How did you get into this industry?

[Vibe Ray]

How did you guys decide to do this type of work and decide that you love to do it? What made you even give it a shot to see if you liked it? How did it all start out?

I worked with my dad ALL the time! And one day we did a landscaping job. He usually does house repair and renovation. It was a big job too! We completely renovated the entire lawn (not so much the grass, but everything else). I thought it was kinda fun and decided to give it a shot. I got the idea to start a Lawn cutting business. So I asked my friend if he was interested and he said sure. So we started out and it worked out fine. But as I wanted to expand he couldn't help buy new equipment nor put in any extra labor time to maintain more lawns. So I fired him (in a sense)! And I took over and doubled my business and it has turned out great ever since! And used to ABSOLUTELY DETEST cutting grass before this! That is the real shocker for me! Now I love it. Not to mention my dad is self-employed and when it came to my career choice, I could be antything i want, he said, but you have to be self-employed. Now I understand why he wanted me to.

[Premo Services]

My first job after high school was in Park Department,started when I was 18, worked there for 10 years and was promoted to leadman,then Park Supervisor. I quit that job and did many other things, and about 6 years ago I was tired of bosses and bs. so my wife told me to quit and do something else. I did quit and started my own business. The first few years I would wonder why I did this,but as time progressed I knew why I did this, I AM THE MAN, NO BOSSES and I love to be working outside. I see the satisfaction from my customers, But I get more satisfaction from knowing that the job was done the way I wanted it to be done.

[GreenQuest Lawn]

I wnted to be an electrician even went to college first job i got figured out i hated to be indoors. HA! got a job working for a landscaper found out i loved it in ten yrs since worked for one landscaper and one lawn care and am nearing my one year anniversary of owning.

[lsylvain]

I got into it when I was a kid kind of by accident just started mowing the neighbors yard and then my church and it just kept going from their.

Unfortunatly, I listened to my teachers in school a decided that I wanted to be a Vet and went to VA Tech and majored in Biological-Chemistry for 2 years hated every minute droped out and went to work for a local company in blacksburg, VA.

One day I was talking to some freids about jobs and money and such and I realized that I was making more money mowing grass when I was 10 years old than I was then so I jumped on the phone got my licences etc. printed some flyers and was off.

A secondary reason I got into this was that I really hated cutting my own grass when I got home from work, everyone I knew hated cutting there grass on their time off so I thought it wouldn't be to bad of an Idea.

anyway..

[cleancut]

I was working p/t at UPS and was newly married..I had alot of free time on my hands and was in need of some extra cash...I had just purchased a new Lowe's 14hp riding mower and I decided I would put it to use...My uncle has a factory about a 1/4 mile away and that was my first customer...I just drove the lawnmower and held the weedeater because I didn't have a trailer....An elderly gentlemen in the neighborhood saw me mowing and asked if I would mow a property for him, I said sure..But first I had to buy a trailer...The first two years I didn't really grow all that much...I think after the second year I had about 8 yards...I was about to give it up but for some reason didn't..I'm in my sixth year, and I now have over 100 accounts and 2 crews...I'm glad that I stuck with it...Derrick

[SpringValley]

Honestly we started a small landscaping business to get a tax write off for the tractor I just had to have. Then my wife saw fencing add and we added Country Estate vinyl fence to our offering. Then a couple of years later I wanted a new Z to mow the yard with. The wife said justify it and you can get it. Went out and got two residential contracts, then three cemeteries and another residential the following spring. Hoping to expand this year.

Matt

[lawman]

I was a Police Officer. I was injured pretty bad in the line of duity and retired. I had done some landscaping as a kid and liked it so I went out and got a loan for the local dealer and started. I have also been reading everones posts looking for the best equipent and ways to improve my business. It is kind of strange to work for yourself after working for someone else for so long. This is my story and I hope that you liked it.

[Just Cut]

I worked in a manufactoring plants for 15 + years I was sick of working for some else. So I started in the Lawn Business as a means to become self employed

[awm]

Iwas buying some land and needed to get the
payments somewhere.Truthfully Ive spent very
little time without 2 jobs. At one time it was enough
but the wife eventualy went to work also.

[SJR Lawncare]

I worked for a landscape/lawncare company for 6 years, learned alot, got sick of making someone else money, so I took a chance & started my own lawncare business. Now I am the boss & I'm making money for myself. With help from all of you, of course!!

SJR

[MIDSOUTH]

I actually wanted to make some good money-this looked like the way to do it. I hated to mow before this but them greenbacks entice me.

