you guys impress me!

[haynestotallawn]

Honestly, most if not all of you have owned your own business for a while and wouldn't dream of working for someone else, me I've worked in industry forever it seems and it scares me to think my business is growing at a rate that come mid summer I may have to make a decision on doing this full time or turning down some business. Just wanted to say that.

[scott's turf]

Stick with both than. I am a full time engineer and run my lawn biz as well. I have 1 FT guy that I pay very well and he does 90% of the labor. I mostly do the books and oversee his work. You still keep your benefits and make some extra money on the side. If your lawn biz could make a lot more than your current job you might want to go for it FT but think it through.

[sheppard]

I always thought that fear was a good thing. Who wants to live a boring safe life.

Jump out of the boat and start your own business.

I highly recommend reading a speach given by Teddy Roosevely "The Strenuous Life". This motivated me to go full steam ahead in my business.

Cordially,
Sheppard

[Runner]

Originally posted by scott's turf
Stick with both than. I am a full time engineer and run my lawn biz as well. You still keep your benefits and make some extra money on the side. If your lawn biz could make a lot more than your current job you might want to go for it FT but think it through.
You can't MAKE that kind of money cutting grass as a solo to pay for benefits like that. It is virtually impossible. No matter what anybody tells you.

[TGCummings]

Originally posted by Runner

You can't MAKE that kind of money cutting grass as a solo to pay for benefits like that. It is virtually impossible. No matter what anybody tells you.

It would sure save me a lot of time and energy to know that for sure.

The wife and I are building our business with those kinds of expenses in mind and if we can't get it built up enough by the end of the year to cover those things, we're likely getting out. We can cover our living expenses, business expenses, fun expenses, medical insurance, and retirement by working a reasonable week at approximately $50/hour.

If I can't get those rates, tell me now and I'll get out. ;)

[eslawns]

IMO, there are more important reasons for doing what I do than just the money. I expect to do a shade over $70k this season. I am a solo operator, and as of this season will owe money only on my home. 3 more truck payments!!!:blob3: 5 more car payments :blob3: and about 4 grand in credit card debt. All that aside, I would still do this if it meant that I only made $25k like I did as a warehouse manager or if I'd gone with the sheriff's office full time.

What I really like is:

1. The flexibility. I decide priorities. I've been to 3 funerals in the last few years. At my old job this would have hurt my OT.

2. The responsibility. I had 13 people under me at my old job. I hired them, and was responsible for them. 2 of them made more money than I did, and I wasn't salaried. I guess my responsibility ended when the UPS truck came and timecards were turned in.

3. It's productive. I used to spend 60+ hours a week moving freight, and never saw the end of the line. Now I can see the results of my efforts as I drive to my next job. That matters a lot.

4. Permission. Do I need permission to play golf? No, just shufle the schedule a bit. Bass fever? The same.

5. My input matters. My old bosses never really cared what I thought. Sure, they always asked. Then they did what they wanted to do and when things went wrong, I got the blame. The president of the Co. gave me the nickname BOHICA. He meant it as a joke, but it was true.

I guess it all comes down to what you consider your own priorities. Security? My aunt was a federal employee. She went through an apprenticeship (4yrs) at about $7/hr, then after she got her permanent, secure job, she was laid off. She lost all her benefits, everything.

She started a maid service and was making pretty good loot, but the gov't called to ask her to come back to work. Naturally, she went. She said the benefits were just too good. About a year later, guess what? Yep, laid off again. Now she runs her business, makes more money. What about those benefits? There isn't a benefit offered by any company that you cannot offset being self employed.

As long as there is something I can do to earn money, even if it's something unpleasant, I will choose that over having some jerk of a manager scream at me because he had a bad day, knowing I have to take it to save my benfits, and that if I quit, I lose 100% of my income.

Will I get rich doing this? Every time I start to think about getting a real job, as my wife's family is always telling me to do, I remember that at the real jobs I had before, I couldn't spend $100 without seriously thinking about it. Credit card bills got the minimum payment. Last June I wrote a check for almost $5400. It sure felt different than floating a check for groceries on Thursday, based on a check I wouldn't get until Friday like I did at my real jobs. Let somebody else do that real job.

