[RSG]

Used to use Rockefeller Habits 15 years ago - yes, definitely some similarities. I found EOS easier to implement with my team and the person who runs our weekly, quarterly and annual meeting prefers EOS.

I take it you’re not a fan?

It just seems like a repackaging of good business principles. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm wary of the notion that you need anything more than a book or website to get that message across.

 

[snomaha]

It just seems like a repackaging of good business principles. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm wary of the notion that you need anything more than a book or website to get that message across.

Tell me more about what you mean by “a book or website to get that message across”?

 

[Gus McGee]

There was a time when I had phone phobia. Somehow, I was able to work through it.

Repeated exposure and practice desensitize phobias. I had bad social anxiety when I was young. I took a job when I was young that was supposed to be office work. The salesman quit and his position paid more. My old boss asked if I was interested in taking over the position. I did. The first week or so I had nonstop anxiety and sweaty hands when making cold calls or stopping by businesses doing soliciting work.

From doing sales work for so long talking to people in person or over the phone now is as routine as eating or drinking. If something makes you nervous you just need to keep doing it over and over and the anxiety disappears eventually.

 

[Mark Oomkes]

Survive with at least part of my sanity...

 

[HardDegard]

My business is mainly mowing. I have back problems that make landscaping pretty tough for me. Maybe I'm just a wus though... anyway,
I'm hoping to grow my client base as most of you are. I went from 15 full time lawns in 2021 to around 30 full time last year, with little to no conventional advertising. This year I am hoping I can get to around 50-60 full time lawns. That would take me from 2.5 days worth of work to around 4 or 5. We have lots of larger lawns, and many are highly landscaped, to the point where it's not just a mow and blow even in the dry season. I have a few friends in the business scaling back, so I'm most likely going to be picking up some of their scraps. Perfectly fine with me.

Equipment wise, I almost have my tractor paid off, and then the only debt I will have is the truck, which I have another 3.5 years on, but the interest rate is so low, like 1.9%, not worth paying off early. Can't get that kind of loan for anything really in my area now. I do plan to get the logo and information put on my new enclosed trailer I bought last year as well as the back window of the truck. Should look great and I like supporting the local business who does that stuff for me. Otherwise I probably will be looking at a 36 walk behind at some point, and maybe trading in my 48 walk behind on a 52 stand on. I really don't need a 48 if I get a nice hydro 36. I only have a few properties where I even use the 48. Mostly just use the 60 zero turn. I also need to upgrade my older weed whackers, and am looking at getting a Echo 9010 backpack blower for cleanups.

What does everyone suggest for advertising? I am thinking mostly just bandit/yard signs at the entrances of the neighborhoods I am targeting. That and I can probably get a few clients to sign off on me putting signs in their yard for about a month. I don't want to sink a whole lot of money into google or facebook ads, as I feel those are more city wide and I am trying to narrow my route to just one corner of town if I can. I also don't think door hangers will do much in my area. What all my friends in business have said, word of mouth works the best, at least in my city.

 

[RSG]

There was a time when I had phone phobia. Somehow, I was able to work through it.

To illustrate my point further, she recently reached out to a commercial customer through e-mail about replacing some of the stuff the got killed off in the last freeze. Good on her about being vigilant. However, a week went by and she never heard back and she didn't want to annoy them so she didn't send a follow up e-mail and thought texting was too intrusive.

It was bugging me, so I texted one of the managers today and she was enthusiastic about getting some help with their problem. Yes, I kind of stepped on my wife's toes, but my time in construction has taught me that people get busy and it's up to us to be intentional about communication. Assuming non-response is a "no" could have meant a loss of business, and an unsatisfied customer (who otherwise has been very good to us).

 

[stevelogan]

To get back our old customers. Is it a good idea to reach them using microsoft teams phone number? We had minor issues and stopped working for some time so now everyone thinks that we are out of business. I would like to remind everyone that we are alive and ready finally for some work.

 

[phasthound]

My goals are to be happy, enjoy life, and stop watching the news and political BS.
We're all in this together, let's learn how to work together again.