Greenville FFA Member Designs Landscape and Agribusiness Future
Friday, June 19, 2026 | Author: Natalie Brennan, Texas FFA Communications Intern
Jose Yepez of Greenville FFA may operate a small business, but there is nothing small about the landscape projects that are just a part of his routine within his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE).
“My SAE project encompasses the operation and expansion of my small business, Yepez Signature Landscape, an outdoor service business dedicated to designing, installing, and maintaining outdoor spaces for all residential and commercial clients,” Yepez said.
Through his business, he designed landscapes, integrated irrigation systems with sod installation, poured concrete, mowed lawns, and installed flower beds, retaining walls, and walkways.
“Through my experiences in this project, I have showcased my dedication to the success of my business and willingness to achieve hands-on learning to better serve my clients in solving their issues and grow organically through the quality of my work,” Yepez said.
When Yepez began his SAE, his responsibilities mainly included mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and cleaning up properties. But as the business grew, so did his responsibilities as the business owner. He began handling scheduling, billing, maintenance, and marketing.
“I began making more management-level decisions, such as selecting efficient equipment, figuring out a pricing structure on properties based on time and property size, and developing tailored seasonal service plans for each client's needs,” Yepez said. “These changes reflect a shift from being a laborer to becoming a business owner and operator.”
One of Yepez’ biggest accomplishments through his SAE was a landscape project in Celeste, Texas. The project was one of the largest his business had completed. He said he took the experience from this project and used it to improve the future operation of his business.
“I started it with no prior experience in organizing or executing a landscape project of this magnitude,” Yepez said. “Although it was a horrible eight days of work with a disorganized crew, we finished it with our client being extremely happy.”
Yepez was motivated to strengthen his business and directly support his family financially by hiring his father full-time.
“Having a trusted family member execute jobs with me enabled me to have more time to focus on the growth aspect of the business rather than physical job execution,” Yepez said. “Through this decision, I have been able to fund my sister's tuition, home renovations and improvements, and provide a stable job for my father.”
He said that the rising cost of goods affected his business decisions. As prices on fuel and equipment continued to rise, he opted to handle repairs and maintenance himself rather than to outsource.
“My career objective is to operate a multi-million-dollar outdoor service business that prioritizes customer satisfaction and quality work,” Yepez said. “Ultimately, I landed on this resolution because of the freedom I have with being on my schedule, the satisfaction I receive from providing a great service, and the pride I feel knowing this is the brand and business I built.”
Yepez is studying at the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin to leverage his education to scale operations and solidify his company as the “forefront of outdoor services.”
|