K&K Dirtworks
In 2004, K&K Dirtworks emerged as a family-owned business driven by hard work, a commitment to quality, and a little help from friends along the way. K&K Dirtworks began as an excavating business, offering construction site prep, small demolition work, roadway maintenance, and septic systems installations. Founded by Robin Knepper and her son, Benjamin, the business grew from Benjamin’s passion for heavy equipment work—a love he’d developed watching his father, Doug, during his years as an operator. By the end of 2004, Benjamin’s brothers, Matt and Josh, joined the team, and soon after Doug left his job to work with them full-time as well. Matt now heads up the tree division, and his brother Daniel joined the business in 2008 to head up the dirt work division. Together, they have built a successful business that they love.
In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit, they saw both a challenge and an opportunity to expand their business through cleanup services in the south. Robin connected with Pete Sabella, a (now former) business advisor with the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and when their first loan application was denied, Pete helped them find a path forward with Regions Bank that enabled them to buy the necessary equipment. Soon, the family headed south, working six intense months in Hurricane-ravaged areas and learning skills they’d eventually bring back to Indiana, where they had to start anew.
Over time, they evolved their services, guided by the expertise of their new SBDC business advisor, Doug Claybourn, and continued adapting to changes in their industry. “We’re in a rural area where farming is the main industry,” Robin shares. “Farmers here often have their own excavators, which means competition for us. We couldn’t survive with just excavating services anymore.”
This challenge pushed the family to diversify. After their experience in Hurricane recovery, Robin’s sons became proficient in tree work, which led them to add K&K Tree Division to their services. Matt is a certified international arborist, and he pours his passion into this work. After embarking on the tree business, the family realized they needed to do something with the mountains of wood chips they produced, so K&K Dirtworks launched Evanston Valley Enterprises, a commercial composting facility. In 2024, they were awarded a $20,000 Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Elevate Small Business Grant to expand the reach of this division.
The company’s humble beginnings in a garage are a testament to their grit and determination. Today, K&K Dirtworks operates with a larger office space and a team of 13 employees across the three divisions. Despite being based in rural Spencer County, where finding good workers can be challenging, the business’s reputation travels far. “We’ve built a standard for quality,” says Robin. “Our customers know we do things right and never cut corners for quick profit.”
The team has also developed strong ties with local banks and consultants, like Bob Hubler in Jasper, who provides monthly financial insights and helps the business maintain healthy budgets and forecasts. They are also thankful for assistance from Freedom Bank and Hoosier Hills Credit Union with whom they have great working relationships. Reflecting on their administrative growth, Robin shares, “We struggled with office work at first—emails, billing, social media. Setting up the infrastructure earlier could have saved us time and energy. It’s a crucial part of small business success that many overlook.”
With every challenge and success, the family-centered values they’ve nurtured remain at the heart of their business. “As a mother, wife, and co-owner, working with my family is a blessing,” Robin says. “We treat everyone with respect, from our team to our customers, and we’ve built a positive, respectful culture here.”
K&K Dirtworks continues to look ahead with hopes to expand their contracts with the Hoosier National Forest and INDOT. “I’m so proud of what we’ve built and of my sons,” Robin reflects. It’s a story of resilience, adaptation, and growth—an example of what a family with a shared dream can achieve.
For more on K&K Dirtworks, visit their website or find them on Facebook.