Doug Delano (and Bill Hardy) opened Level Green Landscaping LLC in 2002 to offer Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia reliable commercial landscape maintenance services.
When Brian Outten interviewed for a job as shop manager at Level Green Landscaping, co-owner Bill Hardy told him he wouldn’t have to worry about Brian showing up late for work.
Brian served in the U.S. Army, where being punctual is a way of life.
That's just one of the traits Brian brings to his landscaping work, as a military veteran.
Cameron Cook and his girlfriend Kayley have a piggy bank they use to save up for vacations.
Then they scan the air fares, pick an inexpensive destination and set out for adventure.
This tells you a few things about Cameron.
He’s smart. He’s a planner. He’s organized. He likes a good adventure.
All traits he uses every day as an operations manager at Level Green Landscaping.
Looking for a landscaping job in Washington DC? You probably aren’t going to flip to the back of The Washington Post to find job listings or expect companies to seek you out.
Times have changed, but there are several encouraging findings if you’re hunting for a job.
The demand for skilled workers in the green industry continues to be high, while there’s a fairly low supply — making your job search a little easier.
Warning: This story is about to make you really hungry.
As a kid, Anthony Fuller hated going to the dentist. Those little plastic trinkets kids got afterward were all that got him through.
‘“I wanted to change that experience for somebody else,” he says. So he majored in biology at Georgetown University and planned to go to dental school.
Then he found out how much it would cost, and that it would take him 11 years to pay off the debt.
New plan: landscaping.
It’s hard to imagine him doing anything else.
When Larry Leon talks about hunters and farmers, you have to wonder what it has to do with landscaping.
Spend any time with Julian Tadeo and you’ll probably learn something about him. A friendly, talkative guy, he has a lot of wisdom to share.
When David Saravia moved to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2004, he landed a job in an Italian restaurant in Maryland, far from his life farming corn and beans.
Clearing snow kicks your butt.
The hours are long, and often through the night. A storm can last for days. The simple act of hopping down from your truck can land you face down on a slick of black ice. (Pro tip: never jump down from your truck in the winter.)
Here’s how Level Green Landscaping prepares its people, from keeping them safe to boosting their morale during this cold, tough work.
Jose Ruiz grew up in balmy El Salvador, where the temperature hovers at 85 degrees, coconut palms and tropical orchids flourish and he worked in sunny fields harvesting beans and corn.
Then, he moved to Boston. In the winter. And got a job shoveling snow.
What must that have been like?
“Aauuugh!” Jose says.
Totally.
He was 24 at the time, and a pretty sturdy guy. But still.
“There were times I thought, ‘What was I thinking?’” he says with a laugh. “It was very, very hard to acclimate to the weather. But I thought, you know what? I’m here now. I made my decision.”
