Other professions

[MikeLT1Z28]

what does/did everyone do other than being an LCO?

I was in the IT field before the Y2K threat hit. After things settled down everyone started downsizing, Sept. 11 didn't help much for jobs either?

How about you guys?

Part timers, what else do you do?

Just wondering where everyone comes from.

[gravedigger5]

Full-time dad and husband, lco 20hrs week, journyman machinist 40hrs week. Got to keep the priorities in order. dad quit farming couple years ago, needed something else to do with my time, now I wish I could do mowing full time. maybe next year:D

[Tony Harrell]

I was a mainframe computer operator for about ten years. I wanted to be a programmer until I worked a third shift and saw how much "computer interuptus" there was! I've also been into pest elimination (mostly commercial).

[pakmule]

I drive "The Big Brown Truck" Monday thru Friday about 45hrs per week. Then I sacrifice my Saturdays making twice my hourly rate riding my Rocketwheels chariot behind a scag. :eek:

[proline32]

Previously a professional greenskeeper for kiawah Island resort, then spent ten years as a professional paint salesman/ industrial coating consultant. Got back into lawn maintenance a little over three years ago mostly for my mental and physical health. Less stress than sales and I've lost a lot of weight running around mowing yards. I've thought about going back to work in the golf maint industry.

[Albemarle Lawn]

Have a bachelors in economics from Virginia Tech. Worked 6 mos as an intern while in school.

Never really had a real job, though sometimes I have nightmares about having one. Been at this for 8 seasons now.

Ken

[rodfather]

Director of Training for the Hertz Corporation 1987 - 1994.

Vice President of Management & Marketing Consulting Firm 1981 - 1987.

Owner of my own business since 1994.

[Mowingman]

Mining engineer and geologist for the largest American-owned brick manufacturer. Have mowed full time now for 3 years. Could never go back to working for someone else. I love this job.:D

[Merc145]

FF/Paramedic full time. 1 on, 2 off. Great schedule!!!1

[Mowingman]

Merc, Did you get my e-mail? Are you with the Fire Dept. here in town? I mow some of the stations.:)

[johndeere455]

I work 40 hrs a week for the Richland County Highway Dept here in N. Central Ohio, been doing this for 4 yrs. I also worked at a fertilizer plant and built lawnmowers for Mtd for 7 years. We work 4-10 hr days during the summer months which gives me Fridays off to mow. Gotta love that government job.:D

Mark

The Wright-Way Lawn & Landscape

[Krimick]

Blackjack and Baccarat dealer in a Casino.

I worked for a lco during HS. After school I got a "real" job at at a Casino...

Hated it and got back into lawns after about a year with the gamblers

[Holloway Lawns]

Always done lawn work part time during all these jobs.

1991 Employee of mall done lawn Maintenance

1993 The city repaied water mains

1995 went full time doing my own Lawn Maintence biz

Euiptment was stolen so had to get another job.

1996 Truck driver

1996 Joined Army
done bail enforcement, served papers, investigation part time while in the Army

1999 Correctional officer
licensed Private Investigator in Texas

2001 started Lawn work part time again

2002 still a correctional officer, Private Investigator and LCO

Have a son with a disability and wife that takes care of us both.

[J.Henderson]

I work as a district sales manager for a local newspaper here in the area I live in. I work from 1 am- 7 am, go home take a nap then off to the lawns. I am salary so I am paid 40 hrs. per week, so I am flexible in my time. I am working with the advertising department now to insert some flyers by zone in certain areas. I am trying to get a good employee discount, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.:blob4:

[Lawns2nv]

I was tree climber ( trimmer ) for 1 year, then a landscape construction forman for 2 years

[walters lawn]

