Kevin Wiebe is a Ferndale native. Although he graduated from Ferndale High School, he admits he wasn’t a model student. His teachers and administrators told him that if he didn’t attend college, he wouldn’t go anywhere in life. What they didn’t know was that while his classmates were studying for tests, Wiebe had already launched his own career with North County Landscape Co.
High School Lawn Care Entrepreneur
“I was working for myself in high school. Instead of doing homework in study hall, I was doing my invoicing. My sister Angie, who still works for the company as the production manager, drove the truck because I didn’t have a license,” says Wiebe.
Although there were some rough times, Wiebe continued to work hard and saw his business grow as a result. “We started out having an office in my sister’s house, and then we went to a shipping container. Then we went to another, bigger shipping container, and then a 40-foot mobile office trailer,” he says. “From there, we moved into a house, which we thought was just a mansion. That was luxury: there was a bathroom, not an outhouse.”
Finding a Home for a Growing Business in Whatcom County
Since its founding in 2003, North County Landscape Co. has expanded to serve about 320 clients. In 2019, Sonya Erica joined North County as General Manager. She recognized the need for ample space to park trucks and trailers, as well as specialized equipment and the products they use on a daily basis. She also agreed that they needed a space that would allow them to host clients comfortably.
So, North County invested in property at Delta Tech Industrial Park just south of Custer and jumped into the world of architectural design, long-term financing and legal permitting. Then COVID hit, bringing the world to a standstill. North County’s future home was reduced to nothing more than a stack of building materials in an empty field.
However, there was hope. Amid the uncertainty, North County finally connected with a team of bankers who not only understood the challenges ahead, but were genuinely invested in helping them succeed. That’s when they partnered with Bank of the Pacific. “I really felt like Bank of the Pacific took the time to get to understand the business and understand the seasonality and the industry a little bit more,” Wiebe says. “They dove into our vision and took time to look at historical trends to see the growth that had happened, which made a huge difference.”
Bank of the Pacific: A Bank with the Right Priorities
Their primary contact at Bank of the Pacific is Commercial Banking Officer Matt Craner. Initially from Boise, Craner and his wife love skiing, biking and hiking with their dogs in Whatcom County, and when they made the move to Bellingham, he found the right place to continue his career. “I talked to several banks in the area, and I felt like my career goals and the way I like to do business were very similar to the way Bank of the Pacific does business. Everything we do has a customer-focused slant to it,” he says.
“The bank was created by a group of business owners in a rural community where they didn’t have access to local banking. They decided to pool their money and start their own bank, and we still have that entrepreneurial spirit,” Craner says. “A lot of our board members have that community mindset, so we really try to make it as easy as possible for small businesses.”
Craner helped North County establish their checking and savings accounts, along with treasury management products to help move money efficiently — sending debits, credits and wire transfers—and implement programs to cut down on fraud. He also assisted in setting up financing options for the vehicles and equipment that keep the business operating. “And then, of course, a big piece was their commercial real estate,” Craner says.
A Headquarters for a Wide Range of Landscape Services
With help from Bank of the Pacific, that once idle stack of building materials has transformed into a permanent home base—complete with clean, modern offices where clients can explore projects using up-to-date computer modeling and discuss a surprisingly extensive list of services offered. “We do design-build projects, so we install anything from French drains to elaborate hardscaping with flower beds and water features. Then we have our maintenance division, where we work with the same clients for many, many years,” Erica says.
Just as important is their lawn health department. “People traditionally call it fertilization, but we also include applying supplements, overseeding and aeration,” Erica says. “And then we have an irrigation department doing startups, adjustments and repairs. It’s small, but it’s a very necessary service, and it’s one that we would like to grow. It’s just that irrigation techs are kind of like a needle in a haystack.”
There are two other small but rapidly growing specialties that North County is bringing to Whatcom County. One is synthetic grass, which is becoming increasingly popular among individuals seeking a low-maintenance pet area or game space, as well as golfers looking to create their own putting green. The second is automated mowing, a service that provides homeowners with a self-contained robot mower that can operate independently and continuously, if necessary. And the list goes on, covering everything from tree trimming to commercial snow removal.
North Country’s Five-Star Service Includes Relationships, Teamwork and Integrity
While achieving perfect customer satisfaction is a challenging goal, the North County Landscape Co. is committed to striving for it. “We’re very fussy,” Erica says. “If something isn’t meeting our five-star standard on a job, we do not hesitate to go back.” Wiebe agrees. “I’ve gone back 10 years later to fix a patio that had a little sunken spot in it,” he says. “It’s not a big deal. I’m just going to take care of it.”
In addition to the high scores their clients give them, they also have supporters at Bank of the Pacific. “It’s always great when we come across business owners like Kevin and Sonia of North County Landscape because they’re real first-class type of people,” says Craner. “They run an excellent business, and I’ve seen the way that they treat their employees and their customers, so it’s no surprise to me that they’re as successful as they have been.”
Bank of the Pacific is a community bank serving western Washington and northwestern Oregon. To learn more, visit the Bank of the Pacific website.
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