Young owners of LCO's ?

[Soupy]

I notice that there are alot of young guys, 14 and 15 years old running LCO's. I commend their efforts, but am wondering how this is done? Isn't it illegal? Is Their (your) parents the actual owners. I can remember back when I was 15 and went to work for an ice company here in town. I couldn't work around any mashinery. all I could do is keep the place clean. I think the guy just liked me and wanted to give me a chance. as soon as I got my license, he made me a driver and worked there untill I was 21. then I started my own business (10 years ago).

Anyway, I was just curious as to how all these yound guys are doing it. I'm wondering how they get their mowers around. Sure when I was young I cut a few grasses in the neighborhood. But I would hardly call it a business. And back then there was only a couple of LCO's in my area. Now there are 100's.

Soupy

[scagman]

Yes, there are literatlly 100's. I see them everywhere. nobody looks as good as me though.J/K

[AK Lawn]

You want to know how we did it, well what i did was start off very small and work from there, when i was ten i mowed two lawns and business had doubled almost every year since, currently have 100 weekly clients, before i was 16 my father drove me around after work to the properties that were far away and had a trialer on my bike for the close ones, only had 20 or so clients till i was 16 then went to 40. since then i have tripled and and currently were i am today, as far as before 18 yes father owned everything, he gave me loans that i had to pay back and waslicensed under him, a year ago everything was switched no longer bank of daddy and have loans with Wells fargo, all euquipment is paid for by me including my new truck, i have had insurance since i was sixteen under my father, with out him i couldn't have what i have today, and i thank him everyday, he still looks over the bus. as a silent partner, like he always has, but will step in to co-sign if needed , he sees my vison and supports me fully, have to say this year i have invested into property of my own and am almost fully selfsufficent, if you have any other questions on my success or even if you doubt me feel free to email me and will be glad to discuss this futher, i have to say i am not planning on doing this my whole life, currently i am in school and have had job offers from various investment firms and fell that this is the direction i will take my life later, but for no nothing else couild pay the bills better or have as much fun doing, have just taken om a partner that want to phase me out over the next five years to just a small silent partner (like my father) to always be there to help out
AK Lawn

[Soupy]

AK Lawn, I commend you on your acheivments. I kinda thought that is how you guys did it. I wasn't knocking you guys at all. I was just curious as how it was being done. the main reason I asked this question was because My nephew keeps bugging me to hire him, But I tell him he's not old enough. I'm sure he could do the job. But I don't think it's legal. I need to check into it more locally. I was always under the impression you had to be 18 to operate mashinery.

Soupy

[Brickman]

Soupy you are right about the 18 deal. But if you "own" your own business or work for your parents, that is dropped to at least 16.

I have one commercial prop. that will not allow me to have any one working on their prop. under 18. (insurance)
Since I have mowed them for like 5 years, and don't want to git rid of them I will listen.

It is a high visiblity shopping mall, where a lot of people see me out there, and comment on the looks of the place. So I try hard to keep them.

[Soupy]

That's what I thought, I worked one winter at a resturaunt (bartender) and the busboys that were under 18 were not allowed to run the dish washer.

Soupy

[Clint]

I mowed my families yards ( 4 ) for years, bought my commercial husky bp blower, and husky string trimmer, and then decided to take it to the next level, while mowing their yards, saved my money, sold my dirtbike ( Yes, I saved for that too ), and bought my new metro 36" 15hp and a 12x5 trailer, I'm 15 and my mother does not work, thankfully my dad can support us w/out mom having to work, she brought me to the account, sat in the car, and read her gardening magazines, Thank you mom! I'm 16 May 10, and it will be a load off her shoulders, either way, thats how I do it. Really, to tell you the truth I dont know how I got so much money to buy that motorcycle. But glad I did, cause now I've got my mower!

Clint

P.S. Dad did buy me my 98 RAM.

