BATAVIA – Dan and Kim Toth wanted to switch to Lawn Doctor for their lawn care services when the Batavia couple discovered something – Lawn Doctor wasn't serving customers in Batavia.

So in September, they decided to start a Lawn Doctor franchise in the Batavia-Aurora area, and already have more than 20 customers.

"It's been going pretty well," Kim Toth said. "Our goal is to have 30 customers by the end of the year."

They are juggling the duties of running a business with raising three children. In addition, Dan Toth also has a job in the financial services industry. But it has been his dream to own his own business.

"It's always something I've been interested in," he said. "I wanted to have my own business, and not work for somebody else."

He also understands the responsibility that comes with owning a business, including educating your customers. Dan Toth said that is a key goal of Lawn Doctor. Both Kim and Dan Toth have worked in customer service.

"You need to take care of customers the way you would want to be treated," she said.

What interested Kim Toth about Lawn Doctor was its eco-friendly lawn options.

"We were looking for a new lawn company that offered more organic options," she said. "We wanted to use the least amount of chemicals possible."

In turn, the Toths are providing those options to their customers.

"Lawn Doctor is definitely environmentally conscious," Kim Toth said. "They don't use unnecessary products."

Lawn Doctor provides an array of services, from natural and organic lawn care to landscaping and pest control. The couple eventually hopes to expand into Geneva and St. Charles, which also are not currently served by Lawn Doctor.

And they hope their business will be successful enough that they can do more volunteering.

"We are looking for opportunities to serve the world," Dan Toth said.