Hi everyone, new to the site as of today. It is great btw!! I thought I would share my story in case there is anyone out there who can relate to it and be encouraged by it. I worked as a sales rep for a regional lawn and tree application company here in York for 5 years. In Dec. 2001 they announced that they were selling the business. After several months of tense days the sale was finalized and in Jan. 2002 I was out of a job. I took seveal temp jobs to pay the bills and finally decided to start my own lawn care business. I bought a used John Deere f510 a Snapper 21" push mower, a blower, a trimmer, and a 5 x 10 utility trailer (all cash btw) and set off in my Ford Ranger to mow the 6 lawns that I had signed up. This lasted a month before we couldn't meet our bills. I took a full time job and kept mowing part time. Well, that is when things took off I worked full time in 2002 at a garden center while I grewmy accounts to 14 regular lawns. I made $18,000 mowing, mulching, prunning and just about anything I could do during the daylight. This past year has been great. My wife and I decided that 2003 was the year to go full time. I had traded in my Deere on an eXMARK lazer z hp 48" in 2002 and was set for a great year in 2003. The business grew and grew and I ended this year with 49 regular lawns in my route. The 5 x 10 trailer is gone and a new 6'4" x 16' construction trailer is in its place. I still have the 48" exmark and have added a 60" lazer z liquid cooled. I never thought things would grow this fast but hard work and persistence have paid off. We are plowing snow this winter and I can't wait to start cutting grass this spring. My wife and I just had our second baby and with my oldest boy sitting on my lap with me now I know that from dark times some of the brightest and best days will be in the future. I hope that this can encourage someone who is just starting out and remember to fond something you love and you will never have to work again
Another inspirational story...I love to read these, you can't buy this type of inspiration. Keep swinging...Tony
jaj, I have been nothing but pleased with the results I get from the hp. I will double cut lawns never have to bag and get great final results. The best thing is that the profile is smaller than a walk- behind and will go almost everywhere. The only drawback is that it is a bit unstable on hills, but if the hill is too step from side to side I will just go up and down on it. I also have the stripper kit which makes the lawn look great and a unit over the discharge shoot that lets me run with it open or closed so I can trim on both sides, it is worth its weight in gold. There is a company here in York that makes then for the entire exmark line including the walk-behinds. In fact they used my 48 hp as the model. If you would like I can get you the phone number when you are ready. Good luck and God bless! Scott
