Institute for Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurial Education Partner
Blake Church • Church’s Lawncare, Snow Removal, and Landworks
Read on to find out why each student was given $12, a soda, and a cupcake from Blake.
Blake doesn’t know a stranger, is incredibly humble, and always willing to help anyone.
Blake started his mowing business when he was 15. He mowed so many yards that summer that he needed to buy his dad a new mower.
When he was 16 he went to a retailer to purchase mowers for his business as demand was growing. The first business he went to told him no, that he was too young.
He didn’t take no for an answer and found a retailer that sold him three zero turn mowers. With his dad as a co-signer, his dad’s only requirement was that he give his brothers above fair pay for the yards they were mowing.
Blake said while it can be hard to work with family, his brothers were two of the hardest workers he’s ever had. He credits his early success, and even now, to having such dedicated hard-working employees.
In his later 20’s he realized he needed insurance and a way to supplement his income so he started working at US Steel while also attending Ranken and still running his business. He got very little sleep in those days.
In June of 2015, he and his wife, Theresa Church, bought a house and by October he was laid off from US Steel. He said he was taking any job he could at that time and even stocked shelves at Sinclair’s at one point.
He later got a call from Eric Gowin asking him to come work for him at Contegra. This was the break Blake needed to be able to have a steady income and keep his business going.
His business has grown from mowing, landscaping, snow removal to now landworks. His snow business is often work outside of this area where he takes a team to where storms are hitting. He has gone as far northeast as Maryland and as far south as Memphis.
In 2021, he started Church’s Landworks with business partner Dave Fritz. With this added business he made the decision not too long ago to leave Contegra and fully commit to running his businesses.
Blake emphasized the importance of never burning a bridge; he named numerous people he went to high school with that are now an integral part of the success of his business. “Surround yourself with good people and be a good person.”
Blake gave each student $12, a soda, and a cupcake because that was the first payment he ever received for mowing a yard - his first customer was Edith Kuehnel Scott. He told each student to go do something good with it - buy someone lunch etc.
Thank you for speaking with us today!
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