MONROE - Monroe High School senior Logan Wells knew he was taking a chance when he started his own sawmill business.
"I went out on a limb," he said, smiling as he realized the unintended pun.
Wells, 18, started Smock Valley Timber two years ago when he was a sophomore in high school. Not only has the experience taught him to manage a business, he was recognized last month at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
He was one of four national FFA finalists who started their own businesses. After answering a series of questions and giving two-minute speech, he received the "Forest Management and Products Entrepreneurship and Placement" award for 2010.
"It was really a shock," he said of the award. "The other three people had a lot more experience than I did."
Carmen Montgomery, Monroe High School FFA advisor, said she was proud of Wells not only as a young entrepreneur, but also as a student.
"I think he has great leadership skills," she said.
His sawmill business began as a class project for his school FFA class. It was a good choice, he said, because he loves working outside, and wanted to earn some extra money for college.
"I was originally going to cut firewood, but I went to a seminar and learned about operating a portable sawmill," he said.
With some financial help from his parents and a family friend, he was able to buy the equipment and find the logs he needed to start his business.
As a businessman, he learned the importance of serving his customers. He learned that there was more to being a good businessman than just making money. He promised to start the job on time, get the best possible product from the logs the customer provided, tell a customer if the log isn't worth cutting into lumber and he spent "no less than half an hour" cleaning up the work area at the end of each day.
His portable sawmill can cut wood for fence posts, landscape timbers, barn siding, cabinet-grade lumber and posts and beams. It's small enough to be transported on a trailer, but big enough to saw a log up to 20 feet. Wells can cut 100 feet of boards in a hour, depending on the log.
"I can saw softer wood a lot faster than hardwood," he said, adding that thinner boards also take longer to saw.
It's a seasonable business, Wells said, noting he doesn't cut wood in the winter because the weather makes it difficult to work outside. He typically works weekends during school and almost every day in the summer, he said.
It's something he hopes to continue as a side business to pay for college. He plans to attend University of Wisconsin-Madison or University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He wants to be a forester with the state or with a private company.
"My parents have always told me not to be afraid to accomplish big things," he said.
"I went out on a limb," he said, smiling as he realized the unintended pun.
Wells, 18, started Smock Valley Timber two years ago when he was a sophomore in high school. Not only has the experience taught him to manage a business, he was recognized last month at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
He was one of four national FFA finalists who started their own businesses. After answering a series of questions and giving two-minute speech, he received the "Forest Management and Products Entrepreneurship and Placement" award for 2010.
"It was really a shock," he said of the award. "The other three people had a lot more experience than I did."
Carmen Montgomery, Monroe High School FFA advisor, said she was proud of Wells not only as a young entrepreneur, but also as a student.
"I think he has great leadership skills," she said.
His sawmill business began as a class project for his school FFA class. It was a good choice, he said, because he loves working outside, and wanted to earn some extra money for college.
"I was originally going to cut firewood, but I went to a seminar and learned about operating a portable sawmill," he said.
With some financial help from his parents and a family friend, he was able to buy the equipment and find the logs he needed to start his business.
As a businessman, he learned the importance of serving his customers. He learned that there was more to being a good businessman than just making money. He promised to start the job on time, get the best possible product from the logs the customer provided, tell a customer if the log isn't worth cutting into lumber and he spent "no less than half an hour" cleaning up the work area at the end of each day.
His portable sawmill can cut wood for fence posts, landscape timbers, barn siding, cabinet-grade lumber and posts and beams. It's small enough to be transported on a trailer, but big enough to saw a log up to 20 feet. Wells can cut 100 feet of boards in a hour, depending on the log.
"I can saw softer wood a lot faster than hardwood," he said, adding that thinner boards also take longer to saw.
It's a seasonable business, Wells said, noting he doesn't cut wood in the winter because the weather makes it difficult to work outside. He typically works weekends during school and almost every day in the summer, he said.
It's something he hopes to continue as a side business to pay for college. He plans to attend University of Wisconsin-Madison or University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He wants to be a forester with the state or with a private company.
"My parents have always told me not to be afraid to accomplish big things," he said.