Help me to lengthen this story and finish it with a happy ending someday.

[springbokker]

I am using this opportunity to give an overview of my 1st year of operation in the hopes of getting enough feedback, suggestions and comments from pros' who might read it.

Here goes: Started our company June 2003. Got our business plan written and checked, started a marketing strategy and researched equipment options. Went to rugby practice one night and snapped my achilles which ended in surgery and crutches for two months - hence two months of missing out on grabbing some business for winter. Eventually started working end Aug. and investing much time and $ into doing (free) manicures for realtors with high end homes under contract - secured a good amount of contract doing this. Worked alone through winter and hired our first employee two months ago, followed by a second and now also have a part timer helping us. To date I have accumulated 45 contracts and believe that we should achieve 50 by the end of our first year (June 30).
My biggest challenges have been the bidding process which I put down to inexperience. I have lost out a few time due to overbidding but have also underbid a few jobs - fortunately we are still making money.
I started with a 36' walkbehind, a pushmower, weedeater, edger, hedgetrimmer, and blower. We have since added another weedeater. How am I doing?

Thanks a bunch,
Clint Weimann

[kipper]

I was starting to think no one from charleston new about this. Sounds like you are taking off pretty good, other than the injury. Are you talking about problems with commercial or residential bids?

[springbokker]

Thanks for the response Kipper,
I'm reffering to commercial as well as residential., although I'm not hunting as aggressively for commercial because I have found there to be a considerably higher demand within the residential market for our services.
Where do you work out of?
Clint

[kipper]

I live in summerville, but have to go to west of the nasty and mount pleasant to find the money. I just quit my day job last week and it's getting close to crunch time to either make this work or get another job. I have a 1999 F-250 extended cab, 2001 woods mow n machine 54 in cut, 2004 stihl fs250 weedeater, 2001 mtd pro 25 cc weedeater and stick edger, 2003 honda 21 in with front caster wheels and finally a 2004 6 x 10 hydraulic dump trailer. And it's only me!!!

[dlandscaping]

You said that you now have 45 accounts, are you making any money with those accounts or are you just paying exspenses. Like per hour, do you pay yourself more now that with your job that you quit. Did you get them because you were the low bidder or because they liked you work. I may sound condescending but its just because I am where you are now. I had a 36" but then stepped up to a 52" and the jobs get done much faster. Maybe you could buy a bigger mower and then not need the part time help?