The Sky is the Limit - Ayad's Landscaping Business

 Even as a child, Ayad Al-Mansuri knew he wanted to be a landscaper. He loved the trees in his small village in Iraq and wanted a career in which he could follow his passion and excel. As a young adult, Ayad worked as a landscaper for a few years in his native country before moving to the United States in 1997.
 Ayad soon secured a landscaping job from a local landscaping company and learned all he could about the various tree species and nursery crops. He later worked for a national lawn care company and learned the ropes of proper lawn care and sprinkler installation and repair. Working his way up within the company, Ayad became an account manager and supervised 40 employees. Biding his time, he knew he would own his own business one day.
 
Ayad launched AHA Lawn Care in 2004 as a part-time venture, focusing on basic lawn maintenance services. For long-term business sustainability, however, Ayad knew that he would need to expand his products and services. One year later, he applied for a business loan at seven different banks, only to be turned down each time. Although his commitment was strong, Ayad’s credit score and collateral were not.
 
After hearing of his failed attempts at securing a bank loan, Ayad’s English teacher referred him to META. Within two weeks of his first meeting with META’s team, Ayad was approved for a $15,000 loan for the purpose of purchasing two riding lawn mowers, a trailer, and other equipment.
 
When Ayad first enrolled into META’s program, his business maintained 25 properties with two employees using only push lawn mowers. Within nine months, AHA Lawn Care was maintaining nearly one hundred properties and had nine full-time employees. Ayad firmly believes that his business would not have survived and succeeded without the help he received from META.
 
META’s team continues to provide Ayad with marketing and other business technical assistance as needed. They brainstorm with him on ways to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Leveraging his own know-how with META’s aid, Ayad believes his business will be three times its current size within five years.       
 
Ayad says that business ownership allows him to provide his customers with the best service possible. He goes above and beyond the scope of services that are written in a typical work order. Ayad’s business thrives, in part, because of his tremendous work ethic. He says that there are no burdens associated with owning a business because he is so proud of the goals he has reached. Ayad wants others to know that they shouldn't hesitate to take risks. He says, “They need to know that the sky is the limit. When you succeed you will be so proud of what you have done.”
 
For more information please contact
Ron Berning
Program Director
META
1607 W. Jefferson
Boise, ID 83702
208.336.5533 ext. 230
208.921.7233 (cell)
rberning@mtnstatesgroup.org
www.metaidaho.org
 
 
META's refugee microenterprise program is funded by Office of Refugee Resettlement.