General start up costs(semi urgent)

[WMU]

I am a student at Western Michigan Univ. in my business class we have to write a business plan, and I choose to start a lawn service. I have a few questions dealing with general expenses.
1. How much $ does it cost to insure a company with and without employees (no employee benefits)?
2. How much do you charge per half acre?
3. What is a realistic number for maximum accounts per week? given you have 2 crews of 3, using 2 mowers per crew (exmark hp 42''if makes a diff.)
4. How much do you pay per season on materials such as line trimmer twin, blades, compost bags, etc.?
5. How much do you spend per season on general maintenance?
6. How often do you change blades and pulleys?
Thank you for your help it is greatly appreiciated,
WMU,

[accuratelawn]

USe the search function. Read as many posts as you can.

[bob]

I know that you what specific numbers for your answers. But the questions are too vague. Here's an example; I have a lawn that takes 2 men 4 hours to cut, I also have a lawn that take 2 men 8 minutes to cut. Do you see where I'm going with this? A half acre empty lot is easier to cut than a half acre with a house,pool,fence,trees..... Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Like Accuratelawn said, use the search feature at the bottom of the page.

[Skookum]

If we give you all the answers to such a broad question, can we get a college credit or maybe some CCH's added to our pesticide license?

[lawrence stone]

Master WMU once you get out of college and enter the real world you will find out that most of that business stuff you are being exposed to on a university level is pretty much worthless.

Ask your instructors how many successful businesses that they have started and are still in operation?

Learning business from a liberal tenured college professor who never had to make payroll or even sell a job is a risky scheme.

Once you get into the real world and get your hands dirty as an employee for at least 10 years with may different firms no matter what you do you the business you will start up will be sure to fail, since you don't really know the real untaught things that are necessary to be successful.

I don't recommend that anyone even think of starting a business before age thirty-five.

[WMU]

Thanks man real helpful! Yeah the professors are hepocritical, but I've sure as hell have a better chance with a college education than I do with out one. Anyone who thinks otherwise most not have an education period. Don't tell me about hard work, I worked all four years of highschool running my own small lawn service. I had 20 lawns and made 9 grand a summer, for about 10 hrs work a week, compare that to my classmate working at the mall and im doing pretty good. I understand its hard out there but why else would I want to do it.
Once again thanks for the help,
WMU

[luckylawnboy]

To Lawrence Stone

I beg to differ in your statment about not starting a business before the age of 35. I think that is one of the worst statments I have ever herd. I, my self, am 21 right now, by the time I am 35 I hope to be selling out and building my own golf course. Right now I am a student at Purdue University, majoring in Turf Science. The knowledge I am gaining here could never be learned out in the job. I have two employees who help me with maintaing my acounts. I go home every weekend and cut about 25 lawns on Saterday and leave Sundays open for if we get behind. My knowledge of plant deficiency, soil analysis, dieases, infestations and so on could not of have been learned being a commerical Cuttter. But If would not of started my mowing business back in High School, well I am not sure where I would be today. Deffinatly not in College I started out small, only 12 lawns my first year, but hay, we all have to start some where.

So if you got in you, then try it. The wost thing that could happen is that it won't go. Rather it happen When I am 21 single, Then 35 Married Kids, Well you get the Picture.

WMU Email me if you need help.
luckylawnboy@hotmail.com

[lawnboy11]

35? Puh-leeeese! I am younger than that and I do very very well thank you very much. There are many others in my age range locally who are very successful.

[luckylawnboy]

Right on.

I agree. Us younger people are going to be doing things better, faster, more efficient, than what you older more experienced are used to. Just wait.It won't be to long before there are restriction on who can mow commerically. Right now any one can do it and thats scarry. I am not saying that we are better, just better prepaird. I am ready, are you?? You can't just start building a house where and when ever you want. You have to have tons of permits,and get past all the regulations and hop la to get started. It coming, just wait.

[Eric E.]

Lawrence,
I agree about the college professors part. You shouldn't learn about business from a broke professor that never had a successful business. If they were such great business men they would'nt be teaching. What most colleges teach is how to get a job. What's the biggest challenge for a college grad these days, same as 16 years ago when I got a degree. Can't find a job in their feild, actually 85% never practice in their feild of study. Skip the college debt and start a business of your own (at any age), and go out and fail a few times until you get it right. Go check out the "Forbes 500 Richest" list and see how many don't have a college degree, you will find more without than with. You will also find that some didn't finish high school. Soooooo...what's this all about? A college education is NOT a ticket to success any more. That went out years ago. Own a bussiness of your own. Eric

[turfman99]

WMU,

Congratulations on your business to this point. My bosses son has worked for our company and is a junior in college majoring in Ornamental Hort and Turf. He also maintains 12 accounts in college town during school and is doing quite well for a 20 year old guy.

Some of the questions you are asking can be answered by searching, but you are asking a variety of questions both operational and financial. You should be able to find the answers.

