Tips on starting my own business!

[charrod]

Ok folks! I'm a true GREENhorn! I just left the corporate world after 23 years and have my heart set on never going back! I'm putty in your hands so mold me into one of the best lawn care persons in the business, like yourselves no doubt! I'd appreciate advice on mowers, trailers, accessories, etc., in terms of performance, cost, advantages, disadvantages.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Just remember that you get what you pay for. Don't go with the homeowner specials, they won't last. Test the mowers out until you find one that you like. I like a covered trailer for my equipment.

[grassyfras]

addvetise- get your name out there
buy the best equipment you can buy ask the dealer for help
stay legal - pay all isurances and taxes
do good wrok that will gorw your buisness by word of mouth
its not to hard i did it and im 15 so not to dofficult

[Kends]

I'm doing the same as you. Corp. world for 12 years and here I am. I started planning 5 months ago. started buying equipment a little early, but bought new 2000 stuff when the 2001 things were comming out. Got some good prices that way.

Tips from a new guy:
Use this site A LOT!

Use the search function towards the top right of the screen b/4 you post...or you'll be slammed (politley).

advertise. Find the best way to do this in your area. I've done the door hanger thing (1000+) and the local paper thing. The paper has by far been much better for me.

Do a quality job! After you cut the grass step back and take a look...How does it look? If it dosen't look good to you guess what's the customer going to think? Do it again. You can't afford to lose any customers at this point.

When you do get a job, hang your flyers up and down the block. The less wind shield time the better. I'm solo right now and can cut 6 lawns a day and be home by 5. Get up early and take care of all the things that need to be taken care of...gas, oil, grease and so on.

That's it for now. Like I said, I'm a new guy too, and have been cutting full time for 2 weeks now. And man, have I learned A LOT in those 2 weeks! And I'm sure there's more to come

GOOD LUCK!

ken

[65hoss]

Don't do it. Call and get your old job back. The market in Memphis is dried up. We're all going broke. Move out of town, say Jackson.


:)












I can tell you who not to deal with as far as small engine shops.

[Barkleymut]

I quit my job at the bank 3 years ago and have never looked back. I just got the biggest chuckle about the guy who said he's learned so much in the first 2 weeks. I didn't have a clue my first couple of months. But thats the best way, you learn from your mistakes and once you have done something stupid you will never do it again. Anyways if you are looking for a walk behind go with Exmark, Toro, Scag, Bobcat, etc. Find the best dealer in your area and make sure that if you have a problem that you can bring it in and have it worked on right away. Talk to 65Hoss since he is in your area. Also my first year I got a good response and a few fulltime customers just from advertising aerating specials. Find one special service like aerating and become an expert at it. Don't go into debt too much. How much is too much? I would say 15K debt on a truck is the most. Then 10K on equip. and trailer would give you some good equip. and a good size loan. The #1 reason guys in this business fail is because they don't know enough about the business side. You can have a bunch of lawns that all look great but unless you know how to bid, bill, keep cash flow, project costs, etc. you have no chance of ever making it.
The best way to get business is to let people know that you need it. When you get a new customer don't be too annoying but remind them that you are still "taking on a couple more customers". And don't let them know you just started your business, I wouldn't want a new guy paving my driveway, fixing my plumbing, and the same goes for lawncare. Good Luck and happy mowing.

[George777]

My plant that I had worked for closed the doors and put us on the street. My partner and I have been building this thing day by day. I must say that this Lawn Site has been a very big helper.

I would get the best equipment that you could afford. Don’t get over your head with to much debt. I could not afford a X-mark ztr so I got a 48” Lesco walk behind. We are working off our 12 foot trailer and a High vac snapper. We paid off all our debt in one month and so now we are seeing some profit.

I started placing flyiers out in Feb before I bought the Lesco. I have to admit I do not enjoy putting out flyers but they do produce results. You can then target the locations you want to work.

You will have to learn how to bid jobs. I messed up big time on my first few clean ups. We had one account last month and now have 21. flyers have produced the best results for me.

I have found out that if you do what you tell your customers you’ll be ok. I have gotten some accounts simply by showing up. One customer said he called 4 compaies and I was the only one who returned his call. He said bring my equipment when I give his estimate.




I believe if you treat this like a business you will be ok. I wish you well and don't hesitate to ask for help. I have had many people on this site lead me in the right direction.

