Jt's Landscaping & Lawn Care, Rolesville

JT's Landscaping & Lawn Care founder Jimmy Tompkins cut his first lawn as a professional landscaper in 1997, when he was still in high school. With a truck loaned to him by his parents, he went door-to-door in the Raleigh area and offered his lawn-manicuring services. Soon, his clients asked him to handle more complicated work, and a few years later, his one-man operation birthed a landscaping business composed of experienced team members.

Today, he and his staff install and maintain all manners of outdoor decoration, from designing and constructing patios to mowing lawns and putting up holiday lights. Their expertise also extends to the insect world, where their integrated pest-management systems stem off invasions from unwanted guests while reserving pesticides and small-scale explosives as a last resort.