Blue Spruce Concrete & Landscaping

About Blue Spruce Concrete & Landscaping

Looking at Blue Spruce Concrete & Landscaping’s many successful and beautiful projects around southern Utah, the average customer would never guess how much grit and grim determination it took owner Melody Cisneros to get here. To other small business owners who had to carve their place out of tough circumstances, her story may be less shocking, but no less incredible.

Melody had already closed one business and retired to Mexico with her family when her then-husband decided to end their marriage. With all their bank accounts and properties in his name, she was left with four children to provide for and no clear way forward.

So how did she end up in St. George, Utah, the self-described LadyBoss of a new full service concrete and landscaping company, just a few years later? Melody interviewed with GOBankingRates about her difficult journey back to being a business owner, her unconventional advertising methods, and how both paid off big time.

How did you find your feet again after losing everything?

Me and my kids ended up in Phoenix and we didn’t have enough money to get back to Utah. We slept in our truck at gas stations. I was very embarrassed to tell anyone in my family. My son came up with an idea to panhandle. I was like, “There’s no way we can do that. That is embarrassing.” Well, sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do. So we got a board and wrote on it “My husband took everything. We need money to get back to Utah.” We made around $4,000 on Mother’s Day weekend. I’ll never forget. I met some really kind people that told me to hang on, that it would get better. We used that money to get back to Utah.

What jobs did you work before opening Blue Spruce?

I had a side business that I did since I was about 18 years old and even when we lived in Mexico, I would come back to Utah for the season to sell fireworks because I made good money. It was just seasonal. I told the kids once we get through with the fireworks season we will use that money, rent a house and go from there. I thank God it was only around four weeks till firework season opened. We took that money and started again in St. George, Utah.

At first I wasn’t sure what to do. I definitely was a big mess. My kids were beyond amazing. My kids pushed me and pushed me to open a business. So I opened a cleaning company because I did that in my 20s before I did concrete with my ex-husband. Oh, how I hated cleaning peoples toilets again. I would literally cry every house I cleaned, thinking, how can I be doing this again when I did this when I was younger. My kids saw how much I hated it. They were like, “Mom, let’s do maintenance, landscaping, and let’s open up a concrete company again. You got this.” I wasn’t very confident in myself to do it again. But I finally said to hell with it. I stopped cleaning houses. We came up with a name for the new company.

How did you get the word out about Blue Spruce when it was unknown?

I had a F250 truck, I painted it pink and got my logo put on it. I knew I had to do something big to blow this company out of the water and get noticed. Because obviously it’s harder for a female contractor. What I did to get my name out there faster, besides the pink truck, I would go to local businesses and take pictures of employees and the company name in front of the truck. Then I would post and post and post.

One of the local radio stations came to me and said, “Do you realize everyone is talking about that lady in the pink truck around town?” The radio station offered me a job going around at lunch hour to restaurants & giving away free lunches to the first three people that could find me. It was a year-long contract. They would give away clues where people could find where I was at. They gave me free advertising all month, which was awesome to help with the company, and free food, which was great for my kids. I still took my pictures in front of businesses.

What educational resources and experiences shaped your business?

We starting watching YouTube videos, learned how to do sprinklers, pavers, flagstone, anything that we could learn about landscaping we did. We got more knowledgeable about concrete, learned more than I ever knew with my old concrete company.

The boys helped me do our first $30,000 landscaping job. I still remember the lady. She tried to haggle us down on the price after we were done. She said, “I don’t think I should pay you as much because these boys are so young.” I looked her in the eyes (because no one was going to take advantage of me or my children again) and told her, “Did we not do the work? Do you not love your yard?” She said, “Yes, my yard looks amazing.” So she paid.

We are the number one rated company in St. George right now. We have won best in landscaping for three years for Best of Southern Utah. Also when the Best of Southern Utah opened a concrete category two years ago, we also won both of those years for concrete. It’s a huge honor and we’re super grateful. I thank God every day for the support of my children. It’s because of them that our company is so successful today. Their favorite saying is “YOU GOT THIS LADYBOSS.”

How has inflation impacted your business?

Our materials have almost doubled. It’s super hard because we want to keep our prices low for our clients because we love our clients, we really do. We are trying our best to keep our prices low.

What’s one type of landscape or concrete project that can add value to a property?

 I think a beautiful patio area in the backyard really adds value to the home.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a business owner?

Definitely working with my clients. I love my clients. I love to see their faces when their projects are done.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?

Jump in with both feet and don’t be scared. Like my kids always tell me, you got this BossLady.

What does the future hold for Blue Spruce throughout 2023 and beyond?

We’re hoping to expand offices throughout Utah.