Growing with Grace
<p>Tim and Karen Kastning own and operate Grace Tree Service.</p>
Tim and Karen Kastning's entry into business started as two hungry college students in Missouri when they started a lawn care business.
While there, Tim watched with fascination a climber working up in a tree and decided that was for him, so he started a tree service. Karen said Tim learned on the job and as she likes to say "lived to tell about it."
Now, 25 years later, Tim has earned numerous certifications.
Grace Tree Service started in 1998. It handles all aspects of tree care and maintenance, and sells trees in its nursery. Its plant health care division handles fertilizations, injections and spraying. They have certified tree risk assessors for hazard tree evaluation, and Tim works also with construction companies for tree preservation and emergency storm work.
The tree service business has its challenges. The seasonality of the business requires good cash flow management for the winter months.
Tree service work is technical, strenuous, and dangerous so it takes years of training to become skilled, knowledgeable and safe arborist. What has allowed Grace Tree Services to thrive is its expertise and its care for the customers.
As a member of the community Grace Tree Service donates firewood to Elderhelp, an organization that helps elderly people in need. Recently it also completed a charity job for the Humane Society and it donates trees and services to many local auctions and fundraisers.
As the business has grown they felt the need to get some help to handle the complexities of growth from people who had more business expertise.
"Idaho Small Business Development Center coaching and classes have really helped us develop knowledge and skills that have helped run our company more professionally and successfully," Karen said. "Our coach, Bill Jhung, constantly encourages us to work on our business "on" a weekly basis as opposed to just working "in" our business. Setting up the regular weekly meeting to work on our business, has been a tremendous help to us."
Grace Tree Services is at 1860 W. Hayden Ave.
Information: (208) 762-5800, or visit www.gracetreeservice.com.