WORKING FOR A WATERTREATMENT CO. NOW BEEN THERE 6 YEARS AND I MAKE AROUND 34K YEAR. BUT I WONT TO QUIT AND MOW FULL TIME. I HAD BEEN ON DAY SHIFT FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS AND NOW THAY ARE MAKING US SWITCH SHIFTS EVERY 3 MONTHS I HATE IT . I NEVER GET TO SEE MY WIFE AND LITTLE GIRL IF I DO IT MIGHT BE FOR 1 OR 2 HRS. WE WORK 12HR SHIFTS 4 DAYS A WEEK. AND THEN I MOW THE REST OF THE TIME I LOVE THE DAYS I GET TO MOW. I AM OUT IN THE DAY TIME MOWING HOME AT NIGHT WIHT MY WIFE AND KID. SO HOW DO YOU TAKE ON MORE YARDS AND NOT QUIT YOUR JOB OR SHOULD I QUIT. IF I DONT QUIT I DONT HAVE TIME TO MOW ANY MORE YARD SO DO I TAKE THAT BIG JUMP AND GO FOR IT. ( P . S I AM TRYING EVERY THING I CAN TO GET OUT OF THIS JOB AND WORK FOR MY SELF NOW YOU KNOW HOW I FILL WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[gusndemboyz]

I work fultime as a instrument/electrical tech for Honeywell. Cut afternoons and weekends. Wife says I work too much, trying to get company off the ground.

[Mykster]

Out of High School I worked at a sawmill for 4.5 yrs. The work was great but the pay wasn't enough. Worked for Boeing for 5 yrs. and started my business part-time. Was laidoff Dec. 14, 01 due to 9/11. So now I'm putting 110% into my business.

[KirbysLawn]

Full time Paramedic Crew Chief in Charlotte for 15 + years. Started my lawn business 6 years ago prepairing for retirment in 2007. ;)

[eslawns]

I cut neighborhood lawns in HS.

I dropped out of HS in '84 and went to work as a helper for a plumber. Spent about 4 months digging trenches for sewer and water mains, I moved to roofing. That was worse, and I never knew when I'd be working at either job.

I went to work at a grocery store as a stock clerk, then left to deliver pizza. When I got married, I took a job in a meat packing plant keeping track of plant/meat temps.

After getting a HS diploma, I joined the USMC for 6 years. Got out in '92, and went into the reserves until '96. I had a couple of jobs in warehouses before being hired as a shipping receiving manager. I cut grass on weekends for 2 years.

After getting canned from that job, I went to work driving a forklift and decided to start this biz the next spring. Since then, I worked as a convenience store clerk, a concrete/metals testing technician, wher I would have stayed if it paid more than $7/hr.

I also worked as an auxiliary deputy for a local SO for 4 years, an HVAC installer, and I work in the winters delivering pizza.

[DMS]

Full-time firefighter/EMT in northern Illinois. 24 on, 48 off, leaves (no pun intended) lots of time for lawn care.

DMS

[Cutting_Edge_Lawns]

Bank Manager for Arvest Bank 40-50 hrs wk, mow lawns 12-15 hrs a week. Started the lco when my twins girls were born (one with congential heart disease). It was originally intended to help us keep up with all the medical bills, but I found I liked it enough that I am still at it!!

[jeffex]

. Economics degree helped me start my first business in 79'. Circulation Sales Mgr. Burned out with no social life took a job as a mailman in 84'. Great job with low pay up until about 10 yrs ago then it became a sh$$ job with bennifits . Wife stayed home to raise our son so we needed extra income. 8 yrs ago I cut my mother-in-laws lawn as a favor and now we can handle 50 lawns part time. If there are any other postal workers out there keep at it. Its a great feeling to look at the boss when they are giving you a raft of sh$$ for something outrageous and say"how about suspending me so I can make some real money". They look at me like Klinger on MASH I want to get suspended so I can get my work done. I asked for a leave of absence and was denied. I get 5.5 wks of vacation and 11 paid holidays to keep up with the lawns. I still have a business called DECK DOCTOR PRESSURE WASHING too.

[SIG]

Purchasing Manager for an Electrical Contractor. Just got a big raise, I think the word got out that I was going to leave to mow full-time. Mow 33 properties from 1/4 to 7 acres. Have one guy work during the day, a firefighter who works shift work, then I meet up with him and help him out. I take care of the owner of the company I work for's lawn. Sig

[GrassChopper]

I was a manager for a jewelry chain for 4 years, got bored so I became a Deputy Sheriff.

I was a Deputy for 15 years, I got tired of the politics so I quit and started doing this full time. Now I am a happy camper.

I also own and run a Karate school.

[HLC]

Full time with the Alabama Air National Guard. I work on F-16 Avionics systems. Have a degree in Human Resources. No desire whatsoever to work in that field. Work 4-10 hour days with the Air Guard so I always have Mondays and 3 out of 4 weekends off so that gives me time to do this.

