company owners without college

[jrs.landscaping]

Originally Posted by Kiril

Knowledge without understanding is no knowledge at all.

College gives you the fundamental building blocks to understand your experiences, increase your problem solving skills and gives you the ability to see things that someone without a college education would likely miss. Naturally this is all assuming you get a degree that is applicable to your field of work.

Now if your only goal in life is to mow and blow, you probably don't need a college education. That said, if you want to set yourself apart from the rest of the field, then an appropriate college education will get you there far quicker.

Knowledge doesn't always equal common sense. College does teach you knowledge based on hypothetical or real world experiences. The problem is they aren't your own experiences and situations may vary forcing the person to adapt and look outside of conventional thinking. College teaches you fundamentals, the rest is up to the person to fill in the blanks.

[LHS Lawns]

I don't have a degree and I don't think you need a related college degree to get started in this business but it sure wouldn't hurt. I know I'm impressed with the advertising I see out there for guys that have one.

As far as a degree being important for anyone we all want that high end homeowner as a customer and you could almost bet most have a college degree which landed them that job that is paying for the big home and paying you to take care of it.

I'm sure someone like that would see a LCO with a degree and want to hire him because they can relate to it.

In my full time job with the State Dept. of Ag a degree is not required. In my fifteen years on the job I've seen many people come in for job interviews and the ones with related degrees are always preferred over the ones without. Only problem is they are book smart and not field smart but that comes with time.

I will say that I have had tons of on the job training and certifications that have transfered over to the lawn/landscape business, soils and nutient management to name a few. I'm blessed in that I picked the right part-time job.

I would encourage any young person to get a degree in the career of their choosing. I feel in most cases it will at least get you a job interview if nothing else and thats all you can ask.

I've had clients ask me what college did I attend. I have to think working in a professional atmosphere and my wife having her Masters Degree has rubbed off on me in the way I communicate and conduct myself with clients.

You might not think so but there is a big difference when someone answers "Yes" as opposed to "Yeah".

[MDLawn]

Originally Posted by LHS Lawns

I would encourage any young person to get a degree in the career of their choosing. I feel in most cases it will at least get you a job interview if nothing else and thats all you can ask.

This is what a degree does.........

[wbw]

Originally Posted by elegantlawns

just wondering how many of you legitimate company owners actually have college training and how many of you don't and still own a successful company.
Posted via Mobile Device

Define successful.

[smitty's lawncare]

I am currently working towards a degree in Agriculture, specifically Ag. Business. I currently have 35 mowing accounts and 8 landscaping accounts. I go to school all week and work every weekend. It can be pretty tricky to balance school and work, but overall I know it will all pay of in the end. I plan to stay in the landscaping/lawncare business after college. Hopefully, with hard work and determination, my business will grow and become something big.

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by jrs.landscaping

Knowledge doesn't always equal common sense. College does teach you knowledge based on hypothetical or real world experiences. The problem is they aren't your own experiences and situations may vary forcing the person to adapt and look outside of conventional thinking. College teaches you fundamentals, the rest is up to the person to fill in the blanks.

Common sense can't be taught or learned ..... either you have it or not. If we needed to rely on our own experiences to learn we would still be swinging from trees. Learn from the people who have gone before you and add on to their experiences with your own.

[Woody82986]

I am 20 hours or so shy of having a BS in criminal justice. I stopped going a couple years ago. Now that I am married, I will go back and get it finished up in the next couple years. I don't think it is a necessity by any means to be successful in business but I want to teach high school for a few years down the road and I obviously need a bachelor's degree for that. I'll say this, 80% of the material i have covered in college courses has translated to real world situations. My financial investigations courses have helped me in understanding how money flows correctly and incorrectly through business ventures though.

[Chilehead]

College degree? Nope, don't have one. Formal education? Absolutely: Firefighter I & II, and HAZ-MAT I & II certifications. I also have my Class 24 Commercial Pesticide Applicator's License from the GA Dept. of Agriculture. I will be taking my GCLP testing next year as well, administered through UGA's College of Environmental Sciences. Knowledge is power, folks.....get as much as you can.

[MDLawn]

Originally Posted by Chilehead

College degree? Nope, don't have one. Formal education? Absolutely: Firefighter I & II, and HAZ-MAT I & II certifications. I also have my Class 24 Commercial Pesticide Applicator's License from the GA Dept. of Agriculture. I will be taking my GCLP testing next year as well, administered through UGA's College of Environmental Sciences. Knowledge is power, folks.....get as much as you can.

No one is going to be a successful business owner and not be knowledgeable in what they do or improving what they do, period! Just like you said, no college but you have greatly expanded your knowledge base.

[jrs.landscaping]

Originally Posted by Kiril

Common sense can't be taught or learned ..... either you have it or not. If we needed to rely on our own experiences to learn we would still be swinging from trees. Learn from the people who have gone before you and add on to their experiences with your own.

You are right about common sense. What about people like Tesla, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Edison, etc. They created inventions/businesses that had never been accomplished before. My point was books only go so far, it is up to the individual to continue learning and adapt to an always changing world.