New guy with some stupid questions.

[jdaddy]

Hi, I'm starting a maintinance business in my home town and was looking around the internet for resources to help me do things the right way. I'm basically starting with the tools I use to do my own work at home. A 21" mower, line trimmer, blower, got to buy a gas headger this week, my pickup truck, some gas, and a strong back.

Like many of you I just got tired of working for other people and decided this was a business I could start. I have read up on marketing ideas that some of you have posted such as the door hangers, free mowing for referals, etc. I have read up on basic ideas such as keep your routs tight to reduce windshield time... mulch when ever you can... etc.

I have been working in IT for the past 8 years, so the website design and scheduling software are easy for me.

What I have left is to find a comprehensive guide the the business side of landscape maintinance. How much to charge and things like that.

I found this web site and was wondering if it is worth while to a complete newbie. http://www.lawncarebusinesshelp.com/

Or do I already know enough to start? Maybe I don't need the guide. I have found tons of usefull info on this site already, and it was all free.

Thanks for reading my stupid newbie questions!!!!

-John

[MortNuke]

John,

At your fingertips is the most awesome resource you can imagine. Study, study, study.

Stop right now and master the "SEARCH" feature. This is the holy grail for you, it has what you need, and it is free.

Mort

[jdaddy]

Roger that! Thanks!

[Team Gopher]

Hi jdaddy,

We can never know enough. Keep reading and keep growing. If that site can help you, great!

[Agent2828]

Suggestion

I can recommend three great books that I thought were great for starting a landscaping businesss (in addition to this forum). I would forget about that goofball on that website trying to sell whatever he's selling.

How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business, 5th (Home-Based Business Series) (Paperback)
by Owen Dell

Start & Run A Landscaping Business (Start & Run a) [Paperback]
By: Joel LaRusic

Scotts Lawns: Your Guide to a Beautiful Yard [Paperback]
By: Nick Christians Ph.D., Ashton Ritchie (Contributor)

Good luck!

[GrassMaster]

?

I would forget about that goofball on that website trying to sell whatever he's selling.

Did you purchase and read his books, info & that's what you based your opinion on?

If you did & your unhappy with it, he does offer a RISK-FREE, 365 Day Unconditional, MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.

So did you get your money back? I'm just curious?

[Scott]

[QUOTE=Agent2828I would forget about that goofball on that website trying to sell whatever he's selling.

[/QUOTE]

From my emails that he's sent me and his webpage, I think he's is right on and would be a valuable asset to any startup biz. Not to mention that he's a sponsor of LawnserviceForum.com

[CRASH19]

jdaddy,

I've also searched high and low for info on getting started in this business. I even purchased a "how to CD" off of ebay. Even though I am still very new I can tell you this, I now use that CD as a coaster for my drink while searching and reading this forum. If you can't find the answer to your question here you won't find it anywhere.

CRASH19

[MASTERMOWER]

jdaddy,

I've also searched high and low for info on getting started in this business. I even purchased a "how to CD" off of ebay. Even though I am still very new I can tell you this, I now use that CD as a coaster for my drink while searching and reading this forum. If you can't find the answer to your question here you won't find it anywhere.

CRASH19

LOL...isn't that the truth. A majority of those are written by people not even in this industry, past nor present! I've been meaning to whip something up that would be worthwhile. I meant to this past winter but it never happened, lol. Maybe after I graduate....lol....or not.

[jdaddy]

Thanks to every one!

By and large the advice is to keep on reading this forum. Well, that did the trick. I have a strange attention span that resembles ADD.

I read a post and find a reply or comment I like. I read all posts by that person. Find other comments I like. Read all posts by that person. I'll spend hours reading what started as a five minute thing.

It takes a very long time but I usually end up with more info than the average newbie. That is the case here.

I've got my business model, know what type of equipment to buy when I can afford it, how to advertise, how to bill. All from two weeks of reading this forum.

Before the millennium I started and ran a computer overclocking forum for two years before it became to much work for me. It was the same thing there. If you want to know every thing about the hobby in a short time get acquainted with the search feature. I had a few more regular members than we do here, but the quality of info is the same. Second to none. Much like GM here, that place was my baby. I was sad to give it up.

[GrassMaster]

Really?

jdaddy,
I even purchased a "how to CD" off of ebay. Even though, I now use that CD as a coaster for my drink while searching and reading this forum. If you can't find the answer to your question here you won't find it anywhere.
CRASH19

Since I sell info for a lot of people & how I feel about info, I must throw in my 2 cents.

It will be virtually impossible to find info on anything that will be covered in one publication. When I find something I'm interested in I will spend a lot of time & lot of times a lot of money on the info. I've always been that way since the beginning of my time.

Please remember, what we perceive as useless information today could be valuable information tomorrow.

My first lawn service book I bought was through the BBB, it was a 3" 3 ring binder with only 70 or 80 1 sided pages that cost $150, that was a hell of a lot of money over 20 years ago.

I read it 3 times, I didn't like it. It talked about demographics, customer spending habits, knowing your cost of doing business, it talked about measuring properties & bla bla bla. It talked very little about the actual work or how to do it. At the time I perceived it as junk & through it to the side.

