Talk about starting young...

Today I met this kid accross from one of the yards I was cutting. He was mowing with a Honda push mower. He said he had about 5 yards in the neighborhood. The thing is this kid was only 9!!!! He told me that his mom didn't want him getting any new accounts, but that he snuck a couple in a few houses in the neighborhood. Is that cool or what!!! I encouraged him to keep mowin because it is the best job a kid/teenager can have. I feel sorry for anyone that has to deal w/ a push mower. They are so slow! Anyway I just thought I would share that w/ yall.

The South rules!!!!
Rick Wallace
LawnWorks

 

Did you tell him how to charge?

 

Little Green Guy:
This kid was already charging the right amount.... I think. He was charging $30 for half an acre for just mowing and blowing.

Rick
LawnWorks

 

Smart Kid! I started out last year at 12, but I'd been mowing long before that. If I'm gonna push mow I'm gonna have one with the high back wheels.

 

if you have to go w/ a pushmower make it the TORO PRO 21" 2-cycle. take out the governor and let 'er screem. It will cut as fast as you can run.

 

9 years old with 5 lawns already. Thats great! He must not own a TV to be outside working. Try to encourage him evey time you see him.

 

I was discussing the on going opinions of this Forum with some friends at work and they said we have a double standard because it seems we don't like when grown men go out and do work without being licensed, insured, having insurance, etc, yet we praise a young kid for doing just the same thing!

Now don't get me wrong, I think its great that there are a few kids left that want to learn to work with their hands and that have some kind of work ethic these days.


BUT!........... How come the guy with the mower in his station wagon with no ins., no license, no uniforms, junk equipment, and probobly wacked out pricing, brings our industry down as a whole, but a kid doing the same thing doesn't??


Any thoughts on this one??

 

Guido,
I guess one thing we have to consider is that the guy in the station wagon is ABLE to get insurance and can be held accountable for his negligence, the 12 year old kid, though not able to be held accountable for accidents, doesn't have the choice of being able to get insurance.

 

I agree w/ runner on that one. Its so different to see a kid working rather than being lazy and they deserve alot of praise for that. This brings another issue to mind. I am 17 and want insurance, but if I get it I have to put my business in my dad's name. That kinda sucks. and my family insurance agent has to get insurance for my equipment through a broker. Does this sound right?

Rick Wallace
LawnWorks

 

Maybe I'm off base, but perhaps the youngsters should sign on with a licensed and insured company first, for the experience, and go out on their own when their 'of age'.

Might solve the problem of the 'neighborhood-kid'll-do-it-for-half-that' syndrome...

-TGC