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just burned my business plan

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  GOTLAWN 
#1 ·
dammit, it's still on the hard drive.*trucewhiteflag*

Did you put it together before you started or when you needed to go to the bank for expansion, etc.

Seriously, how many of you put a logical business plan together BEFORE you started your business?

When I was in college I took business classes and know what's called for, but seriously, it's a lawnmower and a lawn...you're cutting the damn thing. How can you logically write 30 or 40 pages....

Doesn't really matter what the answers are, just ranting and curious.
 
#2 ·
You dont need 40 pages. A business plan is good to help you keep focused on growth. Without a plan your usually just wingen it. In mine i jost jotted down a goal for each season or year. Factor growth and potential and it helps you to keep your focus. It can even show a stronger growth tword fertilizing until its the size of tru green.
 
#3 ·
I'm not bashing you, but the reason alot of yous go out of business is because they think "I am just mowing some lawns, whats the point?" You end up not knowing what your true expenses are (Seriously, sit down and think of every possible expense catagory you can have, its way more than you think the day you decide to mow lawns) and end up losing money or making to little money to survive. Also, you do not have a clearcut direction to take your business in, you will always just be "Mowing some Lawns". The lawn mowing end of the Green Industry is typically the least profitable by the way...
 
#4 ·
Because a plan is one of several ways that shows someone came prepared, but if the
attitude is about questioning the point of things then why even go into business?

If this isn't your calling why consider this business, why not
something else, perhaps something more to your liking?
 
#5 ·
I never had a plan. I just winged it. Second year i had 43 accounts, and was rollin in cash! Some people just over think things. I decided what i wanted to make and went with it. The biz grew itself pretty much. I hate to say but it was one of the easiest things i did.

I took a big gamble Bought all new equipment and it payed off!

That was probably the worst advise ever, ha!
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the diverse points to ponder. This will be my 3rd company, bought an existing nightclub that I sold after 6 years of business and started a mobile detail business that crashed after katrina. With marketing and promoting, took the nightclub from 2 -300 people a night to averaging 600 people a night Thursday, Friday, Saturday - neither required a biz plan.

This endeavor is a little different due to future expansion goals to include proposals, entering into contracts, necessity of performance bonds, etc - which is why this biz plan is kicking my ass.

I guess I'm leading the cart before the horse with my biz plan and incorporating future expansion vs. current mow-and-blow structure.

either way, thanks for the responses
 
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