Well about a year later I had a guy ask me how much money I pocketed out of every dollar made? Guess what I went back & got that book & read about knowing the cost of doing business. I immediately got my wife more involved since she was a secretary & did bookkeeping for her boss.

Man was I glad I got that book just for that info, but for almost a year it was junk. A miracle I didn't throw it away. Then low & behold I started noticing I was spending more time at some jobs & making less than other similar jobs I thought.

Then I broke down & got me a measuring wheel measuring my square footages of grass & linear footages of trimming & edging. Man was I off on some jobs.

OK, I was getting close on my cost of doing business & accurately bidding my jobs. I mean I was getting close on those jobs & it did pay off.

Then I remember another cheap home made book I bought for $19.95 & it talked about contracts and getting the right equipment. Well I needed contract info and I already knew about equipment I thought. Hell I need work, not contracts & expensive equipment that I can't afford.

So after numerous hours I came up with GrassMaster's simple contract that I used for the next 4 years I was in business. The equipment was another thing. If somebody would have popped me a couple of times & showed me how fast Gas Powered Hedge Trimmers were I would have paid that $200 for a pair. I never seen anybody operate them. After I saw one of my crew trim the first 3 bushes, I would have paid $500 for the thing & not told anybody the deal I got on them.

There is so much information we over look & then later if we are lucky it hits us like a bolt of lightening. No body thinks the same & no body does the same just like Authors of lawn service information.

There is no way we could measure the information we let go straight over our heads.

You think those folks are stupid that pay big money for franchises & then have to pay monthly percentages of their gross. How many of them have you actually go out of business.

OK, it's said that anywhere from 70% to 80% of LCO's go out of business in 3 years or less. True? Yes it's True!

I bet you a Dollar every one of them sweated, strained, got dirty & worked like Dogs when they worked... But that's the story of millions of people, they worked them selves to death. True, hell ya it's true!

I bet you a dollar over 60% or more of them had a new or near about new truck, I wonder how many of them had a measuring wheel, I wonder how many of them were close to knowing their cost of doing business? Not many or they would still be in business?

Listen almost anybody can cut grass, trim bushes, sweat, strain, get dirty & work like a Dog. That is the easy part...

The business end is what we need to know.

Of all of those guys that go out of business how many would have went out if they knew the cost of doing business & how to accurately bid jobs not many? And you would be here now if they survived.

We need to place a higher value on information, we need to look for it all the time, we need to keep it, save it & know where to find it.

How many people have gotten web sites that were half way decent & regretted they got it. How many people buy Quick Books or other business software & say man if I hadn't bought that software I'd still be in business today.

Information that helps you should come at a high price, look at how many times you learned the hard way & what if you could hit the "Easy Button" for a $100 to find the answer?

What good is a Dictionary if you never use it? Most folks have at least one, but how often do they use it?

In order to make money you must spend money! There's to many perceived FREE & "Easy Buttons" out there now! Pay as you go & learn all you can!

Nobody is always right or knows everything?

PS: I got a 100 page book written up now called "Short Cuts to Success" I also have about another 20 pages to add to it. I started it in the Hospital 3 days before my father died back in August of 1995. I work on it a few hours every so often.

You know why I haven't published it yet? Because I'm not man enough to face the facts that somebody will dislike it & I will not be able to deal with it. Because I know they would be 100% wrong but how do you explain to folks things they don't want to learn.

If you learn only one thing & it cost you a $100 dollars, you're getting off very light in most cases. I've been there & done that!

The links in the footer in my forum archives cost me over 6 hours of mistakes over 2 days of suffering. Why didn't I pay someone $50 to do it for me. Because I was Stupid, I didn't value my time, too cheap & too proud to ask? But I'm learning, but it's coming at a very high price!

Knowledge comes at a very high price & our mentality sets that price.

Ask MasterMower what Price he's paid for what he knows, it's a hell of a lot more than what most of us has paid? Will he make it, sure he will & he will do a lot better at it than we ever will!

[daryl]

I'm new in this business also,started 3weeks ago. also starting off small
22" mower,blower,and line trimmer. I'm passing out fliers with some good response. I plan on investing the money i make so the i can grow and take on larger accounts.GOOD LUCK

[jdaddy]

Thanks guys!

Scheduling time to pass out flyers with a sick wife and 1yr old kid in the house is hard, but I'm getting it done a little at a time. So far I only have one residential account(bi-weekly) and am the only person to put in a bid at my local storage unit. So that one should be in the bag.

Thankfully my family has offered to watch the kiddo on weekends when my wife isn't doing well.

[jdaddy]

GM is correct about good info.

Good information is worth money. The reason I asked was because I didn't have a clue if the guys information was worth paying for.

I've spent thousands on info during my life. Some of it is great, most was ok,and more than I would have liked was complete barf.

I know how to keep a business profitable, look at a balance sheet, forecast cash flow, etc.

Before I got to this forum I didn't know anything about the Lawn Care industry. Now I know every thing I can learn with out running the business yet. That is the part I'm starting to learn now by being out there and doing the dirty work.