From Garden Shed to 7,000 Sq Ft: Building Mad Mowers

What started as a home-schooling project fixing broken lawnmowers in a garden shed has grown into a serious Dorset business with a 7,000 sq ft unit, commercial contracts, cutting-edge technology and a clear plan for the future.

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, I sit down with Michael and Andrew Drapper of Mad Mowers. Michael, just 18 years old, is Managing Director. Andrew is his dad, business partner and the steady hand behind the scenes. Together, they share an honest, no-nonsense account of what it really takes to build a business from scratch.

We talk about:

• Growing a business without a grand plan – and why that’s more common than people admit

• The reality of being a teenage Managing Director

• Cashflow shocks, seasonality and nearly getting caught out

• Why shiny object syndrome kills progress

• Moving from paper tags to fully customised systems using Notion

• The shift from petrol to battery and robot mowers

• Commercial contracts, service plans and recurring revenue

• Hiring, process building and stepping out of the day-to-day

• Why getting a business coach earlier would have saved pain and time

This is a grounded, practical conversation about learning the hard way, staying focused, and building something that lasts.

If you’re starting out, scaling up, or wondering why running a business feels harder than you expected, this episode will resonate.