Circlefoot, Inc.
Diego Torrelio (All Photos courtesy of Circlefoot, Inc.)
Diego Torrelio, founder of Circlefoot, Inc., launched his landscape design firm to combine his love of organic food systems with his knowledge of construction. “Building ecologically sound landscapes and farms was a natural progression of my interests,” Diego shared. Today, Circlefoot, Inc. is a full-service design and build landscape contractor producing beautiful, functional landscapes and farms—and bringing in over $1 million in revenue annually.
Permaculture is a branch of ecological design that creates sustainable agricultural systems and living spaces modeled on natural ecosystems. After becoming a certified permaculture designer and a certified arborist, Diego decided to start his own business to provide ecological services for residential homes, farms, and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, as a new entrepreneur, he found it difficult to access start-up capital to finance his business.
In 2012, Diego discovered Working Solutions through an internet search and received a $25,000 loan to help launch his business and purchase equipment. In 2015, Diego returned to Working Solutions for a second $25,000 loan, which helped him hire employees and scale up by purchasing the tools and equipment that he needed for larger projects.
Diego describes his experience with Working Solutions as “life-changing and in all ways positive.”
The pro bono accounting and legal assistance he received from Working Solutions was instrumental as he was building his business, and Diego estimates that these resources have saved him thousands of dollars. “The way Working Solutions helped to facilitate the model for success for our company was well beyond my expectations. There was a lot of communication and a willingness to provide—or help find—really important services.”
To help more small business owners access capital and consulting services, Diego has served on the Working Solutions regional advisory board in the Peninsula-South Bay, helping to develop outreach strategies and plans. He says, “I take every opportunity I get to talk about Working Solutions and how instrumental they've been for our business’s success.”
Since receiving his first loan from Working Solutions, Circlefoot, Inc. has created more than 20 jobs and has completed over 500 projects, regenerating farmland and landscapes across the Bay Area. To date, Diego estimates that they have planted over 10,000 plants. “I just couldn't have done it without Working Solutions,” Diego said. “I’ve felt like I have a partner in business and well beyond.”
“The people piece is the biggest and most important piece to me. Even though I'm in the business of earth repair and earth care, without people, that can't happen. So taking care of people is at the forefront of our company,” Diego shared.
Looking ahead, Diego would like to establish a community-supported herbalism program similar to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription, in which Circlefoot, Inc. clients who have medicinal plants on their properties could sell herbs to community members. He hopes that Circlefoot, Inc. will reach $2–3 million in revenue annually, and he is also exploring the possibility of converting his business into a worker-owned cooperative at some point in the future.
Visit Circlefoot Permaculture online at www.circlefootpermaculture.com to learn more about their philosophy of ecologically sound landscape design and see additional photos of completed projects!
Read more Working Solutions Client Success Stories here.