Younger Guys on Here - Goals for 2013

[JContracting]

For those of us that are considered young, 23 or 24 & younger and only been in business for a few years and started the business ourselves (not handed down from a relative), what are your goals for 2013?

I have many, to start:

-As soon as winter is over, graphics on my truck, repaint my plow & graphics on that also

-Create a brand: I've somewhat started this already but take my logo (as seen as my avatar) and get it on everything, from my dirtbike graphics to stickers with the logo, website, & phone number on my mower(s) and other equipment

-Custom polos for meetings and custom high vis yellow/green shirts. I used blank high vis yellow/green shirts last year but want the company name on them from now on

-Gross income grow approx 350% from last year which will put it into the 6 figure range

-Hire on one full time employee (or close to full time, a high school or college student) to lighten the amt of work I have to do in the field, even when doing maintenance stuff, clean ups & the hottest days are when I work myself really hard and then I have no energy to do any office stuff or equip maint. I generally have help from a younger neighbor or my younger brothers' friends on installs because unless it's just mulch or rock I can't do it all.

-Sell my last walk behind and buy a ZTR w/ bagger system

-Sell my open trailer and buy a 7x16 enclosed

-With my EDDM postcard advertising, obtain 20 more (not necessarily 20, but at least $4500/mo in maint contracts by the end of May) full service landscape maint clients whether they be commercial or residential

-Depending on the schedule for maint work, have everything done by Wed, and fill the remaining days of nearly every workweek (with the exception of a couple long weekends I take every year) with installs and continually grow more & more.

-This will be a challenge but increase the amount grossed & netted every month and if it comes down to it, increasing income each week.


There's much more, but I'm exhausted after plowing til 6:30 am this morning and only getting a few hours of sleep.

[B&Clawncare]

Jcontracting I'm 18 and have roughly 20-25 accounts with a net profit of about $2500 a month. It seems about impossible to gain the kind of accounts you are talking about with all of the "big guys" in my area. There are probably 5 large ( multiple crews) companies around here. What kind of things do you use to get your name out/advertise. Also what kind of services do you offer?
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[bmxerss]

Im 18 also,by next year i hope to have a new ZTR mower (using a scag walk behind), and a trailer.

[JContracting]

Where are you located?

There hundreds of companies in my area. Many variances in sizes.

My company is full service. All aspects of maintenance, installs (with the exception of pools), and snow & ice management.

I also don't measure "success" or rly anything In regards to "the amt of accounts", no property is the same size or terrain, that figure of measurement is completely worthless because one commercial or even a very large residential can gross & net more than 20 residentials under 8000 sq ft. That's why I put grossing $4500/mo in maintenance.

But if you net $2500 on 20 properties, what do you gross? Sizes?

And another plan is to have nearly every client on full service maint or at a min a fert/weed control plan if they like to mow themselves or trim shrubs, I dont want any "mow & go". Im focusing very heavily on being a one stop shop, that way, there's no room for the competition at all.
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[Schrock Lawns]

I'm 14 I want to gain at lest 20
Customers hopefully hire a full time employee so I can work during the week when step dads at work buy or at least finance a truck and build a brand
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[JContracting]

B&c, I forgot to mention the advertising and brand building. I got doorhangers when I started in '11, it was mid/late april when I got them and they were the band-it type from a'deas printing and had a spot for a price on it for mowing, very time consuming. I got maybe 700 of 2500 out and I had a full time job with a local municipality and I didn't have a lot of time to build my business.
Last yr I created a partnership with a now former friend and we did a few decent sized installs but no advertising, we disagreed on too many things and it ended after a month and a half. I then was able to focus on my business myself. I did a little bit of craigslist (waste of time imo), andmy company is on Google places also. I also completely redid my website in December with a new hosting company. I will also be working heavily on SEO for it. I did do fall/winter doorhangers for the second time this past fall, both have yielded nothing.
But my company's name & logo is integrated throughout, custom return address labels for envelopes, a custom ink stamp for the return envelopes, logo on the contracts, estimate forms, proposals, etc.
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[Scagman 48]

15 yrs old and my main goal is to k.i.s.s keep it simple stupid. Cut trim blow in and out like clock work and also offer hedge trimming and weeding and mulching. As far as equip goes fix my scag ztr and repack the bearings on my trailer and put a wood floor down on it. As far as customer stuff i hope to tweak prices and weed out troublesome clients and find new ones.
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[B&Clawncare]

My gross profits are pretty much tax and gas/ and some money to fix the mowers. I have. 52" scag pro v. And 2 36" walk behinds. 21ft trailer. Everything is payed for including my truck. My accounts range from 8k -35k sq ft. Having accounts in the same neighborhood is crucial to cut gas usage and save time. What system to you use for fert and squirt? Jcontracting
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[B&Clawncare]

Sorry I am located in Cedar Rapids Iowa
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[Pro-Turf Lawn & Landscape]

My goal is to get up to 30 lawns (currently 24 and a condo complex) so I can get a retired man to mow during the week. Since I'm in high school