one man show

[mower BILL]

how many , one man lco report to this site . thanks bill

[winterparker2b]

I'm a one man team, hope to get enough work to hire a couple guys next year:confused:

[Toroguy]

solo and hope to never hire anyone.

[mdb landscaping]

I

[MuskTurfKing]

Solo here.

Hank

[CLM1103]

I am solo operator and plan to stay that way.

[Brickman]

I am part time solo. Am considering going full time. A lot less headaches and hassles. Yeah you do less work, and gross less money, but you don't have wages, with holding headaches, unemployment, workmens comp. ect, ect.

To say nothing of the "cheap help" destroying your top notch equipment. Scratching your new truck, and the list goes on.

[Pro-Cut Lawns]

Part Time Solo here also with intentions of going full time. Will stay solo. I do have a couple of big healthy Step Sons that can help out if Im in a bind. :D

[Bob Minney]

Solo-use day labor source for rare projects where I want help.

[TGCummings]

I'm solo, planning to hire tons and tons of help in the coming years... ;)

[Mykster]

Solo but have a few helpers on the bigger jobs. Would like to have a few crews out there. Some say it's not worth the headaches but, I want to find out first hand.

[chariot]

I'm solo too!!

[duxslayer]

just me means no "not me "and more $$$$$$$$ on payday.Been doing this part time to help diapers and formula!

[randosh4]

Originally posted by mower BILL
how many , one man lco report to this site . solo staying that way thanks bill

[SLS]

I'm solo too...at least for now.

Dang, I'm tired!!! :)

[GreenIsland]

Perhaps I can only stand myself- I remember to go to work, never be late, not to have a hangover, don't need to take off everyday, don't have to be told what to do or have to re-tell others,I don't spend my day avoiding work and I always try to make everyones day better -not worst. So I guess I am alone because I can stand myself. Sometimes being alone can't be beat. On the other hand-- my hat goes off to anyone with great employees and who greatly rewards them for their work as well ,both financially and emotionally.I am in no way putting down employees- just stating the mere fact-- I have only myself to blame if the finish product is poor.
The first four rules of business My parents taught me were . 1) Always do your best when you work as it represents yourself, 2) ALways be honest- even when someone else may not be, 3) If you are going into business you must always be able to do every aspect of the business and never ask someone to do what you wouldn't. 4) Never be ashamed of working hard, or being poor-- even though alot of times they go to together (weird pair).
I think alot of employees never heard my parents' speeches. I added the-- always try to make everyones day better-- alot of bosses are the ones to forget this . Being solo can be as great as being a team and visa versa. I forgot to add I have always been blessed with working for great people. I may be alone but I have many with me...

[Acute Cut]

Been there, had employees, had complaints. I did solo for 3 years. Then hired. My LAST employee was able to rack up an astounding 43 complaints. IN ONE WEEK THAT IS!. When he was with me he was acceptable. When i sent him solo he did Everything wrong. You should have seen the brodies and burnouts he did on customers lawns. HE had the audacity to call me last week and ask "so, when am i starting back up. I cant wait to come work for you again. I love that job."
I laughed histerically (for real, i did) then hung up because i couldnt catch my breath. LOL.

Man, i figure it this way. Ill get bigger equip till i cant get no bigger. Ill get faster equip till i cant get no faster. Ill mow lawns till i got no more light. Then, if i get even one more customer, ill by accesories for my faster bigger mower to help in other areas to go faster STILL. And if i cant hardly keep up still, ill look foward to winter i guess. $$ is $$. Right now i would just be happy if it would stop raining. I can handle it moderatly i guess, but misery loves company. Nothing like feeling bad about the weather and then looking and some 8$ hr person you hired and see him likeing it even less. At least i get paid good money to get rained on. hehe.

SOLO!

[BigJim]

Yep just me and Mr Walker:cool:

[David Haggerty]

I've been practicing Acute Cut's plan for the past 20 years.
My son's started helping full time this year.
Can I claim to be solo now that I have a helper?