[Sean Adams]

Sheppard,

That Teddy Roosevelt speech is a great one... I'v read it many times....I have this quote from that speech on my wall...

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat."

If anyone gets a chance to read that speech, it is inspiring to say the least.

[David Haggerty]

eslawns,

Good post. What does BOHICA mean anyway?

It's a shame you don't get better support from your in-laws.
When my wife and I were married, I was already mowing lawns for a living.
Although she wasn't unsupportive of my work, she was a little indifferent.
I asked her to help with the bookkeeping. Billing, deposits, etc.
Once she got a good look at the business she's it's biggest supporter. :D

I think most people with "real" jobs are working for just a promise.
The promise of better pay, or the promise that they will take care of you if you're sick or old.
From what I've seen, most of them don't follow thru on their promises.
I'd rather take the responsibility myself.

Dave

[BigJim]

Yep cant beat working for yourself,it aint easy, but if it was everyone would be doing it.Nice to kick back at the end of the day and say I did that and everything I own I worked for myself,I work around the suburb I live in,in the morning when all the people are driving off to town,I'm the guy diving the other way,no traffic hassles,I can stop in home for lunch,meet the kids from school,Every hour or so I move along to a different spot to work and with a view like this from my "office" window I can see when the fishing is great..........

[haynestotallawn]

Thanks for all the great post guys, they are inspiring to say the least. In my "real" job I am a risk taker (firefighter) but switching gears to lawns full time is another story, firefighting is in my blood so.

[scott's turf]

Wow eslawns 70k! Is this profit? And you have no one working for you? Sounds like you are doing something right. I never thought I could touch my current job at 60k. But my situation works out well. I get 3 weeks paid time off at my current job. I have been using that time to train an employee that will be working FT for me and do some work myself. Once June comes it will be mostly books for me just like last year. I think that your exceptionally high income is rare in this industry. Congrats non the less.

[GrassChopper]

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory nor defeat"

Teddy Roosevelt

[Doc Pete]

I'm still doing this PT (yeah right);) , after 20 years. What gives me the most satisfaction is I'm the bread winner, and I love to say my wife doesn't work.
Pete

[GrassChopper]

Originally posted by haynestotallawn
Thanks for all the great post guys, they are inspiring to say the least. In my "real" job I am a risk taker (firefighter) but switching gears to lawns full time is another story, firefighting is in my blood so.

I was also a risk taker (Deputy Sheriff for 15 years). I worked hard and strived for advancement. When I saw the Sheriff's buddies being promoted and getting the good assignments, I realized that no matter how hard I work, or what a good job I did, they still controlled my destiny and income. I left and got into this line of work.

Now, my income is limited only by how hard I want to work. I am rewarded daily by my customers who praise my work. I do not have to kiss butt, play the game, suck up or pretend I like someone. I do not have a boss that is a flaming idiot and has a position higher than me just because he/she golfs or drinks with the boss.

I am the boss.

[65hoss]

Do what you love and the money will follow. At least I've always been told that.

ESlawns is correct. Its not just about the money.

Life is toooooo short to be miserable working for someone else. I have to make my business work every year. I could never work for anyone again.

I throw security out the window. With me, sink or swim works best. Working at this full time means I give it full attention. Plus, playing with toys all day is fun. Ever watch those guys around you when your working? Ever hear them say "I would love that? or I wish I had one of those." Why do you think they love to talk about their new crapsman or mtd rider? Many people love equipment and would love to be on their own making a living, but they have been brain washed into working for others.

I don't know how many times I've heard, "I wish it could do something like that." or "I wish I had my own business."

Bottom line is this, its not work for me. I enjoy what I do. I get paid for having fun. Yes, it gets stressful at times. Especially lately with spring rush, but its still fun. I guess that is my secret. Its not work, its fun. When you enjoy it you do better work, make more money, have loyal customers, and live a happier life.

[Holloway Lawns]

I do the lawn work P/T and am a licensed Private Investigator plus a correctional officer I keep the corrections job because of the bennifits health insu and all. I would love to quit it but just can't.

[yardmonkey]

Thanks for mentioning the Roosevelt speech, Sheppard. Here is a link to it: http://www.tamu.edu/scom/pres/speeches/trlife.html
Have not read it all yet, just printed it out. Great to have inspirational stuff like that - things can be tough sometimes.

