Holden Vice is the owner of Mudcat Milling and Forestry Services on Six Nations and a member of the Kyuga Wolf Clan. Having lived in the community his entire life, Holden built his business from the ground up, starting with weekend tree trimming and stump grinding before gradually expanding into a much broader operation. Today, Mudcat Milling and Forestry Services has grown into a general contracting business, with multiple building projects completed and more on the way.
The business has been operating for about eight years, with the last five full time, and its growth has been steady and intentional. Holden says part of what drove him to build the business was wanting to stay closer to home and avoid being away all the time. Along the way, support from OSTTC played an important role in helping the business get started, including access to funding and business training. Holden credits much of the company’s success to a solid team, word-of-mouth referrals, and a strong commitment to doing work the right way.
For Holden, success is not only measured by financial growth. Being able to make breakfast for his kids, pick them up from school, and work alongside family members is what makes the journey worthwhile. His father, uncles, and cousins have all been part of the work, and those everyday moments with family are some of the biggest rewards of being in business for himself. He encourages others to be realistic about growth, keep overhead low, and build something sustainable rather than rushing in too fast.
“Just be nice to people. It goes a long way.”
