What would you have done different?

[Vibe Ray]

What would you have done different if you could start out your business all over again?(at the age you were then too)

[Eric ELM]

I would have gotten a Chopper instead of a John Deere with a steering wheel. I thought green paint had to be the best since I grew up on a farm, wrong again.

[Twotoros]

I would have moved to the Seattle area. This area is going down the crapper.

[Pauls Mowing]

Bought a bigger trailer to begin with.... the 6 x 10 was fine for a while.... now I can't get the rider on with the w/b.... Other than than, really nothing. Plan your work, work your plan. So far, so good. Time will tell.

Paul

[pcs]

I wouldn't have hired someone I knew. Gotten a bigger truck for plowing.

[Skookum]

Would have taken 25% of all income and put it in the bank, invested it, SAVED IT.

[HOMER]

Gone back to school and got a business degree!

[Jusmowin]

I would of bought aTORO z and a push mower and kept it me myself and I.

[TGCummings]

I would of charged a whole lot more for my services, cut out some of the deadbeats I inherited, and diversified earlier on. Looking back, I missed a lot of good opportunities for substantial growth by simply not knowing any better.

I won't miss the next ones. ;)

-TGC

[kutnkru]

I figure hind sight is 20/20.

I dont know as though outside of pricing structure, if I would have changed much back then. Maybe not dealt with some of the contractor's I have sub work out to ,,, I guess.

Kris

[Mowin4cash]

Invested more $$$ in the company

Bought a full size truck with a real engine

Bought a longer trailer

Bought enclosed cab for the chopper with air conditioning

[Davis TLC]

I'd have bought the Dixie Chopper sooner. Wished I'd demoed it back in '95. Charged more for my services. Picked some better accounts to start out with. None of the penny pinchers.

[Mean Green Machine]

I would have... well nevermind. I am starting for the first time!

Can anyone teel me how much a 48" lesco walkbehind is? used?

[JimLewis]

I would never have hired friends.

I would have never made close friendships with employees.

I would have bought a stronger truck.

I would have had a Payroll service from the first day I hired help - No matter what.

I would have asked for more help and advice from lawn care / landscape companies in other cities, states, etc. It's amazing what people will share with you if you aren't their direct competition and if you show a willingness to learn.

I would have interviewed more people before hiring.

I would have used flyers from day 1. Unfortunately I didn't understand their value for over 2 years.

Instead of taking that 2nd job my first winter, I would spend 2 days a week handing out flyers and would have stayed so busy I wouldn't need another job.

I would have taken time to learn what kinds of equipment there are available out there. For rent or otherwise. Then I wouldn't have taken 2 days digging up a lawn by hand because I didn't know there was such a thing as a sod stripper. And I wouldn't have trimmed arborvitae with a ladder and shears because I didn't understand the value of an articulating hedge trimmer. I wouldn't have mowed that field with tall grass with a 21" MTD, when I could have rented a big Billy Goat. Etc, etc, etc, etc.......

I would have focused on the rich areas of town sooner.

Man, I could keep going... Fortunately there are a lot of things I did right and I always learned from my mistakes.

For you guys just starting out - there are some killer tips in this thread. More to come I am sure. Pay attention. This is serious tip time!

[Richard Martin]

The only thing I would change is I would never have bought my Gravely. My situation was similar to Eric's except it had to say Gravely because my Grandfather serviced them for 30 years. If there had been a Lawnsite back in '97 I would have bought an Exmark or Scag instead.

[Shack]

I would have made sure all my equipment was the same. Same ztrs, same blowers, same trimmers, same old lady(lol)

[awm]

You ought to post that to fella thats just
starting.It would be the bestway.

[65hoss]

I would not buy anything just because it sounded like a good deal.

I would have stayed away from dept. of HUD.

I would have bought my exmark first.

I would have bought the Lazar sooner.

A sulky would have been bought day 1.

Been much harder on people to collect my money. Throw the dead beats to the curb quicker.

[ronslawncare]

for me just starting going on my second summer cutting
kill off the dead beats payers .it just to much time wasted i felt i need all the work i can get.. but theres plenty of work out there and good people i just cant wait to see the post when lawncutting season starts plenty to learn for me.......

[visions landscape]

I would have let bad help go faster
Not bid any trash or junk property
bought a back pack blower 1st