[dlandscaping]

Started out with a neighbor that grew to about 12 on my street. I walk my midsize walkbehinds to the properties mow walk back get the trimmers walk back get the backpacks. Had to buy a trailer at 14 so my dad could pull all our stuff and had to buy the trailer hitch. Sometimes he will help out but usually just sits in his ram. He has an enclosed ram2500 so i needed a pickup so at 15 i bought a 95 f250 extended (need seats for my bros) and have him or my mom drive it to a job. If its local they go back home if not sit in the car. Im going to get insurance this year under a parents name. Just got my permit the other day so now i can drive the truck and trailer but still need a parent. It was much more expensive having to rely on my parents since i can only take on so much work and have so much stuff had to buy 2sheds for equipment. I cant wait for fall when ill have my liscence and then plowing in the winter. I dont know of that machinary 18 thing since every company here employees from 14 on and some younger people. I have been running walkbehinds since 13 when i bought a brand new one and was never told of such a thing.

[Scag48]

There is no age to run your own equipment. If you have an employee that is under 16, maybe even 18, OSHA or L & I might get mad. You could be 10 years old and mow lawns. You can operate any equipment you want as long as you don't have an employee that is under 18 or something. I know golf courses don't hire people to mow up there untill they're 18.

[GLS]

I am 16 years old, and my brother is 17, but we don't really consider ourselves to be an lco. We have been mowing lawns since we were about 10 (parents lawn with a little 21"er). A few years later we were asked to mow a friend of my grandmas. One of my parents would drive us over there. We actually started out using her 21" and an ELECTRIC weedeater. About a year later, we got tired of the electric trimmer, and brought our gasser. Couple years later my brother could drive, and we took on a few more jobs (by word of mouth). We bought some better equipment: deere jx-75, 48" tractor, stihl fs 85 trimmer, and other attatchments/hand tools...We now mow around 7-10 lawns per year and do a lot of cleanups and landscaping projects. We also build decks, install trim, etc. Saving for a new truck (currently use our dad's chevy).
A lot of people probably think that at this age, we are too young. But, some people are more mature than others. We do quality work, and buy the best equipment we can afford. We're not going to steal anyones business, it's just to put a few dollars in our pockets and it's something we enjoy doing. I can make over twice as much doing lawncare than I can working part time at some fast food resaurant. Just last weekend we made over $400, try doing that at mcdonalds!
Here are some pics of our equipment:
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/jd21.jpg
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/trimmer1.JPG
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/trimmer5.JPG
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/trimmer6.JPG
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/stripe1.jpg
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/stripe2.jpg
http://0ryan0.home.mchsi.com/porch.jpg

[CLM1103]

When I see what the "average" teenager is doing in todays world, I commend every one of these youngsters for their ambition and willingness to work in order to be self-sufficent. I think us older ones should give them all the support and help we can. I am also glad they have the kind of parents that are willing to invest their time into their youngsters.

[snow]

I'm 16 and have been cutting lawns since i was around 10. At one time i had around 15 customers, but now i only have 7. I also work at a gas station 20 hours a week, so my lawns i do just on friday. I saved up enough money to buy a pickup all with my money, bought outright, no financing.

My friend is 16 also and has 30 accounts. He has a 52" scag hydro and is going to get a lazer or another scag this year. I help him when i have days off from school.

I know of 5 other kids at the high school who cut lawns.


Bryan

[AK Lawn]

It is amazing to see what kids are doing nowadays, i am still a kid but i am amazed at the fact that a 16 hasa 52", all i had was 3 21", commercial hondas but still, didn't get my first wb till i was 17 and it was a 36" even now with 100+ accounts the biggest mower i own is a 48", but i give props to all of you guys for you achievements, i just posted pics of my truck on another thread and will post one here, this is what has driven me, one toy at a time, and i could not have made a more true statement, beats working at McDonalds, can't make this kind of money workin' at the kinda jobs they want to hire kids
AK Lawn

[Turf Technologies]

I thought i was young at 22, but after reading some post i feel old now!

