Meet Atticus Ramirez

We recently connected with Atticus Ramirez and have shared our conversation below.

Atticus , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I was born female, proud of this and even more proud that I took the leap to become my authentic self 7 years ago. I’m nearly 36 and came out a bit late after knowing for nearly a decade due to low self confidence, self worth and constantly putting the feelings of others before my own.
After coming out there was still a long journey ahead of me to become the man I’ve always known I was.
I got my first landscape job in Long Beach California through the horticulture program at LBCC via someone who graduated that program and started his own business.
I learned quickly what clients were looking for and just how many corners unfortunately get cut when you’re running a big business and trying to get 6 to 8 homes done in one day. I was also only making $15 per hour to do some of the most labor intended work I had ever done.
This was early 2021 and after receiving top surgery through Netflix: Skin Decision in 2019 which gave me massive self confidence in a way I can hardly express in words.
It was also the first time I decided not to out myself to coworkers, there was a lot of machismo energy and I felt it was best to keep that sacred part of me to myself.
Doing math in my head at each house while being treated like the weakest link is what lit a fire inside me to start my own company.
I moved to New Mexico December 2021 and was officially licensed and insured with my business RA Landscape in March 2022.
I was amazed by how many emails and calls I got just from one Craigslist ad!
With each client my self worth rose higher and higher. I faced all my fears in terms of believing in myself to get to where I am today which is now working with more commercial clients who offer stability and year round work.
All these blessings I’ve been given, I’ve had to work hard for.
I wouldn’t change a thing.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

As an older trans male, it’s extremely important to me to work with my generation and younger and to show them it’s possible to have risks they want to take pay off.
Right now I’m in the busy season of landscape in New Mexico which is primarily twice or three times a year cleanups vs the consistent maintenance I was used to in California.
Learning to adjust and adapt is one of my greatest strengths & it’s my goal to help others find ease in doing the same. Because ultimately it is what’s required when you want to venture out on your own.
In the past I worked with saving and relocating bees, it was so rewarding and landscape is the closest I get to that job. I’m an earth sign, Virgo/Libra cusp 9/22 and the earth has always called to me.
My favorite parts of my job are pruning/trimming trees shrubs and bushes as well as the feeling I get when I finish a huge cleanup of weeds/leaves/other debris & I know the satisfaction and pride the owners are going to feel.
This is not easy work by any means and I get the most joy from being able to help the elderly who loved to garden and simply can’t anymore.
I’ve worked with big companies like Tesla and when I first moved here, Blake’s Lotaburger & now I am handling 6 Lowes locations, 4 Targets and 2 Amazon Distribution Centers on top of my residential clients.
I chose the name RA after the sungod. I give thanks to him for the work he provides me with 🌞

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Qualities: determination was key for me, especially as a procrastinator. I became extremely determined after realizing my worth was not being appreciated and it truly hadn’t been in my entire 20 years in the workforce.

Skills: I pride myself on being a jack of all trades, I pick things up so fast. The only downside to this skill I’ve always had is that it caused me to become bored with most of my previous jobs. I require my work to involve critical thinking, changing environments, responsibilities and the earth.
To be able to achieve what I want in life as long as I put all of me into it is one of my most cherished skills.

For anyone starting out on their dream my advice is this; you’re already doing it! It’s been living as a beautiful masterpiece of a thought in your mind for some time now and it’s finally coming to fruition, it’s been manifested and all you’ve got to do is be ready to receive and know that you’re worth it.
There will be challenges, but the biggest lesson I have learned in business and life, truly, is the challenges are what lift us to the next level. Overcoming them will give you all the strength you need to continue and to thrive.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

In the last year saying no has become as huge area of growth for me and my business.
In the first year I said yes to everything and ended up paying for it with my hands, wrists, back, legs..basically my entire body was at risk because of how much I was trying to accomplish.
No amount of work matters if you cannot be there to perform it. So saying no to jobs/clients that are either too big or would cause you to overwork/overbook yourself is crucial in maintaining self worth.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @ralandscape
• Facebook: Fb.me/ralandscape
• Yelp: RA Landscape