R.J. Duarte, a nineteen-year-old talented entrepreneur found his light for work. He was accepted into Colorado State University, although he decided not to go. R.J. at nineteen said “College wasn’t for me” and he said this because he had a landscaping business that was bringing in six figures. He said, “I figured I should stick with this” that is so impressive to have your own business that is driving in six figures at such a young age. R.J. started cutting grass at a very young age, he was eight cutting in Golden, Colorado. At the age of eight, he had a unique work ethic that really made his business successful. He was tripling his income every year even at this young age, and in middle school, he and his friend came together so they could cut more lawns. When R.J. was in high school, he named the company GreenWorx. After high school, his friend went to college, and it forced a split between the two. Although, R.J. just took everything back into control, and he saw a lot of room for growth and innovation. Then, he rebranded his company and made it a premium landscaping and maintenance company. Duarte had said a few things on his decision, “It’s higher margins for more risk,” and “That comes with headaches, but without headaches, there’s no reward.” This shows that he had a mind of an entrepreneur, and he was willing to go big or go home and innovate with his company. Now, GreenWorx is up to twelve to fifteen members on staff that is made up of mostly high school students. R.J. definitely made the right decision considering just as of this year, GreenWorx is bringing in right around $750,000! This is just so amazing to see the innovations that R.J. had to make, and the outcome was exactly what he wanted. Finally, Duarte said, “We’re hardworking, blue-collar people,” and “There’s nothing wrong with that.” This is awesome, he and his crew are very comparable, and they make a lot of money doing what they do.
It is truly a wonder to see people like R.J. Duarte become so successful at such a young age. From cutting grass at eight years old to managing a six-figure landscaping business at nineteen, it is truly an inspiring tale. It is not always a decision for everyone, nor is it one that should be taken in every circumstance, but he recognized his strengths and followed the entrepreneurial spirit. This in turn represents a level of business acumen that few seasoned entrepreneurs strive for: a place where he scales his business, rebrands, and innovates. R.J.’s story eloquently shows the importance of work ethic and not giving up. Since he was young, he showed a different kind of drive, some vision that helped him expand his business in great strides. That GreenWorks is today a high-end landscaping and maintenance company with a sizeable staff complement and good revenue stands to his leadership and strategic thinking. Obviously, he is one of those individuals who takes calculated risks and can address the growing pains that always come with growth.
Assumingly, he is also opening his doors to high school students to join his team and nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs. His story works as a very strong reminder that nothing is impossible if one puts in determination, innovation, and challenges to achieve big things. The journey of R.J. Duarte stands as proof that success surely does pay off when one is brave enough to follow their passion.