DFW Area Landscaper
LawnSite Silver Member
- Location
- DFW, TX
Need advice. I hired a guy full time second week of March. When I hired him, I really planned on him having nothing to do for 20+ hours per week. My plan was to hang door hangers when we had no work and hopefully, by the end of the summer, we'd have a full schedule.
Well, we have been going almost non-stop since I hired him. We've done a ton of non-recurring clean-ups. The schedule isn't full, but it's coming along. It's probably about half full.
Here's the business decision: Should I hire another guy, a driver, and buy another truck? I would then spend my time supervising, concentrating more on interfacing with customers (upselling), hanging door hangers, cold calling commercial accounts and doing only the white collar aspects of the business. My business is finally to the point where I could do this and forecast break even cash flows.
My employee has been on the clock an average of 46 hours per week for four weeks. I've been right there with him every step of the way, as we're a two man crew. But I'm also doing estimates (which takes a huge amoung of time), entering daily work in Quickbooks, entering daily expenses in Quickbooks, sending out new customer welcome letters, reconciling checking accounts...all the white collar aspects of the business...in my "spare" time. I've probably been working 60+ hours per week the last four weeks. Can't keep doing this til Thanksgiving. I've had zero time for life for the last month.
So, now that I can forecast break even to positive cash flow for the remainder of the season, and get myself out of the sun, is it time for a second employee, a second truck, a second commercial auto policy and second mini-storage bill? If I do this, and the business doesn't continue to grow, I would have basically break even cash flows. I'm fairly certain that if I make the move from working in the business to working on the business, I could continue to grow. But I'm also scared that growth over the remainder of the season is going to be a lot tougher, too, now that 'spring fever' is getting ready to come to an end and most folks have their lawn company lined up for the season by now.
If it were as simple as hiring a second guy for $11 per hour and doing this, I'd do it in a heart beat. But the extra capital for the truck is substantial, along with the extra commercial auto policy and the storage bill.
Thanks,
DFW Area Landscaper
Well, we have been going almost non-stop since I hired him. We've done a ton of non-recurring clean-ups. The schedule isn't full, but it's coming along. It's probably about half full.
Here's the business decision: Should I hire another guy, a driver, and buy another truck? I would then spend my time supervising, concentrating more on interfacing with customers (upselling), hanging door hangers, cold calling commercial accounts and doing only the white collar aspects of the business. My business is finally to the point where I could do this and forecast break even cash flows.
My employee has been on the clock an average of 46 hours per week for four weeks. I've been right there with him every step of the way, as we're a two man crew. But I'm also doing estimates (which takes a huge amoung of time), entering daily work in Quickbooks, entering daily expenses in Quickbooks, sending out new customer welcome letters, reconciling checking accounts...all the white collar aspects of the business...in my "spare" time. I've probably been working 60+ hours per week the last four weeks. Can't keep doing this til Thanksgiving. I've had zero time for life for the last month.
So, now that I can forecast break even to positive cash flow for the remainder of the season, and get myself out of the sun, is it time for a second employee, a second truck, a second commercial auto policy and second mini-storage bill? If I do this, and the business doesn't continue to grow, I would have basically break even cash flows. I'm fairly certain that if I make the move from working in the business to working on the business, I could continue to grow. But I'm also scared that growth over the remainder of the season is going to be a lot tougher, too, now that 'spring fever' is getting ready to come to an end and most folks have their lawn company lined up for the season by now.
If it were as simple as hiring a second guy for $11 per hour and doing this, I'd do it in a heart beat. But the extra capital for the truck is substantial, along with the extra commercial auto policy and the storage bill.
Thanks,
DFW Area Landscaper