How did you??

[Thinmint]

Im going to be finishing up college within the next year in turfgrass science. Im wondering how all of you guys with excavation and running heavy equipment.

Im feeling that with my degree ill be able to do alot of lawn installs and some grading work based on knowledge of soils i have aquired.

So what i want to know is...how did you all get going and take on work.

Thanks
Brenden

[ksss]

I hope you have bigger plans for yourself then making yards with your degree in turf grass. Before you get out take some business classes to include marketing. A few short clues: Make sure that there is a need for the service where your at. With the housing market crash, not much of that going on here anyway, back in the day it was a great gig. You will need at least a skid steer/CTL or small tractor, Harley rake/Preparator, tiller or scarifier, and likely some kind of dump tailer or dump body on pickup. Then a trailer and tow vehicle. Of course insurance, operating capital, and a line of credit helps. None of the above needs to be new, but it still is a good bit of money.

[Krafty]

I was in the same boat as you a just a few years ago. I came out of college with a horticulture, turf grass managment, and a minor in business. It is pretty tough to start out in excavating. I didnt have any money bascially and a line of credit was not an option for me. So I had to work with what I had which was pretty much noting. What I did was start out in landscaping and lawn care. I have built up my business to where we have some of the equipment to do excavating. This is equipment that we used installing landscapes and lawns. So now I can market myself to do small excavation. So kind of builds off of each other. Hope this helps.

[bobcat_ron]

I did good, but I'm smart enough to know when to jump ship. And the ship is almost sunk.

[Thinmint]

yeah i am not sure where i want to go with the degree. BUt im trying to explore options. Running a skid seems like it would keep ya busy yet not get old like mowing.

Ive got a year so ill be talking around some more

thanks guys

[kreft]

where did u get you degree?

[wanabe]

Marketing is 99% of my problems day to day. I can do the work, and I feel Im beter than 95% of my competition. But with out being able to sell yourself then considder your business done before it even gets started.

[Thinmint]

Originally Posted by kreft

where did u get you degree?

penn state university

supposed to have a really really good program compared to others