Some high schoolers work at McDonalds or maybe even lifeguard at the pool. Brendon Koester is no ordinary Junior, he works year round with his dad to help his family business, Koester’s Lawn Care. Koester’s Lawn Care started when Brendon’s dad, Chris was in high school. 

“My dad started the business when he was young,” Koester said.

Once his dad graduated from college, he realized that this hobby could turn into a career. Once he made the decision to make lawn care his livelihood, he branched out and hired workers while investing in machinery. 

“He had up to six trucks and 12+ employees with multiple properties,” Koester said.

But when the recession came and hit small businesses hard, Koester’s Lawn Care down-sized. This downsize caused Brendon to start working. 

“Since the stock market crash we have been keeping it mainly family workers. Right now it is just me and one other worker, Erich Buckland,” Koester said. Buckland is another Junior at PCH.

Buckland started working earlier in March of 2021.

“Brendon was driving me home from school and it was after I was talking about how I wanted to get a job since I stopped playing a spring sport and Brendon asked me if I wanted to work with him,” Buckland said.

Buckland really enjoys the work not only because of the labor but because he can help out the people he knows.

“I like how the job is very flexible and when you do jobs like mulching or building stuff like rock pathways like we did for Mr. Goldenberg last year we can have fun while doing it and working with someone you have known for a long time and are friends with really makes it a lot of fun,” Buckland said.

Keeping the business being so small gives Koester the opportunity to take a larger leadership role. 

“I manage the day-to-day operations of everything,” Koester said.

Koester is the manager of every task that has to do with physical labor. Koester mows lawns, shovels snow, does lawn care and gives bids on new properties. In the summer and fall, the business is mainly focused on landscaping and leaves whereas in the winter they will take care of snow.  

Koester enjoys working all four seasons but the fall is his favorite because the grass is short and the weather is cool. This means the grass doesn’t grow as fast and he can be comfortable while working.

After college, Koester plans on coming back and working full-time for the business. He hopes that since he will be of age he can start working on the financial part of the business because that side interests him just as much as the physical labor.