T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
GRIT and DETERMINATION BY KARA HUMPHREY
C olin Powell once said, “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” Looking at the life of Greg Francis, you can see the truth of this sentiment brought to fruition. “This quote speaks volumes to me,” he said. “Getting up, being responsible and dedication are the things that get you what you want. You can dream of success, but if you do not put in the man hours to make it happen, then it won’t.” Greg was born and raised in Texarkana with his mom, his dad and his brother Chad, who is ten years older. When Greg was eight years old, his father, who had been a diabetic since childhood, passed away, leaving Greg’s mother, Francine Francis, to raise him alone. “I don’t remember a whole lot before my dad passed away, but it was definitely a rough time,” recalled Greg. Losing a parent at any age is a difficult thing, but when it happens during childhood, every memory is precious. “As a kid, I enjoyed working with my dad before he passed. He worked in landscaping and residential dirt work, so that is where I initially learned a lot of my skills. I used to go to work with him in the summertime. I would ride with him on the dozer or whatever machine he was operating that day. I learned a lot from him during this time. When I was with him at work, I used to carry his voice pager around, and I thought I was so cool. I remember Sundays were always a big family day. We’d have family over and we kids would play on all the equipment while the adults sat around and watched us.” According to Francine, Greg has always been a go-getter. “He was basically born an adult,” she teased. “It was challenging to
get him to be a kid. I think after his dad passed, both my sons felt responsible for me. My husband told them before he passed, ‘Take care of your mom.’ They took it to heart and have always tried to do that. He started very early and wanted to try to start mowing other yards as a way to earn extra money.” “At a young age, I knew I wanted to provide for myself and not have to rely on others, so I just started working. If I wanted something, I wanted to be able to buy it. The only way I knew how to do that was to work so I could earn the money to allow me to buy what I wanted and needed,” Greg said. So, with all the grit and determination available to a 13-year-old boy, he stepped into the role of business owner, doing yard work for friends, family and any other business he could drum up. “I started my business in the eighth grade and would head straight to work when I got home from school,” he recalled. “In tenth grade, I started the work-release program. I would go to school for half a day, and then go to work the rest of the day. I didn’t have much of a game plan. I mostly took it day by day because I never really knew what would come of it. But Francis Lawn Care is still in business today and Francis Excavating has grown beyond residential to also include commercial and industrial projects and subdivision developments.” Starting a new business is difficult, and there are always trials along the way. Greg encountered his fair share like everyone else. “At first, he used our mower, and then he bought his own with the money he had earned,” his mother said. “I remember he and I went to one of the dealers to look for a mower, and they didn’t give us
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