Brian LaBean
“Local Boy” For the People
story by JENNIFER BROWN-CARPENTER photos by JENNY PHILLIPS
Brian LaBean is a native to the Lowcountry, a born and raised Beaufort boy, with absolutely no intentions of ever leaving unless the good Lord calls him elsewhere. He grew up in the Burton area, riding dirt bikes and running around barefoot.
As a child, Brian originally wanted to be a chef when he was an adult. He watched shows like Top Chef and aspired to create those television-worthy meals. After growing up some more, he considered working as a healthcare professional, perhaps as a physical therapist. He liked the idea of being able to help someone get back on their feet, physically and metaphorically.
In 2009, during the recession, Brian’s parents’ jobs were unsteady, as were those of so many Americans. They were able to pick up some side work doing landscaping as a family. This was during Brian’s 8th and 9th grade years. They would do the work on the weekends or whenever they had the time. Some of the homes were foreclosures, but even with no one living there, Brian found satisfaction in cutting the yards and maintaining the properties. “That is where I fell in love with landscaping and being outside.”
After graduating from Battery Creek High School in 2014, Brian knew that he did not want to be the type of person who job-hopped for years; having six or seven jobs before finally landing on a career did not appeal to him. Brian had started working in the fast food industry in high school and then attended college in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for a year and a half, but realized that it was not what he was looking for either. He came back home to Beaufort, worked a few jobs, and then finally decided to get into landscaping.
If you talk to Brian for any length of time, you can tell that landscaping is much more than just a job to him. He is incredibly passionate about his work, and when asked why, he says, “I would rather be outside than inside, regardless of the weather. This job is giving me the chance to give the homeowner time back in their day.” Brian understands that, in general, most homeowners are not itching to cut their lawns, or do trimming and other landscaping after they get home from a full day of work or on the weekends when they would rather be spending time with family or pursuing hobbies. Brian takes pride and pleasure in the fact that he is providing them with the opportunity to get that time back. “To be honest, I do not want to go home after a long day of landscaping and cut my own grass, so I understand it,” Brian laughs.
While this is a job, and Brian does have a family to provide for, his main goal is not to make a lot of money. Brian’s focus is on providing his clients with yards that they deserve and are satisfied with. He is more focused on what he is providing than what he is getting in return.
When asked what makes Beaufort so special to Brian that he does not want to leave, he talks about setting down deep roots for his children. While Brian is a Beaufort native, his parents are both from other areas, where they do not have deep family roots. Brian loves the idea of his children always having a specific place to call home, and it is extra special that this place is where their parents went to high school, met each other, and got married. “It will be cool when our son grows up that he can go to either Battery Creek, where I went to high school, or to Beaufort High, where his mom went.” Brian enjoys the mountains on vacation, especially in Tennessee where his wife, Katherine, is originally from. “But the salt air, the Lowcountry … that is what feels like home to me.”
Local Boy Landscaping, LLC offers typical services of a landscaping business. They focus on maintenance throughout the summer months, cutting yards, and edging walkways and driveways,etc. They offer hedge trimmings, shod, irrigation troubleshooting, mulching, pine straw, debris removal, and more. “What sets us apart is that I really care about what we’re doing. We are a small outfit. It is just me and my dad working right now. We share the same work ethic, and when we get to a job, we plan to do a great job. We are not there to rip anybody off. You will not find better quality or someone who cares as much as I do. That is what sets us apart.”
Brian does not have any plans to become a huge company. He does not want to ever reach the point where he does not have quality control. “I feel like if you get too large, you lose some of your ability to provide the same great quality at every single yard.” Brian would love to grow to maybe have 15-20 employees and be able to offer a wide variety of services that still stay true to what Local Boy Landscaping is all about. “I do not want to burn myself out on this.”
After Hurricane and Tropical Storm Debby came through the southern states recently, Brian reached out to his clients. He had them email him if they had any storm-related debris in their yard, and he would come and clean it up. As long as there were no big limbs or extensive damage, it would be free of charge. “It helps out our clients, but it also makes it easier for us to go ahead and clean up any storm debris, so that it’s not still laying there the next time we come to cut their yard. That is why I don’t charge them. It is fifteen minutes of me picking up their yards and it makes my job easier.” They did storm clean up all day Thursday and Friday after the storm for about 95 percent of their accounts.
Brian has a heart to give back to the community that he loves. One way that Local Boy Landscaping, LLC has been able to give back is by creating a fundraiser called “Lawns for Les” for a colleague and friend of Brian’s, who had recently lost his son and was injured in a house fire. Brian’s business cut yards for donations to go toward Les and his family. Several other people in the community stepped in to help with the landscaping as well. Brian set a goal of $10,000 initially, and while he cannot remember the exact amount of yards that were cut, they raised right around $11,000.
Another way that Brian has been able to give back is to provide free lawn cutting or cleanup for anyone in the area who is suffering from cancer. Cleanups for Cancer was launched in December 2023, and they were able to serve Mr. Woods who nominated himself. They were able to get Mr. Woods’ yard cleaned up and looking beautiful before Christmas. Mr. Woods passed away a couple of months ago. Brian hopes that he will be able to do more Cleanups for Cancer in the future.
Brian and his wife, Katherine, have been married since October 2019. While they were high school rivals, they were also self-proclaimed best friends, messaging each other on Facebook all the time, even before they ever met in person. Brian and Katherine finally met in person at a Young Life event. They talked more after a Beaufort High/Battery Creek basketball game which led to an eventual engagement, marriage, and their son, Judah, being born in 2022. Without Katherine, Brian says, “Local Boy Landscaping would probably not even exist. She has been incredibly supportive and helpful in every way possible since the first day.”
When Brian is not working, he enjoys driving around Beaufort with his family and reminiscing about his childhood. He enjoys being on the boat, spending time with family, and is very passionate about college football, particularly the South Carolina Gamecocks. “If there is a game on, that’s where you will find me. I will work six days of the week, but not when there is a Gamecocks game on.”
More importantly to Brian than his business or even the Gamecocks, is his faith. Brian speaks often of God and how He has worked things out for their family time after time. Brian and Katherine attend Praise Assembly and have found a second family there. “God has given us so much and we do what we can to give back because of that. That’s why I am not trying to take advantage of anyone. I’m for the people here. There have been so many God moments … I am really thankful for where I am.”
(You can learn more about Local Boy Landscaping, LLC on their Facebook page).
