Ecscaper
04-13-2009, 06:21 PM
Hi guys,
Found this site in search of some info on barricade and so many of the posts were great I decided to sign up.
The long story is my partner and I had our own landscaping business in the 90's. Not sure of the years; maybe 91 to 98 or so. Around that time we saw a huge influx of illegal immigrants in this area.
We had a tough time because 1) it was difficult to find any legitimate employees that would actually give us a hard days work and 2) it was difficult to compete with companies that were using illegal labor.
At the point we had two crews-- 1 lawn crew and another crew of two that would take a pickup and do other maintenance. We had other equipment.. JD 855's with attachments etc
It got to a point where we had to either really hang our butts out there and expand, or call it quits. We had reached a ceiling with our current setup. The living was good, but not enough to support health insurance, a mortgage, a retirement plan etc..
So we liquidated almost everything we had. He just registered to begin his testing to be a reg architect. I'm established in a civil service position. Life is good.
However, throughout all these years I still have 3 lawn accounts that I still mow to this day. I kept my 60" exmark tracer and my 44" bagging explorer (now if you remember that, you're old school!) If it has to do with their lawn, I handle it. I walk the fert, have my friend put down the stuff you need a license for. Check every irrigation system in the spring and winterize it in the fall. Just something about looking at a nice green lawn after putting in all the work to get it that way. A sense of pride an accomplishment. Also like stickin it to the 'man' (aka those big national chains) when my lawns look better than theirs and I don't have to cut it twice a week like the poor sap homeowner who hired em. Not to mention I need the exercise!
Recently I've began to think about starting up again. Not looking to leave my job, but would love to back a young motivated individual looking to run his own business. I miss getting dirty!
I wish it would have worked out, I really loved the work. I had 2 semesters of horticulture under my belt, a DEC limited registration (back when you couldn't get a full license unless you worked for somebody else.. so much for self-employment!).
I still have lots of great memories..
..taking the crew out waterskiing if they finished the lawns by 4pm on a friday
..having 'bobcat wars' in the shop yard with the grapple buckets
..leaving one poor guy on a job pruning these HUGE spreading juniper bushes for so long that when we checked on him the next day he was standing in the middle of them (about 4' off the ground) singing a song about how he was the 'juniper ninja'
heh those were some great times... It's nice to see so many you guys here working hard and dreaming about that bright future... I wish you all luck, but don't forget to have fun.
Found this site in search of some info on barricade and so many of the posts were great I decided to sign up.
The long story is my partner and I had our own landscaping business in the 90's. Not sure of the years; maybe 91 to 98 or so. Around that time we saw a huge influx of illegal immigrants in this area.
We had a tough time because 1) it was difficult to find any legitimate employees that would actually give us a hard days work and 2) it was difficult to compete with companies that were using illegal labor.
At the point we had two crews-- 1 lawn crew and another crew of two that would take a pickup and do other maintenance. We had other equipment.. JD 855's with attachments etc
It got to a point where we had to either really hang our butts out there and expand, or call it quits. We had reached a ceiling with our current setup. The living was good, but not enough to support health insurance, a mortgage, a retirement plan etc..
So we liquidated almost everything we had. He just registered to begin his testing to be a reg architect. I'm established in a civil service position. Life is good.
However, throughout all these years I still have 3 lawn accounts that I still mow to this day. I kept my 60" exmark tracer and my 44" bagging explorer (now if you remember that, you're old school!) If it has to do with their lawn, I handle it. I walk the fert, have my friend put down the stuff you need a license for. Check every irrigation system in the spring and winterize it in the fall. Just something about looking at a nice green lawn after putting in all the work to get it that way. A sense of pride an accomplishment. Also like stickin it to the 'man' (aka those big national chains) when my lawns look better than theirs and I don't have to cut it twice a week like the poor sap homeowner who hired em. Not to mention I need the exercise!
Recently I've began to think about starting up again. Not looking to leave my job, but would love to back a young motivated individual looking to run his own business. I miss getting dirty!
I wish it would have worked out, I really loved the work. I had 2 semesters of horticulture under my belt, a DEC limited registration (back when you couldn't get a full license unless you worked for somebody else.. so much for self-employment!).
I still have lots of great memories..
..taking the crew out waterskiing if they finished the lawns by 4pm on a friday
..having 'bobcat wars' in the shop yard with the grapple buckets
..leaving one poor guy on a job pruning these HUGE spreading juniper bushes for so long that when we checked on him the next day he was standing in the middle of them (about 4' off the ground) singing a song about how he was the 'juniper ninja'
heh those were some great times... It's nice to see so many you guys here working hard and dreaming about that bright future... I wish you all luck, but don't forget to have fun.