Mason Carpenter was just 10 years old when he began mowing yards in his Kentucky neighborhood. Fast-forward 17 years, and he’s still taking care of a handful of those yards, along with many others including commercial and industrial properties.
“I was encouraged to go to college so I did for a short time, but ultimately decided to explore what else was out there for me,” Carpenter says.
After studying basic courses he worked briefly as a firefighter and an emergency medical technician, but what he liked most about firefighting was the fact that the schedule enabled him to take care of yards on the side. In 2015 he decided to take the plunge and devote himself full-time to his mowing business when he launched Mow Better Lawnscapes. Taking that leap of faith didn’t worry him – in fact, it inspired him.
“There’s no ceiling,” Carpenter says. “I like that this is whatever I want to make it.”
He chose the name Mow Better because of his meticulous approach.
“I got into this business because I liked making yards look pretty,” says Carpenter, who prides himself on putting a clean, crisp edge on every lawn, and also instructing his crew not to blow grass into landscapes or leave any marks in yards with equipment.
Any time he picks up a new client, the first thing he does is ask what dissatisfied them about their last mowing company.
“I want to know what they are looking for in a lawn care service so that we can tweak what we do to make them happy,” Carpenter says. “For instance, some people are very particular about wanting stripes in their yard to go a certain direction. Whatever they want – if they want their yard cut in a diamond cut, vertical or horizontal – we make sure to deliver.”
Mow Better, which takes care of both residential and commercial properties, also provides leaf removal, shrub trimming, mulch, full lawn cleanup, dirt, sod, hardscaping, retaining walls, drainage, and snow and ice management.
Over time, the business has grown substantially. Initially a one-man operation, Carpenter now employs three full-time crews (two for mowing and one for landscaping). During the summer, he usually has 15 employees on staff. What started out as just mowing has turned into a full-service lawn and landscaping company for every season.
For those who struggle to envision an end product, Carpenter has software on his iPad that enables him to show clients complete landscaping makeovers.
“If you’re unsure about what kind of plants you want to go with, for example, I can use photos of your home or business and insert different plants, shrubs and trees, to give you a vision of exactly how the finish product would look,” says Carpenter, who is proud of how far he’s come and excited about where he’s going.
“I remember as a kid seeing big companies with trucks and trailers, thinking, ‘Maybe one day I’ll be there,’” he adds. “Now I’ve got five of them. It’s humbling to look back. I’m proud of my team and am thankful for our loyal customers. Everything is coming together.”
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