Perfect "Solo" Setup & Most Profitable Side Servies...

[emil35]

Hello All:

I am currently a senior in highschool and will be attending college next fall. Over the years I have created a rather successful business, but for college I want to downsize and make it manageable for me to handle by myself so that I don't have to deal with all the hassels of employees while in school, and also, if I so desire, continue in the business after college. For my question, I want to create the "perfect" solo operation that will look sharp and work effectivly. I may also have an occasional helper or two helping during the "heavy work load" times such as spring and fall so I want it to work well for those purposes also. Also, I was wondering what side services to you guys offer that have the greatest return? Like for me, plowing snow makes alot more money for the time invested, but since it depends on the weather, mowing is nice for a constant cash flow. I have my own ideas since I've been in the business for awhile, but I'm open to ideas in hopes of improving myself and my business. Also, I would like to keep my overhead costs low, while still running a legal business w/insurance and all the other req' things, so if you have any little ways of doing that I would love to hear them, especially if I could find a way to have multiple trucks for snow removal, but not have to pay for the insurance for them year round! Thanks for your help! ~Emil :waving:

[emil35]

anybody? anything?

[justanotherlawnguy]

my most profitable side service wouldnt work on your area cuase there are no palm trees. I have a long Echo Power Pruner and when I see palms that need trimmed, I just ask the homeower If I can do it. It is an easy sell, takes less then 5 minutes most of the time and I usually get to leave the cut fronds curbside for the yard waste garbage man to pick them up. I take them sometimes, but offer a "discount" if I can leave them curbside....

[emil35]

Come on people...over 200 viewing and only one person replys. Tell me what you think. Thanks

[topsites]

cauz it's really messed up... see you go through life hearing older ppl keep telling you things so you don't listen to most of them... then one day you find you ARE one of those older ppl and then you hear yourself telling the young'uns the SAME things you were told, and sure enough they don't listen either LOL !

as for me, I had to try a lot of different things so I could find what I liked to do and so then I stopped doing the things I did not like and kept doing the things I did like and in the end I'm not really any better off but at least the illusion of perfection sometimes appears, if briefly.

but i think you kinda have to do that part yourself, nobody else can do it for you because what works for them may or may not work for you. if you have to make a choice and you can not decide, then do one or the other, stick to it if it works and maybe try once or twice more if it doesn't but in the end you do what works for you and discard the rest.

good luck.

[tiedeman]

when started out offer a wide range of services that are in your ability

[Roger]

My suggestion: Quit the business and focus on college. I see too many young folks wanting to consider college as just an "add on" to other things they wish to do. College should be an immersion experience, not merely just having to go to some classes between times of doing other things. Collage can be far, far more than just academics, that is attending classes, taking tests, and getting a degree. College can prepare one for life's experiences in other terms such as being part of campus groups, learning to debate, think for one's self, enhancement of communication skills as part of writing, speaking, etc.

To try to squeeze college in between mowing lawns is depriving yourself of the investment of time and money. You are not taking away from college all you can.

Education is very important to me. I know many on LS have expressed it as a waste of time, money and effort, "... should have went to work right away out of high school, ... should have invested the money into my business," and other such comments. I'm over 64 and have watched many young people go through college selection, attending college, attend other specialized training programs, graduate school, and develop a career. Rarely do I see somebody gain much from college when it is simply an add-on to an already full-plate of other activities.

You have many, many years ahead of you do develop a business and career. Remember, at this point in time, the average person changes career more than four times during their lifetime. I think some reports have put the number at seven, not four. This means you need to be prepared to make many changes and a good education will prepare you to make changes and learn more. One of the primary objectives for college: Learn how to learn. A good college experience will enable you to to this end. Education is a life-long endeavor, not something that just happens at early ages. In a fast-moving society of 2006, globalization, volatile work enviornment, knowing how to educate yourself for the next step will be very important.

[skurkp]

My suggestion: Quit the business and focus on college.

I agree.

[rodfather]

if your business is that successful, why can't you find someone to manage it for you?

[PurpHaze]

Ditto RF... reap the rewards while sticking to task in college.

[emil35]

Thanks for the advice guys. I could hire on a foreman and employees, but I'm not sure if I want to deal with all the hassels of employees and stuff during college. In my opinion that could wait until later...after college. I guess my question for you guys now is this, if you were in my shoes, would you 1) hire on employees to handle the work and maybe make a fair amount of money hoping the employees will do the work, or 2) Set myself up to do work on the weekends and during breaks when I don't have to be at college and do the accounts/jobs that pay the best so that in that sense everything I make is mine after expenses and I know the job gets done, and during the week, if i wanted some extra cash and had the time to do so without taking away time from college, get a parttime job working somewhere when I can? or lastly 3) Quit and sell it all? Thanks again for your input and advice. It helps in more ways than you think.

[emil35]

Hi again,

I just thought of another option...tell me what you think. What about selling off some stuff and setting myself up with a small skidsteer unit and doing skidsteer work when I'm free and available? Does anyone know if that pays well? I don't want to get out completly because some jobs do pay very nice, and seeing that most of my accounts are residental at the time and they've known me for years, I'm sure that they would be fine if I'm not there every week, same day on a schedule. I would keep the ones that are flexable and pay and lose the ones that arent. What do you think of that? Thanks

[tiedeman]

My suggestion: Quit the business and focus on college. I see too many young folks wanting to consider college as just an "add on" to other things they wish to do. College should be an immersion experience, not merely just having to go to some classes between times of doing other things. Collage can be far, far more than just academics, that is attending classes, taking tests, and getting a degree. College can prepare one for life's experiences in other terms such as being part of campus groups, learning to debate, think for one's self, enhancement of communication skills as part of writing, speaking, etc.

