From Backyard Mower to Millions: How Cody Kuebler Scaled His Ambition

The path to success was rarely linear. After moving from a small Iowa town to Des Moines as a teenager, Kuebler was forced to restart his client list from scratch. Stints in diesel mechanics and retail sales eventually convinced him that traditional employment was not his calling. In March 2020, he formalized his venture into an LLC, catching the tailwind of a pandemic-era housing boom that drove homeowners to invest heavily in their properties.

Scaling required more than just labor; it demanded capital and credibility. When Kuebler first sought an $80,000 loan for a skid loader at 19, he faced skepticism from dealers who dismissed him due to his age. He persisted, eventually securing the financing that would form the backbone of a fleet now including 18 trucks and various heavy machinery valued at approximately $2.5 million. The transition into commercial and residential construction brought its own share of expensive mistakes, including botched drainage projects and missed deadlines, but Kuebler maintains that these failures were essential to his firm's rapid growth.

Today, the business is a family-run operation. Kuebler’s father, who gifted him his first mower years ago, now serves as the company's operations manager. While the work remains demanding—often requiring 13-hour days, six days a week—Kuebler draws a $100,000 salary bolstered by performance-based bonuses, finding satisfaction in the autonomy of building his own enterprise.