Inspired by family members who were engaged in various enterprises around their family farm near New Baden, Illinois, Blake Twenhafel set the foundation for his own business at age 12. He painted a lawn-mowing sign, placed it in the front yard and received his first call within hours. That one lawn became the foundation of BT Lawn Care.
Twenhafel added more signs the following year and by 2020, began marketing more intentionally with professionally printed signs and a Facebook page. By the time he turned 16, he hired his first employees — including two fellow members of the Wesclin FFA Chapter — and by 2024 he was servicing over 50 commercial and residential accounts. Today he attends the University of Illinois and studies crop science, but he’s always looking for the next business opportunity.
His dad, an FFA alum, suggested that he use the business as a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). “Once I got into my ag class in the fall of 2019, I started my turfgrass management SAE and realized FFA was going to help me define the goals and skillsets I needed to scale my business,” he says.
In 2025, Twenhafel was named the National FFA American Star in Agribusiness, one of the highest honors in FFA. Learn from his experiences and top tips for building a business from the ground up.
1. Start with something you enjoy.
Passion is essential, Twenhafel says, because running a business takes time, dedication, and perseverance. “If you’re not passionate about it, it’s hard to keep going.”
2. Create a business plan.
It is important to put plans on paper and define the business. Before he began each lawn care season, he set various benchmarks and plans for the year to help him reach his business goals.
3. Know your worth and price appropriately.
Twenhafel started with lower rates when he was 12, but adjusted as his skill set and equipment fleet grew. “Some of my prices tripled from when I started,” he says. “Knowing the worth of my lawn care services in response to time is a big key and why I reevaluated my service rates.”
4. Build a reputation based on communication.
Transparency became a cornerstone of BT Lawn, especially during weather delays. “The customer is the important factor,” he says. Reliability, clear communication and professionalism helped him maintain a high retention rate.
5. Learn from others — and keep learning.
He also looked for opportunities to advance his technical skills by watching YouTube videos and asking other lawn care professionals for advice. “Most people are willing to share advice,” he says. Participating in the Clinton County CEO program, a local entrepreneurship course for students, gave him insights into essential business skills.
Take Action
If you’ve got a business-minded brain, now’s the time to start bringing your ideas to life. Learn more about the types of SAEs, which can help you plan which Agricultural Proficiency Awards to apply for in the future.
