Blue Collar Spotlight - The Tree Medic

 

The Tree Medic was started (officially) in June 2020 by owner Reilly Huffman.

Huffman is an Ontario Qualified Arborist (444A) through Skilled Trades Ontario (formerly Ontario College of Trades). 

The Tree Medic is a full-service tree company with a primary focus on preservation and holistic plant health services (meaning, no pesticides). In addition to the general tree services and plant health services, The Tree Medic also offers private forest management plans for properties that do not qualify for Ontario’s Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program but would like a forest management plan for their property.

Huffman started his business like most people in the trades do. It started as weekend work and eventually flourished into a business. At the beginning it was difficult as it normally is for a new business. Getting into the local market was tough. With flyers, brochures and door-to-door there were times at the beginning that he almost shut it down. But, with the right marketing plan and the push to excel with high-quality workmanship they eventually grew their client base to what it is today. Huffman has learned that patience and compassion are huge traits in entrepreneurship. He often finds himself spending a long-time with customers during the quotation process (more than the average for the industry). He wants to make sure that he understands why they want the work done as well as why the work should be done for the sake of the tree. He wants to leave the customers house knowing that they came to an agreeable budget for the job and that all concerns were taken care of. He has a passion to be there for his customers and will sometimes run into them in town and strike up a conversation.

It wasn’t originally the plan to become an arborist for Huffman. Straight out of highschool he worked for a large company to save up some money to become a Powerline Technician. A few months into working, he got paired up with a gentleman that he got along really well with and had the opportunity to get up in a bucket on a bucket truck, after that he knew it was for him. After eight months with that company, he had left to work for a smaller company and pursue an apprenticeship as an arborist.

When the Tree Medic first opened for business they were picking up all types of jobs (removals and whatnot). They couldn’t afford to turn any work down. They have now found their niche in pruning, plant health services and consulting and are happy to be able to provide those services. He was lucky enough to live with his parents when he started the business, and for the first few months could put 100% of the profits right back into the business.

The Tree Medic has had their share of accomplishments over the past few years that they are proud of. Their proudest was being able to train their first arborist to a point where when he left the company he was fully self-sufficient. They are currently training another right now, and expect them to be fully self-sufficient by August 2024. 

The Tree Medic received a few awards this year, one being the Business Achievement Award for Skilled Trades. They also received two Reader’s Choice Awards for their county in the Diamond category for Arborist as well as Tree Service.

If you live in the communities of Northumberland, Trent Hills or Durham Region and are in need of tree services, a tree assessment, a forest management plan or an arborist report for your municipality, insurance or home inspector. Get a hold of Reilly at the Tree Medic by requesting a quote online at thetreemedic.ca or giving him a call!