The Green Industry's Resource Center

TeamLawnCare · #1 02-26-2006, 10:57 PM

I have been reading posts here on Lawnsite for over a year now and love to hear all of the opinions and experiences we all have for this industry. As I have been reading I came up with an idea that I hope to be able to kick around with everyone for a while. I'd like to call it "Project Lawnsite" I have been mowing and aerating lawns for 6 years now and just turned 18, I will graduate in June and have decided I am ready to take my business to the next level. The point of this thread is for you guys to help me have the most sucessful year, I plan on sharing everything with you we will vote on logo's, advertisements, what type of lawns I should pursue, basically everything to do with a business you will have input on. I will trust in the opinions of everyone and come to a general consensus of what we feel is best for my situation. In essence this is your oppurtunity to build your prototypical business model. Now for my background...
I have been doing various forms of lawncare for the past 6 years, mainly aeration and weekly lawn mowing. I have worked for a full time lawn care company in my area off and on as is needed and am good friends with many of the companies in my area. I started out just mowing neighborhood lawns like many and slowly progressed to where I maintained 33 accounts last year. I own...
97 Toyota Tacoma
5x10 Trailer
2 Honda 21" HRC216's
1 new Stihl Trimmer
1 new Stihl Blower
1 new Stihl Edger
1 Crap Homeowner John Deere Trimmer/Edger
1 BlueBird Aerator
1 Turfco Aerator
With all of that said lets develop a business model/plan. The one thing I have already decided was the name "Team Lawn Care" I like the use of TLC. Other than that everything is free game. Money is not too much of an issue. Should I register it as a Sole Proprieter or an LLC/DBA? Where does everyone think we should start "Project Lawnsite?"

Drew Gemma · #2 02-26-2006, 11:06 PM

start as a sole prop then when the time is right your accountant will tell you with way to go. well to start and go professional get all the forms and paper bs needed then type up all kinds of forms and set up software then go out and pound on some doors and double the size of your business. That should keep you busy till next winter then you can start where you left off.

TeamLawnCare · #3 02-27-2006, 06:13 PM

Ok I officially registered my name today, Now i need to start on a logo does anyone have any suggestions?

mulcahy mowing · #4 02-27-2006, 06:20 PM

here's some
http://www.gophergraphics.com/index.cgi?page=artists
and here's mine thanks to grasscake

this should get you started pick the logo's you like best and then set up a poll

mcwlandscaping · #5 02-27-2006, 06:20 PM

WELCOME TO LS, i like your idea of puting up a pole for business decions. for logo, something simple but eye catching, if its going to be on a truck, you want people to be able to take a quick glance at it, know what it is, and also remember it.

promower · #6 02-27-2006, 06:43 PM

Keep in mind using a lot of colors in a logo can get expensive down the road in adverstising. Like MCW said keep it simple eyecatching and easy to read.

mcwlandscaping · #7 02-27-2006, 06:53 PM

Mine is in this link http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=133697 , part of the way down, thanks to grasscakes, just take off the bottom phone number and name part and thats the logo, the whole thing is the front part of my biz cards.

Mulcahy, after seeing yours, looks like grasscakes likes the Irish theme

Roger · #8 02-27-2006, 09:24 PM

Hmmm, trying to run a business by committee. I never knew a successful business that was run by committee. Votes, general consensus, ... I don't want to put any damper on your enthusiasm, but every business needs a top dog to make decisions.

Let's see, how about starting with questions such as:

1. What is the best ZTR?
2. Should the lawns be bagged, mulched, or discharge the clippings?
3. How about giving some customers discounts because of ( )?

Since these are the easy ones to get a consensus, there will be plenty of time to move to the next step.

I do applaud your interest and enthusiasm to grow your business. If all 18 year olds were of this stipe, many things would be far better.

ALarsh · #9 02-27-2006, 10:10 PM

I would have to say this is a bad idea also. You need to be able to identify what you need to succeed, who you should be targeting and where your business needs to go next. Nobody can tell you that but yourself.

Answers are going to be different for what your ultimate goal is for your company.

TeamLawnCare · #10 02-27-2006, 10:22 PM

I want to thank everyone who has submitted input so far, everyone is taken into account. However with all threads their will be haters but I think some may have lost the theory behind this thread. This will be my company I will run it the way I feel is best for my situation. However the purpose of this thread is to help me develop along the way what this plan will be. I am looking for input on everything, so that I can draw on your knowledge so that I can make this first year of my business the most succesful and hopefully help others along the way. I am still awaiting anyways submitions for the logo. Is anyone good at designing and has something to throw out? I like the idea of keeping it simple but definately want it to catch the attention. Without too many colors as we want to keep printing at ease.