By Amanda Kuhnert
Ceilidh Galloway-Kane had the perfect side hustle. Having grown up helping out at her family’s nursery in East Hardwick, she started taking on seasonal landscaping projects while working for the school district. Then, while on maternity leave in spring 2022, the requests picked up.
“The phone just kept ringing,” she said. “It was the pivotal point when I realized that rather than having this as a side hustle, it could be a full-time career.”
Soon after, she launched EcoTone Landscapes and Tree Care, offering garden design, installation, and maintenance.
Geoff Fehrs, Ceilidh’s husband and a certified arborist, joined the business later that year. “I’m a big picture person … always thinking about what’s next,” Ceilidh said. “Geoff is much more detail oriented.” That balance allows them to each focus on their strengths, while keeping on top of day-to-day operations.
Rapid growth
Unlike many first-time entrepreneurs, Ceilidh and Geoff already had some business skills when they started out. Ceilidh ran a small nonprofit for four years when she first relocated back to Vermont. “I really did everything as the executive director, and I think that experience set us up for success early on,” she said. Meanwhile, Geoff ran the Work Program at Sterling College and was an ISA Certified Arborist at Vermont Arborists in Waterbury Center.
Ceilidh also attributes the company’s solid start to a philosophy of collaboration over competition. The co-owners regularly partner with other landscapers and tree service companies, referring clients elsewhere when it’s not the right fit.
Their approach has paid off, with business growing at about 30 percent each year. To help manage this quick growth, they began working with Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) advisor Rick Daniell in January 2025.
“We really wanted a sounding board for some of our ideas,” Ceilidh said.
Smart growth
Through strategic planning and SWOT analysis, Daniell helped them streamline administration and operations. “Their challenge wasn’t finding customers—it was creating the systems, planning, and leadership structure needed to sustain growth,” Daniell said.
One key move was hiring an office manager, freeing Ceilidh to focus on fieldwork and clients, while Geoff handles tree care. “I don’t know if we would have made that decision as quickly without Rick’s help,” Ceilidh said.
Most recently, the couple worked with a local programmer to develop custom software to help manage their growing customer base—currently at 200 clients. The program tracks estimates, follow ups, and invoicing, which has helped eliminate duplicated efforts across the team.
Looking ahead, EcoTone is expanding into irrigation, lighting, and tree pesticide treatments, with a continued focus on native plantings and meadow installations. “We want to be a one-stop-shop for people,” Ceilidh said. “Clients really appreciate not having to call six people.”
For more information: ecotonelandscapesvt.com.
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