Better Watering, Stronger Roots: How One Omaha Family Is Carrying a 30-Year Legacy Forward

Douglas County – When Bret Wade founded BW Lawn Sprinklers in 1994, he started with little more than an old pickup truck, decades of irrigation experience, and a relentless work ethic.

Over the next thirty years, Wade built more than a lawn sprinkler company. He built relationships.

“Some of his customers have been with him since day one,” said Chance Wade, Bret’s youngest son.

For decades, Bret worked long hours in the field, earning the trust of homeowners across the Omaha metro through honesty, reliability, and genuine care for his customers. But as the physical demands of the work began to take a toll, the family faced an important question: what would happen to the business Bret had spent his life building?

Originally, the answer was simple — sell it.

“At first, my plan was to help find a buyer for the business and secure a good retirement for my dad,” Chance said. “But as I started working through that process, I realized he had built the foundation for something that could become incredible.”

That realization sparked an unexpected new chapter for the Wade family.

A Family Effort

Chance, who works full-time as a data center technician at Google, reached out to the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) to better understand the family’s options. Through NBDC, he connected with NBDC SBDC Consultant Elyse Whittemore.

“I started working with Chance last August, and it was my first time working with a father-son duo, which was an interesting dynamic,” Whittemore said. “We helped Chance talk through what the transition from father to son might look like, brainstorm new ideas to help revamp the business, and explore ways he could fund buying the business from his dad.”

Whittemore also connected the family with Percipio Business Advisors to help organize the company’s finances and guide the transition process.

“As we started working through the finances, I began to fully appreciate the opportunity in front of me,” Chance said.

After discussing the future with his siblings, the three decided to take over the company together.

Chance stepped into the role of President and CEO. His sister, DJ, became COO and CMO, bringing strengths in operations and people management. His brother, Hammer, who works in banking and technology, took on the roles of CFO and CTO.

“It feels kind of silly giving ourselves these big fancy titles when the company is still so small,” Chance joked. “But if we play our cards right, maybe someday we’ll grow into them.”

Building on Strong Roots

Today, the business serves between 900 and 1,000 clients across the Omaha metro area. While Bret has stepped back from day-to-day field work, he still serves as a mentor and trusted source of knowledge for the family.

“He knows every strange sprinkler system in Omaha,” Chance laughed. “If we run into a system we don’t understand, we can call him, and he’ll immediately know exactly what’s going on.”

The transition hasn’t been easy. Chance describes three major early challenges: finances, navigating regulatory requirements, and learning business administration on the job.

“There’s so much red tape,” he said. “Federal, state, local — every time I thought I had everything figured out, I’d discover another department I didn’t even know existed.”

Still, he credits NBDC and Percipio for helping the family navigate the process.

“NBDC was instrumental in helping us decide whether to sell the business or continue it,” Chance said. “Elyse provided advice, resources, recruiting help, and even helped us finalize our company slogan.”

That slogan now reflects the company’s future vision:

“Better Watering. Stronger Roots. Brighter Lawns.”

More Than a Business

For Chance, the business is about more than profitability.

The company’s operating philosophy centers around three priorities: customer fairness, employee happiness, and sustainable profitability.

“I want customers to know we’ll always treat them fairly,” Chance said. “I want employees to feel respected and appreciated. And I want to grow responsibly so we never overextend ourselves or compromise those values.”

That mindset reflects lessons he learned from his father and the close-knit Omaha community that supported the business for decades.

“When my dad gets sick, customers send him get-well cards,” Chance said. “People have been incredibly loyal and patient with us over the years. That support means everything.”

Looking Ahead

Although the Wade siblings officially took over operations earlier this year, they already have ambitious plans for the future.

Their immediate goal is to build systems and staffing that allow the company to operate more independently while continuing to grow. Long term, they hope to expand beyond irrigation into landscaping, mowing, and lawn treatment services.

“Eventually, I’d love for us to become an all-in-one resource for lawn care,” Chance said.

For Whittemore, the story stands out because it reflects something increasingly rare.

“One thing I hear a lot is that kids aren’t really interested in taking over family businesses anymore,” she said. “It’s awesome to see Chance and his siblings working together to keep their dad’s business going.”

And today, the next generation of the Wade family is working to carry that legacy forward.