Ricky & Catherine, R & C Tree Services, Latrobe TAS

Today we are introducing you to Ricky and Cath, the small business owners of R&C Tree Services in Latrobe, TAS.

Ricky has worked in the timber industry all his life and made the move to being a small business owner after recognising a demand for tree logging services in his area. Since starting a business in mid-2021, Cath and Ricky have been slowly cumulating their equipment so that they can offer more and more logging services. Next, they hope to be able to secure some tenders with local councils.

Read more about R&C Tree Services.

Meet Ricky

It started in June 2021, we do tree logging, and we have a chipper and an excavator too. We will cut or trim hazard trees or whatever tree they want to cut down; trees close to powerlines and houses so that it is a safe environment.

Before starting my own business I was unemployed. Before that, I worked in the logging industry and drove machinery such as excavators. I have worked in the timber industry my whole life since I was 16.

I did the NEIS course, and I met Alan there when he used to work at NEIS. I found out about Many Rivers business coaching through him.

I knew it would be a good idea at the time, I know there is a lot of demand out there for this sort of work. Trees don’t stop growing, so they need trimming. I thought I would get involved with this industry.

At the moment its just Cath and I working on our business. Sometimes we will have another couple help us out for the day if we need it.

Working With Many Rivers

Alan has helped us out with a Many Rivers loan for us to go towards a truck. He helped us with heaps of different things. At the moment, we are flat out working, but soon he is going to help us develop tenders and get work with the local councils. He has taken us through the business cashflow. It’s been a bit of everything.

The most useful assistance was his financial tips and helping us out with a loan so that we could get up and running. We got a bin on the back of the truck and a tipper so that it can tip all of the woodchips out of the back of it. Alan helped us out with some courses too. He suggested ones that we have to do such as one in safety and a few others that will be really important to our business.

Biggest Challenge

When the chipper wasn’t working, that was a challenge! It wasn’t working for a while, but we could still do other work we just had to go back and chip the wood up after it was fixed. It cost quite a lot to fix.

Biggest Success

We had a big job to do in East Ampleside and we have a few other large ones too and we are happy with that.

Biggest Change

It’s going really well so far. We can buy more things and save more money. We don’t have to worry any more about money and we know we are able to keep getting bigger with this excavator we just bought. It means instead of paying for someone else to do it we can do it ourselves.

Future Goals for R & C Tree Services

We will probably get another truck later on, but I just want to get onto bigger jobs in the meantime such as those tenders with the council. I don’t want to go too big, but we would like to be stable. It’s going really well, and the customers are really happy. We are doing it right and safely.

Thank you, Ricky and Cath for sharing your business journey with R & C Tree Services. Stay updated with their journey on Facebook. We look forward to working with you as your business journey continues.

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