Businesses I’ve Owned Since 1967

I started my first business in 1967 when we moved to Indian River, Michigan. At the ages of 10 (me) and 8 (my brother, Lane), we started mowing lawns. We made $3 a lawn, which was great money at that time. Those three 1967 dollars would be worth more than $27 today! All of that money went into the family “pot” when we got home, and we derived great satisfaction from knowing we were definitely making a difference for our family.

We did so well that my stepdad started giving us a ride into town along with our lawn mower and leaving us there for the day to drum up business. We fended for ourselves as far as lunch went, then got a ride home when the sun started to set. When the snow started to fall and there were no more lawns to mow, we moved into shoveling walks and roofs. It was my first taste of the breadth of opportunity available to a creative, entrepreneurial thinker, and I would go on to start, grow, and sell many, many more businesses and continue to do so to this day.

1967-1975

• lawn mowing service
• snow shoveling service

1975*

• firewood cutting & delivery service
• handyman/odd jobs service (landscaping, tree services, roofing & repairs, etc.)

*In 1975 I began hiring other kids to work for me.

1977

• logging & cutting timber
• small carpentry services
• roofing

1980

• started a logging operation as a partnership between Lane, a man named Jim, and me (6 months only)

1981
Between 1981 and 1984, when my son was born, I worked for an Alpena logging company and a local stone quarry as a crane and loader operator. I was driving home one night in 1984 when the song “Cat’s in the Cradle” came on the radio and I realized I wanted to be home more when I had kids.

• worked a variety of shorter-term freelance jobs in sawmills, on carpentry projects, and logging

1984
In 1984, my son was born. That was the year I started D&T Roofing and Siding, Inc.

1986

• purchased and began operating a sawmill
• continued running D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.

1987

• began working on commission locally, installing garage doors, plowing snow, and putting up manufactured buildings
• continued to run the sawmill
• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.

1991

• opened a bait and tackle shop
• opened a small arcade in Indian River with games, fountain pop, and pizzas
• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.

1993

• started a new logging operation with the purchase of an iron mule skidder and a new hire (iron mule skidder operator)
• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.

I continued to run two crews doing roofing and carpentry and a logging operation until my skidder caught fire. This ended my logging operations, and I stuck to strictly carpentry from this point.

1998

• built a large mini-storage unit in Indian River that included boat and RV storage – sold for profit in 1999
• started investing in real estate – mainly fix-and-flip deals on residential properties
• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.

2000-2001
Prior to September 11, 2001, I had 28 people working for me.

• started a tool rental business in Indian River in a building I had purchased for this purpose
• started what became the largest small-engine dealer shop in northern Michigan
• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.

2002-2003
After 9-11, I had to sell both the tool rental business and the small-engine shop due to recession-related bankruptcy. I was able to continue with my real estate investing and construction services.

2004–2017

• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.
• focused on my real estate investing, including single-family fix-and-flips and single-family rentals.

2017

• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.
• focused on my real estate investing, including single-family fix-and-flips and single-family rentals.

2018

• acquired my first apartment building
• acquired & started renovations on Tower Shore Motel
• started Nutts Up North firewood business (sold in March 2023 for a profit)
• continued to run D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc.
• continued to focus on my real estate investing, including single-family fix-and-flips and single-family rentals.

2019

• acquired the Black River Party Store in partnership with Amy Nutt

Present Day
Several years ago, I reached an agreement with one of my employees to sell D&T Roofing & Siding, Inc. We structured the deal in a creative (and binding) way that enables him to pay me and keep running the business.

At present, I continue to focus on my real estate investments, the Black River Party Store, and Tower Shore Motel.