The CEO Who Turned Snow Removal Into a Media Empire: The Rise of Stefano Narducci

“We didn’t make money for three years. We just kept reinvesting. All of it.”

That’s how Stefano Narducci, founder of Northern Snow, described the early days of building his now-thriving snow removal business in a powerful interview on the MBH Podcast.

At just 25 years old, Narducci has scaled a once-humble operation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to over 4,500 residential clients, 55 custom snow tractors, and 85+ employees. But this isn’t just a snow removal company anymore—it’s a blueprint for how media, culture, and blue-collar grit can collide to build something extraordinary.

This is how Stefano turned snow into scale—and what entrepreneurs can learn from the journey.

The Startup Spark in a Shed

In the winter of 2019, after bouncing through 14 jobs by the age of 19 and feeling lost watching his friends head to college, Narducci picked up Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk for the third time.

Looking out at his dad’s backyard shed, he thought:

“Start with what you have.”

He borrowed a few tools, created a logo on his MacBook, and launched Northern Landscaping with $0 and a handful of Facebook posts. That summer brought in $20,000—more money than he had ever made—and more importantly, proof that he could build something real.

When the landscaping season ended and snowfall returned, Narducci pivoted. He grabbed his dad’s snowblower, printed flyers, and took on 30 winter clients. The real business was born.

From Snowblower to Scaling Beast

What happened next is rare: a local service business growing exponentially.

• Year 1: 30 clients
• Year 2: 175 clients, 3 tractors
• Year 3: 500 clients, 7 tractors
• Year 4: 2,000 clients, 22 tractors
• Year 5: 4,500 clients, 55 tractors

How?

1. They Chose the Right Market

Narducci doesn’t shy away from the simple truth behind his success:

“We picked the right market. There was a starving crowd for residential snow removal. Baby boomers, retirees—they needed help, and no one was modernizing the service.”

2. They Made Snow Removal Cool

Using technology like Uber-style tracking, SMS updates, and live operator ratings, Northern Snow gave customers peace of mind and control—two things absent in the industry.

“We copied SkipTheDishes. You get a text when the tractor leaves, you can track it in real-time, rate the service, even leave a tip.”

3. They Built a Brand, Not Just a Business

Narducci didn’t just hire drivers. He created a culture.

“Everyone wants to work with us. We’ve got lineups. We turned a snow removal company into something people are proud to rep.”

The secret? Storytelling. Daily vlogs, behind-the-scenes ops, and job fairs turned content events helped him attract talent and clients alike.

“Media changed everything. I wouldn’t have landed my operations partner, Anthony, without it. People watch and say, ‘I want to be a part of that.’”

Culture Over Competition

Competition hasn’t been an issue—because Narducci isn’t playing the same game.

“We’re out here playing NHL. The others are AAA. We had seven businesses literally just hand us their client lists and shut down.”

But it’s not ego; it’s execution. Northern Snow didn’t just grow—it out-cultured and out-operationalized the rest. From 100-point tractor customization checklists to a relentless focus on customer satisfaction, the company is designed to scale.

“The customer experience is everything. We’ve spent hundreds of thousands innovating for them.”

When Everything Fell Apart

The 2023–2024 winter nearly destroyed the business.

In November, 30–40cm of wet, heavy snow fell overnight. Then it kept coming—for 22 straight days. Equipment failed. Operators quit. At one point, Narducci had 12 tractors running with no drivers.

“I didn’t sleep for days. I was in the truck, feet on the dash, catching 30 minutes of rest between shifts.”

Then came the financial blow:

• CRA slapped them with a $250,000 tax bill.
• They issued surcharges due to record snowfall—2,000 customers paid, but backlash exploded.
• A group of customers showed up threatening a class-action lawsuit.
• And just as things hit rock bottom, Narducci got the news:

“Doctors told us my dad had two weeks to live.”

Everything was collapsing.

The Pivot That Saved the Company

Instead of quitting, Narducci did what great founders do—he found a way.

He refunded all customer surcharges. He launched early renewals with new pricing. And in April 2024, brought in $600,000 in pre-sales to save the business.

“That storm taught me more about myself and my company than anything else in my life.”

And yes—his dad survived.

“We moved him to a nursing home. He bounced back. He’s eating, talking. He’s a miracle.”

Where It’s Headed

Narducci now has his eyes set on the next big move:

Expanding Northern Snow across Canada and the U.S.

He’s perfecting systems, building playbooks, and preparing for acquisitions.

His goal?

“Become the first snow removal company to hit $100M in top-line revenue.”

He’s not chasing exits.

He’s chasing legacy.

What Wantrepreneurs Can Learn from Stefano Narducci

If you're just starting out—or stuck in the ideation phase—Stefano’s story offers a masterclass in real-world entrepreneurship:

• Start with what you have: No budget? No problem. Use your shed, your tools, your MacBook.
• Don’t chase sexy—chase overlooked: Narducci picked snow removal. It doesn’t get less “Instagrammable.” But that’s where the opportunity was.
• Make your business media-first: His YouTube, social presence, and transparency turned a service business into a movement.
• People over product: Culture and communication turned staff into believers.
• Play the long game: “We didn’t pay ourselves for three years. Every dollar went back in.”

The most powerful thing Stefano Narducci said might be this:

“I’m in it for the next 10 years. We’ve just begun.”