|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 To
Place Advertising Call 419.330.9658 |
|
MP and Son Lawn Care & Landscaping
Roland Richardson
By
Diane Meeks |
|
There
were a lot of hard feelings between that director
and some employees. I was one of those employees.
I thought I would hang in there two more years and
take an early out at 55.”
"When
I cared for my own lawn, my thing was that I don't
want to see a blade higher than the others. I want
to make sure everything is nice and neat and perfect,
edged and trimmed."
Roland Richardson, owner of MP and Son Lawn Care,
is not the typical retiree. He is well into his second
career, a career very different from the first.
When Roland left his home in Charleston, South Carolina,
he came to Ohio planning to get a good education.
“What turned me around was when I went to an
all-black university outside of Dayton. They have
a cooperative education program. A couple of the cooperative
kids who were doing their training program came to
my high school and lectured about what a good opportunity
it would be. I signed up,” Roland explained.
In 1973, Roland received his bachelor’s degree
in accounting and got a job with Owens Corning. “I
was there for three years but didn't see much opportunity
for promotion and climbing the corporate ladder.”
Roland decided to make a move. “I went in to
Toledo Edison as an accounting analyst, then became
an auditor, then was promoted to supervisor of accounts
receivable. The concept back then was once you get
in with the Edison, you're there for life. You retire
from it.”
After the company was sold several times, the decision
was made to move all of the accounting operations
to Akron. “An offer was made for me to go to
Akron. After 33 years here, I didn't want to go there
and after six months have them say they didn't have
a job for me.”
Roland stayed with Edison as a supervisor of meter
readers but was not as satisfied with the work situation.
“We had a new director. It didn't matter who
he stomped on and kicked. He wanted to get to the
top. There were a lot of hard feelings between that
director and some employees. I was one of those employees.
I thought I would hang in there two more years and
take an early out at 55.”
“Financially, I really wasn't ready for it,”
Roland says of his decision to retire after 33 years.
“My pension from Edison was just enough to make
my house note. I thought that I would get into something
on the side that I enjoyed, something I knew about.
That was gardening and landscaping.”
Growing up as one of 11 siblings, Roland is quick
to tell people how he named his business, a story
that demonstrates how important family still is to
him. “This business is going to cover my meals.
I took the ‘M’ from ‘meat’
and the ‘P’ from ‘potatoes’.
And I'm hoping with my fingers crossed that my son
will join me.”
“I figured I needed some exposure or experience
to what I was getting into. My best friend had a friend
who is in the lawn care business. I worked with him
and saw how he handled the customers. I stuck in there
until fall. Then, it was time for me to leave.”
The preparation paid off when the business began to
grow exponentially. “I started out with six
customers, mostly friends and family. When I cared
for my own lawn, my thing was that I don't want to
see a blade higher than the others. I want to make
sure everything is nice and neat and perfect, edged
and trimmed. It takes longer, but as a result of that
the neighbors saw the good work. Next season I had
23 customers.”
Always thinking ahead, Roland adds, “Each year
I'm learning more and more, and as I look down the
road now, I think I'm going to try to branch off into
more commercial work.”
MP AND SON LAWN CARE
Roland Richardson
1798 Crissey Road
Holland, Ohio 43528
Phone: 419-320-3865
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Toledo
Business Review highlights the best
commodity that Toledo has to offer: the small business
owner.
In each issue, TBR profiles the locally owned
businesses you visit frequently. We tell the inspiring
stories of business owners, how they overcame
both personal and business adversities, and what
keeps them moving forward. TBR believes that small
businesses are the backbone of our economy and
that local business owners deserve to be honored
and their value to our community needs to be recognized.
TBR is a free publication and available every
other month at over 300 high-traffic business
entry ways, including: Burger King, Panera, Café
Marie and many others. Our restaurant partners
are also featured in our restaurant guide, perfect
for making dining out decisions at a glance.
Our readership is growing... Advertising with Toledo
Business Review makes financial sense! |
If you would like more information
regarding advertising in Toledo Business Review, contact
us today!
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To
Place Advertising Call 419.330.9658 |
|
TOLEDO BUSINESS REVIEW
IS A FREE, BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION
|
Copyright © 2007-2008 • Toledo
Business Review • All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use of the materials
on this site and in the publication without the author's
expressed, written consent is strictly prohibited.
Website
design by: CyberPro911 Print
publication by: Dzyn
Lab
|
|
