what are your goals?

[RSK Property Maintenance]

well I bought a new backpack, bought the bagger system for my new mower, I reached some of my new goals. I picked up 4 new accounts for next year, a small step towards towards the 50-60 customers i want. I thought i was really doing well this year but started adding things up and I have about 45k in write offs including gas/diesel pretty sure I grossed about 70-75k so looks like i will need to pay some taxes next year, and I will probably wait until the summer of 2014 to buy a house so I can show more income, to get approved for more of mortgage or maybe save up enough, and not even need to get a mortgage. Realistically There isn't a lot of bigger ticket things I need to buy for my business, I the new trailer would really help, but at 4,000-5000 its not really a big ticket item. I'm thinking a nice truck for next year maybe an 08-10 f450 crew cab dually, fully loaded with navigation, leather, sunroof, heated seats, everything and throw a 9.6 stainless v plow on it and, use the truck for mowing, and estimates, and whatever else it could be used for. and keep the 96 as a back up, maybe fix all the leaks on it, and finally put two fenders on it and have it repainted.

[jrs.landscaping]

I hope you don't plan on plowing driveways with the school bus you want to buy? I'd keep the plow off and use your current truck for your plow route. Just my .02.

[RSK Property Maintenance]

I'm planning on using my 96 for my driveways. And ill use the f450 for parking lots if decide to get any, i had a lot of requests for commercial work but turned it down for this year.
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[RSK Property Maintenance]

I'm not gonna buy the plow if i don't have any lots to plow.
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[BROWNS LAWN CARE]

Originally Posted by BROWNS LAWN CARE

well season 1 is not over for me yet, in fact i just added an account through a referral... love getting accts that way... so far i am up to 17 accts and 2 other accts i mow a couple to four/five times a year.

my goal is -

first, to make myself known to all businesses in my service area. if i land no commercial accts in the winter, i will at least know all the managers

second, hit my service area with flyers in late winter/early spring

third, hit the street in march and april looking for new customers.

fourth, continue to gain customers through referrals about my work.


i would love to add another 10-15 accts next year. that would be tremendous growth @ 59% to 88% !!!

realistically, 5 new accts at 29% growth would also be great...

here's what i did and didn't do...

1. commercial business i almost ruled out after writing this so i did not approach any businesses, but i have dropped my business cards with some of my very local places.

2. did not send out flyers, see #4

3. did not hit the streets looking for new customers, see #4

4. in this area, referrals, i succeeded BIGTIME. i basically have grown my customer base 100% from Nov - March. i now have 34 customers and have several referrals still pending. i can see having 40 customers by year end.

networking has really been the key. showing my work here and meeting a local leaving the business have helped a bunch. the best thing about it all is the more business i get, the more referrals i get

[RSK Property Maintenance]

well with my taxes all filed and everything, I didn't end up, grossing what thought i did, but it's all good, I still grossed about 4x more then i did in 2011, so my sales are up, and quite quickly, hopefully this year will be "the one" where i reach 2500-3500 in weekly mowing, and as a matter of fact i would really like to just focus on doing mowing and clean ups. eliminate shrub pruning except for my lawn customers, eliminate mulch jobs except for my lawn customers, and just do mowing and spring and fall clean ups, then snow removal. oh and i picked up that new trailer and sold my old trailer, I ended with another big tex, 18' trimmer and blower racks will be on this one since it is more permanent. It was on the expensive side, but i can live with it.

[Blades Lawn Maintenance]

I'd be cool with a commercial stander or ztr probably a stander tho.

[jrs.landscaping]

RSK are you still getting the 450 or holding off another year?

[RSK Property Maintenance]

Originally Posted by jrs.landscaping

RSK are you still getting the 450 or holding off another year?

I really want to buy one this year, as driving my 96 f-350 7.3 with 275,000 is less then desirable, especially with leaf springs in all four corners, and the cab is kinda cramped but i'm gonna have to wait and see what kinda picture the spring paints for me as far as mowing goes, if I get enough weekly mowing to reach my goal of 2500-3500 a week mowing only then i will buy one probably in june or july, I also would really like a 7x14 bri mar dump trailer. and I just picked up a big tex 10pi new which i know i need for a write off, and my old trailer was pretty close to maxed out for weight and width, length was a tight but the extra 2' will make things easier for sure, and be very convenient.

[jrs.landscaping]

Our '95 is the same way, especially if we have to go 3 deep. This season is tough to gauge based on this Spring, but I hope it gets better.