Casuarina ‘Lawnmower Kid’ Jett Paludan expands business, JP Services, into Queensland at age 15

A northern NSW teen has gone from earning peanuts in pocket money to taking punts on the stock market after whipping, snipping and trimming a name for himself. Now, his business is crossing borders.

Jett Paludan, 15, runs a successful lawn care business in Casuarina. Picture: Luke Marsden

Forget The Lawnmower Man – meet The Lawnmower Kid.

The Tweed Shire’s Jett Paludan has whipped, snipped and trimmed up a name for himself in the Casuarina community.

He has launched his own gardening business, catapulting him from earning peanuts in pocket money to taking punts on the stock market.

And the driven 15-year-old says his business, JP Services, has only just started to sprout.

He has now expanded over the NSW-Queensland border to Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, where a fellow 15-year-old business partner details cars – one of the company’s many service offerings.

Jett Paludan’s business has expanded across the Queensland border. Picture: Luke Marsden

Jett, whose unique work vehicle is an e-bike fitted with a side cart, complete with mower, hedge trimmer and tools, has notched up 15 regular clients in his neighbourhood.

He is so heavily booked there is a two-week waitlist.

The teenager’s unique work vehicle is an e-bike fitted with plenty of gear. Picture: Luke Marsden

Not only is the venture lucrative, Jett says when a client is iffy, he passes them onto his “supervisor and financial adviser”.

That man is his dad, Miles, who is “so proud” of his son.

Speaking with this publication, Jett said he didn’t want to work a regular gig like Maccas, so he decided to “give gardening a crack”.

Jett said it kept him “out of trouble” and had “done wonders” for his confidence and people skills.

Jett Paludan’s “huge days” start at 4.40am. Picture: Luke Marsden.

“I’m up close and personal with new people all the time,” he said.

“I’m in their homes and it’s important to respect that.

“The client is always right.”

Asked about his routine, Jett said he had “huge days”.

“I go to Hillcrest Christian College on the Gold Coast. I wake up at 4.40am, go for a run (he’s training for a half-marathon), get on the bus for an hour and go to school,” he said.

“After that I’ll work in the afternoon, go to the gym and do it all again the next day.”

He plans to stick with his burgeoning business. Picture: Luke Marsden

Jett is definitely not loafing around playing video games or bingeing Netflix.

“My gardening services include mowing, edge trimming, hedge trimming, weeding, mulching and more. I also do car detailing and pressure washing,” he said.

“People love us and it’s great to see the response. I’m making good money and I’m so busy I’ve had to hire more kids from the neighbourhood to help me.”

The year 10 student said he eventually wanted to expand the business to a point where he could sell clients off to a large company like Jim’s Mowing.

But he said planned to keep at it through uni in the coming years.

“I would love to get into development and be a project manager,” he said.

And while the sky – and the top of the hedges – is the limit for Jett, he remains humble.

“My dad helps me with the financial side of things,” he said.

“I do invest some of it in the stock market, but I’m not one to go out and blow it all.”

Originally published as Casuarina ‘Lawnmower Kid’ Jett Paludan expands business, JP Services, into Queensland at age 15