[cclllc]

I too got in by accident mowing my neighbors lawns and as word spred so did my business.Just wish I'd started sooner.

[Bassman]

I went through some very hard times after being a business owner for most of my life and had to work for the man instead of myself to put food on the table. That got old real quick but I didn't have the capital to start up a conventional type business or franchise but I was desperately needing to work for myself again. I have always liked working outdoors so I realized I could make a go of it in this biz with a pretty small investment and be outdoors and be my own boss again.
I just worked for myself and called the shots for so much of my life, I could never get used to working for someone else. I wish I would have started in this biz long ago.
Bassman

[TJLC]

When we moved to FLA 2 1/2 years I worked for 6.00 per hr.! When my wife got on at a local hosp. her boss just happen to be the one in charge of hiring people to take care of some of the hosp. properties. He was talking to my wife one day and asked if I was happy with what I was doing. She said no. He asked If I might be interested in taking over these properties because he had been through a handful of companies with poor results. She only had to ask me once. I took the money I had saved before we moved and went out and bought everything I needed, including a license, insurance and all the equipment I needed. I havn't looked back and every time I see her boss, I tell him THANK YOU. That was a little over two years ago. I now have 6 commericals and a handful of residentials. Yes, I agree this was given to me but I feel I was under extra pressure to do an excellent job because this was my wife's boss and I didn't want to let him down or make my wife look bad. For this reason I have always tried to do the best job I can. I think that was my longest post ever.LOL

[SDF250]

fella across the street from me when i was very young was a landscaper he gave me an old lawn tractor and my dad swears i rode it in circle till he buried it in the back yard.18 yrs old first day working for somebody i was running with the weed whacker tree to tree and trying to blow off way before the other two guys were half done cutting 25 now getting slow lazer z grow a belly fast but i can still run with that weed eater and no scalping of course this sh gets me so aaaaaaaaaaammmmmmppppppppppptttteeedddd up.yheaaaaa
wonder what that old tractor looks like after being in the ground for 15 years .i still feel i made more $ running the show for the other guy to many toys must buy dump must have chipper must shut up must get sleep can't stop typing help me lawnsite is the best leaf vac skid stear back hoe tub grinder must go bankrupt

[Paradise Yard Service]

YYYYYYEEEEEEHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA (thats the beeeeeeeeeer talikng!). Got in in 85, was 25, now 40, so I guess I'm somewhat of a veteran. Not looked back (cept to make sure the wad full of cash did'nt drop out of the pocket!) cince.

Sold a cherry 73 BMW 2002 (Thats 'Bay-Um-Vay' if you live in the old country) to get the Shindiawaaaaaaa T-25/Lawn-Boy set-up + accounts. Was worth every penny.
Ex bartender at one of Hawaii's toppppppp spots. Had pride in profession but too much Dram-Shop laws to make it a long term sitch. Got tired of sending people away half - crocked and worrying about legal impact on life.

I recieved extensive lawn care training under SGT.Major George McKenzie (dad) and our lawn always was ship shape. Took the trainin' and shoooom, can't say I regret. Have to say that the invention of the weed-wacker made going into this buisiness so much better and profitable! No more hand trimming! Hey maybe we should see how many remember trimming by hand! So I got in at the right time. Then comes the backpack blowers, gas HTs with articulating heads, ZTRs, $35.00 per man hour, growth regulant, pre-emerge, post-emerge, lawn-site.com. What next!!!!!!???? More dollar signs I suppose, ching-ching!

One last word, "I LOVE MY JOB, I LOVE MY BOSS, I'M SELF-EMPLOYED."
Now, time for another beer. Lighten up its open-mind Friday! In Hawaii we simply say its 'Aloha Friday'.
Aloha,
P.Y.S.

[JimLewis]

SJR, that was cool to read your story. I always get excited when someone goes from being employeed to venturing out into the self-employed. That's what this country is all about, man.

---

I went to college and studied business. Got a job at a bank that was utterly boring and I got sick of the corporate B.S. I always remembered that my uncle told me that if I was between jobs that I could just put an ad in the classifieds for lawn mowing, etc. and I would make good money until I found another job. Well, I wasn't out of a job yet. But I wanted to be. I took my 2 week vacation and simultaneously took out the ad in the paper. Within those 2 weeks I had enough lawn care accounts set up that I was making as much as I was at the bank. So I quit.

Honestly, I just intended to do it until the end of summer, until I could find another job. But then people started wanting me to set them up on a "year-round" account. I thought, "Year-round?" People do this stuff all year? Hmm. Maybe I could make a good business at this? And the rest is history.