How to start a business

[leaderinfront]

Hey forum, I found you guys a few weeks ago and have been reading the threads.
My question is, what is the best way to start a landscaping business? I can see myself mowing lawns all day long, no problem. Trimming and edging, no biggie. I guess my question is, what's the best way to get started? Put out a bunch of flyers on doorsteps? What equipment do I need and don't need? Is a push behind mower sufficient or should I buy both and focus on larger areas?

I'm 31 and just left my lucrative job in Management to pursue other interests. I worked in a nursery for 7 years as well so I know plants, fertilizers, pesticides, etc...

thanks to everyone in advance who contributes to this thread!

Karl

[clclawn]

Try not to go into debt since 80% fail in this industry.

Buy good used instead of new.

Don't go buy a 40k truck.

If you don't have a large cash reserve work and then mow part time, it will take a couple years to get up to full time

Flyers are a good start, but word of mouth will get you the best lawns so tell everyone you know.

Get insurance

Don't fert without licence

start out with a decent walkbehind till you have a few accounts

[Dreamaloud1]

Listen to CLC

Buy a good used full size truck. They're cheap right now, I just upgraded to a 2006 f250 w 10K warranty left for 10500. You'll be glad to have a heavy duty full bed when you need to bring some mulch or stone or whatever.

Get a new toro personal pace 22" and a decent used 36 walk behind w/velke and bagger.

Don't be fooled into buying a cheap blower, get the biggest one you can afford. Same w/the trimmer. When I first started I had a ryobi trimmer and a featherlite blower and sometimes it took me longer to trim/blow than to cut...a lot longer.

[Scaper-S2k]

Toro 36" or 44" classic mower with the T-bar style controls.

Stihl back pack blower.

Husqvarna trimmer.

Echo hedge trimmers.

Snapper or Toro push mower (light ones that are not self propelled).

Small pickup truck, small trailer.

Quickbooks Pro software to track all your stuff and do invoicing. If you don't want to get into serious tracking yet, then at least find a cheap program that can print out a decent looking invoice.

Biz license and all other things needed to start a legit biz can be learned by calling your local Chamber of Commerce. Tell them you are intrested in a small biz startup and would like to know what you need to do to get it rolling. They will tell you everything needed for your local area. They are very helpful and want you to succeed.


Flyers targetting certain neighborhoods will get you the best response and keep routes tight.

The rest you will learn as you go.

[spotremix]

exmark 36" or 48" walkbehind. go hydro because gear driven is a mistake. like scaper said a stihl back pack blower. i personally use the stihl trimmers as well. you won't need the hedge trimmers unless your planning on doing hedges. i started with electric but now i have a gas powered set (took my split shaft ryobi trimmer and got the hedge attachment). of course you should have a 21 incher on hand for those small property's. i recommend self propelled. no push mower is really that heavy. i'd get a full size pick up truck and at least a 12' trailer. it depends on your cash flow now though. the truck and trailer will last you a while if you start with the right size. you won't out grow those 2 things in the first 2 years a least. i've been in the business 3 years and i really don't plan on getting a trailer bigger than the 12' i have now. 14' might be nice but it's not necessary for my needs. as for advertising. i found the classifieds in the paper work awesome (for me anyway).

[MASTERMOWER]

Listen to CLC

Don't be fooled into buying a cheap blower, get the biggest one you can afford. Same w/the trimmer.

That there is some of the best advice given on this site...

[MASTERMOWER]

exmark 36" or 48" walkbehind. go hydro because gear driven is a mistake.

Geez, that's poor advice. Gear drive isn't a mistake. If it was they (the mowing manufacturers) would have quit building them in the 80's. For an upstart, gear-drive might be the best way to go given their low initial cost and low maintenance costs.

Fact is Sporty, I still run my 36" belt for a couple hours every week. I bought that thing in '04, I can't tell you how much money it's made me. If a belt drive was a mistake, I would have ditched the thing long ago.

Go with any brand you want, they're all about the same.

[Scaper-S2k]

Mastermower, I was waiting for the 3rd seperate post a couple minutes later.....

[Scaper-S2k]

Ohhh, it helps to wear out the scroll wheel on the mouse too.



Darn, I guess I could have just editted my previous post......it would have been easier and saved someones index finger an extra movement.

[MASTERMOWER]

Ohhh, it helps to wear out the scroll wheel on the mouse too.



Darn, I guess I could have just editted my previous post......it would have been easier and saved someones index finger an extra movement.

Yer a butt. Who says I can't post how I want? Show me the Rules & Regulations on posting format?

[Scaper-S2k]

I was only

[Scaper-S2k]

just kidding....

[Scaper-S2k]

Or was I????

[spotremix]

Geez, that's poor advice. Gear drive isn't a mistake. If it was they (the mowing manufacturers) would have quit building them in the 80's. For an upstart, gear-drive might be the best way to go given their low initial cost and low maintenance costs.

Fact is Sporty, I still run my 36" belt for a couple hours every week. I bought that thing in '04, I can't tell you how much money it's made me. If a belt drive was a mistake, I would have ditched the thing long ago.

Go with any brand you want, they're all about the same.

well i still run my belt driven 36" as well. in my experiences though had i educated myself enough before i went to the dealer to purchase my first walkbehind i would not have left with the gear driven 36" i have now. i would have gotten a hydro.

for starters when turf is even slightly wet the belts tend to slip especially on inclineds and extremely uneven turf. as for the maintenance vs. a hydro. well i'm sure what your talking about because so far my hydro hasn't needed a thing. i grease the zerts on a weekly basis, clean the deck up on a daily basis and change the blades daily and this thing runs like a champ. now mine only has around 500 hours on it, but i've never had to do anything more to it than i do with my gear driven.

but hell this is only my opinion and because it is my opinion i'm wrong because there are thousands of others who've been doing this business a hell of alot longer than me and no one has ever experienced what i've experienced so what the hell do i know.

[MASTERMOWER]

Or was I????

Yer scurrred I'll run my post count past yers.