How Science, Service, and Community Built Tree Amigos
September 3, 2026
What does it take to turn a passion for trees into a trusted local business? In this episode of Made Locally, host Rahul Jaswa sits down with Andrew Anstrom, co-founder and owner of Tree Amigos, to explore how he built an Austin-based tree care company around expertise, community, and long-term relationships. From delivering science-based recommendations to homeowners and landowners to creating a brand rooted in environmental stewardship, Andrew shares why doing the work well, earning trust, and staying connected to your community can be powerful drivers of sustainable growth.
What if building a great local business starts with caring deeply about the community you're building it in? In this episode of Made Locally, host Rahul Jaswa sits down with Andrew Anstrom, co-founder and owner of Tree Amigos, to explore how he turned his passion for arboriculture and the environment into an Austin-based tree care company built around expertise, trust, and meaningful relationships.
Andrew shares the story behind Tree Amigos and its commitment to providing science-based recommendations tailored to the needs of homeowners and landowners. Rather than treating tree care as simply a transactional service, he explains how the company approaches every project with a focus on long-term tree health, customer goals, and responsible stewardship of the environment.
This conversation explores what it means to build a small business in a highly local industry, from earning customer trust and delivering consistent service to creating a reputation that can grow through community relationships. Andrew also discusses why being genuinely invested in the place where you operate can become an important part of a company's identity and differentiation.
Ultimately, this episode is about building locally with intention - combining expertise, customer service, environmental responsibility, and community connection to create a business designed to grow alongside the people it serves.
What You'll Learn:
- Why trust and expertise are critical to building a successful local service business
- How science-based recommendations can differentiate a company in a crowded market
- Why customer experience matters as much in essential services as it does in hospitality or retail
- How environmental responsibility can become part of a company's brand identity
- The role of community involvement in building a lasting local reputation
- Why small businesses can compete by offering personalized, expert service
- How to balance business growth with a commitment to quality and customer relationships
- Why having a clear sense of purpose can strengthen a local company's long-term vision
- How entrepreneurs can build businesses that contribute positively to the communities they call home
Andrew Anstrom is the co-founder and owner of Tree Amigos LLC, an Austin-based tree care company committed to providing expert, science-based recommendations for homeowners and landowners. A lifelong Austin resident and passionate advocate for trees and environmental stewardship, Andrew has built Tree Amigos around dependable service, personalized care, and a commitment to helping create a greener community. Beyond arboriculture, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and adventure, including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.
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