By Holly Camero — Correspondent
High school graduation is in the rearview mirror and students may be looking forward to summer with its promise of sandy beaches, parties, and, of course, ice cream.
But for some Concord students, summer is also a time for hard work — and in some cases, the chance to be their own boss.
Ethan Riley is CEO and founder of The Handy Hub, a landscaping company. He recently graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School and will take a gap year to focus on his business.
He started out quite simply — by mowing his own backyard. So many people commented on how nice the lawn looked that he decided he’d try to mow lawns for others. He checked social media for people looking for help and knocked on doors. In the winter, he shoveled out driveways.
In March 2023, he started The Handy Hub, initially doing “anything from hanging up paintings and curtains [to] power washing.” As the business grew, his focus turned to yard cleanups, mowing, snow shoveling, and more.
Starting small, taking off
Riley, who plans to major in business and entrepreneurship in college, said he chose landscaping because of the “low start-up costs.”
“I came into the business without having much money. I started up with my little Nissan. I had the car and a push mower, a lot of friends who wanted to work… and we had rakes,” he said.
Now he has trucks and power mowers and ten student employees.
“I feel like I’m very lucky to have workers that are very hard working,” Riley said.
Bigger jobs, such as cutting down trees, are subcontracted out, he said.
Riley has spent his entire life in Concord. He credits the community with his success.
“I couldn’t have done it without the environment I grew up in. I always had teachers that pushed me,” he said.
Riley said he also took inspiration from his grandfather, who started his own business many years ago.
During the past year, business has really taken off, and this summer he has many repeat customers.
“Business is going great. At first, it was very difficult. I feel like I’m starting to see profit margins, and the hard work is starting to pay off,” Riley said.
Established employees
Riley isn’t the only student with plans to work this summer.
Concord-Carlisle High School graduate Caroline Shirley has worked at Reflections, a women’s consignment store in West Concord, since 2021. She said her boss is looking for help since “the other girl who works there and I are both seniors.”
Reflections owner Kim Edgar has employed high school students for seven years.
She has employed three girls this year but said it can be difficult with their busy schedules.
“That’s why it took three girls to do 10 hours a week,” she said.
One employee has already left for a summer collegiate program and two will soon be off to college, so she’s begun the search for a replacement.
Meanwhile, CCHS graduate Ali Saunders has worked at the Harvard General Store since last summer and also for Wee Forest Folk, a small handcraft company.
“I think that a lot of the time, seniors struggle to find just summer jobs before leaving. If you’ve had an established job for a while, that would be easier,” Saunders said.
“But for people like me — I was trying to find a different gig than the dishwashing job — it was tough. It can be difficult because employers are looking for a more long-term solution.”
Golf and groceries
Concord Country Club hires students to work during the summer, and Greg Cincotta, general manager, said plenty of kids have been looking for work this year.
“We have had trouble in the past. [This] has been a pretty good year so far,” he said.
High school and college students work in the golf shop and snack bar, and as lifeguards and caddies, he said.
Crosby’s Marketplace is always “somewhat in a state of hiring,” said Manager John Cummings. During the summer, business slows down, as more people are on vacation.
“To be honest, we don’t have many openings for the summer,” he said, noting that the slots he does have are reserved for returning college students who have worked for him for many years.
Some businesses, such as Comina, a high-end home décor store in downtown Concord, are looking for part-time help — but also want workers who can stay beyond summer, said manager Linda Duros.
Beyond summer
Riley, the landscape business founder, plans to attend Providence College in September 2025 and says he should make enough money this year to pay for most of his college tuition and expenses.
He hopes to continue running The Handy Hub from college but is weighing his options. Everything is on the table — from having someone run the jobs while he handles administrative tasks to franchising or selling all or part of the company.
He’ll have plenty of time to decide.
“I recommend a gap year to anyone who doesn’t know what they want to do,” he said. “I’m lucky and blessed — I know I want to be an entrepreneur. That is my passion.”
Luke McCrory contributed reporting.
