business & professional
Ready For The
Business World
Fresh out of high school, he already owns four enterprises.
Leslie Spector
JN Intern
A
t just 17 years old, Michael Klein
runs and owns four Michigan-
based businesses — Mow On
the Go, Items 2 Sell, Pet Food On the Go
and Sukkahs On the Go — all of which he
started and has been funding on his own
since he was 14.
Mow On the Go is a full-service land-
scaping, construction and snow removal
company; it also sells soil, mulch and
rocks to other landscaping companies
in the area. Items 2 Sell is a resale busi-
ness, mainly online, that helps businesses
looking to sell furniture or electronics.
Pet Food On the Go is a service that will
deliver pet food and supplies right to one's
door, and Sukkahs On the Go builds and
stores customized sukkahs.
"I started my first business when I was
14:' said Klein of Oak Park. "I started cut-
ting some lawns in the area, and it just
grew bigger and bigger.
"I really enjoyed learning the whole
business aspect so I decided to start a sec-
ond business, resale. By learning how to
do business, I figured I could expand and
start other businesses and bring on more
people to help out:'
Klein's business partners started out
with boys and girls from his high school,
Southfield-based Akiva Hebrew Day
School, where he just graduated.
"Boys were the workers, and girls were
the secretaries," he said. The team worked
together to advertise by putting ads up
online and printed flyers to stick in mail-
boxes and doors.
Now, Mow On the Go has six full-time
employees, two trucks, a warehouse and
a supply yard for the landscaping equip-
ment. This is Klein's most successful busi-
ness.
"I found my employees through ads and
word of mouth:' Klein said. "My youngest
employee is 24 and my oldest is 52.
"I've saved up all my money from when
I was 14 to get where I am today. As the
business grew, the money grew and I was
able to purchase my first truck when I
turned 16. Six months later, I bought my
second truck and the warehouse in Oak
Park:' Klein added.
22
July 18 • 2013
Mow On The Go
Landscaping And Snow Removal
( 248 )-219-4843
Michael Klein is a
young man on the go.
Aside from Klein's entrepreneurial
efforts, he is involved in an agricultural
program with Southfield Lathrup High
School. Through the program, he teaches
students how to process, sell and take
care of plants in the greenhouse. He has
donated some of his profits and supplies
to the program, which was re-established
this past school year.
He is also working on a beautification
program in Detroit as well. Although
nothing has been finalized, he has been
asked to work on the Belle Isle Project to
help beautify the park. He was also asked
to donate supplies, workers and help build
beautiful gardens throughout the park.
Klein was selected as a participant for
the Jewish Federation's BackStage Pass,
a four-year development, leadership and
internship program. He was nominated
for consideration as a "Kindness Star" of
the Kindness Project, a JCC and Partners
in Torah initiative recognizing teens
who exemplify kindness in the commu-
nity. This year, he was the recipient of
the Jewish War Veterans award and the
National Council of Jewish Women Youth
award.
As Michael's older brother, it is
remarkable what you can learn from your
younger brother about responsibility,
perseverance and resourcefulness:' said
Steven Klein, 21, of Oak Park.
Balancing schoolwork and all four busi-
nesses was a challenge for Klein, but he
managed.
"I came to school early, stayed in during
lunch and stayed after school to do all of
my homework:' said Klein. "I left school
at 5 p.m. and, from the moment I got
home until 1 a.m., all my time was spent
working on my businesses:'
Michael was the founder and captain of
Akiva's varsity soccer and ultimate Frisbee
teams, and was a member of the varsity
basketball, golf and bowling teams.
He was an NCSY member for eight
years and volunteers at Yad Ezra, local
nursing homes and Stevenson Elementary
School in Southfield where he tutors stu-
dents after school.
"Michael is dedicated as a son, as a Jew
and as a leader; said Linda Klein of Oak
Park. "He is committed to making his
community, including Detroit, a better
place environmentally for all people:'
Kathy Sklar of West Bloomfield, assis-
tant principal at Akiva Hebrew Day
School, said, "Michael is energetic and
does everything. He is financially, emo-
tionally and mentally invested in what he's
doing. I give him a lot of credit:'
Sklar also teaches macro and micro eco-
nomics and had Klein as a student. She
said he always brought his business ideas
to the classroom, which allowed students
to gain more perspective on how to run a
business.
"He is an enterprising and assertive
young man who has a great future in the
business world:' Sklar added. "I know
Michael will be very successful:'
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