We are huge and we are fast!
Yesterday we mowed 4 factories and three apartment complexes.
All were 2-3 acres each except for one apt. complex.
It has 18 apartment buildings set on 24 acres!
Everything was mowed, edged & blown clean.
Some little areas were even bagged.


I started with a 30" Snapper rider years ago.
Now I have a Toro 580-D plus all the necessary support equipment.
I'd rather invest in equipment than payroll any day.

Dave

[GrassChopper]

I am solo too!

I plan to stay that way.

[Big G]

Ours is a husband and wife team. Hey, at least we don't "pay" any employees. No workers comp or headaches that you typically get from hiring someone else. My wife's a great worker!

[CSRA Landscaping]

Originally posted by David Haggerty
Yesterday we mowed 4 factories and three apartment complexes.
All were 2-3 acres each except for one apt. complex.
It has 18 apartment buildings set on 24 acres!
Everything was mowed, edged & blown clean.
Some little areas were even bagged ... I'd rather invest in equipment than payroll any day.

Dave

This is exactly why I want to get the customer base to be able to pay someone, at least one full-time helper. Man, I get beat just doing one apartment complex that's about 4 acres. One more person would make it SO much better. :(

[Lawns & More]

Solo !!

[PRECISION LC]

I am also solo, but have help on some of those not fun jobs, like weeding, and big clean-ups. but primarly solo

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

Me and my Toro wb. Mr. Toro shows up for work every morning, never has a hangover, never complains about the hours, or pay!!

LAWNS AND MOWER

[J.Henderson]

This is my first year and I am going about my business solo, with of course the help of 600 of you guys helping me.

:blob4:

[Redmowers]

Me,Myself and I .....a 3 man part time crew

[Toroguy]

Originally posted by J.Henderson
I am going about my business solo, with of course the help of 600 of you guys helping me.

:blob4:

Very good point, Lawnsite is a co-worker in a sense, probably the best one around...Im locking my door now.

[kroll]

Had employee's till 1996 made them go away.
have enough trouble trying to remember what I doing. let alone baby sitting. sometimes my wife bails my fat out of the fire. and I find work for my son when his rent's past due. he don't pay me back in cash he pay's me in labor. Works well. and before anybody gets on me for charging him rent he lives out on his own and he's 23 yr. old.

[MATTHEW]

100% SOLO. Will stay that way. Been there and done that with employees. Good ones. Friends who needed help between jobs. But in a 6-8 month business year, its hard to retain the same people without real incentives. When you get overbooked, it makes sense to hire. You make "x" per hour and charge "y" and it seems to be a good investment. But believe me, in most every case, your profits will decrease and headaches will increase!
Big LCO's can only dream of 65% profits.

[Acute Cut]

I was thinking about that exact thing today Mathew. We always read about lawn companies that gross BIG $$! I love on all the lawn mag subscriptions i get it asks the amount i make. The smallest one they got is under 250,000 usually. I WISH> LOL! I GROSS about 50, i take home enough to pay bills and eat. The rest goes twords equip and a new truck. 95 Ram diesel, beats my old 73 chev (Rust mostly) to death. Gotta love that sound. UG UG UG! <-- (Tim allen grunt)

Man we should swamp lawn and landscape and tell em to get some small guys in there. hehe. But, on the other hand, us small guys look up to the big guys, not the other way around i guess. Maybe they will make a mag to send to the really big guys with nothing but small guys in it. LOL> We could recruit the bicicst mower guys and everything. LOL!

[darryl gesner]

I'm solo with the wife helping out with the phone. I hope to get her to do the book keeping too.

[proline32]

I'm solo now, used to have three crews and the trucks and all the tools, sold them all off and pocketed the cash. I let go my last employee about a month ago.... Now I just need to become as efficient as possible in my work and bidding, and maximise my revenues. Heard an interesting interview with the president of the baseball team the mariners today... Even this guy was talking about Maximising revenues and keeping expenses down as much as possible so the team makes an excellent profit. This was in response to a question about the $6.00 beers at the ball park, he said "hey, It's a matter of supply and demand, you may gripe about the cost of the beer, but many will pay the price anyway.
we need to take that approach in the LCO biz for sure.

