We were lucky to catch up with Joel Dunn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Joel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Naming Hidden Value took some time. My wife, business partner and I came up with a few names on the same Sunday afternoon we cooked up the more serious ideas for the business. I dabble in eastern philosophy so I had a copy of the Tao Te Ching (great ancient text on wisdom, life, and leadership) laying around and there was a line about the wise man seeing the “hidden value” in things. In that moment I heard “hidden value” like a alarm bell. I want people to see the Hidden Value in the work I do, in the quality I present, in their interaction with me. Only then will my customer know that the hidden value in Hidden Value Lawn Care isn’t about money, it’s about people, relationships, and for me high quality lawn care.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Joel Dunn and I was born in downtown St. Pete. I was raised in Cape Coral, Florida graduated from North Fort Myers High and I went to college at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers.

When I was a teenager I was into bands and playing music with as many people as I could and we played as many shows as we could. My band never played outside our county my cousin’s band in North Carolina did get some traction so I helped them as a chaperone and tour manager on some regional tours, and even played bass for them in a pinch. Eventually I moved to North Carolina and became their full time Tour Manager after they got signed and we had some touring to do. A TM does everything that isn’t getting on stage and playing the songs for the crowd. They book flights, communicate with booking agents, promoters, venue owners, etc. they handle press, pay bills, balance checkbooks and credit cards and the list goes on. I was lucky enough to do this for three years full time, traveling all over the United States, Europe, The U.K. and Japan. The band was called Divided by Friday and we sounded like Fallout Boy and Panic at the Disco made a baby. During my time as a TM when we weren’t on tour I worked at the family business in North Carolina helping with landscaping. Even when the band called it quits I got my job back at the family business as the Landscaping Manager for a wedding venue.

This experience allowed me to work with many different people over the years and get different perspectives and techniques in the green industry. I’ve had three people I would consider mentors help me with my skill and knowledge level, one mentor encouraged me to get my restricted use pesticide license to grow my chemical knowledge and I’ve found that knowledge and experience very helpful.

When the pandemic was over I was living in rural North Carolina with my wife. We were seriously bored out of our minds, ready for a community, ready for some culture, ready for St. Pete.

At first I found a couple of low paying jobs, but nothing that really made me happy. My wife got pregnant with our first Son Elijah and I had a mental panic. I couldn’t work for $15/hour! I needed to make some real money, for the baby, for my wife, for a good life! I also was working at a condo where I was doing landscaping in 100 degree heat and I would see all these awesome landscaping trucks drive by and I saw freedom out there on the road, cutting lawns! I didn’t want to be at the condo punching a clock I wanted to be cutting lawns for myself and taking pride in my work!

I put in my two weeks notice, put the condo in my rearview mirror and got to work acquiring my first 15 clients. After that I just asked for reviews and recommendations to friends and family of my clients. I specialize in lawn maintenance and gardener services. I edge a clean line, carefully trim shrubs, I keep beds weed free, and palms trimmed up, I love it all!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The best book for any entrepreneurial mindset is The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. It has dramatically changed the way I look at my business. I do work IN my business as a technician, cutting lawns, and collecting payments, I have to do it all as the only employee. However I set aside time to work ON my business as well. I work on how I present myself, how the customer will receive estimates, how I set my prices and other strategic decisions any business owner will have to make in any industry.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When my wife told me I was going to be a father I was working at a condo that I didn’t like. I knew I needed to provide for Elijah through his whole life and I’d had this idea for a business for awhile at that point. I’d even already gotten an LLC and bank account opened. I just needed to get some clients, and a little equipment and I could make my dream a reality. I quit the condo job with notice (the longest two weeks of my life) and I got a few clients. I kept hearing the same story that their landscaper was unreliable or inconsistent and they wanted someone who would cut the lawn that could be counted on to show up. People want friendly people working on their property not scowled faced tough guys. So I try to smile too, I think that has helped in getting neighbors of my clients as clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hiddenvaluelawncare.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddenvaluelawncare/?hl=en
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hidden-value-st-petersburg

Image Credits
Joel Dunn