While some 18-year-olds across Loveland are still figuring out what to do during the summer, one recent Loveland High School graduate and 18-year-old entrepreneur has found a passion for creating outdoor landscapes that homeowners can relax and enjoy.
Sam Huhta is the owner of NOCO Landscape, a landscaping company that works in the Loveland, Fort Collins and Greeley areas to provide “easy service so you can have your landscaping the way you want it – hassle-free,” according to the company’s website.
Although he enjoyed landscaping in his youth, for the past few years he has been working to build his own landscaping company throughout northern Colorado.
He said he has grown his company to include eight employees plus himself, bringing in about $50,000 a month, something he didn’t expect to happen when he started after leaving his fast-food job.
“I had no intention of growing or hiring anyone,” he said.
Huhta said that while he graduated from Loveland High this spring, he also spent two years taking classes at Front Range Community College. He said that when he starts his freshman year at the University of Wyoming in the fall, while he will technically be a freshman, he will have junior credits.
He said that while he’s not sure where his company will go from here, he’s invested a lot of time in the local landscaping group he’s created.
How did you get interested in landscaping in the first place?
Like any other kid in the neighborhood, I started out mowing the lawn with my good friend Jude. As we began building our client list, there was an obvious need for yard work among Loveland residents. In the first five months, we started signing contracts with real estate agents to prepare houses for the market. As yard work began to evolve into landscaping, I knew my passion lay in creating outdoor spaces tailored to clients’ needs.
What made you decide to start your own landscaping business?
I am very fortunate to have found my passion for entrepreneurship at a very young age. At the age of 11-13 I sourced and branded a line of bike racks. If you’re a longtime resident, you may have seen them at your local bike shops. From there I tried everything from e-commerce to 3D printing products. I ended up finding a job that I really enjoy.
What is the most difficult process for you when a client asks you for decoration work?
Most of our contracts are design and construction jobs in new buildings. Such contracts can be challenging in many ways, but especially in the transition between the design and construction phases. Communicating the measurements and making sure the crew had a clear understanding of what needed to be done was a big part of the initial growing pains. I am very fortunate to have a phenomenal team, including our project manager, Connor Patrick, who was a big part of overcoming this challenge.
Why do you enjoy creating decorative pieces?
From design to construction, each job typically takes three months to complete. Getting to a field of dirt and working alongside a client to create an outdoor space from rendering to reality is truly a feeling you can’t explain. A mixture of excitement, pride and pure joy comes with the completion of every single contract I’m lucky enough to be trusted with.
What are your tips for Loveland residents looking to have the best yard this summer?
Be unique! Don’t do what everyone else is doing, use your yard as an expression of yourself. With the right design, imbued with personality, you can create more than just a patch of grass. You can create a place you look forward to.
Sam Huhta
Age: 18.
Area Weather: 18 years.
Title in NOCO landscape: The owner.
How to reach you for decoration works: Visit nocolandscape.com or email sam@nocolandscape.com.