One thing that helped motivate me to get started was a book called Earning Money Without a Job by Jay Conrad Levinson.

I have sometimes worked with a carpenter on rainy days. Lots of older guys working construction. Met a guy who was a t least 60, having no trouble carrying heavy boxes of floorboards. Met some bricklayers who were in their 50's or 60's. These guys commented that there are less and less young people on the jobsites. People don't want to do hard work. I seem to know a lot of young "slackers". And most older people aren't even capable of doing hard work. (It's important to keep in shape.)

Its a great feeling to be your own boss and to be rewarded for working hard.

Slade

[Pro-Cut Lawns]

haynestotallawn
Im at that point right now. Didn't sleep a wink last night. I've been doing this PT for the last 3 years and putting the money back into business paying for equipment with the intentions of going full time by next year. I work a full time Management job for a small company with few benefits but good pay. My phone has been ringing off the hook. On top of that, a guy Im an acquaintance with has 22 accounts hes getting ready to drop and get out of the business. He came to see me yesterday and said he would tell his customers I would take them over.

Now Im sure all 22 wont agree to it. Part of the 22 I don't want. The prices on the ones I would want would have to go up because he was too cheap on them. I can only take on about 4 to 5 more mid sized accounts along with what I have and thats going to be pushing it. I'm out till 9:00 pm Mon thru Fri. and do rain outs and clean ups, etc. on Sat. I have a couple Im going to start mowing on Sundays (the customers told me they didnt mind) though I really dont want to. I generally service my equipment on Sundays. Im mowing one today on my lunch hour a few blocks from my office.

I don't feel Im quite ready to go full time financially, but maybe Im using that for an excuse. I don't want to start turning down work but by the end of this week, I will be. My wife is my greatest supporter and backs whatever decision I make, but we really need to pay some things off this year. Don't know what I will do!!!!! Is this a good problem to have??????

[Runner]

I guess the point I was getting at was to make sure you're not just making enough to get by or to live on, but you also have to be thinking about the future. No matter what anyone says, most people will not be able to be out doing this, at 60 and 70 years old. Are we going to have enough saved at that point? "401k"? If you go into the hospital for test, whether they be cancer test, blood tests, SURGERY, or any other types of operations. This can run BIG bucks...fast. I'm talking thousands and thousands of dollars of debt. You have to think about retirement, because social security, (for those that actually pay into it) will be virtually non existent by the time some of us get ready to collect. Some of us on here are already retired. Some of us have wives and such that have jobs that provide the medical coverage. Others, have nest eggs already built. Some of us, however, have to budget, and hope for the best for saving for retirement. We HAVE to have that! If someone is able to do 50 bucks an hour with their mower, that's great! But, you also have to be able to do 50 bucks an hour conSIStently. You also need to be realistic on what the operating expenses are, equipment, depreciation, in between time, depreciation, fuel, parts - wear and tear, taxes, insurances, supplies, storage, power, maintenance and upkeep TIME, and several other factors. These are easy not to think about, because many of us would really rather not, and choose not to. Now, this is based at $50 an hour, which is the high end of the spectrum. Bottom line is, do the math, plan ahead, and have your numbers all in order. DO RIGHT by yourself!
Well, lunch is over - gotta go!

[TGCummings]

Runner,

I agree with you entirely, which is why we're where we are now. We have to make a certain rate to cover our expenses, necessities, profits, and life events or we can't keep doing this. We have to find out in the next year or so if we can make the kind of money we're talking about ($50/hour is a round figure I used for brevity, but I have things broken down much more precisely -- with room for error) or we have to move on to something else. This is what I love doing, and the wife is behind me 100% (and enjoying working on the business with me) but if we can't cover medical and retirement, along with the usual expenses of business and living, then we can't.

That's why we're so aggressive with marketing right now. We have some money to back us up and I'm willing to spend a chunk of it to get our name out. I'm willing to talk to 300 or so people in the next several months, if that's what it takes, to see if we can find enough customers willing to pay professional rates in our under-the-table town. We have to find out now!

Pro-Cut,

Dear God, man, do something! You can't keep that kind of activity up without going bonkers. You need time for you, for your wife, and for your life. You need a vacation! :)