how many of you guys are "making it"?

[grassmasterswilson]

my overall business has been growing at a 15-20% rate over the last few years. This includes 60% mowing and 40% applications/aerations. I'd love to be able to do applications only. I really like it and there are very few dedicated application companies here.

Can I ask about everyones market? How many customers do you have? Service area size and population? I'm in a city with about 40-50k people and maybe 10-12k total households. I see and here guys with 300, 500, etc number of accounts and often wonder is that great marketing or is your service area that big??

[Efficiency]

Originally Posted by EquityGreen

If your boss didn't have you sign a no compete agreement knock on some doors and get your customers. It's his own stupidity for not having you sign one. That's what I did year one along with other means of marketing. We're in year five and have 800 Fert accts. slowly but surely it'll come your way if your good at what you do and treat your customers like you would want to be treated. Good luck to you! 2013 will be the best year ever!
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I cant believe you think thats alright? Thats just about as low as you can get, and yet you brag/boast/advocate it? Reverse the roles. Your clients are your clients, no matter what paperwork you have your employees sign. As your agent, he is given information about your business in the process of performing his responsibilities. He then takes that information and reduces your business. You dont need a non compete to know that this is wrong.

[phasthound]

Originally Posted by EquityGreen

If your boss didn't have you sign a no compete agreement knock on some doors and get your customers. It's his own stupidity for not having you sign one. That's what I did year one along with other means of marketing. We're in year five and have 800 Fert accts. slowly but surely it'll come your way if your good at what you do and treat your customers like you would want to be treated. Good luck to you! 2013 will be the best year ever!
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What ever happened to ethics?

[Duekster]

I live in Texas and my Atty said non-competes are hard to enforce but no raid agreements are easier.

[Ric]

Originally Posted by phasthound

What ever happened to ethics?

I not sure if it was the Pac Man generation or before but Ethics Died a quick and uneventful death. Greed and lack of a conscience took it's place.

Slow Dog I believe you will vouch your my ethics from our business experience as I will vouch for yours. You are an honest man in my book. Just too bad you can't run with us Big Dogs

.

[White Gardens]

Originally Posted by Ric

Here in Florida Non Compete contracts are not all that enforceable and very expensive to pursue. The little guy can't afford to go after a former employee who steals accounts. But the Big Box guys will go to the ends of the earth to make an example of them.

.

Non Competes don't really hold up anywhere from what I can tell. My lawyer says that you can't force someone to not go and try to better their economic situation, and they end up rarely holding up in court.

The only time those clauses come into play is if it's a gross negligence type situation and massive amounts of money is at stake.


DA is right on his assessment. Start of small and slow and build up your client base. Don't low-ball just to get accounts and price accordingly. Once you get a reputation for being high quality, it will take off.

Higher quality, higher price servicing is a slower growth business model, especially when you add in building customer relationships. But the difference is that it's a more sustainable business model rather than a high volume, one and done, who cares about the customer type of service.


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[White Gardens]

Originally Posted by grassmasterswilson

Can I ask about everyones market? How many customers do you have? Service area size and population? I'm in a city with about 40-50k people and maybe 10-12k total households. I see and here guys with 300, 500, etc number of accounts and often wonder is that great marketing or is your service area that big??

Population for us, about 150,000 and we service the surrounding smaller communities.

We have about 15 fert/squirt customers and mostly do landscaping and a couple of days a week for grounds maintenance.

We've been a slower growing biz on the middle to upper end of the pricing spectrum. We loose out on estimates every year because of pricing, but the ones we do get are profitable.

Building a reputation on quality, communication and service is what is driving our growth and we're still seeing 10%-15% increase in over-all business every year.

Our market is also over-saturated with LCO's and Landscapers. Seems like just about every client's neighbor already knows someone who does work, so the word-of mouth is a bit slower.

The BNI group I belong to along with other local networking groups has really been the biggest factor in growing our business.


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[ebird]

It's really doable. You've got to know your stuff, use good products, and hustle. I started on my own this spring and we're growing pretty well. I'd go into not expecting to make much for yourself the first year. But as far as the market is concerned, it's there. Even though it's a niche, it's an exploding niche. The cost of store-bought products is so high you can do it for people for the same or cheaper than they can do it themselves. Target the newer subdivisions with two groups in mind. The older people who can't do it themselves, and the younger guy who doesn't have time to do it himself.

[EquityGreen]

Originally Posted by phasthound

What ever happened to ethics?

I built his company from 800 to 3300 in 3 years from 400k to 1.2 mil I only took about 50 customers from him. I think it's ok.
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[EquityGreen]

Originally Posted by Efficiency

I cant believe you think thats alright? Thats just about as low as you can get, and yet you brag/boast/advocate it? Reverse the roles. Your clients are your clients, no matter what paperwork you have your employees sign. As your agent, he is given information about your business in the process of performing his responsibilities. He then takes that information and reduces your business. You dont need a non compete to know that this is wrong.

I should've explained a bit more. I was the sales manager for a larger lawn care company. After he had "enough customers" to be comfortable he let me go before the season started because he didn't want to pay me 80k per year selling anymore. What would you have done? I knock on a few doors I serviced personally the fall before that we're going to cancel anyways to lack of results from that season. If it wasn't for the turn around in the lawns I did with the last 3 apps they were going by the wayside anyways. He ended up selling that portion of his company the next year anyways so overall it didn't hurt his company or revenue by any means. Trust me if I wanted to I'm sure I could get a lot more if I direct marketed these clients anyways. I do what's right always! I'm not the snake you guys may think I am. I'm an honest businessman with my clients best interest in mind. If treat people the way they should be treated you will be successful.
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