09/12/2006
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Tim Doppel |
Atwood LawnCare opened its doors in 1970 and became an NFIB member shortly thereafter. When Tim Doppel joined the Atwood LawnCare team in 1980, he immediately realized the benefits of being a member of NFIB. In 1984, Doppel became president of Atwood LawnCare, and he believed then and continues to believe today that NFIB provides invaluable service and assistance to its members.
"There is no way I have the time to monitor all the issues and to prioritize what needs to be addressed," Doppel said. "I rely on the communication of NFIB to keep me up-to-date on what is going on and when to make the calls required."
Doppel's company provides lawn fertilization and landscape care applications to over 8,000 residential customers in the suburban Detroit area. The business prides itself on keeping customers' lawns, trees and shrubs green, healthy and weed-free during the growing season. In addition to the expected lawn services, Atwood LawnCare also makes customers' homes beautiful and bright during the holiday season with their Christmas décor lighting service.
Because Atwood LawnCare is responsible for thousands of customers but employs only 24 people, Doppel acknowledged that his employees are great, hard-working and dedicated people. In addition to his full-time help, Doppel also employs his two college-aged sons part-time over the summers.
When asked why he loves being a small-business owner, Doppel said: "It is the joy of seeing employees grow and develop. When an employee gets married, buys a house or a new car, I realize, 'Hey, I'm helping them do that.' That's a great feeling."
Atwood LawnCare's trusted work and loyal customers have allowed the business to grow an average of 10 to 12 percent over the company's history.
Despite its success, Doppel insisted that there are several barriers keeping his business from expanding further.
"Our industry (like so many others) is under constant pressure from government agencies with more and more regulation," Doppel said. "Some regulations apply to all businesses, but many are industry specific, which requires constant vigilance. Of course, the cost of doing business never goes down and that is an ever-present challenge"
Knowing that pressuring lawmakers is key to preventing more regulation, Doppel has been an active member of NFIB for many years and strives to be a recognizable name and face by the public officials serving him.
"I realized early on that to achieve legislative victories or make a regulatory impact, I have to be involved," Doppel said. "The NFIB is only as effective as the support they receive from members; no one can speak for my business as well as I can, and my business is too important to me to not be involved."
In addition to actively lobbying for pro small-business issues, Doppel also takes time out of his busy schedule to attend as many Area Action Councils as he can, fill out member ballots and read federal and state e-mail alerts sent out by NFIB. In doing this, Doppel ensures he is always armed against anti-small-business reform and ready to fight for small businesses in his state and around the country.
