today, i saw my old boss. the one from a printshop i left 8 yrs ago. i started there as a teenager, and that was the beginning of my printing career.he was old even back then. we used to talk about lots of stuff. he took a liking to me. it was at the end of my stay with that company that i started my lawn business. i told him one day i would make my living this way. he laughed at me. he told me "95% of small businesses fail, etc", he said anything negative he could think of. even told me, if i left there to pursue a lawn business, that i would end up at mcdonalds flippin the ol burgers. i saw him today, told him that this year will be my first full time, and i'm sure i have it in total control. he still laughed, saying he had connections if i needed back in the printing business. i'm thinking like, what a thing to say. especially comming from an old timer, to the ears of a 30 yr old(at that time). wouldn't you want to encourage someone and wish them well? this guy tried to drag me down any way he could. so tell me, were your friends, relatives, nieghbors , etc encouraging or were they negative? did they back you, or try to talk you out of it?
I can understand, most think that mowing and lawn care are a joke for a business. Had a doctor treat me like dirt one day. I told him I am not trying to be rude but for what you went to school for 8 years for I went half that and turn as much income as you. He said no way... Didnt believe it next thing you know he and I were pals, golfing and crap like that.... But when he thought i was just the yard servant it was a different story.....I bet the same for the old man too.
Hey Bobby i heard the same thing when i left the factory back in 1993 to do this lawn care fulltime . i havent even looked back , they were all laughing at me and saying i couldnt make a living doing this well ............. iam laughing all the way to bank every week. I am making more than i ever imagined i ever would and making alot more and i mean alot more than i ever would there . I see some of the same people i worked years ago there and there still there making peanuts . I now have 2 large dually trucks that i never had when i worked there and 30,000 worth of mowers that i never had ............ i have sooooooooo much more now than i ever had so this summer bobby you will be laughing in everyones face who thought you would fail at this and the upside is you get atleast 3 to 4 months off every year lol
I notice that people always seem to ask me what I am going to for a living. They act like I don't get paid for working the business...its kinda strange that people laugh in your face but then when you want to compare pay checks they won't. To everyone who takes part in the lawn care industry: keep striving for your dreams and let no one stand in your way. My journey has faced me with adversity since day 1 and my business keeps growing and I am about to graduate college. I can't be doing that bad!
I kinda got same thing from inside the family......not many take this as a serious biz. Then again the generation of people that were negative about it, were older generations....ie....union guys 40 hr a week...30 yrs with same company. Guess what?!.....if youre with a company these days for 30 yrs....youre VERY lucky! My mother always had faith in what I was doing....got lots of support from her. My dad on the other hand was a union carpenter....didnt think you could make a living at this....it was seasonal etc. hard on the body...blah blah blah. Well im 36 now....been in this trade in some shape or form since 11. Ive grown to the point where Ive had 6 guys working for me, have a very nice house, 1 baby...another on the way, and wife stays home! For some reason people think this is a half azzed business run by chumps that cant make it anywhere else........I say bullsh#t....its a business....just like anyother.....you get outta it, what ya put into it. If you run a tight...clean....organize business, youll get the respect that so many of us are seeking! Once you have achieved youre goals in life....and have leftover $$$ to do with as you please......all the sudden people look at youanother way....if you know what I mean?!.....oh well!.....keep um wondering!!!!!
I still get from in laws, "..when are you going back to school?" But other then that, people back me up pretty good. Even My old boss when i see em in his trucks with 7 guys in the dump body, goes out of his way to hello and good luck. especially my father, who knows more people then I ever imagined, always so and so wants an estimate. turns out he's an awesome salesman, has no problem asking people if they need work done cuz his son has a company. Defintely my #1 backer!
When I decided to finally go for broke, my whole family and my wife were 100% fully supportive of me. They knew the income that it produced when I did it part time. The only thing they worried about was me getting totally comsumed by it and never having any time for family and freinds, because when I put my mind to something there is no stopping me. It took a while to balance work and family, but all is fine now. I currently make more $ now that I could have dreamed of working at a different job. The most important thing besides $ is that I am happy and content. There is no more, gee I hate my job I should go into my own business. I had that nagging feeling for several years and I'm sure many others of you out there felt or are feeling that also. There is no describing that satisfying feeling that I've done it and survived! Use that frustration that is built up from people telling you you're crazy and you can't do it and use it as positive energy to focus on building your business. Probably the most important thing I can say as you get busier, and you will is don't lose sight of the needs of your family and yourself.
A year or so ago I was putting the gate up on the trailer. The junior high school bus was going by. A smart### kid yells out..."you should have gone to college." I said back..."I did. And now I make more per hour than your daddy." Its truely funny how there are 2 thoughts of people. 1. We are just the neighborhood kid or someone who can't find a job. or 2. They think we are making an absolute killing. The first one keeps those people from entering this industry, and the second makes the get rich quick guys come here finding info out to start a business.
I think a lot of people think that if you go to college, you won't have to work for a living, like being stuck in an office is somehow preferable to working outside?!! The mentality of this country and how people view trades and professions astounds me sometimes. I've had wonderful support from my friends and family. Never has someone made the comment (to my face anyhow) that I am somehow an underachiever because of my chosen profession. Actually, many people express how lucky I am not being stuck in an office somewhere or how I have freedoms and flexibilities they can only dream of. Sure, people will still look down on us but it really says more about them than it does about us. And, like my sister always says (whose married to a well-paid professional painter) "there ain't nothing wrong with a man that works with his hands"!
It's been a long time since someone was rude to me like that kind of sarcasim. But I know the last time someone said something to me along those lines I just looked at them straight in the eye and said, "my mom used to say, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". That usually shuts them up pretty fast...
