Nick Schroeder (Schroeder Outdoor Services)

Nick Schroeder is the owner of Schroeder Outdoor Services, a tree removal company in Crystal, Minnesota. 

Born in Dallas, by age eight Schroeder and his family had settled in Cottage Grove.

After high school, Schroeder went to Bemidji State University, before eventually graduating from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a degree in field biology. 

From there, Schroeder became certified in operating chainsaws, which led to him becoming a wildlife firefighter with the DNR.  

“That’s where I got my feet wet with tree removal,” says Schroeder, a father of three. 

“I loved running chainsaws and working in the woods.”

Over time, Schroeder’s DNR work proved isolating, so much so that the Cottage Grove product wanted to return to the Twin Cities. 

“I lived in a wood cabin and worked virtually by myself,” Schroeder recalls. 

“That did give me a lot of time for introspection, but eventually it was time for me to move back to the Twin Cities and be around people.” 

Upon returning to the Twin Cities, Schroeder began working with the city of Eden Prairie, his role centered around tree removals. 

“That was crucial for learning how to do tree removals in an urban setting,” Schroeder stresses.  

For Schroeder, working for the city of Eden Prairie was enjoyable, and he was always doing side gigs to earn additional income, but by 2022, Schroeder had become more ambitious. 

He didn’t want to work for someone else for the rest of his life, so he leveraged his tree removal expertise and founded Schroeder Outdoor Services, sacrificing the predictability of a steady paycheck in order to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. 

“I had a conversation with my wife, and we both agreed that starting our own business had a better long-term ROI than working on a city salary, and hoping for increases in pay,” Schroeder shares. 

Today, whether it’s tearing down your old maple or giving a facelift to that aging ash out back, Schroeder and his team are ready to help.

Much of their work so far has come in first-tier suburbs like Crystal and Robbinsdale, two areas that have a preponderance of ash trees in need of removal.  

“Those cities have older developments and the trees have been there for 70 or 80 years,” Schroeder says.  

“The trees there are decaying and starting to die, and they will have to go. That, and those local governments are mandating that the affected trees will have to be removed, which puts us in a prime position to be able to help out those neighborhoods.” 

For reference, removing a tree(s) can take an entire day, and if the tree(s) is big enough, even up to five days.

As far as what customers can expect to pay when they hire Schroeder Outdoor Services for a tree removal, most trees will fall into that $2,000-$3,000 range. 

Of note: 

When Schroeder and his team come out to remove a tree, they almost always will leave the stump and then outsource that work to Chris Mehrkens of ByeBye Stumps.

“From a business perspective, we have positioned ourselves to do things more efficiently and profitably, as it relates to tree removal,” Schroeder says. 

“Chris [Mehrkens] is a great partner for us because he has already made an investment into very powerful and specific equipment for removing stumps. I haven’t, and so consequently, it’s been easier to outsource to him, as opposed to trying to undertake projects that are beyond our area of expertise.”

While $2,000-$3,000 may seem like a lot of money to remove a tree, the reality is that Schroeder has removed trees for as little as $750, and for as much as $12,000. 

“It all depends on the tree, and the complexities that are associated with removing that tree safely and effectively,” Schroeder emphasizes. 

For context, there are likely tree removal companies in the Twin Cities who can remove trees for less than what Schroeder Outdoor Services charges, but Schroeder says customers should consider whether a company has a certified arborist on staff when making a decision on who to hire. 

“There are a lot of tree removal companies who are just running around with chainsaws and trying to capitalize on the ash tree gold rush,” Schroeder states, touching on the aforementioned need to remove withering trees from Twin Cities suburbs. 

“With the tree removal companies who don’t have those credentials or are not employing an arborist, in my opinion, they’re not a professional tree outfit. We do, and that’s because we’re actively trying to differentiate ourselves from our competition and offer clients an exceptional service.”

Part of that concerted effort toward bringing more value to their clients includes approaching meetings from a consultative perspective.  

“When we come out to a home, we’re not just looking to make a bunch of noise and chop down a bunch of trees,” Schroeder insists. 

“And really, that consultative approach starts before we even begin a job. When I am meeting with the homeowner, my goal is always to provide as much information as possible, educating them in a way so that when it comes time for them to make a decision, they’re making an informed one, and not blindly trusting what a tree company tells them is best for their situation.” 

In 2025, Schroeder is seeking to capitalize on the success of the last several years and build a team that will enable him to expand the business and ultimately service more clients. 

“I want to add more people to the staff who share the same philosophies and ideologies that I do when it comes to tree removal,” Schroeder says. 

“Once I can build a sustainable team, then I can focus on things like marketing, sales, management, and most importantly, figuring out new ways to offer a great service to our customers.” QS 

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As a family-owned business with 53 years of experience in the Twin Cities market, Grussing Roofing specializes in residential roofing, insurance restoration, siding, windows, and gutters.

For homeowners and commercial building owners who are looking to connect with a company that prides themselves on putting customers first, look no further than Eden Prairie-based Grussing Roofing.