When Seth Owens started his own lawn care business in 2021, he began knocking door-to-door looking for clients.

“I didn’t grow up very talkative, but I had the courage and went to 50 doors,” he said.

The 21-year-old senior accounting major said “nothing that’s good is easy.”

Those 50 doors led to his first three customers at NewGen OutDoors, his company. 

Owens said balancing business and school was challenging, but his faith and support from USF made it possible. 

Before the success of NewGen OutDoors, the Ocala native had already tried leading a lawn care company, but sold it because he was “extremely” allergic to pollen and grass.

Owens enrolled at the USF St. Pete campus in 2022 and started working a food delivery job.

During this time, he said he felt a “calling from God” to start a lawn care business again — despite his allergies.

Owens said his life motto comes from the Bible, emphasizing that whatever he does, he does “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

He said from the beginning he knew he wanted to treat his workers the way “Jesus would.”

The money Owens made from the initial customers helped him pay for some of his college books. 

Related: Here is a breakdown of USF’s undergrad tuition fees

But when his food delivery job shut down during his second semester at USF St. Pete and the time to pay for tuition came, he went “all in” on NewGen Outdoors. 

Owens, who now works from home doing the company’s accounting and taxes, has five workers who complete all lawn care jobs.

He said some joined the business after questioning why he was “so dirty” in the dining hall.

“I’d walk into my class all dirty and sweaty,” Owens said. “I’d sit in the back right corner and continue my work at home and repeat throughout the week.”

He said a USF managerial accounting class had the biggest impact on his business and was his favorite class. 

But dedicating himself to work and school didn’t come without a cost. 

Owens said he “missed out” on spending time with friends during his early years of college because he was so focused on school and work.

“I am always going to give everything 110% because that is what USF deserves,” Owens said. “They have done nothing but treat me right and help me.”

Related: OPINION: Reminder for USF students: Your grades don’t define you 

Owens, who lived in the USF St. Pete dorms, had to find somewhere else to sleep before the dorms reopened for the summer semester.

A customer let him pitch a tent in their yard in exchange for getting their lawn care job done. He said he slept there and worked for four straight days.

When it started to rain on the last night, he packed everything up and parked in the USF St. Pete parking garage — but his trailer battery died, and a police officer pulled up.

“The cop asked me why I was sleeping in my truck, so I explained to him what was going on, and he said ‘let me help you out, ’” Owens said. 

The officer jumped Owen’s truck and called USF St. Pete Housing, which got him into the dorms early.

“I felt blessed that USF provided me a safe space to live,” he said. 

Related: USF pauses plan to demolish Tampa campus’ oldest dorms 

Owens always thought it would be “cool” to have USF as a client. Last year, that dream became reality.

His lawn care company has serviced the St. Pete campus recreation Outdoor Field for about seven months.

“It was an absolute blessing, and it had always been a dream from the beginning,” Owens said. “[USF] trusts our opinion, and we want to provide a high-quality service for them. They take care of us and we take care of them.”

Owens said he often felt like giving up, especially when others questioned his efforts. Some weeks, he “lost sleep” worrying about bills.

However, he said USF student entrepreneurs should “keep trying” and never give up despite their circumstances. 

“For anyone trying to start a business at USF, use your resources, ask your teachers,” Owens said. “So many of them would be happy to help you.”