When visiting the San Marcos River, you find yourself surrounded by giant bald cypress trees. These trees are among the longest-lived in Texas. A native of Martindale, Bob Tumlinson was familiar with these natural features and grew a love for trees overall. Paired with his entrepreneurial spirit, Tumlinson found that starting a business in the green industry simply made sense.
“Years ago, as I was selling firewood from dead trees on my property, I started to receive questions and requests from folks regarding tree services,” says Tumlinson. “The more I looked into this area of business, the more it seemed like a good fit and a need I could help fill.”
Tumlinson took a swing at the opportunity. But before he could build his business, he needed a name. “Good Guys,” Tumlinson felt, was representative of the devotion to honesty and integrity he wanted to enforce. Beyond that, the name holds a memory from two decades prior.
“An old friend of mine named Sam invented a totally new game with washers that we would play together, with rules based on the film The Big Lebowski. On the score sheet, he would always list himself as the ‘Good Guys’ versus me,” says Tumlinson. “It always made me laugh and, for some reason, it stuck with me.”
As Tumlinson established his brand, it earned a reputation tied to the commitment to be the Good Guys. There have been many happy customers across Cedar Park, Austin, and Round Rock, thanks to their immense knowledge of tree health. For instance, they recommend deep root fertilization to address problems with Central Texas soil. The success of Good Guys Tree Service has taken them from a two-man company at its start to today’s top-rated team of 45.
“We’re able to provide the highest quality of service, employing skilled professionals and utilizing the best equipment in the industry,” says Tumlinson. “I still know what it’s like to start out with a truck, a trailer, and a chainsaw. But years of hard work and dedication from a lot of folks over the years has positioned us to be able to expand our reach.”
Tumlinson's favorite memories have involved giving people the opportunity to exceed expectations as they grow within the community. A big part of that has been contributing to causes that are even bigger than them.
“We are deeply grateful for the trust our customers place in us and the success that we have had as a result. Because of this, in late 2021, we started to look into partnership opportunities as a way to give back,” says Tumlinson. “St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was at the top of our list from the beginning.”
They had the opportunity to meet a local St. Jude representative and attend the annual Austin gala. Following that, the Good Guys set out to learn more about how they could help with the organization’s mission to find cures and save children. Tumlinson and his team know that everything they give goes to an outstanding cause.
“Every opportunity we’ve had to partner with St. Jude has been an amazing experience. This year’s walk/run was a huge success, and it was a blast to be part of it,” says Tumlinson. “There’s nothing like being able to meet one of the families who have benefited from St. Jude and hearing their stories.”
Good Guys Tree Service is honored to let its customers know that by going with them, you are also sponsoring the work of St. Jude.
Starting in 2022, Good Guys Tree Service has committed to making a donation to American Forest to plant five trees for every tree they remove. To keep up with this growing number (or join the cause by using their services), check out goodguystreeservice.com.