Smooth Green Yard Services, LCB#9415, officially began 10-13-14 by Derrick Lenzer. With a Bachelors in Business Management and minor in Communication Arts from Linfield College (class of 2009) and a diverse work history, Derrick decided it was time to try something new. Entrepreneur. Looking at Derrick's life, he noticed he always loved the outdoors. Heck, there is documentation to his earlier life around 8 years old when he was shopping a Cabela's Magazine on the potty. Dirtbikes, ATV's, tractors, yard work... He was raised with it. In 2014, he took what he had, and BEGAN. Originally originating out of Jefferson, Derrick would drive to Salem to service his first clients then patrol the area with phone number on his car and trailer to generate calls. Nothing generates calls like when people see someone actually working though. That's when the flint hit the wick! Derrick's work ethic, communication, and ability to adjust per customer requests led to increased call volume. With completed jobs and happy customers in the rear view mirror, Derrick picked up momentum taking on more and more routine work. Starting with his foundation route in Salem Oregon, he was able to pay bills and leverage toward bigger goals. As calls were answered, he picked up a name near his HOME, Jefferson, Oregon. As the years went by, rather than adding staff, Derrick added equipment (an idea praised by owners and questioned by others). At this point, there was a web of To-Do's always pending and a strategic ability by Derrick to handle obligations plus pick up additional work. In addition to working with several well-known HOA's and local governments, Derrick was also servicing commercial and residential accounts. Rain, snow, ice, haul, more rain, sun... WORK! Derrick thought he only had two modes: work or play. In reality, Derrick was working, playing, constantly responding to potential customers and established customers, advertising, coordinating, servicing vehicles and equipment, forecasting... On the day before his wedding, Derrick purchased his first dump trailer because he stated, "I need it Monday." Anyway, 1-29-16 is when Derrick Lenzer and Smooth Green Yard Services got their Oregon Landscape Contractors Licenses. Come February of 2016, a new fire was lit with new types of customer calls inbound during what people think is the off-season. WORK! Derrick's communication with customers and understanding expectations led to streamline quoting, verbal agreements, and happy customers. In this world of scams and deceit, Derrick has reflected many times and honestly said, "I have no bad blood behind me." Even running his business based on a prepayment model, there is no absence of delivery. Derrick has even endured scructiny of the Oregon Department of Revenue twice in "tax audits" and the Department has only found minor discrepancies due to TurboTax software, mileage logs, and learning curve of business ownership and understanding tax law. "You can't survive in a small town if you take advantage of people or abuse prepayments," Derrick states. With an employment history and volunteer history involving the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Derrick has committed to core values such as professionalism and diligence, but remembers when Conviction was still on the list. Though Derrick originally thought conviction related to conviction of criminals when applying for Marion County, he quickly learned that conviction is a core value not to be overlooked. Conviction is a firmly held belief or opinion. When one speaks with conviction, its easy to win people over (sales). But when you execute based on conviction (service), that's Smooth Green Yard Services' owner Derrick.
Volunteering... what does it mean. Giving one's time to benefit others. As a business owner, Derrick understands the value of time and that scarcity of time with a wife and two toddlers. However, Derrick has always created the time to volunteer dating to way beyond business ownership. First, Derrick would like to state that his coolest volunteer position was with the Marion County Sheriff's Office as a volunteer taking bites from the Sheriff's K9 Unit. Taking on Deputy Gadberry and Deputy Bush's dogs during multiple K9 demos. When Derrick worked at Mission Hills Mortgage, Albany, OR he began volunteering at SafeHaven Human Society. When Derrick worked at Lowes Distribution, Lebanon, Oregon, he was a volunteered and earned a donation from Lowes for SafeHaven Humane Society. When Derrick worked for Portland and Western Railroad as an on-call conductor, he volunteered for SafeHaven Humane society and began volunteering for Marion County Public Works Adopt-a-Road program as a lead. He was also associated with Operation Lifesaver, National Public Train Safety Program, and attented several local events...
Derrick, his wife, and two young daughters reside in Albany, OR. His family moved from Jefferson to Albany in 2021. His second daughter was born in 2022. Although he runs his company from home, he prefers to keep meetings with customers at their homes to maintain privacy at his private residence. All payments and mail go to his "home" PO Box located at PO Box 965, Jefferson, OR 97352 dating back to 2014 when his company began based out of Jefferson, OR which he still considers "home."
Smooth Green Yard Services and Derrick Lenzer are members of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Sheriff's Association, and many other related groups. Donations to local community groups are part of Derrick's values. And surprising local groups with donuts is one of Derrick's favorite things!