Honestly you young ones are an outstanding example to those you grow up with.IF you keep up what your doing youll have your own home and be able to take care of everything you need, while your best friend is still living with his parents.Its not easy to find a good paying job and get out on your own these days,I say it and many do "the only way to make is to be self employed" thats more true if you live in the South or a rural area.Im really impressed to see Oryans work on that deck you built ,looks remarkable.


Keep up the good work!

[Evan528]

I am 17 and started at the old age of 9 ;-). I started out like most young guys cutting grass for a couple neighbors. I always took my work very seriously and reinvested all my profits back into the business. By Age 11 I bought My first new commercial walk behind mower and a pickup truck wich my older brother (who I employed at the the time) drove. Over the years I have continued to build and pay cash for all my equipment. I now have about 70 Full service landscape/lawncare accounts. I am a license pesticide applicator and have have 3 years of Horticulture schooling behind me. I have one full time employee and have a second full time employee starting this monday if everything goes right. I am fully legit...... I am insured and pay Uncle Sam my hard earned money so he can distribute it to people that are too lazy too work:angry: ......thats another issue...I wont go there. You guys get the drift.

[grassyfras]

I started out when i was 12. In about a year i had 6 accoutns the next year about 12 and it kept growing all the jobs were in the neighbor hood so I could walk to them. I quickly learned that I had to get commercial equipent and 2 years ago i Started to do that and finally got a 36". This year I got a trailer but only use it about once a week for a few lawns but Im starting to get more and more everyweek. I really didnt think I would get as big as I am but this has always been just a hobby to me kind of like a game. Maybe when I go off to college I will be able to sell my company or have someone else run it for me but im not reall sure how that will work.

[little green guy]

I also started when i was about 13, now i'm 18. My cousin and I started doing lawns around the nieghborhood when i was about 13, we both bought walkbehinds. The next year he quit and I was on my own, i always had friends that where older than me though and when i got jobs that i couldn't walk to i stated haveing them help me, i had a trailer and three of my friends had trucks so it worked well. I also worked for another landscaper who i have become good friends with, I learned alot working for him and he also let me use equipment and trucks ect. My Dad is a contractror too so he insured it and all that untill i could get it in my name. When i was 15 or 16 i bought a truck. Now i have 2 trucks , 2 trailers, a lazer, a couple scag hrdyo walkbehinds and all the other good stuff, I also have 2 guys working full time right now plus a couple people that work partime. so anyway that how i did it.

[garydale]

It's great to see all the ambition you young fellas have.Hang in there it even gets better.

I wonder about insurance. If something happened on a property who would be responsible? Parent, Homeowner?

Sorry, I didn't mean to change the subject

[lawnkid]

I'm only 14, almost on 15 and i'm running 16 lawns on a street that's about a mile long. Most lawns are close to mine. I just walk my mower down the street in the street and pull up tp peoples lawns. Cops always see me cutting and wave and ask how business is doing. Yesterday some guy on my street calls while I'm still in school and he wants to surprise his girlfriend by having someone service the lawn nicely. The place needed a bad clean up and I offered one but the guy justy said he wanted me to cut, edge, trim, and blow. The lot is about 1/2 acre. Then while i'm working he asks me if i could do some heavy brush clearing in the back. I said yes kindly and gave him an estimate to add on to the bill. It was like 3000 sq. ft of trimming and the total was like $55. While when I'm done the guy comes out and tells me "You made yard look like I live somewhere and was very impressed with my mowing stripes eding and clearing of the brush. He gave me $75.
I was very happy.

[yorkpaddy]

I started when I was 13 in DC, we didn't have a lawn there so I borrowed an old one from my grandfather. Then my father gave me a loan to get a john deere 21 inch. When we moved to alexandria VA my business really took off. Until I got my license my parents drove me around in the minivan. I bought my first truck with some help from dad 3 weeks before I got my license. The next spring when I was still 16 we got a loan for a walk behind.

