Mike Bennett
discovered the benefits of backyard growing organically. While touring with his
band, Apple Juice Jones, Bennett dined on homegrown vegetables cultivated on a
California family’s farm.
Upon
returning to his Chestnut Hill abode, Bennett, of Ambler, began working for
Chris Mattingly of Backyard Eats, a Flourtown-based edible garden
designer and builder, whose “foodscaping” staff creates and maintains backyard
habitats throughout the greater Philadelphia area.
“Right when
COVID started I was looking to start my business doing something like this and
found (Mattingly) and decided to take a job with him and keep the momentum,”
Bennett said. “There’s a network of people who do this throughout the country
and in the world.”
For now,
Backyard Eats is cornering the market of this “emerging industry” in Montgomery
County and beyond.
Since joining
the company about five years ago, Bennett, who was employee No. 3, is now
co-owner with Mattingly. Backyard Eats now employs a staff of 10.
Bennett pulls
from his finance background, as well as his more recent construction and
customer service experience gained from working in the home foundation and
drainage industry.
“I don’t
think anything can prepare you for actually running a small business, but my
previous experience made me familiar with the sales process and how customers
interact with the business,” he said.
About a year
ago, he began meeting with SCORE Bucks County mentor Willard Moran, who helped
streamline the company’s financials, secure financing and refine Backyards
Eats’ pricing strategy, which ultimately led to an improved cash flow.
“With SCORE’s
support, Backyard Eats increased revenue, improved employee and customer
experiences, and laid a foundation for long-term success,” Moran said.
Bennett
credits Moran with helping to restructure team roles, simplify employee
onboarding and lend his expertise as a sounding board for the business.
“I just don’t
think people - significant others and peers - if they don’t run a business,
It’s very hard to understand what keeps you up at night,” said Bennett, who
before beginning SCORE’s no-cost mentoring, had paid for “expensive” business
coaching. “I’m getting a high-level professional support that could literally
cost tens of thousands of dollars … I’m hugely impressed with the whole SCORE organization.”
SCORE has
helped the company establish systems that could make scaling feasible. For now,
Backyard Eats is focused on staying true to its local roots in scaling the
company’s mission of sharing the “transformative” experience of growing one’s
food.
“There’s a
ton of people still in the Philadelphia area who don’t know who we are and that
this exists,” he said. “We want to share the magic of homegrown food.”
Backyard Eats
staff typically work in customers’ gardens from March through December, doing
as much or as little as the client prefers to build, grow and maintain a
backyard garden. Surprisingly, not much space is needed. The average garden
footprint occupies an area less than 150 square feet. Tomatoes are the most
popular, along with peppers, cucumbers, eggplant and string beans. In all, the
company works with 75 different crop varieties.
"We have
built systems of vegetable gardening that translate to consistent success for
our customers."
About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each
year, SCORE provides small business mentoring and workshops to more
than 375,000 new and growing small businesses.?With more than 70 members
across Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties, SCORE Bucks?County?provides
free mentoring services annually to local small
business owners through one-on-one counseling and small business
seminars. Learn more at www.score.org/buckscounty.
