NaturalLawn Inc
Founded: 1987 by Phil Catron and Beecher Smith
Sector: Natural lawn-care franchise
Business Status: Success
Location: Frederick, Maryland
Website: www.naturalawn.com
Status 1991:
''The founders Phil Catron and Beecher Smith had been with ChemLawn for many years before striking out on their own. But that was not their original intention. After ChemLawn turned down their idea for an environmentally friendly lawn care program, they started their own company, NaturaLawn (...). By 1990, three years after starting the company, the two ecopreneurs could boast more than 3,000 customers and sales of more than $750,000'' (Bennett, 1991, p.196-197)[1].
Founders:
Phil Catron grew up in Maryland, and mowed the fairways at a local golf club as a teenager. He then went on to study plant science agronomy at university[2]. For nearly ten years Catron worked for conventional lawn care companies such as TruGreen-ChemLawn. When Catron felt that such a chemically dependent industry did not respond to his organically orientated ideas he set out to start his own company [3].
In 1987 Phil Catron and Beecher Smith started NaturaLawn of America in Damacus. Within two years they had sold their first franchise in York County,
Pennsylvania[4]. At the time they were going against industry trends, but over time increasing studies about multiple chemical sensitivity in the early 1990''s created pressure within the industry for others to adopt an approach similar to that of NaturaLawn [5]. By 2002 NaturaLawn had grown into a franchisor worth $23 million, with 55 offices across America, and plans for approximately 100 additional franchises [6].Catron and Smith have challenged
industry norms such as the liberal application of fertilizers and pesticides, with their alternative philosophy on lawn care. They challenge customer
expectations such as the myth of the ''picture perfect lawn''. One NaturaLawn brochure reported that "lawns will always have some weeds and insects and most lawns will always have some bare spots and tend to go brown during the summer or other stress periods". The adoption of such an approach has reportedly resulted in the reduction of unnecessary chemical and pesticide use by approximately 85 to 95 per cent in many cases [7].
Status 2010:
Traditional companies such as former employer TruGreen-ChemLawn have challenged some of the NaturaLawn claims. TruGreen-ChemLawn offer an organic-based fertilizer program, although they state that fewer than one-tenth of one per cent of customers reportedly choose it, because of the length of time that it takes to see results. However NaturaLawn continues to grow. In 2002 the American Horticulture Society employed NaturaLawn to repair and restore the turf at its headquarters. NaturaLawn also appear to retain their customers despite the use of more costly materials than other lawn-care companies, although NaturaLawn argue that treatment fees are comparable due to the sparing use of materials over the longer term [8].
Catron continues as the president of NaturaLawn. The company currently has 66 franchises across 23 states that offer customers a customised lawn care service. In addition customers can also purchase do-it-yourself products via the company website[9]. Until recently it appeared that Beecher Smith was the Vice President of Operations for the company, however it is unclear if Smith remains with the company.
Sources:
[1] Bennett, S. J. (1991) Ecopreneuring: The Complete Guide to Small Business Opportunities from the Environmental Revolution. New York: Wiley.
[2] McCombs, P. (2002) Getting Your Grass in Gear; a brown patch doesn''t cut it in some ''hoods, The Washington Post, 3rd June, Final Edition, Style section, p.C10.
[3] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[4] Stewart, J. (2006) Office space upstairs, The Frederick News-Post (Maryland), 19th September, Business and Financial News.
[5] Kyriakos, M. (1994) The Greening of America''s Lawns; More companies take a natural care approach, The Washington Post, 3rd September, Final Edition, Real Estate section, p.E1.
[6] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[7] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[8] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[9] NaturaLawn (2010) NaturaLawn of America|The Leader in Organic-Based Lawn Care [online].
Sector: Natural lawn-care franchise
Business Status: Success
Location: Frederick, Maryland
Website: www.naturalawn.com
Status 1991:
''The founders Phil Catron and Beecher Smith had been with ChemLawn for many years before striking out on their own. But that was not their original intention. After ChemLawn turned down their idea for an environmentally friendly lawn care program, they started their own company, NaturaLawn (...). By 1990, three years after starting the company, the two ecopreneurs could boast more than 3,000 customers and sales of more than $750,000'' (Bennett, 1991, p.196-197)[1].
Founders:
Phil Catron grew up in Maryland, and mowed the fairways at a local golf club as a teenager. He then went on to study plant science agronomy at university[2]. For nearly ten years Catron worked for conventional lawn care companies such as TruGreen-ChemLawn. When Catron felt that such a chemically dependent industry did not respond to his organically orientated ideas he set out to start his own company [3].
In 1987 Phil Catron and Beecher Smith started NaturaLawn of America in Damacus. Within two years they had sold their first franchise in York County,
Pennsylvania[4]. At the time they were going against industry trends, but over time increasing studies about multiple chemical sensitivity in the early 1990''s created pressure within the industry for others to adopt an approach similar to that of NaturaLawn [5]. By 2002 NaturaLawn had grown into a franchisor worth $23 million, with 55 offices across America, and plans for approximately 100 additional franchises [6].Catron and Smith have challenged
industry norms such as the liberal application of fertilizers and pesticides, with their alternative philosophy on lawn care. They challenge customer
expectations such as the myth of the ''picture perfect lawn''. One NaturaLawn brochure reported that "lawns will always have some weeds and insects and most lawns will always have some bare spots and tend to go brown during the summer or other stress periods". The adoption of such an approach has reportedly resulted in the reduction of unnecessary chemical and pesticide use by approximately 85 to 95 per cent in many cases [7].
Status 2010:
Traditional companies such as former employer TruGreen-ChemLawn have challenged some of the NaturaLawn claims. TruGreen-ChemLawn offer an organic-based fertilizer program, although they state that fewer than one-tenth of one per cent of customers reportedly choose it, because of the length of time that it takes to see results. However NaturaLawn continues to grow. In 2002 the American Horticulture Society employed NaturaLawn to repair and restore the turf at its headquarters. NaturaLawn also appear to retain their customers despite the use of more costly materials than other lawn-care companies, although NaturaLawn argue that treatment fees are comparable due to the sparing use of materials over the longer term [8].
Catron continues as the president of NaturaLawn. The company currently has 66 franchises across 23 states that offer customers a customised lawn care service. In addition customers can also purchase do-it-yourself products via the company website[9]. Until recently it appeared that Beecher Smith was the Vice President of Operations for the company, however it is unclear if Smith remains with the company.
Sources:
[1] Bennett, S. J. (1991) Ecopreneuring: The Complete Guide to Small Business Opportunities from the Environmental Revolution. New York: Wiley.
[2] McCombs, P. (2002) Getting Your Grass in Gear; a brown patch doesn''t cut it in some ''hoods, The Washington Post, 3rd June, Final Edition, Style section, p.C10.
[3] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[4] Stewart, J. (2006) Office space upstairs, The Frederick News-Post (Maryland), 19th September, Business and Financial News.
[5] Kyriakos, M. (1994) The Greening of America''s Lawns; More companies take a natural care approach, The Washington Post, 3rd September, Final Edition, Real Estate section, p.E1.
[6] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[7] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[8] DIshneau, D. (2002) Frederick firm touts environmentally friendly lawn care, The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 15th July, State and Regional.
[9] NaturaLawn (2010) NaturaLawn of America|The Leader in Organic-Based Lawn Care [online].