Lawn care and pet care collide at 1 Million Cups Kansas City this week.
EDU Lawn Service
This locally owned and operated lawn service strives to not only provide superior care to clients, but also to help kids and veterans work their way through college and graduate debt-free. EDU Lawn Service is a 501(c)(3) that hires college kids as well as veterans who want to gain real-life skills, learn how to run their own business and pay their way through higher education.
Founder Todd Coleman created the nonprofit when his own son, a competitive swimmer, needed to find a summer job that would allow him to keep swimming and also earn money to pay for college. This planted the seed in Todd’s mind and grew into a budding startup.
Each employee is involved in every aspect of running the day-to-day operations of their own lawn care company under the EDU Lawn Service name. Employees are introduced to what it’s really like to be an entrepreneur, and are exposed to marketing, bookkeeping, quality improvements, safety considerations and human resources. Employees are enrolled in the Missouri A+ program and submit a portion of their wages to a qualified 529b college tuition fund.
Todd says the company is looking to gain more traction in the Kansas City community. He wants local neighborhoods to invest their money back into kids and veterans in their area.
Perch Pet Products
Perch Pet Products has created a new type of pet bed, one that’s raised off the ground with a slung seat. The main fabric seat has a mesh bottom for increased airflow and an insert pad for soft, warm comfort. The fabric is removable for washing and replacement, and there is a canopy and a raised extension with a hanging cave that can be added on.
Right now the beds only accommodate small to medium-sized dogs, but company founder Sheri Gillett says her team is working on versions for larger pets.
Gillett says the young startup began a Kickstarter campaign a few weeks ago, but hasn’t raised much money or gained much traction from it yet. Sheri said that her team needs help ramping up marketing.
Perch Pet Products is looking for marketing and business advice from experts and for help getting a foot in the door with distributors.
