when to quit full time job to start this

i was planning on giving my two weeks notice in mid february and leaving in early march.i was figuring this would give me a few weeks to get my equipment and advertising in order before spring cleanup begins.any thoughts?

 

I dont think that is a good idea?

1) Grass doesn't grow year around. Well in Iowa it doesn't.

2) go full time when you cant handle both jobs at once.

I would seriously wait until you fill your schedule up with work until you quit your job. I would even save a few months rent ahead of time just in case the Lawn Business doesn't work out for you.

P&P Lawncare*Landscape

 

Better start advertising before you give your notice.

But that is a good time to do it. Well, better than October or August!

 

I would first get a good customer base first. Start getting the customer base at the end of this year like in November and December.

 

your greatest potential of acquiring accounts is in the spring.

Start advertising early and keep the adds there through your cleanups

 

how many customers do you have now? if your making as much mowing as you are at your full time job I say quit and really push for more lawns you could be doubling your income by the end of spring. Remember your not going to make the big bucks working for someone else. your just filling his pockets with the green stuff not yours JMHO

 

cntryboy,
There is one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet, and that is health insurance. I know you must have health insurance provided to you by the Ford garage. When you are on your own, you are the one that is going to be responsible for it. I am sure you know how costly it can be. It would probably be in the neighborhood of $300-$400 per month for single guys like you and me. Add that in with your business liability insurance and other business costs and that is quite a bit of money to pay out per month. It's up to you how you start out and I wish you the best, but I agree with what the guys here say. Make sure that you build up a good, solid customer base before quitting your job at the garage. Also be thinking of ways to suplement your income during the offseason. Upstate NY can sure have long winters. I can speak from experience being from that area. Best of luck.

 

Ditto


I quit my fulltime job working for the man in April. So far everything has gone the way I planned it. I had been in this business for 5 years part-time. I say make the switch while you're young.

 

I don't know how many properties/customers you have or what you expect for income. But it can be done with 15-20 annual customers and 10-15 seasonals as a solo.

 

Cntryboymc, you have to sit down and see what your current income is without your fulltime job figured in. If you can afford it, and if you can pickup enough new customers in the spring to cover you, go for it and don't look back. I thought of leaving my fulltime job in May, but then I found out my wife was pregnant. I carry the insurance, so guess who stayed put at a crummy job. I have since started paying for insurance through my wifes work, so I have 2 insurances and I now have the option of leaving my job.
I would suggest as some of the others did and try and do both for as long as possible before up and quitting a regular pay check. I work my regular 40hrs and mow about 30hrs a week, sometimes with help. Momma has told me to make a decision next year, cause she ain't gonna sit around waiting for me every night. Take it from a guy who has thought it out for awhile.
You might want to think about snowplowing, blowing or cutting some firewood for some off season $. That is what I do. Good luck to you, whatever your decision is.