Cutting through the competition: Triton high schooler  turns a passion into business

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Neven Horejsi pictured with his current inventory of wood. The Triton senior is in the process of building a shelter to store it for his business as it has grown beyond the capacity of fitting in a building already on their property.

With an abundance of wood on his family’s property, and a passion for chainsawing, Neven Horejsi, an incoming senior at Triton High School is going into his fourth year of owning a firewood business.
“We couldn’t use it all so I decided to take it and turn it into a passionable business,” he said about his family’s wood stockpile.
Since beginning the business, Horejsi said it’s grown substantially.
“I’ve gained many new customers and kept many of the same as well,” he said. “ My profits have almost quadrupled from what I made in 2023.”
Unlike most businesses these days, Horejsi said his prices have stayed the same.
He charges $5 per bundle, which contains anywhere from 8-10 pieces. He also has another side of his stand with unwrapped wood, seven cubic feet for $30, which he said is roughly 80 pieces.
“I get all my wood from our land, mostly dead oak and maple trees, with some others mixed in as well,” Horejsi said.
Over the years Horejsi said he has upgraded his assortment of tools, including upgrading his splitting and his storage as well.
Horejsi said what he has enjoyed most so far is being able to do what he loves and turn it into a profitable business.
“As a kid with college coming very soon this has helped me substantially and I’ve always liked to work out deals with people through my Facebook listings of wood,” he said.
Throughout his four years in business, Horejsi said he hasn’t really had to deal with any issues, at least until recently.
“Until this year came around and I’ve had multiple instances of theft. Over $100 worth of wood has been stolen from my stand,” he said.
Horejsi takes Venmo, cash, or check at his stand or for wood wood sales in general.
He also is thankful for the community support.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported this small business, and a big shoutout to my uncle for always letting me use his wood splitter,” Horejsi said.
The wood stand is located at 72415 250th Ave Hayfield 55940, on County Road 13 about eight miles south of Kasson.