CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Retired Air Force veteran Cornell Green owns Greenstreet Mowing and Trim, a lawn care business he began in 2000 while he was still on active duty. Green said he joined the Air Force in 1979 and retired as a master sergeant in 2003 at Fort Campbell.
After basic training in Texas, Green’s first assignment was at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. He also served at an Army post in Germany before being assigned to Fort Campbell in 1989. Green said there were three Air Force units at Fort Campbell: a Tactical Unit, a Weather Unit, and an Airlift Unit.
The units were part of McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, and Green said he served in the Airlift Unit at Fort Campbell, whose job was to coordinate and support soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division wherever they needed to go worldwide.
He has owned Greenstreet Mowing and Trim for the past 22 years. He has a side interest in real estate, saying his properties sort of go along with cutting grass.
These days, he’s trying to slow down a bit with his work. “I used to do quite a bit more when I had more people working with me, but now that it’s just me, I just mow, cut and trim,” Green said. Most of his customers he has had for many years..
He had some advice for veterans looking to start a business.
“By me being a mechanic by trade in the Air Force, it was an easy transition to something that deals with machines, I’m familiar with it, and I can work on it. I would suggest for someone starting a business, you’ve got to do some research,” Green said.
He said you should watch your spending and don’t overextend yourself. It’s easy when business is good to say you’re going to get this or buy that, and if business tapers off, you may find yourself overextended.
“If it’s something that you have a passion for, something that you have knowledge of, that’s what you need to do,” Green said
To contact Greenstreet Mowing and Trim, email green.cornell@att.net or call 931-624-5878.