Trip down South leaves Goffs 'axing' for more

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The crew of Goff’s Tree Experts are ready for action in Cannon County. From left are Pamela Goff, David “Boss” Goff, Wyatt Goff, Josh Goff, L.J. Lulow, Dylan Powell and Justin Prater.

By MIKE WEST/ Courier Editor

A trip down South to help mom resulted in more than a change in lifestyle for one Michigan man.

"It was like killing 10 birds with one stone," described David Goff, who moved to Woodbury to help out his mother, Judy Goff, following major surgery on her knees in 2008.

Prior to her surgery, Mrs. Goff had operated the popular "Miss Judy's Bakery" on the east side of the Square in Woodbury.

David, as a youngster, had spent the summers and vacation time in Cannon County often staying at his grandmother Goff's, on Blue's Hill. "My grandma was a Higgins, Mary Higgins. She was a sister to Brady Higgins."

He started his first business at age 15 in Michigan. Over the years, he was involved in a number of ventures ranging from chimney cleaning to flying air freight.

"I flew people all over the United States and we operated a limousine business along with that," Goff said. "We even had party buses attached to that. We were very, very busy people."

And he continued his landscaping business in the Ann Arbor area. It remained his chief source of income in his 20 and 30s.

"One year, we sold 8,800 ricks of firewood in three states up there," Goff said. "It was pretty much an around the clock thing. We had men working 24 hours a day to keep up with demand."

In Michigan, he had 80 employees "far more than I ever want to do again."

Then the economy turned bad.

"You couldn't find a job up there if you needed one," Goff said. And he needed to help his mom recover from her knee surgery.

But there were other complications as well … like his girlfriend (now wife) Pamela, who works at Crane Interiors in Woodbury.

"I had hoped she would follow me to Tennessee," he smiled.

He moved in with his mom on Short Mountain and soon found a job and then later started running a crew for Asplundh Tree Experts. That got things rolling for Goff to establish is own business in Cannon County.
Goff's Tree Experts is licensed and bonded and provides complete tree service. You can reach them at 615-943-TREE (8733).

They started out without a bucket truck. "We were having to climb trees and do really intense labor to make things work for people," he said.

"Four months ago we ran into this bucket truck and wow, we have been busy ever since," Goff laughed.
That's where his young work crew helps out with their ability to work hard in the hot Tennessee weather. "We work hard, we wear our uniforms, we're respectful, we keep our vehicles clean."

And Goff's customers really seem to appreciate that.

His crew, which includes his two sons, has big plans for the future as well.

"Two of them are in college. One is headed to the Marines and another to the Army," he said.

None of them are afraid of hard work.

That's why Goff is thinking about branching out.

"We're thinking about starting a chimney cleaning business here like we used to do," he said.

Chimney cleaning is a natural extension of his existing business, which includes providing firewood to customers.

"I enjoy helping people. What else is there? Even money doesn't come close to that," Goff said. "If it wasn't for these young guys, we couldn't do this intense labor in this heat."

His sons, Josh and Wyatt, followed "Boss" Goff to Tennessee. Both concede that the Volunteer State's heat might be the worst part of the job.

Wyatt, who attends MTSU along with working, said tree climbing's not bad despite being physically demanding.

"A lot of kids our age get out of school and are stuck working the fryers at McDonald's and not doing much except 


Courier Editor
A trip down South to help mom resulted in more than a change in lifestyle for one Michigan man.
"It was like killing 10 birds with one stone," described David Goff, who moved to Woodbury to help out his mother, Judy Goff, following major surgery on her knees in 2008.
Prior to her surgery, Mrs. Goff had operated the popular "Miss Judy's Bakery" on the east side of the Square in Woodbury.
David, as a youngster, had spent the summers and vacation time in Cannon County often staying at his grandmother Goff's, on Blue's Hill. "My grandma was a Higgins, Mary Higgins. She was a sister to Brady Higgins."
He started his first business at age 15 in Michigan. Over the years, he was involved in a number of ventures ranging from chimney cleaning to flying air freight.
"I flew people all over the United States and we operated a limousine business along with that," Goff said. "We even had party buses attached to that. We were very, very busy people."
And he continued his landscaping business in the Ann Arbor area. It remained his chief source of income in his 20 and 30s.
"One year, we sold 8,800 ricks of firewood in three states up there," Goff said. "It was pretty much an around the clock thing. We had men working 24 hours a day to keep up with demand."
In Michigan, he had 80 employees "far more than I ever want to do again."
Then the economy turned bad.
"You couldn't find a job up there if you needed one," Goff said.
And he needed to help his mom recover from her knee surgery.
But there were other complications as well … like his girlfriend (now wife) Pamela, who works at Crane Interiors in Woodbury.
"I had hoped she would follow me to Tennessee," he smiled.
He moved in with his mom on Short Mountain and soon found a job and then later started running a crew for Asplundh Tree Experts. That got things rolling for Goff to establish is own business in Cannon County.
Goff's Tree Experts is licensed and bonded and provides complete tree service. You can reach them at 615-943-TREE (8733).
They started out without a bucket truck. "We were having to climb trees and do really intense labor to make things work for people," he said.
"Four months ago we ran into this bucket truck and wow, we have been busy ever since," Goff laughed.
That's where his young work crew helps out with their ability to work hard in the hot Tennessee weather. "We work hard, we wear our uniforms, we're respectful, we keep our vehicles clean."
And Goff's customers really seem to appreciate that.
His crew, which includes his two sons, has big plans for the future as well.
"Two of them are in college. One is headed to the Marines and another to the Army," he said.
None of them are afraid of hard work.
That's why Goff is thinking about branching out.

