Zelda Fences & Landscaping

“ "The best experience I had with Community Futures was working with the Business Analyst, Siggi, and learning all the different things in order to make my business happen. I am also grateful for the loan program, which helped me to get my business off of the ground." ”

Zelda Fences & Landscaping began in spring 2013. Owner Noel Wernitz named the business after his dog, Zelda, who has become Noel's sidekick and often accompanies him on the job. Noel offers landscaping, fencing, and is now offering snow removal during the winter months. He started the business from the ground up, beginning with only a used lawn mower and weed whacker and working out of his Ford Focus.

The best experience Noel had while working with Community Futures was working with the Business Analyst, Siggi, and learning all of the different things he had to do to make his business happen. He is also grateful for the loan program, which helped him to get his business off the ground.

Noel has also had an unbelievable amount of community support. In the early days of his business, when he was using a push-mower to mow lawns, a customer gave him his first riding lawn mower in exchange for mowing her lawn. That same customer now lives in an apartment building, and convinced her landlord to hire Noel to landscape the apartment site. This later lead to some of Noel's biggest contracts with other local businesses.

The experience of owning a business has greatly impacting Noel's life. He enjoys being his own boss and working for himself, and the amount of freedom that comes with it.