Earth & Stone Division was created to share the real-world experience behind a small excavation business.

For more than 20 years I’ve worked in the field running mini excavators and building small excavation operations under the name Common Ground. Most of that time was spent doing the kind of work many small operators know well — trenching, grading, drainage, site preparation, and solving whatever problems a piece of land presented.

Running a small operation teaches you quickly that the machine is only part of the job.

The real challenge is understanding how the business side of the work fits together — choosing the right equipment, pricing jobs properly, transporting machines safely, managing costs, and building a reputation that keeps the phone ringing.

Most of those lessons aren’t written down anywhere. They’re learned slowly through experience.

Over the years I began noticing that many people were interested in starting their own mini excavation businesses, but there was very little practical guidance available. Most information online either focuses on large construction companies or general business advice that doesn’t translate well to small equipment operations.

That realization led to the creation of Earth & Stone Division.

Earth & Stone is where I’ve organized two decades of field experience into a practical course for people who want to build a small, capable excavation business of their own.

The goal isn’t to promise shortcuts or overnight success.

The goal is much simpler:

To share the systems, lessons, and hard-earned experience behind running a lean excavation operation that actually works.

For the right person, a mini excavator can be more than a machine.

It can be the foundation of a solid, independent way to make a living.