From resident of a Homeless Shelter to a highly sought after organic landscaper, one could say Kevin Stitt has come a long way in three years. Just a few years ago, a complicated divorce exacerbated his bi-polar and post-traumatic stress conditions. He eventually had a breakdown and ended up homeless on the streets of San Luis Obispo. But, Kevin is a man of strength and faith who isn’t afraid to ask others for help.
One of the first places Kevin visited on his way to turning his life around was the Mission Community Services Corp (MCSC) Women’s Business Center. He attended MCSC’s Self-Employment Training course in entrepreneurial management. The class gave Kevin the information and tools he needed, and inspired him to start-up his second small business: Stitt Plant Care, an organic landscaping business. Two counselors from MCSC helped Kevin with his financial projections, marketing, and social media efforts, turning his business into a full time occupation. Kevin has also taken what he learned to become extremely successful on LinkedIn so that his profile is one of the Top Ten percent “most viewed” worldwide.
Kevin is not your average “run of the mill” organic landscaper. He studied plant botany and propagation at Harvard and became a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. Kevin also earned an Accreditation as an Organic Land Care Professional with Northeast Organic Farmers Association and is a long time Soil Foodweb Advisor.
Mr. Stitt is unique in that he builds his own organic topsoil using the Greater Earth Organic Tea (GEOTEA) Machine. He specializes in the application of organic “Compost Tea.” Now, he is proud to be the exclusive distributor of the machine in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties.
Kevin’s favorite part of the job is sharing his story of “healthier soil means healthier plants, leading to healthier, happier people.” He firmly believes that soil microbial life is a vital element in growing healthy plants, which ultimately affects the well-being of humans and animals. He loves to provide clients with the knowledge and expertise to create a naturally sustainable system in every situation.
Kevin would tell entrepreneurs starting out not to be shy about asking for help, especially from a group like Mission Community Services Corporation.
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U. S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Call MCSC Program Director at 805-595-1357. MCSC is an equal opportunity provider. MCSC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.