ALA Ironwood’s Braxton Henderson impacting community at young age

As a full-time student who attends East Valley Institute of Technology, a business owner with a side gig and a member of his school’s varsity baseball team and student government, Braxton Henderson is not your typical high school senior.

A senior at ALA Ironwood, Henderson got his start in business at 14 years old when he created his own landscaping company, B’s Landscaping.

“I always just wanted to have the freedom to go do whatever I wanted, buy whatever I wanted without having to ask for it,” Henderson said. “I don’t really like asking my parents for money, so I think that’s where it came from mostly.”

Henderson loves to serve the community. He offers lawn care to elderly veterans at no charge, stating that veterans “are not treated with the respect they deserve in this country.”

He believes donating his time and effort pales in comparison to the effort and sacrifices they made.

“They helped us, so why not help them?” Henderson said. “I mean, they did a lot more than what I’m doing. The little bit that I do for them makes up some of it.”

In addition to running his own landscaping business, Henderson works for U Bounce Party Rentals. He spends 25-30 hours a week cleaning tables, chairs and bounce houses.

He’s able to choose his own hours, allowing him to work around his business and school ventures.

In the spring, baseball season ramps up, and Henderson devotes less time to work and more time on the diamond.

“Usually, Sundays are all my business, Saturdays and weekdays are mostly my other job and then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are all baseball,” Henderson said. “I just work like really late nights, like 10 or 11. I wake up by like 6, and then I’m done with school at 2:55, and then we have baseball right after until about 6:30 or 7 … usually whenever the sun goes down.

“And then from there, I usually head home, change and then just go to work. When I get home from work, I’ll shower, do my homework and start all over.”

Henderson wants to attend college to pursue a business degree. In 10-15 years, he hopes to continue running his own business, whether it’s his landscaping business or another business venture.

At a young age and with a bright future, there’s lessons to be learned. Henderson is determined nonetheless.

“There’s been a lot of setbacks, a lot of ups, a lot of downs in my business and just life in general, but I’ve never let it get to me,” Henderson said. “There’s definitely times where I’m like, do I really want to keep doing this business? Do I really want to keep working this hard?

“But then when I think about how I want my future, I just keep going.”