full time jobs

[fivestarlawnken]

How many out there work full time jobs, not related to your landscaping business?

[65hoss]

I went all the way. I didn't want any safety net. That way I had no excuses. It was sink or swim. I was able to apply 100% focus.

[JimLewis]

I am with 65Hoss. I went FT within my first 2 weeks in this business. I had to struggle to keep my head above water the first two winters but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wanted to have no fall backs. Nothing that would allow me to fail or serve as a safety net.

Furthermore, if you study human psychology you'll find that most of the time Men have a difficult time focusing on more than one project at a time (whereas women are typically great at multi-tasking). And I knew that was definitely true of me. There was no way I could put my full effort into two seperate ventures. One or both would be seriously lacking my full attention. I didn't want that.

There is an excellent book on this very subject aptly named, "You can't steal second with your foot on first." Great book.

[lawnMaster5000]

i am a full time college student, and that makes it very hard to have a big business. In the summer i work/volunteer to use up any time that i have remaining. But when i go away to school i have two guys that do all the work and i just get to see the results $$$.

[LAWNGODFATHER]

I've been full time at this for the last 12yrs.

And some times had a full time job working some where else to boot. While working in lawn care full time. It's not always peches and cream.

LGF:blob1:

[Grapevine]

I've been doing this for 14 years full time. Have got responsibilities with wife, kids, home, blah blah blah. I like the money and the security it provides for my family, but I'm no kid anymore. If I had to do it over again I think I'd be wearing a $600.00 suit and selling mutual funds for fidelity. It's hard to believe we're almost to labor Day already.

[awm]

im full time. but i gurantee for every full timer ,theres at least one
part time . mabe ten. at least around here

[Randy Scott]

This will be a great pole if everyone votes, and votes honestly. I wanted to do this pole myself. I sometimes wonder if alot of people that do this with the crutch of a full-time job, realize what it takes to run a business. I started out trying to work my full-time job and that lasted two weeks and then quit it. I couldn't do both with 100% effort to each of them. Now it's sink or swim. So far so good, and getting better.
I think to myself that do these part-timers really keep good track of their costs and expenses, or not? Does every roll of paper towels, or every sandwich from the gas station, the maintenance on the truck, the roll of stamps, the envelopes, the printer cartridge, the thank you cards, etc. etc. etc.! Is EVERYTHING supported by the business or not? I am sure some do but can guarantee most don't. Until you support yourself 100% you have no way of knowing what it really takes. If you don't think so, ask any person that is 100% self-employed. It is an eye opener and makes you appreciate what it takes to support yourself and to make ends meet! To not take things for granted. There is alot to worry about when you don't punch a time clock, but that was my choice and it was the right one. I am responsible for everything and have nobody to blame but myself. If I screw up, I don't get paid. Nobody takes the hit here except me.

[fivestarlawnken]

I admit i look up to all of you putting 100% full time into it.I do this part time and i admit i don't detail every expense,when i started i tryed , but all i got was a headache.I'am being honest with you guys and gals.Keep up the good work.:blob3:

[Randy Scott]

Your honesty is commendable fivestar. Everybody has their reasons for what they do and that's great. I certainly don't feel someone that owns their own business is by any means better, they just have a few extras to worry about. Like now, it rained all night, it's raining now, and I have two big topsoil and seeding jobs to do for the city I live in. I don't want to complain because we definately need the rain, but the timing could be better. Oh well, time to change the schedule I guess!

[AltaLawnCare]

I work full time as a manager. The body shop I run now (for the past 2 years) is much smaller than the others I've worked in. I'm very familiar with operating expenses and billing labor hours.
Altavista is a very small town, and the local economy is bad - two plants have shut down in the last 2 years - around 5 to 600 jobs are gone. One of my better customers was affected, so far they haven't dropped me, but it may be a matter of time.
The only way to survive here is to pick up commercial accounts that require insurance, and are big enough to require big equipment.
I decided in my first and maybe second year to stay employed, and not go after any big accounts until I was sure I knew how to bid them and that I would stay in this. No need to ruin the market for the few other ligit LCOs here.
Now these wannabes with snappers and craftsman mowers - I'm their worst nightmare!! :cool:

[johnhenry]

My first job out of school was cutting the fairways at medinah country club outside of chicago .I fell in love with the business .You have to luv this business because of all the hard work. And it is such a cut throat business.That is what is so great about this site and all the people here.WE all pretty much share are common goals .And we all can learn and laugh togther here.Ive been running my own business for 8 years now and its demanding and hard.But is so rewarding at times also.Now I just need some rain *lol*

[Island Lawn]

100% Self Employed Solo Act since 4/2000.
After months of planning (not enough), I started p/t 1/2000.
(About a month after finding Lawnsite.)
I was also working p/t in the industry.

I love it.
Best job ever,
AND I get along widda boss.


Thanks fellow members!:cry:
:p
:cool:

[dhicks]

I have 31 years with the federal Govt and will retire September 28, 2001. Not bad for 48 years young. Over the past two years I have been working for the feds 2 or 3 days per week and buring my sick and annual leave for the remaining work week.

Come spring I will be doing mowing, mulching and more full-time or until I've had my fill.:D

[cantoo]

My day job supports my wife's part time lawn business. We are likely going to do this full time and are building up customers and equipment slowly. We have more equipment that we could possibly use but I can't pass up a good deal and by working we can afford to take advantage of these deals. By the time we are ready to go full time we will have the best equipment for the customers and jobs we want to have. We don't want to do snow, landscaping, plantings etc so we are setting up so that we only have to work 8 months per year. We only want to do spraying, fertilizing, cutting, spring and fall clean ups so we are trying to get the best equipment for those jobs.

[fivestarlawnken]

Cantoo,,,,,Any reason why you dont want to do plantings,mulching etc? BTW which part of ontario are you in?

[greenngrow]

part-time for about 6 years

[Pauls Mowing]

Full time locomotive engineer, part time mowing.

Paul

[wojo23323]

I am part time for the next 21 months until I retire from the US Navy. Then I will go full time. I deploy to Bahrain for 6 months on Sept. 14th for six months. I have a friend of mine taking care of my clients for the rest of the season. I have 30 residential and 3 commercial accounts. I am really looking forward to retirement.

[dmk395]

Full time more or less now, as I commute to college four days a week, but will graduate in December. Nonetheless I will be officially full time next year.