Anyone else starting up new in 2003?

[KenGreenPro]

I plan on being up and running in time for spring 2003 and was wondering if anyone else here is in the same boat? If so, I was thinking maybe we could get in touch in order to swap ideas on marketing, equipment, services, handling the wife :) etc etc etc. I realize the reason we come here is to get advice from the "Pro's" but i thought it might be interesting/helpful for us newbies to talk to each other from time to time................If anyone is interested just shoot me an email and we can go from there......


Greenpro@hotmail.com

thanks and I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season this year....

Ken
GreenPro Lawn & Landscape LLC

[mike48114]

My name is Mike and I'm an alcoholic. Just kidding! I too am a Newbee to owing a lawn maintenance co starting spring 03'. I was upper mgt. at a company that recently went out of buisness and now I'm taking a shot at it on my own. I would be interested in any and all advise, warnings, and ideas any of you Lawn Site guys or girls have to offer. I will be running a 1 crew, full time operation out of my house.

Thanks for the help

[DLS1]

Charles on this site is from South Carolina. He can talk to you about politics, not sure how much he knows about LCO business. :D :D :D

[Nebraska]

There is a neat feature to lawnsite. Search. Anything you can think of will be in there...

[A-Z LAWNCARE]

:D Hello A-Z lawn care inc will also be new this comming spring.

It is a big challenge to generate cash flow with no grass and no plow in my possession.

I have an advantage, I sell mower parts to some of the mower mfg. I also sell to the small shops so I have some experence and access to parts at great prices that helps me alot.

I listen to the customers that buy parts from my guys and get feed back on what people want from a lawn co and I do my best to do so.

Good luck out there it can be tough, but if you put the customer first you will grow and be very successful.

I would look at the bladeRunner. It's a great unit, fast, left hand cut (mow while looking at the traffic). Made in USA by guys that came from this industry, parts are easy to get any time of year, so no waiting on the factory to get some more parts in.

Alex Turner
A-Z LAWN CARE INC.
SPRINGFIELD MO

[KenGreenPro]

looks like there are a few of us starting up in spring of 2003. I am looking at mowers at present as well. Have narrowed it down to Exmark, SCAG and Possibly a JD. I am working with an awesome company on my flyers/doorhangers who are cheap cheap but produce an awesome product www.postcardwarehouse.comand hope to have everything ready to mail or hang by the early weeks of Feb.

If anyone would like to talk about some of the other pains we are going thru to get started feel free to give me a call at 843-388-9174 anytime after 6pm.

good luck to all and happy holidays..

ken

[Superiorlandscaping]

I also was upper management at a company who went out of business. (for personal not professional reasons) I am a business major and have a passion to become an entrepreneur. Anyways, I am starting my company "Superior Lawn and Landscaping" in central mass. Here are a few questions.

1) I know I need insurance. Do i purchase insurance before or after i file for a business liscense down at the clerks office.
2) How much is insurance going to cost me.
3) Does this insurance include everything including the trucks?
4) Does anyone know the osha regulations for landscaping companies.
5) Would anyone buy a Dixie Chopper 2501 or 2503 (60 inch). It is not the deluxe machine but the price leader machine. I dont want to break the bank.


I am very interested with chatting with other newbies and veterans via email. My email address is couvan57@aol.com . I have learned alot of excellent information in my entrepreneur class, marketing class, small business class, and my business law class here at Bentley College. I am sure we can discuss many different topics. Hope to hear from alot of you.

[walker-talker]

here are some insurance quotes I got a few months ago
1992 Chevy pickup----liability---$353 year
equipment (theft)---$3 for every $100
1 million general liability---$250 year

I would definetly get personal/business insurance on your vehicle. It's not much more if any, but your personal insurance will not cover you if you are towing your mowers and such. Go talk with an agent today!

MATT

[lawncare3]

I've been in the business since i was 10 but now i get to be on th road with the big boys.so i'm kind of starting out again.

[greenman]

Originally posted by lawncare3
I've been in the business since i was 10 but now i get to be on th road with the big boys.so i'm kind of starting out again.

One of the first things you need to do is get some commercial equipment. Get rid of the crapsman and echo equipment. Keep the Stihl bp.

[chalue]

Originally posted by KenGreenPro
I plan on being up and running in time for spring 2003 and was wondering if anyone else here is in the same boat? If so, I was thinking maybe we could get in touch in order to swap ideas on marketing, equipment, services, handling the wife :) etc etc etc. I realize the reason we come here is to get advice from the "Pro's" but i thought it might be interesting/helpful for us newbies to talk to each other from time to time................If anyone is interested just shoot me an email and we can go from there......


Greenpro@hotmail.com

thanks and I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season this year....

Ken
GreenPro Lawn & Landscape LLC :dizzy: :gunsfirin

[chalue]

What is the best way to bid on a job site:dizzy:

[Brickman]

Chalue you sure got an attitude for some body that has been on LS for all of 3 posts.


That is why LS is here to help out the ones that need helping. I really wish I would have had a resource like LS back in 96 when I started LC. I know that I would have avoided a lot of mistakes.

[Jon99]

I too will be starting a company this spring, called Makin the Cut in central Illinois....Was working for a certain accounting firm that went belly up after Enron and decided to start up a lawn car business.. I did this in college and loved it, so here I am.. I have a 48" Scag Tiger Cub, a 16' trailer, Shindaiwa trimmer, Echo blower and hedge trimmer, all new and ready to roll in the spring...Its amazing, I have an MBA and don't have a clue what I need to do as far as taxes (do I need a tax ID #???, etc) to start a simple business....

[daferg]

Well, this is my first post. Hello all. My partner and I just combined forces to form a lawn maintenance company called The Ground Crew and we really enjoy it. I am in Texas so insurance costs etc are close to what was quoted earlier in the thread. I would highly recommend atleast one commercial mower versus any walk behind because it custs job time in half, does and better job and is a heck of alot more fun to use. We used push mowers in the beginning and it took forever and now with a Scag 36" one person can easily do what it took two to do. Look around for used equipment sometimes you can find a really good deal without all of those initial payments new companies don't need and can't afford. We found a great deal on a 94' model Scag 36" for only $850 with velke and mulch kit in perfect shape. Don't expect thses kind of deals to come very often cause we got a great deal. Well thats my 2 cents. If anyone from Texas is out there drop me a line.

Ferg