Growing Rural Business: How One Eastern Oregon Excavation Company is Building More Than Just Infrastructure

This is the story of Jason Kesling, owner of Blue Mountain Custom Excavation, LLC, and how a small business loan is helping build both infrastructure and opportunity in rural Oregon

In the vast landscape of Eastern Oregon, where open spaces stretch for miles and communities are tight-knit, small businesses serve as lifelines. They form the beating heart of rural economies, providing essential services while creating sustainable livelihoods in areas where opportunities can be scarce.

This is the story of Jason Kesling, owner of Blue Mountain Custom Excavation, LLC, and how a small business loan is helping build both infrastructure and opportunity in rural Oregon.

Jason Kesling, owner of Blue Mountain Custom Excavation, LLC

Roots Run Deep

Growing up in rural Eastern Oregon, Jason Kesling developed an intimate understanding of the land and its challenges. His childhood home on Blue Mountain Street was where he formed the friendships and skills that would shape his future.

"After high school, I went to Oregon State University to get a bachelor's degree in Fish and Wildlife," Jason shares. This education led him into land management and conservation project contracting for the Burns Paiute Tribe conservation properties, and more recently, to the Harney Soil and Water Conservation District where he oversees over $2 million annually in conservation measures on private lands.

But Jason's entrepreneurial spirit was calling for something more—something he could build from the ground up.

From Friendship to Business Partnership

Sometimes the best business partnerships begin with childhood friendships. Jason and his best friend Trevor Harris spent countless hours growing up "playing in the dirt and making various jumps for our bikes and 4 wheelers" on Blue Mountain Street. Little did they know they were laying the foundation for a future business.

When Jason had the opportunity to acquire an excavator in 2024, he knew exactly who to call.

"Knowing that my good friend Trevor had been an equipment operator for the past 15 years, I asked him if he wanted to start a small excavator business," Jason explains.

And just like that, Blue Mountain Custom Excavation was born in January 2024.

Building More Than Infrastructure

In just its first year, this small rural business secured seven jobs totaling over $150,000 in revenue—an impressive feat for a startup in a rural area. By February 2025, they had expanded their equipment lineup with a small bulldozer, enabling them to broaden their service offerings.

Blue Mountain Custom Excavation now provides a range of critical services to its community:

• Juniper thinning and piling

• Road development

• Preconstruction site preparation

• Irrigation structure replacement

• Irrigation ditch cleaning

• Pond construction

• Snow plowing

• Various dirt work requiring excavation

"At Blue Mountain Custom, our mission is to provide reliable, high-quality excavation services with a personal touch," Jason states. "As a family-run business, we are dedicated to ensuring every project is completed safely, efficiently, and with the utmost care."

This commitment to quality and community service exemplifies the best of rural entrepreneurship—businesses that understand their customers as neighbors and approach each project as a relationship, not just a transaction.

The Next Growth Phase

Now, Blue Mountain Custom Excavation is looking to take its next significant step: adding a dump truck to their equipment lineup.

This is about creating economic resilience in a rural community. With a dump truck, Jason and Trevor will be able to reduce transportation costs, expand service options, and reach more customers throughout Harney, Grant, Malheur, Crook, and Lake Counties.

"It is our hope to expand our equipment by adding a dump truck. This equipment would help reduce transportation charges for the excavator and add a new tool for our business services," Jason explains. "By adding additional tools like a dump truck, it will open our services to more customers, ultimately providing more security in keeping the business viable into the future."

In rural communities where every job matters and every business serves as both an economic driver and an essential service provider, this kind of sustainable growth has ripple effects throughout the region.

How You Can Support Rural Entrepreneurship

This is where Kiva's innovative lending platform comes in. Jason's $15,000 loan request is currently in the private funding stage. Best of all, this is a 2X MATCHED LOAN, doubling the impact of contributions.

For rural businesses, access to capital can be one of the biggest hurdles to growth. Traditional lenders often overlook small rural enterprises or impose conditions that make borrowing prohibitively expensive. Kiva's 0% interest, no-fee, no-collateral loans provide a critical alternative.

When you support entrepreneurs like Jason through Kiva, you directly fund rural development, support local jobs, and help essential services reach communities that need them.

Be Part of the Story

Each of us has the power to support rural entrepreneurs who are building stronger communities. With as little as $25, you can join the community of lenders helping Jason expand Blue Mountain Custom Excavation.

Read Jason's full story and support his loan here:

https://www.kiva.org/lend/2978438

Want to learn more about how Kiva is revolutionizing access to capital for rural entrepreneurs? Visit Kiva Oregon at https://kivaoregon.org/ to discover how this innovative lending platform is helping build stronger rural economies one loan at a time.

Together, we can ensure rural entrepreneurs like Jason have the resources they need to grow sustainable businesses that serve their communities for years to come.