I came to America from Australia to immigrate. I bought a cheap lawn mower off the side of the road for $40. It was fairly new, but second hand. A push mower-it was all I knew-I had never mowed a lawn before.

My 1981 Toyota Celica and me drove the streets of Bellingham, handing out flyers to students, renters and homeowners. Obviously my mower wouldn't sit flat in the trunk, so the 2 back wheels hung out on a 45 degree angle. I tied a red ribbon to the handle and held the trunk lid down with a bungee chord I hooked underneath the number plate.

Each time I started my mower; it would burn oil from sitting in the car on an angle. After 15 seconds the smoke would clear and I was able to start my new business. I mowed lawns for $10 and if customers wanted it bagged, I used garbage bags and tossed them in the back seat till I couldn't see out the window. If I ran out of room I would pile them high on the passenger floor and seat. Heaven forbid I needed more room; I would squash more into the trunk so my mower still fit.

I had about 3 or 4 jobs a day, I used to have professional lawn care companies sit and watch me loading and unloading my bags of grass clippings, followed by my mower, then secure the load with the bungee chords. I wished to have a truck, where I could lay my mower flat, to save on oil...

It wasn't long after I was asked "Do you do weed eating?" I replied, "As of next week, I will be." I headed back to Dave, the guy I bought my mower from. He sold me a weed eater with a curved shaft. I was going to get the straight shaft, but it didn't fit into my Celica. After realizing the straight shaft weed eater was going to be more time efficient, I was determined to make it fit. I cut the brackets holding the back seat to the frame. Now, if I slid the weed eater through the trunk, and turn it 45 degrees, to enable the handle to slide through, I had a weed eater!

Then I got an edger (a least 15 years old) from a garage sale. It fit nicely next to my mower. I later traded work for a Ford Ranger. I was proud as punch driving around my truck. I made some ramps and there were no more backbreaking lifting heavy mowers in and out of a car, obviously not built to carry the cargo I made it carry.

A self-propelled mower seemed a very distant dream, now I have a fleet of commercial equipment, and proudly own my own company- Greener Lawn Care. Dreams really are just opportunities in disguise.