Teen of the Week: Teen’s skill as neighborhood entrepreneur forecast future goals – CapitalGazette.com

Daniel Johnson recently mowed and carefully edged his last lawn for a while. The 18-year old teen, a recent graduate of Spalding High School, began his freshman orientation at LaSalle University in Philadelphia earlier this week.

The summer between seventh and eighth grades, Johnson and a good friend Nick Van Besien became partners in a lawn mowing service in their Epping Forest neighborhood. They started with less than a handful of properties entrusted to their care and quickly realized they were mowing a market ripe for lawn, garden and yard work services, snow removal, furniture moving and simple handyman work.

By their sophomore year, they registered with the State of Maryland as a sole proprietorship named Epping Forest Enterprises. Like fast-growing grass, their business expanded to over 40 regular clients. Johnson quickly learned the intricacies of invoicing, managing the company bank account, plus marketing and promoting the company. The business brought in enough income to handle the two teens expenses and save a little for college.

Now that the entrepreneurs have graduated, they turned the enterprise over to two younger neighborhood youth to continue the tradition.

"We wanted to keep it a reliable service the community can count upon," Johnson said.

He often scheduled his Saturdays and summer week days to mow lawns from 8 to 11 a.m. He'd then hustle over to the community clubhouse where he had a job as a short order cook from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Afterward, he'd practice music or swimming with friends. In the evenings, he'd wrestle with his business paperwork.

One of his bosses at the clubhouse, Tommy Wylde, also a neighbor and lawncare client, said Johnson is an exceptional kid.

"Very few kids have the knowhow to work at a young age. He gets it. He understands hard work and what it does," Wylde said. "He does whatever I ask him to do he knows what the finished product looks like and how to get there. ... He understands what it takes to be successful at a very young age."

Another neighbor and client, Steve Vetter said Johnson is a "refreshing reminder of what is good about our country and why I remain so optimistic about our future." Vetter, executive director of The Tessemae's Foundation, said Johnson earned the respect of so many of his neighbors in Epping Forest through his hard work, entrepreneurial talent and serious approach to his education and good-neighbor policy of always being willing to help when needed.

The experience with his own business is one of the inspirations which factored into Johnson's decision to attend LaSalle.

"I always wanted to own my own business," Johnson said. "Majoring in Finance will give me the best set up and knowledge of business and how to run a business. I enjoy the management process."

In recognition of his leadership experience and academic record at Spalding, Johnson is receiving an annual $16,000 scholarship from LaSalle.

At Spalding, in addition to being a member of the National Honor Society, Johnson was vice president of the school's Stock Market Club. Advanced $100,000 in play money, the club's members play the Investipedia game, a stock market simulator. The goal is to see who makes the most money on their investments. Johnson was also one of a two students selected to attend the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders meeting held May 6 in CenturyLink Omaha in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, as a representative of the school.

Johnson keeps busy with myriad activities.

He joined the swim team at the Annapolis Swim Club at age 7. Staying a member involved training 12 hours a week, year 'round. He qualified for four state championship meets, three sectional meets and one junior nationals meet.

He continued to swim throughout high school, and was co-captain of the team his senior year. That year, one of the highlights of his Spalding experience was winning the 100 yard freestyle in 47.55 seconds for the school at a MIAA Conference this spring, a first-time win for Spalding. At LaSalle, he will be a walk-on member of its swim team. He might eventually become eligible for an athletic scholarship.

"I was recruited by several other colleges to swim," he said, "but, I preferred LaSalle for its business program."

In fourth grade at St. Mary's Elementary School in Annapolis, he first picked up a trumpet. His performance was so strong and continued through high school he was awarded two, four-year scholarships to attend Spalding: the Sister Lucide Pioneer Leadership Scholarship and the Archbishop Spalding High School Music Scholarship. The scholarships covered 50 percent of the $14,000 annual tuition.

"I enjoy playing gigs," he said.

While at Spalding, he earned the Wind Ensemble's Band Student of the Year all four years of his tenure. Senior year, he was present of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

Yet another neighbor and landscaping client, Sharon Boettinger, noted Johnson is an accomplished musician and swimmer.

"He throws himself headfirst into whatever he does," she said.

Boettinger said the teen also plays the National Anthem on his trumpet for Epping Forest's annual Independence Day Parade.

"I can't wait to watch him go through college and grow into young adulthood," she said.

Johnson's days at St. Mary's did not end when he completed his middle school years. He and his family are parishioners at the historic downtown church. Johnson is one of the Lectors at services. Occasionally, he'll make the commute to church aboard his family's 17-foot whaler.

His mother Jeanne Johnson is a judicial clerk at the District Court on Rowe Boulevard. Blair Johnson, his father, is a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent Office and Trademark Office. His sister Leah Johnson, 15, is a rising sophomore at Archbishop Spalding.

"I'm looking forward to being in a city," Johnson said. "There's always something to do. And, there are a lot more opportunities in a city."

He added, "But, I'll miss downtown Annapolis and the community of Epping Forest and the neighbors. It's so special."

DO YOU KNOW AN EXEMPLARY TEEN?

Anyone may nominate a Teen of the Week. To be considered, nominated teens must reside in Anne Arundel County or Kent Island and be enrolled in a high school program. Send nominations by email to Wendi Winters at wwinters@capgaznews.com.

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Teen of the Week: Teen's skill as neighborhood entrepreneur forecast future goals - CapitalGazette.com