To try to squeeze college in between mowing lawns is depriving yourself of the investment of time and money. You are not taking away from college all you can.

Education is very important to me. I know many on LS have expressed it as a waste of time, money and effort, "... should have went to work right away out of high school, ... should have invested the money into my business," and other such comments. I'm over 64 and have watched many young people go through college selection, attending college, attend other specialized training programs, graduate school, and develop a career. Rarely do I see somebody gain much from college when it is simply an add-on to an already full-plate of other activities.

You have many, many years ahead of you do develop a business and career. Remember, at this point in time, the average person changes career more than four times during their lifetime. I think some reports have put the number at seven, not four. This means you need to be prepared to make many changes and a good education will prepare you to make changes and learn more. One of the primary objectives for college: Learn how to learn. A good college experience will enable you to to this end. Education is a life-long endeavor, not something that just happens at early ages. In a fast-moving society of 2006, globalization, volatile work enviornment, knowing how to educate yourself for the next step will be very important.

that is very true. Focus on the college

[Nathan 281]

I choose to go to school and mow at the same time. I found that at collage their are the just out of high school type who, party, skip class, don’t focus and don’t care because most of the time mom and dad are paying for it. Not that they don't care but they have nothing in their life to apply what they are learning to and have no drive to learn it. The others are in their late 20's early 30's and yes even older, trying to get their stuff together. They usually have a good feel where their going and what they want to do because they have been out and done some different things. I found that I was able to apply a lot of stuff being taught back to my life and my business (Being that my major is Business). My whole approach on the lawn service has changed. Yes if you do not focus on education it will become a waste of time, money and effort. You must set aside enough time that you can fit everything in and still have some free time.

[lawnprosteveo]

Im solo and this is my second job. Im a firefighter 52 hrs a week and I mow about 45 yards when Im not doing that.

Setup: 14' caged trailer, two trimmers, one stick edger, one blower, 52" ztr mower, 36" walkbehind mower, 21" push.

Side services: leaves pay good, shrubs are pretty easy for the money. weeding and mulching flower beds is good money in early spring.

I carry insurance, pack my lunch, and dont buy anything I dont have to...but I dont skimp on my equipment. I figure that equipment is taking the place of an expensive employee..

hope that helps.

[Jpocket]

The only good thing I can see is going to college is all of the women, I am so envious of my friends that have "it" thrown in there face constantly. They don't even have to look for girls, they are right in front of them 24 friggin 7

Other than that why spend $100,000 to graduate and make MAYBE $45,000.

When you can stay in business, and by the time those 4 years are over be making close to $100K a year and counting. If your smart you can make investments in real estate ( which I will be doing) and be light years ahead of someone who went to college. Four years later you could be worth $250,000 where a college graduate doesn't have a DIME to there name. They won't aquire half the stuff you'll have until they are in there LATE thirties.

Not to mention the unstable job market, with all the outsourcing, all these people with degrees don't know if they'll have a job to go to in the morning.
The only way to really live in the future wil be to be self employed.
If you notice the guys the REALLY PLAY with high dollar toys, and hobbies are self employed. The clock puncher only gets to dibble and dable in these things. JMHO

[LwnmwrMan22]

I started when I was 16. Currently I'm 33.

This means that I had a business set up before / during / and after college.

I quit college because I was going for a buisness management degree.

It took me 2 1/2 years to realize that I could make more running my own business than I would after 4-5 years, getting a business management degree, and becoming someone's manager working 40-50-60-80 hours / week.

Now I work 80 hours / week for myself.

At one point, I had 7 guys working for me. However, I'm SOMEWHAT, not totally a perfectionist, and felt I was always going back to correct stuff that should have been done differently.

After trying to work with employees for 8 years, after I'd been in business for 5, I went back to doing the work myself. I dropped 2/3rd's of my accounts, and kept the most profitable ones.

Now for my mowing, I've got 2 pickups, a 24' V-Nose enclosed trailer that I can haul (2) ZTR's, along with my spraying equipment and any and all tools that I'll need on the job site.

IMO, the best way to be efficient if you're running solo, is to have 2 of everything. This way, if you get a flat tire, or something breaks, you've got the backup with you already, so you can keep mowing.

You don't have the luxury of having someone to continue working while you run to the shop.

It's a little more overhead, but at the same time, you can make more money, since you have VERY little downtime.

Also, try to run newer equipment, or atleast maintain the crap out of your equipment. Again, downtime will absolutely kill a solo op, since you don't have anyone to fall back on.

Lastly, I worked with commercial accounts, that are mostly just mowing. I do some spraying for some accounts, and once in a while I'll pick up a mulching job, but it's really just mowing.

If you can target towards flat open properties, that will help too, since you're not mowing and then trimming for 1-2 hours, unless you can get your bid where you can get paid the same for trimming as for mowing.