Ignore those who say college unimportant. I agree your professors may not know a hell of a lot about the business isde of things, but the techincal knowledge is vital. This business is much more than chemical credits, how fast to mow a lawn, etc. Most turf degrees only require 12 or less hours of business. TAKE MORE. The tech stuff comes easy in the field, but the business side needs to be right from the start.

Now for the don't start a business before your 35. What a load. Check out the dot com's. Check out most green industry business's. Hell, by 35 you should be knocking down 75K to 100K per year if you started at 22 to 25. You should be in your final growth phase and hitting cruise control, financing your own operations and equipment, putting away 30K a year for retirement, and building a stable business that would take you the next 25 years in great shape. Now I took some flack a while back for mentioning this, but I built and lost a business doing 350K before I was 30. I learned the hard way, I survived, was not able to rebuild because rasing 5 teenagers is more of a priority, but I am making a good living running another PROFITABLE and well run operation for a guy that started at the same time in 1977 and is now doing 1.5 million and profitable. He's dodged a few bullets in that time also, but perserverance and good people make it easier.

Some one should tell Bill Gates and Paul Allen not to start a business before 35.

[landscaper3]

But there is quility in experience. I see many younger AND older guys out there flying along hurring to get to next job. Next season I end up with 1/4 of there accounts its not speed that counts its quility, Age has no imperession on how you run your business I see 20 year olds doing fantastic jobs and high quility work and see see older people same way. Alot of it depends on quility, if your work lacks a manicured look and that extra touch boom account lost. Anyways agian we steered away from the question asked. Does not matter what age you start up, I suggest the younger you start the better your off. becuse in years to come you will grow a reputation on your quility of work and you start young and build business up over the years and before you now it you may be the BIG DAWG in the neighborhood!!

[LJ lawn]

I just could't resist getting into the fray.must we forget LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION. what works over there doesn't here and vice-versa.i've found out it's WHO you know etc.

[slingshot]

TURFMAN Howdoes a man that runs 3 busnises into the ground have the guts to have a web site to consult about the green industry . lets see here you want us to pay you too run our companys into the ground no thanks

[luckylawnboy]

Let me say something about the college profs. here at Purdue. In my major, Turf,the top two Profs.are Clark Throssell and Zac Reicher. Two of the knowledgable people in the entire turf industry. They have written many publications in different magazines in the turf industries. If there main outlook to life was the bottom dollar ,they would not be teaching. They have a gift, and it takes a special person to be a GOOD Teacher. I know there are bad ones, I had them, and I wonder how they ever find there way home at night. But if you have never been to college, then you really can't appericate it. Trust me I can't wait to get out of school so I can really focus on my goal and become a major player in my area. I attend college full time, and still run a very productive business. All I can handle, and All I want right now. I am lucky and have two great guys who arehard working and take great pride in there work they do for me. Couldn't do it w/o them.

Besides, if I ever want to get out of Lawn care in the future, I have something to go into. My bigggest goal in live is to build a golf course, So keep in touch, and I will let all you Lawnsite members play a free round. Because we are all here for each other on the net.

I hope!!

[65hoss]

Quality Quality Quality

Correct spelling.

The earlier you start the better accounts you can get in the future. But the younger you are the harder it is to get bigger commercial accounts. People just don't trust the youth as much. They must prove themselves. It comes from seeing so many younger people job hopping. I know, I'm 28 and could pass for 22 and I get asked a lot if I will be back once the weather gets hot.

[turfman99]

Slingshot the Scrub:

How does someone misspell some many words in one post like you do ?? How does someone who's profile lists dirt, rocks and grass as interests have anything other than ignorange about an industry ?? 3 business's, Read the post again you moron... I said one, and that was from a divorce. Bet thats never happened to anyone?? Want to know how to structure your business so you can keep it when your wife tosses your ignorant ass out on the street ?? I can save you thousands of dollars, Oh, hell you don't make that much in a year do you?? Want to learn how to use spell check ??

I can have the balls to have a website for consulting just as you can get in your Escort and go mow and blow somebody's lawn for $ 15. Maybe if you paid some one to teach you about the business's you wouldn't come across like such an idiot when you pound the keyboard.

I have been doing this long time, and I find it amazing you can even sign up with an ISP to get access to the Net. Your the same moron that said that last time the subject came up, now right?? Got to call it when you smell it.

KMA.

[Skookum]

Luckylawnboy,

You are right about one thing Zac Reicher is a very talented teacher. He is one of those that has a real gift for making it easy and enjoyable. Your also at the right school. I wish I would have taken some classes over in that field.

I started my time at Purdue back in 1983 in the school of forestry and ended up leaving from the visual design school. When I left I realized there are alot of profs that are hiding out. I was told I could not just go out and start a design company on my own by the two profs I admired. One year later I had a computer and a laser printer, which the Purdue visual design department did not even have yet back in 1991, and I made $25,000 profit my first year doing what they said I could not do without their degree.

I imagine you will have your golf course someday since you seem to have more drive already than most kids on campus that I deal with as a alumni officer at my fraternity. Many of todays youth just have their hand out.

Keep it up!