Patrick Wells will be leaving for a ceremony in Washington D.C. in early May as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Georgia honoree. He hopes to return to Augusta as the SBA’s Small Business Person of the Year in the U.S.
Wells owns Piedmont Landscape Management, a commercial landscape maintenance company in Augusta. Piedmont has been in business since 1977, and in 2019, Wells and his wife bought the business.
Wells will celebrate National Small Business Week from May 4 to 10 along with winners from across the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
“We won because of our team. Our mission statement is “To grow and sustain long-term relationships through team members committed to a culture of excellence.” This is showcased by our internal clients, employees, and client base. We have clients and employees alike that have been with the company 5+,10+,15+,20+, and 30+ years. We try to set ourselves apart by how we tackle a site and how we develop our relationships with our clients.
Piedmont does 100% commercial business.
75% of the business is maintenance, and 25% is enhancements such as landscape, hardscape, irrigation, and lighting installations for current clients.
“Of the maintenance book, we do about 25% Government, 25% HOA, 25% Apartments and Senior Living, 25% other,” said Wells.
So, what did Patrick have to do in order to be considered for the SBA’s Small Business Person of the Year?
“In order to be considered for the award, you have to fill in a form that went off a financial summary, biography, how I contribute money, time or resources to the community or charitable causes. Also, list the organizations or clubs that we support or serve in the community. I was very honored that the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) here in Georgia nominated me. Rick McMurtrey submitted the application, and I was not able to see the other data that was submitted on our behalf. The SBDC is like SCORE in other areas of the nation. They provide services to small businesses to help them from starting a business, funding, projections, and other hurdles that one faces as a small business owner. They are a great resource here in Georgia. The award means more to me that someone in my inner circle saw the hard work that the entire team has been doing at Piedmont and decided to nominate us.”
National Small Business Week will also feature a two-day virtual summit, community events across the country honoring small businesses, educational sessions featuring key topics such as manufacturing, digital marketing, cybersecurity, and cryptocurrency, as well as online business resources and renowned speakers.
ABD will provide more details as we get closer to early May and also chronicle Wells’ journey in Washington, D.C.
