Outdoor Excapes Sets the Standard

With little more than a dream and a vision, Hans Frees took a leap of faith when he started Outdoor Excapes in 2001.

But with risk comes reward.

"It boiled down to my passion for building," Frees said. "I started mowing lawns in high school to make a buck and was slowly asked to start doing odd jobs and projects for clients."

Odd jobs evolved into construction and building projects, and soon Frees took what little money he had and started small. 

"I developed some key relationships during that time that enabled me to grow the business into what it is today," he said.

What it is today is an award-winning landscape company located in Long Lake. Lake Minnetonka Magazine recently named Outdoor Excapes the best landscaper in the Lake Minnetonka area for 2011—an award Frees says he’s honored and humbled by.

"I think more than anything it means that the team we have here has helped us rise to another level,” Frees said. “My designers and crews are the real reason we were recognized. Without their expertise, Outdoor Excapes wouldn't be nearly what it is today." 

Aaron Lutz and Dave Hoyt lead Outdoor Excape's landscape design team, and Frees points to them when asked about the secret to consistently completing successful projects.

"Aaron and Dave are excellent at what they do,” Frees said. “They are the true visionaries here. We are also one of few landscapers that have our building license—which means we have the ability and experience to general contract and project manage. This is something that the average landscapers don't want to deal with or don't have the crews to accomplish, so clearly that sets us apart."  

General landscapes, pool design and installation, deck building and outdoor patios are just a few of the services Outdoor Excapes provides residents around the Lake Minnetonka area. Because consumers have many options to choose from, Frees knows that his business has to adapt, stay unique and concentrate on following up well after the project is complete.

"Client follow up is really important," he said. "We have five installation crews, but we have an additional crew for clean up and maintenance.  I want to make sure that all follow up is taken care of. In our industry, the post-project process gets pushed to the back burner, but we really strive to make sure we continue to be attentive not only before and during projects, but after as well."  

Another secret to the success of Outdoor Excapes is Frees’ knack for networking and passion for community involvement.  

"I started this business through networking and referrals and it's key to our long term success to continue to stay involved with community organizations and events," he said. "We are very active in area Chamber of Commerce organizations and all events in and around Long Lake.  It's really important to us to continue to foster solid relationships with members of the communities we serve." 

Click here for more information about Outdoor Excapes.