[Big G]

19 years as a restaurant manager. Made great money. Even though I was the General manager of the restaurants I worked at, I still had the Regional Manager, The Operations Manager and The Corporate Office to deal with. Got tired of working for someone else & their bosses.

Decided to start my own business where I am the only one who stands between myself and true success. I recognize myself and my wife who works with me for good performance everyday. It's nice to look at a well manicured lawn as you drive away & feel that you have accomplished something.:)

[rkbrown]

Quantitative Analyst/Software Developer for an energy trading/brokerage firm. Worked for an lco all through college and just got back into it part time. I am tired of being cooped up inside 9-10 hrs/day in my regular job, so I wanted some extra money and to be outside. Also, given the state of the energy trading business (ie. Enron), I wanted to get a head start on another opportunity outside of the energy trading business.

[jeffyr]

After graduating college I spent 4 years at a commercial photo lab as a custom printer while shooting freelance photography. The money in the sidework was not regular and felt like running in place. For the past 7 years I have worked full time as a photography specialist at a daily newspaper and am in my 5th season landscaping part time to allow my wife to raise our daughter at home.

jeffyr

[Brickman]

Full time Lawn Contractor, volunteer FireFighter. MOST of the time I enjoy both.

[CSRA Landscaping]

In HS I worked in restaurants and grocery stores. After graduation, I was a Farsi linguist in the USAF for 4 years. July will be starting year 3 of being an LCO.

[LAWnENFORCER]

I have been a police officer for four years. I love law enforcement, but I do not love the pay and the bs that comes with it. I have had a pt lawn biz for about three years and I also love doing this. I actually get some sun, and the money is good.

KB LAWN SERVICE
CENTRAL TX

Kevin

[bruces]

I've been a CPA for 27 years, the first of May I will be going part time in the accounting practice (mornings) and doing lawn care every afternoon and evenings (and weekends if necessary).

[bobbygedd]

i do brain surgery 2 days a week, build rocket ships another 2 days, and cut grass the rest of the time.

[fastcut]

Manage an auto parts store. Been workin there about 20 yrs. Been doing the lawncare parttime for the past 13 yrs. This year I'm being a little more agressive with it, hoping to do it full time in a few years.

[bw]

I work for Modot, drawing roadways, (draftsman) BORING, I would rather be in maintenance mowing Right of way, but it pays nothing. the benefits are to good to leave right now, maybe someday I'll get fed up enough to say screw it and MOW FULL TIME......

[lasher66]

I work at UPS part time from 4am to 9am then go out and cut grass from about 11am to 6pm. I get my benefits and stuff from UPS.

Lasher66

[darryl gesner]

I worked as a cook for 10 years while in high school and college and for a while after. Then I worked in environmental consulting firms for 15 years doing contamination investigations and clean-ups. Good money but too much stress, too many hours and a product nobody really wants to buy. Got laid off from my job as a Senior Environmental Scientist in November 2000 (bad attitude but with good reason). Did a little mowing last year and a some tractor/loader/backhoe/brushhogging work before deciding to go full time this year.

[perfection lawn care]

Full Time at Maint. man for the USPS, I work third shift so it free's up my time during the day to mow. Along with that they also think they are doing me harm by scheduling my days off on
thurs & fri, really hurts my feelings. I am also a volunteer Firefighter/EMT, trieing to get a full time slot with a fire dept to free up even more time. Oh ya forgot about my wife and kid, not that the wife matters, complains ya work to much but has no problem spending it, maybe thats why we getting ready to split up!! I know somewhere between all this I am supposed to get some sleep, but I just haven't figured out where just yet!!

[Mid Rivers]

Mechanical Design/Engineering

[AltaLawnCare]

I manage a body shop full time, been in this business for about 8 years now.

Started The lawn care business part time in January of '01. I work it an average of 10-15 hours per week in season...
Not including equipment maintenance, and book work. :(

[ADMowing]

Husband and Wife Team

Husband: US Army Retired (E-8), Computer Analyst for European US Military posts. After retirement, was Quality Control for Wire Manufacturer, then house husband for a little bit until we moved back to Florida from Pennsylvania.

Wife: US Army (Four Years), Some college, Office Manager for several companies and Computer Guru/Programer for Fortune 500 company.

