A bachelor’s degree proved no match for The Great Recession of 2008. That’s when Anthony graduated with a degree in hand but no career. “I couldn’t find a job, and I didn’t know what to do.” Part-time jobs fizzled. He knew he needed work with longevity.

That’s when he decided he ultimately wanted to start his own business, which led him through the doors of CVTC. Anthony enrolled in CVTC’s Landscape, Plant & Turf Management program. Horticulture is now his passion.

As he learned the ins and outs of plants and landscaping, he landed an internship with a local garden center. He could be a student and work in the field to support his family at the same time.

As his graduation was drawing near, Anthony was having a bit of anxiety about starting his own business, but he welcomed the change. The entrepreneurial spirit has always been inside Anthony. When he was a child, he and his brother started Brian and Tony’s Lawnmowing. “We could only go as far as we could walk,” he said with a laugh.

In 2018, Anthony started Safe & Simple Organic Lawns – a Chippewa Valley lawn care business with a mission of improving the quality of life and the planet through organic lawn care.

“It’s absolutely something I’ve always been interested in,” he said. “Without CVTC, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It really is something that has touched my life in many positive ways. It really propelled me right into the industry.”