroom and office.
2008
Schmitt’s Landscape Continues To Grow
Looking Forward After 30-Years
We now have thirteen employees and six trucks. Our employees have the option for health insurance. We have organized our company into four specific crews: mowing, non-mowing, maintenance, landscape installation and hardscape installation. Each crew has a foreman, a designated truck and trailer with a set of tools and equipment that is specifically for their area of work. Everyday when we start our day at 7:00am each person gets their truck and trailer ready for the day.
2019
Schmitt’s Turns 40!
Schmitt’s Landscape Just Celebrated 40 Years of Service!
We have continued to grow, increasing our labor force, and adding Mark Schmitt Jr. to the team. Mark joined us in 2018 and is managing our Maintenance and Snow Removal divisions.