Enough of corporate politics... We tried to retire here in Florida, but cost of living rose and we couldn't make it. Actually started out by mowing a few lawns for friends and family in the Mobile Home Park where we lived. We were doing it for free as favors. Since, there was no reputable lawn service in the park at the time, people started asking us to do it for pay. Then, the mobile home park owners (thinking that they were hurting us) told us we had to get a license and insurance because we had the nerve to join the Homeowner's Association. So we had a decision to make -- don't do the mowing for money or go all out! So, we went for it!!!

The park owners did the best thing they could have done for us!!! Since then (5 years ago), we moved out of the park and bought our own house on 5 acres and have been increasing our totally legitimate business every since.

We are happy and blessed and love our jobs!

[Quality Lawn Care]

I'm a full time Fire Fighter. The hours I work make it ideal for cutting grass and I more than double my income. The best thing about it is a love doing both!!

[FL_Rob]

I'm in the IT field 15 years now and looking to bail...

The dotbomb and market compression following the Nasdaq decline have me looking elsehwere

r-

[tailoredlook]

Started off as an architect after college. earned real quick not the 9-5 suit and tie guy. Work for lanscape co. for 15 yrs. before going out on my own. Just got tired of making everyone else rich.

[Turf Cutters]

I am a full time firefighter and mow lawns on my days off. It still works out to be full time. My wife runs the company and this is her full time job.

[E-man]

Out of school I worked for the second largest tree company in the world for five years.I worked my way up to first class climber and bucket operator. Got tired of busting mya** for nothing and started my own business. Now I have the lawn care biz and am partnered up in my tree business with a close friend I worked with . Its been almost six years since I left and I have not missed it a bit.:D

[GAM321]

F/T Township Sewer Department worker Good money and bennies. Mow evenings love mowing but cant afford to full time.

[fireman752]

Firefighter/EMT/Hazardous Materials Technician in Lexington KY. The 24 hours on duty and the 48 hours off works out great for this type of business. Also, I have picked up alot of business by being a firefighter. Everyone that works for me are firefighters also. I love the lawn care business but I have to say, the fire service is the best job in the world.

Ashley Landscape & Lawn Management

"Remember our Fallen Brothers"

[hustlers]

volunteer coffee farmer in the winter in
southern mexico, spend time at the beach,
grow tropical fruits,

just got out high school 3 years ago.

[Just Cut]

past employment, Heating Refrigeration tech & Boiler engineer

[green boy]

I myself am a Paramedic also, work 3 days a week, had a lot of exta time on my hands. This makes me a lot of exta money...

[tim cooper]

Registered nurse. work in level 1 trauma center. takin care of shootings/stabbings/carwrecks/and yes hands/feet caught in lawnmowers. My saying, "the life u save today, may one day take your own."

[lawnstudent]

Electronics Lab Tech, on McDonald's Point Of Salws (POS) Keystations.
Software Engineer developing SDCL/SNA data communication protocols for IBM 3274 cluster controllers.
Network architech for Local Phone Company (RBOC) designing hybrid fiber/coax cable TV network and ADSL network.
Developed part of the protocols used by ADSL into your homes.
VP CTO of a start-up telecommunications company building broadband data switches. And now I'm the humble lawn-guy abd enjoying life.

jim

[Mowman]

I work for a RTA furniture mfg. Sauder Woodworking Co. driving a fork truck on the grave yard shift. Work there 48hr's per week and run my lawn service about 25+hr's per week. Getting ready to retire in 6 years. I'll only be 49 and I wanted my own business so I'd have something to do after retirement. I'd rather go full time now but with only a few years left I'm going to HANG on.

Mowman

[Bassman]

I was a supervisor for an aviation company catering to private and corporate aircraft. Got to meet some cool C.E.O's from fortune 500 corp's. and celebrities flying in on some amazing jets,(Frank Sinatra-BIG tipper, Burt Reynolds, Jack Nickolson, etc. Fringe benefit was going up in various types of private jets while pilots were training for their rating to fly the particular jet. Owned a medical supply company for 17 years. Grew ornamental foliage plants out in the country for couple of years, (wholesale). After 20 years of owning and operating my 2 businesses had to work for the man in various jobs and could not take the bull. Got into the LCO field and have been happy since.
P.S. Other jobs early on ...brass foundry, construction, pool building, furniture sales, auto sales, bank teller, truck driver, bush hog mower, geez, why did it take so long to find the perfect job as an LCO owner?