[eslawns]

I'm solo and love it. If I could find a reliable person who would do what I want, the way I want; not tear up my stuff, steal from me, or create problems with my clients, well it would probably kill me. I use help for larger hand work projects, but I do 99% with my own 2 hands. My only worry is getting sick or hurt.

[Brickman]

eslawns

I am totally with you. Finding some body to fit all that you mentioned I think is impossible.
I too worry about getting too sick, or hurt to work. Then what???

[David Haggerty]

Originally posted by Brickman Lawn Care
eslawns

I am totally with you. Finding some body to fit all that you mentioned I think is impossible.
I too worry about getting too sick, or hurt to work. Then what???

Then you're just out of business.
With a solo operation, the man is the business.
I wouldn't trust my business to some flunky I'd hired.

Your situation wouldn't be any better in any other career.

Just take care of yourself and work safe.

Dave

[scott's turf]

I don't know how you guys can say that your profits are higher solo than with employees. I understan that your percent profit is higher but not your gross profit. Isn't the gross profit what matters to you. I have a full time mech eng job and have someone work for me full time. I pay him $16.00/hr plus profit sharing. You get what you pay for. Things are going well and I only work around 5 hrs a week. Last year I only brought in around 20k but that was pretty good for the time I worked. You will quickly reach your limit working solo. Not to mention if you get hurt, have a family emergency, want vaca. There is good help out there but they deserve good pay. At least work with a helper. They are much cheaper and you will be qwith them all the time. Lot less headaches and a lot more profit. I usually bring in more per week in the summer from my lco than my desk job. It is nice having other people make money for you.

[smburgess]

One man operation...NEVER!

I like the money and the time off whenever I want it. I take a couple of vacations during the summer, and sometimes long weekends to head up to lake Erie for walleye fishin'.
The key is finding good people, paying them right, give them benefits (health insurance, dental, holiday pay, 401k, and a paid vacation) helps. Everyone working for me isn't GREAT, but most I'm happy with, plus a couple key crew leaders that I TRUST. When I go on vacation I give the crew leader I leave in charge $100 just to make sure things get done or he doesn't get it! - Worked so far.

BUT it's not for everybody and I can understand that. If I was a one-mand-show I would not make as much money, have less free time, work harder, and worry - what if I get hurt? sick? ect.

[mikal]

solo and after having 2 different helpers (each one day) I plan to keep it that way unless something hapens that i was unable to work. Even then their incompetance will probly drive me nuts and I would still do some of the work.

[Just Cut]

I am solo as well and intend to keep it that way

[TGCummings]

Steve,

You're my new hero. ;)

[gogetter]

I'm solo right now, but definately want to grow to the point where I can hire one or two good guys.
Not crazy about working by myself out there. This probably comes from my many years of delivering furniture with my driver. Kinda got used to working with a partner.

Also I definately worry about the whole getting sick or hurt thing. Again from the furniture years my back can be touchy, fine one day, hurting the next. And I'm too familiar with strained muscles that lay you up for 3 and 4 days.

At the same time, I am concerned about how difficult hiring good employees will be since I've read plenty of horror stories here!
This is why I'm seriously considering the H2B program. More then likely I'll try to find decent local help first.

We'll see.

[taz038]

I am New to the game and work alone most of the time. If I come accross a bigger project I either get a friend or family member or I refer to someone else.
Eventually i would Like to hire just one person for the season and that is it I am in it to keep myself busy and that is all I really care about. :blob3:

[Holloway Lawns]

I am a one man operation at times last year I had a crew of 4 but this year so far I have lost 3 customers. I wanted to grow a bit more this year but so far it does not look good. I had planned on just keeping my customers from last year and taking on maybe 5 more. I did drop one bad customer this year. I need to get at least 9 more to meet my goal this year. It will work out I am sure even though our news paper is full of lawn ad's.