Above: Cam O’Neil, founder of Ocean State Solutions.

By Roz Bassen-Alexander

Ocean State Solutions, a small business created earlier this year with a simple post on Nextdoor, has grown a lot. Founded by Cameron O’Neil, a senior at EGHS, the idea was to help residents of East Greenwich and neighboring towns. Initially, O’Neil offered landscaping services and was shocked by the high demand.

 “Upon my first posting, I was entirely blown away as my inbox was bombarded by neighbors looking for my help,” he said. Since then, he has built a website, grown a team of other young entrepreneurs, and begun serving clients all over the state. O’Neil remarked on how the experience has evolved from strictly service to connecting with clients as well.

“It was truly incredible listening to the multitude of stories that my diverse client base had to tell,” he said. “A heavy majority of my clients found themselves on the older side and always had bountiful wisdom to share.” 

O’Neil has also credited David Sinotte, a contractor and his mentor, with teaching him many skills necessary to expand his services to include construction. 

“Whether it was negotiation, carpentry, or safety, he served as the blueprint to my venture,” O’Neil said. Now, Ocean State Solutions offers services ranging from the original landscaping to tech support to construction. Pricing varies per job. Despite a busy schedule, O’Neil says he does his best to get the job done for his clients and learn new things along the way. Find out more at oceanstatesolutions.org. 

Roz Bassen-Alexander is a sophomore at East Greenwich High School.