I have always bought the best equipment I can afford and try to work hard and be honest. I'm 19 now and go to college full time and mow on the weekends. I mow a 7 acre estate and a 3 acre hotel. One of the most rewarding things about my job is interacting with the customers. They all know me, and all like me.

[yardboyltd]

Hey all, my internet has been down for about a week and it's my first time on since then. I was getting withdrawl symptoms.

Anyways, for those of you who don't know, I'm 16. Going back, it seems thas this is my fourth season. I started out just mowing 2 or 3 yards with a push mower for extra cash. I had worked at a grocery store for 2 years since eigth grade. Back then I didn't know what I wanted to do in life and still not abosolutely sure, but that grocery store interested me in business. So one night I started browsing the net and read a bio of young entrepreneaur website. Before my lawn cutting was simply money, no business interest, as I think some of the "non-professionals"(no s word :) and young people think of their lawns.

I got interested in business and I'm pretty good at that math skills and love calculated risks. It's a chess game to me. Most of all I'm eager to please. This brought on the motivation to build a LCO to a magnitude as great as I could achieve. Just last season I treated lawn mowing more serious and gained many accounts. It's then I learned the hardships's and how cut throut this industry is. I learned from the down falls and this year I have grown above my expectations.

My equip:
Last year I bought a 52" residential ZTR which really cut down cutting time from the Murray rider I bought early last season. It's a great mower for 1 acre residential lawns with regular cut grass, but it doesn't have a deep deck to cut thick and tall grass. I also have to go slow when cutting sometimes. Great mower for the size of my business I had and striped great.

This year, I barely advertised and landed some larger commercial jobs, a few on 2 year contract. Also this year i got 300k liability insurance, a larger trailer, and some echo 2-cycle equipment.

The greatest thing though is coming on monday. A BRAND NEW GRAVELY 260Z!!! FYI, 25hp Kohler 60" ZTR. That will make two Z's for me. I can't wait to get it, but it looks I'm gonna have to buy a 18' tandem to replace the 12' single axle I have now to haul it! That's not a bad thing though.

Money wise, I have $1100 of regular customers per mow which equates to grossing over 20k this season. I average $35 a hour, usually don't work for less than $25 a hour and a few accounts I make as much as $50 a hour I invest in stocks and have Roth IRA. Young guys: If you don't have a IRA now, get one. A few years difference could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars difference.

I'm still getting calls, but there starting to dwindle down...

Legal wise, I consider this MY business. Contracts are the only thing I have ran across that require being 18, so my dad signs those... No big deal. My business is claimed through my taxes, and since I am a dependent I pay less money. Because of school, my dad does alot of my contacting for me during the day.

The future of my business is uncertain with college. I plan to goto a tech school like Caltech and major in engineering, perhaps computer science or physics, idk. However, I still plan to double major in business to diversify myself. My options are to sell it my last summer here, or let my dad negotiate contacts and contracts here while consulting me and have it ready when I come back for the summer...

While I don't plan to obtain a green industry diploma, I could see myself doing this for the fun of it after college part-time.

[yardboyltd]

Just though I might give an update. The 260z gravely is great. I included a pic of my setup, it's first international showing :) It's a poor picture in bad lighting and I forgot I had the camera picture quality turned down. However, you may not be able to make out the red 96 ram with 318 magnum (great condition) or the 6x12 trailer behind it. Tomorrow I'm installing new 5' sidegate I just constructed and then a trimmer rack on the other side. Then I plan on having it sandblasted and powdercoated to match the truck. I sold my old z and that means my new one is now 70% percent paid for, it should be paid for in about a month!! By the end of this year or begginning next spring I should have a new hydro 36".

Thanks to lawnsite.com, it helped me realize what I could turn my small grass cut'n job into a lawn care business. Around here there are few "professional operations". I'll be 17 in 5 months.