Robert Kozol has been tending to landscapes since age 14, when he went into business pushing a lawn mower around his parents’ neighborhood.

The owner and namesake of his own nursery and landscape company has spent the intervening years growing a robust business that’s part of the fabric of Omaha’s economy.

“This is what I’ve always done,” Kozol told The Daily Record in a recent interview.

Robert’s Nursery Landscapes and Lawns has been providing consistent care to customers across the Omaha metropolitan area since 1994, earning it the August Small Business of the Month recognition from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

Kozol and his team are known for keeping a tight calendar and communication skills. Kozol said that it isn’t just hard work that can set a company apart from its competition.

“The biggest thing I can say is to return phone calls, answer the phone and communicate well with our customers,” he said. “The biggest thing is trying our best to let our clients know what we will not do. We try to meet all of their needs, but honesty is the biggest thing.”

In fact, Kozol said that if customers’ expectations aren’t initially met, he’ll make sure things are set right for the customer – whether they’re a seasoned gardener or a new-comer to the world of plants.

Kozol said other businesses should be ready to constantly evolve yet remain steadfast in their core strengths, according to a blog post by the Greater Omaha Chamber.

“As you grow and expand, be ready for management style changes,” he told the chamber. “Don’t be afraid to tweak your system as needed. There are truly times when you will need to ‘tuck-n-roll,’ but just keep going.”

Currently, Robert’s Nursery is booking up to two months in advance because of their busy schedule, but the business always welcome customers to its two retail outlets, where customers can find a multitude of gardening accessories without the hassle of a larger garden center.

Kozol said their retail stores “provide our customers with a nice small-town atmosphere where they can come in and look at the products, touch and look and see them within 20-30 minutes with no problem.”

They’ll also be met with a smile, as employees are trained in providing “top-notch customer care,” Kozol told the chamber. Building long-term customer relationships is a key priority for the business.

“I’m very big on employees having good attitudes,” Kozol said in an interview. “Having a temper is just not allowed.”

Robert’s Nursery is also offering curbside options and taking extra measures to sanitize vehicles every day, working to adapt to the new realities of the coronavirus pandemic.

The company also is committed to giving back to the community, as members of the North Omaha Community Club and backers of the Boy and Girl Scouts.

“We’ve found that donations of our time and products help us to know our friends, community and clients while they get to know us as well,” Kozol told the chamber.

For more information, visit robertslln.com.

Daily Record Managing Editor Scott Stewart contributed to this report.