Article courtesy of Duluth Patch

When they were kids, Joey and Michael Depa were told they and their dogs had to stay off the lawn of their home whenever it had been chemically treated. Later, the two ran a lawn business together before moving on to Georgia Tech.

After graduating with a management degree in 2009, Michael Depa accepted a job with a landscaping maintenance company that was starting a residential chemical fertilizer division. But he became uncomfortable with the possible health hazards posed by chemicals, and so the brothers started discussing a way to strike out on their own.

"I saw great potential to focus on developing an organic fertilizer company that focused on products that were safer for kids, pets and the environment and still developed a green, healthy lawn," said Joey Depa, IE 05.

The result is Boost of Nature, which offers natural lawn care and organic fertilizer that uses corn gluten. Joey Depa began developing the natural fertilizer in 2008, and the brothers took the company live in early 2010. Since then, they have found a demand for safe, natural fertilizer. There's only one downside.

"The Georgia heat is pretty awful," Michael Depa said. "It takes a lot out of you on some days."

One of the main positives of the experience for both has been the chance to run a business with a sibling. They said the benefits include knowing they can trust each other and a willingness to be completely honest.

"That's not to say there hasn't been a family argument around the dinner table," Joey Depa said.

Article courtesy of Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine

With the help of a Superbowl XLIV commercial producer, please enjoy "The Soft Speaker!". Lawn Responsibly!

Continued ...

In 2008, Depa started Boost of Nature based on his experiences at Tech. While studying at the university as an undergraduate, Depa actively participated in sports and extra-curricular activities, and through this balance he was able to learn prioritization and the significance of working hard and multitasking. Looking back, he attributes these factors, learned at Tech, to the way he looks at his business now.

"You have to be able to adjust on the fly and adapt to the current market conditions if you want to stay ahead of the competition," Depa says. "One of the best things we've found is that the Georgia Tech network has proved very valuable. We have called on our friends, professors and alumni from Tech to help us in all aspects of our business, from product development to web optimization to word-of-mouth marketing campaigns." Depa also believes that having a trustworthy partner is critical. "Boost would be nowhere without my brother and partner, Michael. He is the man that put the idea in operation," Depa added.

Depa's business concept stems from the fact that he had dogs and other pets growing up, and always had to keep them off the lawn after a chemical treatment on the yard. When his sister had a baby, he started to wonder if there was an alternative solution to using chemicals in lawn care. By identifying this as a problem without a solution, Depa knew that he could capitalize on the situation and make improvements to the process. In response, Depa and his brother created Boost of Nature, a natural alternative to chemical lawn treatments.

Because he was able to approach the situation with knowledge, skill and adaptability, Depa came away not only an entrepreneur, but a successful problem solver as well. Now, in his second year of operation, Depa and Boost of Nature continue to serve the metro Atlanta area with efficiency and pride.

Depa is just one more prosperous Tech alumnus whose education has helped him enter the business world with great success. By applying his education to real-world dilemmas, Depa personifies what it means to be truly successful-as well as what it means to be a Georgia Tech alumnus.

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