who owns your business?

[lawnchick]

Ok...I'm sure this was brought up at one time or another, but I sure as heck couldn't find it when I did a search.

Anyway, my husband is a sole proprietor of his lawn maintenance business (which he runs under his own name, no trademark) He is registered & insured. Being a sole proprietor, he can't apply for partime unemployment in the winter (NJ). We were trying to figure out if it would work out better, financially, if *I* owned the business and had him *work for me*....?

Did anyone else set up their business this way? And if you did, we would love some insight of the pros & cons.

Thanks

[JakobHarper]

I have a friend who put his wife's name as the owner of his lawn care business. It's a good idea. He told me women and minorities are more likely to land a government contract than white men.

[Team Gopher]

Hi lawnchick,

That is a great question. What I am wondering, is there a way you could provide some services in the winter to keep your name out and make money?

[lawnchick]

What I am wondering, is there a way you could provide some services in the winter to keep your name out and make money?

We send out a flyer in the Nov billing that offers snow shoveling, Christmas tree delivery, hauling of items, etc....but it just doesn't bring in enough.
I run a small dog walking service year round...to help out with finances, also.
We've talked about one of us getting a fulltime job somewhere...but it hasn't gotten past the talking stage....we really want to do this on our own, without outside wages. ugh

[als lawn care]

lawnchick,
It's been a rough winter here in michigan too. It's only snowed over 2'' like 4 times I think, and I don't have any commercial accounts so, homeowners really only like for you to come out if its 2'' or above. I'm thinkin about getting involved in some commercial snow plowing though because I know people around here who do it and have big contracts that make big money. Getting your clients who you cut for to signup for snow in the winter, say for a couple hundred bucks(only for residentials obviously) for the whole winter is a good idea. I've heard of this method and think I'm going to try it this year, instead of charging per snowfall. Just some thoughts.

[lawnchick]

We don't have a plow and don't intend on getting one....but thanks for the thoughts.

[volguy]

lawnchick,
It's been a rough winter here in michigan too. It's only snowed over 2'' like 4 times I think, and I don't have any commercial accounts so, homeowners really only like for you to come out if its 2'' or above. I'm thinkin about getting involved in some commercial snow plowing though because I know people around here who do it and have big contracts that make big money. Getting your clients who you cut for to signup for snow in the winter, say for a couple hundred bucks(only for residentials obviously) for the whole winter is a good idea. I've heard of this method and think I'm going to try it this year, instead of charging per snowfall. Just some thoughts.

I live in east Tennessee and it hasn't snowed over 2 inches here in two yrs. This kind of weather makes it rough in Dec. and Jan.