Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Taft.
Brian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Brian Taft, and I’m the owner and creator of Tee Pee Mowing. I’m a U.S. Army veteran, and what started as a love for lawn care and making videos has grown into something that means a whole lot more to me.
Tee Pee Mowing originally started with me mowing yards and creating lawn-care content for social media. As the channel grew, I started realizing that I had an opportunity to use what I was doing for something bigger than just making videos. There are a lot of people in our communities who need help with their yards but simply can’t do the work themselves or can’t afford to hire someone. I decided that was where I wanted Tee Pee Mowing to make a difference.
Today, I mow overgrown yards completely free for people who genuinely need the help. I don’t take paid mowing customers. Whether it’s someone dealing with a disability, an elderly homeowner, a family going through a difficult time, or simply somebody who has fallen behind and needs a hand, I try to help when I can. Sometimes a yard is more than just tall grass—it can become another burden on someone who already has enough on their plate.
One of the things I’m most proud of is that the community has become part of what I do. I’ve had opportunities to help people I probably never would have met otherwise, including being contacted by my city to help residents in need. Those experiences changed the way I looked at Tee Pee Mowing. It stopped being just a lawn-care channel and became a way to use something I enjoy doing to serve other people.
Along the way, Tee Pee Mowing has continued to grow on social media, and I’ve been fortunate to work with some great companies in the lawn-care and equipment industry. But I try not to lose sight of why I’m doing it. The equipment, videos, views and followers are great, but they also give me a bigger platform and more opportunities to help somebody.
I don’t know exactly where Tee Pee Mowing will eventually lead, but I know where I want it to go. I want to continue growing it, helping more people, and hopefully encouraging others to find their own way to give back. You don’t have to do something huge to make a difference. Sometimes you just use what you have, do what you can, and help the person in front of you.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been trying to grow Tee Pee Mowing while still working a full-time job and balancing family, everyday responsibilities, and the time it takes to create content. What people see in a finished video doesn’t always show the hours of work that went into the yard, filming, editing, equipment maintenance, and everything else behind the scenes.
Another challenge has been the financial side of providing free lawn care. I made the decision that I didn’t want Tee Pee Mowing to be about charging people who needed help. I don’t take paid mowing customers, so fuel, equipment, repairs, travel, and other expenses still have to come from somewhere. Growing the social media side and building relationships with companies and sponsors has helped, but it has taken a lot of patience and persistence.
There have also been physical setbacks. Most recently, I had to have foot surgery, which temporarily put me on the sidelines and kept me from doing the work I normally do. When you’re used to always being busy and helping people, being forced to stop is difficult. But it also reminded me that setbacks are temporary and that sometimes you have to adapt instead of quit.
Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that growth doesn’t happen overnight. There have been videos I put a tremendous amount of work into that didn’t perform the way I hoped, opportunities that didn’t work out, and plenty of times when I questioned whether all the effort was worth it. But then you help someone who truly needed it, and you’re reminded why you started.
I’ve learned to measure success by more than views, followers, or money. If Tee Pee Mowing can make somebody’s day a little easier and maybe inspire someone watching to help another person, then I consider that a success.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Tee Pee Mowing LLC is a little different from a traditional lawn-care business. I don’t have paying lawn customers. The mowing work I do through Tee Pee Mowing is focused on helping people in my community who genuinely need a hand, and I provide that work completely free of charge.
I help with overgrown properties for people who may be elderly, disabled, going through financial or medical hardships, or dealing with circumstances that have made it difficult for them to maintain their property. Sometimes people reach out directly, sometimes someone nominates a neighbor or family member, and I’ve even been contacted by my local city to help someone who needed assistance.
What sets Tee Pee Mowing apart is that the yard transformation is really only part of the story. I document the work through social media so people can see the difference a relatively simple act of kindness can make. My hope is that somebody watches one of my videos and thinks, “There’s somebody in my own neighborhood I could help.”
Tee Pee Mowing has also grown into a content and media brand centered around lawn care, outdoor power equipment, tools, community service, and honest product experiences. That has given me opportunities to build relationships with companies in the lawn and outdoor-power-equipment industry. Those partnerships can help support the content and ultimately allow me to continue doing free work for people who need it.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a follower count or the number of views on a video. It’s building something where growth can translate into helping more people. I want Tee Pee Mowing to show that you don’t necessarily need a lot of money or a huge organization to make a difference. Sometimes it’s a mower, a little time, and a willingness to show up.
At the end of the day, I want people to recognize Tee Pee Mowing for two things: hard work and helping people. If the brand continues to grow while staying true to those two things, then I believe we’re headed in the right direction.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have a lot to make a difference. It’s easy to think you need more money, more followers, better equipment, or a bigger platform before you can really help somebody. I’ve learned that sometimes the most important thing you can give someone is your time and effort.
I’ve also learned not to measure success only by numbers. Social media can make you focus on views, subscribers, followers, and likes, but some of the most meaningful things I’ve done may never be the biggest videos I make. Seeing the relief on someone’s face when a job is finished, or hearing that somebody watched one of my videos and decided to help a neighbor, means more to me than any number on a screen.
Another big lesson has been to stay true to why I started. As Tee Pee Mowing has grown and more opportunities have come along, I’ve learned that not every opportunity is the right opportunity. I want to work with people and companies that fit what Tee Pee Mowing stands for, but I never want the business side of it to become more important than the people we’re trying to help.
If I’ve learned anything from this journey, it’s this: start with what you have, help where you can, and don’t underestimate how much one small act can mean to somebody else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teepeemowing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teepeemowing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teepeemowing/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@teepeemowing
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@teepeemowing