"We're thinking about starting a chimney cleaning business here like we used to do," he said.

Chimney cleaning is a natural extension of his existing business, which includes providing firewood to customers.

"I enjoy helping people. What else is there? Even money doesn't come close to that," Goff said. "If it wasn't for these young guys, we couldn't do this intense labor in this heat."

His sons, Josh and Wyatt, followed "Boss" Goff to Tennessee. Both concede that the Volunteer State's heat might be the worst part of the job.

Wyatt, who attends MTSU along with working, said tree climbing's not bad despite being physically demanding.

"A lot of kids our age get out of school and are stuck working the fryers at McDonald's and not doing much except 


Courier Editor
A trip down South to help mom resulted in more than a change in lifestyle for one Michigan man.
"It was like killing 10 birds with one stone," described David Goff, who moved to Woodbury to help out his mother, Judy Goff, following major surgery on her knees in 2008.
Prior to her surgery, Mrs. Goff had operated the popular "Miss Judy's Bakery" on the east side of the Square in Woodbury.
David, as a youngster, had spent the summers and vacation time in Cannon County often staying at his grandmother Goff's, on Blue's Hill. "My grandma was a Higgins, Mary Higgins. She was a sister to Brady Higgins."
He started his first business at age 15 in Michigan. Over the years, he was involved in a number of ventures ranging from chimney cleaning to flying air freight.
"I flew people all over the United States and we operated a limousine business along with that," Goff said. "We even had party buses attached to that. We were very, very busy people."
And he continued his landscaping business in the Ann Arbor area. It remained his chief source of income in his 20 and 30s.
"One year, we sold 8,800 ricks of firewood in three states up there," Goff said. "It was pretty much an around the clock thing. We had men working 24 hours a day to keep up with demand."
In Michigan, he had 80 employees "far more than I ever want to do again."
Then the economy turned bad.
"You couldn't find a job up there if you needed one," Goff said.
And he needed to help his mom recover from her knee surgery.
But there were other complications as well … like his girlfriend (now wife) Pamela, who works at Crane Interiors in Woodbury.
"I had hoped she would follow me to Tennessee," he smiled.
He moved in with his mom on Short Mountain and soon found a job and then later started running a crew for Asplundh Tree Experts. That got things rolling for Goff to establish is own business in Cannon County.
Goff's Tree Experts is licensed and bonded and provides complete tree service. You can reach them at 615-943-TREE (8733).
They started out without a bucket truck. "We were having to climb trees and do really intense labor to make things work for people," he said.
"Four months ago we ran into this bucket truck and wow, we have been busy ever since," Goff laughed.
That's where his young work crew helps out with their ability to work hard in the hot Tennessee weather. "We work hard, we wear our uniforms, we're respectful, we keep our vehicles clean."
And Goff's customers really seem to appreciate that.
His crew, which includes his two sons, has big plans for the future as well.
"Two of them are in college. One is headed to the Marines and another to the Army," he said.
None of them are afraid of hard work.
That's why Goff is thinking about branching out.

"We're thinking about starting a chimney cleaning business here like we used to do," he said.

Chimney cleaning is a natural extension of his existing business, which includes providing firewood to customers.

"I enjoy helping people. What else is there? Even money doesn't come close to that," Goff said. "If it wasn't for these young guys, we couldn't do this intense labor in this heat."

His sons, Josh and Wyatt, followed "Boss" Goff to Tennessee. Both concede that the Volunteer State's heat might be the worst part of the job.

Wyatt, who attends MTSU along with working, said tree climbing's not bad despite being physically demanding.

"A lot of kids our age get out of school and are stuck working the fryers at McDonald's and not doing much except  worrying about popping pills, even if they don't do it, because they are around it. We don't have that problem, we are out here working," Wyatt said.

Brother Josh agreed about the demands of the job. "It's not always fun getting there," but added the company has all the required safety equipment including gloves, helmets and belts.

"It's a lot hotter than Michigan, but life moves at a lot slower pace," Josh said. "We don't have to race to the next stop light like they do up there."

Meanwhile, the Goff family is working hard and using their brains to make their jobs safer.

"You have to think where that branch or log is going to fall. We try to do things as safely as possible. That is very important," "Boss" Goff said.

Another thing the Goffs think about is getting the job, and cleanup, done as quickly as possible.

"Most of the complaints we hear about other guys is they come and do the easy part then come back days later to finish up. We try to be as professional as we can be," he said.

 

 

 

 

 

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Members Opinions:
August 01, 2013 at 8:50am
These guys are professional & do a great job. I will gladly call them again when I need work done.
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