The Green Industry's Resource Center

Set Apart Lawn Care · #1 01-30-2013, 10:34 PM

I read a lot of stuff on this forum about how much this industry sucks. Drought, Lowballers undercutting you, lack of respect, overhead... the list is a mile long. Maybe we all just need a place to vent and this is the place. I also meet a lot of other lco's and its not uncommon for those who have been in the game for about 10 years to be bitter and mad at the world. So my question is,

Does anybody enjoy doing this? why?

I do. I love being my own boss. The fact that the more I put into this the more I get out of it, where as the more I put into another job the mroe someone else gets out of it. I may not be able to make my own schedule, but I do have some flexibility, especially in the winter months. I never hit a ceiling with nowhere to go. I can always grow, add more services, etc.

I'm only 29, been doing this type of work 7 years and have had my own company for 3 going on 4 years. Maybe I'm still to new to the game. It would be nice to hear of someone who has been doing this over 10 years who makes a good living and still enjoys their job.

RussellB · #2 01-30-2013, 10:40 PM

I love my business but then again I have a pension I can live on. I understand where this business can be tough on the full timers that count on their business to house and feed their families. This is one tough group of guys that will push their limits to make it and I admire that. Double kudos to them.

ashgrove landscaping · #3 01-30-2013, 11:13 PM

I've had my business going on 14 years now and I still love what I do. Although having a family and house eat those profits up fast! Not like the ol' days of being single and living in a tent with this business. Plus that the cost of living in general is at least triple from those times. I feel the stress mainly in the spring months when money is the tightest. You have to spend the operating costs plus pay the bills and then wait to bill all the work and then wait some more for the payment. By the time you get paid, that money is spent and you re back to zero. It usually takes a couple months to get the cash flowing again to feel comfortable. It takes lots and lots and lots of patience. You have to take the good with the bad and keep going to work everyday and it seems the customers just flow right in. Good luck.

cpllawncare · #4 01-30-2013, 11:54 PM

I started in 08, basically as a way to tide me over after I got layed off, here it is starting my fifth season and I'm still here, when I stop and think about it I laugh, really had no plans to turn this into a career it just happened, but I do love it, even though I get frustrated at times with the undercutting and all but I'm learning how to better overlook that and focus on my business, and try to constantly improve my methods and quality. It's getting easier to gain customers every season it seems, like ashgrove says springtime IS the hardest time to get going again, but I've learned to focus on getting a few big install jobs lined up for early spring during the off season so it's not so hard to get the cash flowing again. But yea overall I love being my own boss and I love what I'm doing.

Landrus2 · #5 01-31-2013, 01:58 AM

Been doing it since 89 love the 3 months off. OK we have snow no more.

JContracting · #6 01-31-2013, 02:09 AM

Dollar signs and commas in the amt of profits with good margins on the good sized installs & maintenance. I also enjoy the work for the most part, except sharpening blades. I like just about everything that has to do witb running the business, be it doing a spring clean up, cutting pavers, meeting with prospects, or doing accounting work, I love it all. My only worry for this spring (this has been on my mind a couple times today) is, what if my EDDM advertising this spring doesn't work well at all and I'm struggling for more clients?! Its a scary thought but need to look past it. I'm not a fan of uncertainty at all.
Posted via Mobile Device

CreativeLawncareSolutions · #7 01-31-2013, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JContracting

Dollar signs and commas in the amt of profits with good margins on the good sized installs & maintenance. I also enjoy the work for the most part, except sharpening blades. I like just about everything that has to do witb running the business, be it doing a spring clean up, cutting pavers, meeting with prospects, or doing accounting work, I love it all. My only worry for this spring (this has been on my mind a couple times today) is, what if my EDDM advertising this spring doesn't work well at all and I'm struggling for more clients?! Its a scary thought but need to look past it. I'm not a fan of uncertainty at all.
Posted via Mobile Device

Cutting pavers? You like being covered in concrete dust? Sicko.

Why do I do this? Because I only have a HS diploma and I don't take orders from others very well.

JContracting · #8 01-31-2013, 10:27 AM

As long as it's not raining, cutting pavers or retaining wall block isn't that bad, you have to wear a dust mask though! Breathing that stuff in is bad. And I like doing it because I know I'm making more money on a patio/retaining wall than most make in a month.