[Double D]

Air Traffic Controller

[swn]

High School techer. Only 1 good thing - most of the summer off.
Have also worked on a farm, in the logwoods as a skidder operator(they will go anywhere), and in a feed and seed store. This is my 7th year of mowing.

[Tony Harrell]

What a great thread! It's extremely interesting to see what everyone has done or is still doing. I guess the old "Profit Motive" is alive and kicking! btw-Spoke to a tourist in the barber shop today. He owns a large landscaping company in Virginia. I picked his brain like a bowl of popcorn, right down to the last kernal! Heads up!!! Landscaping is even MORE profitable. He said he started out a long time ago just mowing and progressed into mostly landscaping and some maintenance, only on his installations for the first year. I always thought it would be more profitable but it's great to talk to someone like that, sort of like a mentor.

[thfireman]

:blob2:

I am a Firefighter with the City of Charlotte, North Carolina. I have been a Firefighter for 13 years. I started cutting grass soon after I was hired to help pay the bills. I will retire in 12 years at age 50 but I will probably keep mowing.

[nitelife222]

i own my own mobile disc jockey company, full light and sound system, for proms and dances stuff like that. now im trying to get this lawn company off the ground to eat up some of my free time cause i got quite a bit during the day. it doesnt pay as much as the dj work but its fun and you feel like you did something during the day, you also make people happy by giving them a great looking lawn. and that feels good to me.

[maple city]

We are a husband and wife team. My husband is a full time firefighter for the city of Gary, Indiana. Thanks to the business I get to be an at-home Mom (on the days I don't mow).

This is a great side job for a firefighter. 1 day on 2 days off schedules with a full month of vacation time makes it easy to mow on his off days. It's also pretty cool to work together (some days).
:D

[trimmer]

Started cutting grass for my grandmother when I was 10, somehow I stuck with it through elementry, middle, high school, and now college. I went to trade school during high school to take up autobody, loved it but not enough to do it full time. Now I use autobody as my get away from reality and lawn care as my income. I guess some things you just can't get away from.

[corban]

I've been mowing since sixth grade. Now I mow, climb trees, and do landscaping. I love all I do and I've invested about $20K in equipment, but I am half way done with college to be a missionary. Mowing helps pay the $18k a year for a private school and hopefully will continue to pay for seminary. After that I have no idea what I'm going to do with all this stuff when I'm living in another country.

[hubb]

Brain surgeon. ;)

Just kidding.
I work at a silicon factory (MEMC Electronics, One of the largest makers of silicon for the computer industry) for two 12hr days and two 8hr days a week, from 7:30pm to 8:00am and then from 11:30pm to 8:00am. This gives me time to mow. I'm an industrial mantainence mechanic. I work on and repair machines. It's pretty cool although the industry since 9/11 has hit some hard times. My plant almost had to close its doors. They cut our wages by 10%. Insurance went up. etc, etc. If it wasn't for the lawn care, I'd be as broke as the plant I'm working for.

[davesgs75]

Work full time as a computer/audio/video technician in the largest computer facility of its type in the southeastern United States, work from 6:30 till 3:00 then hit the lawns. This is my fifth year running my lawn business.

[southside]

Full time now.
Used to clean supermarkets. Then drove skip bin trucks. Then
tow trucks. Been full time in the business for about 6 years,

:blob3:

[swonkeg]

Worked 2 months for Blue Bell Ice Cream after high school in freezer(-20degrees) for $3.35 hr. Hauled square hay bales for local ranch summer after school, 900-1200 bales a day.(Never Again) Now manage the in-house printing department for a wholesale grocery distributor.(16 years) Get to buy groceries at company cost-WAY cheaper than in the store! Started mowing to allow wife to stay home with kids and for kids to attend private church school.

[Loren A. Craig]

Mike,
I work 3-11 shift for U.S.government as engineering tech. I have been in lawn care for 3 years here in North Alabama. Worked for several years in centeral Florida for my Dads lco.

Loren

[Kyle Carter]

Work as a recreational leader 2. I watch kids at the park 2pm to 10pm. Fits the LCO schedule perfect!

[scottb]

I own and operate a Chicken house (layer operation) for Perdue farms and cut Grass on the side,but am currently looking for a day job with some benifits.