[KD'sLawns]

I say that you should start out small and test the market before you go to far in debt. You should have tested your market before you quit your other job though. If you had been thinking about this for a while, then you should have been trying to buy some equipment. You should have also taken some vacation time from work and picked up some accounts. Make sure that you purchase good commercial quality equipment. You can not afford down time ever and especially starting out.
Most importantly: Talk to Hoss about rates and some other lawn care specialists about their rates in general. Keep your rates the same as theirs. You can't have all the lawns, so don't try to get them all. DO NOT LOWBALL other lawn care companies for the work, that's a good way to not have any contacts in the business. When I get full up on my schedule, and can not squeeze any more in, a always refer them to another respectful lawn company that may need the work. Good luck!

[cajuncutter]

George brought up a good point. The customer told him to bring equipment when comming to bid. 90% of the times I make bids my guy is with me along with equipment. I have had the "I called several companies and no one has shown up" many times. They usually ask when I can start and I say "right now!!" My equip is there and we do the work. This is how I usually win my bids. In the customers eye sometimes I might be a little higher cause they got a bid from a lowballer and they realize they under bid and never show back up but the customer gets instant service..they like that and will most of the time remember that..good luck

[awm]

you dont say what your money situation is so ill
assume you got some.
try to find a good ztr, i guess every body is not going to be lucky a i was here.i found an excellent condition 52 inch for 2250. i dont know if id advise the cost for a new one but if you have one, your production ability doubles
and if you take care of it you can get your money out should you decide to sell.
buy quality equipment,
use stihl and 91 octane in 2 cycle motors, and MIX EXACTLY AS STIHL CONTAINER SAYS,NO LITTLE MORE OR LESS.
takes most of the trouble out of operating 2 cycles.
stihl is not the only good one but i cant speak for the others.
go an look at some well manicured places,and write down everything you see that might make it look well taken care of . adopt as yours
keep fescue at least 3 inches in summer.
get some kind of insurance protection
clean mowers and equip regularly an grease where applicable.
dont try to do volume wk at discount,only works in consumer goods and your body is not a walmart.
make yourself almost indespenceable to your customers with quality wk and the difference you make by being there.
there some whos methods will differ and theirs will work also but the key is quality at a price that makes it wort your while. good luck
oh one other thing sighn on to lawnsite and just read old post.

[NateinAtl]

Be prepared...

Be prepared for anything and everything to happen--because anything and everything does happen in the lawn care business. The number one thing that many people new to the business don't quite understand is that there are a lot of costs involved. A LOT!! keep your blades sharp. Cut the grass at the correct height. DO NOT start the habit of putting things off until the next day. Because it will rain that very next day. Since it sounds like you have never done this type work, I would reccomend that you take on about 10 accounts and see if this is for you. To be honest, lawn maintenance really isn't right for me. I enjoy doing the work, and looking at my finished product, but I can't handle all the silly complaints, requests, and questions you get from Mrs. Homeowner, and then Mr. Homeowner the following week. Sure it feels good knowing you have work to do in October when it is still April, but you may be able to find more profitable work in other landscaping areas. My niche is aerations and sod. I mow two days a week, but this will be my last year to offer mowing. Outdoor work, and being your own boss cannot be beat. But it always amazes me how many new guys I see each April, and how they dwindle away by mid June. Oh yeah, no summer vacations.

I really don't want to sound so negative about lawn maintenance, but it can't be stressed enough how difficult this job really is. Ask any maintenance guy, and I bet they all agree. To me it is funny when friends ask about mowing. You can see them doing the math in their head...."40 customers a week, $35 average times 40 weeks.... Wow yuo do pretty good for yourself!!!" It just doesn't happen like it sounds.

I wish you the best. If you go full time, work your butt off, and do yoiur book keeping every night.

[Grassman]

Go through the posts and read everything possible. If you retain everything you will either be twice as better off as most of us or twice as full of s**t! Anyhow, good luck to you. Russ

[CSRA Landscaping]

Perhaps I can weigh in once more on this. Try a lot of prayer, it helped me. And I didn't take the time to stick my little toe in the water and test it to see if it was right for me, I jumped in headfirst! Do quality work, stay in this forum regularly. I noticed that My work quality was starting to slip a little and I would leave without totally finishing the job. Then I found this website and I'll tel you what; it makes a big difference to have access to folks that know where you're coming from and it gave me a goal to drive towards. Good luck to you, my friend.

[65hoss]

What are you guys trying to do to me? Create my own competition? :)

I guess its better than having him lowball me all the time. Oh, ok. I'll PM him my phone #.



Maybe he'll want to test market for a couple of years. haha. :D

[charrod]

Thanks guys! This is more than I expected. I do appreciate all of the responses and excellent advice! I feel very lucky to have run across this site. (Hoss, thanks for the PM and #. I will be calling very soon).

[GrassWorx]

keep your head up when times get rough, work hard, and most of all be dependable. There is plenty of jobs out there just advertise, advertise, and advertise
Good Luck