Help, Teenage Owner

[anderson_lawns]

Hey Guys, I am having doubts about cutting grass in rolla. It just about impossible for me to cut grass here. People dont even give me a chance to get to their yards. I love cutting grass. But there are about 40 plus people in Rolla that cut lawns legally and illegaly, I have been pushed into a small corner where it is almost impossible to get out of. I advertise and I work my but off on the five yards that do have and people don't give me a chance, because I am still in school.

[TRANSMAN]

Getting Work.

Hello Justin. Starting a lawn bussiness is very competative regardless what age you are. Dont get discouraged because of your age. I would try stoping in person to some of the larger Lawn Care Bussinesses . It may be a possibility that if you visit a few and talk to the L.C owners in person they may have some smaller non commercial customers they wouldnt mind looseing and let you take a try at them.1 or 2 customers from 10 bloated L.C companies that want to move to larger jobs could give you 20 new lawns to mow in a heartbeat. Maybe you can give them a small commission if things follow through and they become yours. This may be a way for them to dump some dead old wood they have outgrown and florish without giveing anyone the impression they were droped or your a scrub. What one man considers trash can become someone elses HOPEFULLY YOURS treasure. I think if you were to atempt this gutsy move it would pay to do your visits with a lot of energy and presant yourself as professional and sincere as possible.Explain your just starting out,hungry,and have no intentions of stealing any comrades lawns. Dont forget to make your first contacts the best. The first impression is the most important and you never get a second chance at improveing your first impression. Good luck in whatever approach you try.But this has worked for me in a few ventures that i`ve approached. Every bussiness i`ve been involved with got started from talking to someone who was already established and when they found out i had skills in there field offered me some work they were looking to dump.SINCERELY,TRANS.

[sharp]

great plan to say the least. get your balls together and then put your best foot forward with a in person meeting not on the phone

Hello Justin. Starting a lawn bussiness is very competative regardless what age you are. Dont get discouraged because of your age. I would try stoping in person to some of the larger Lawn Care Bussinesses . It may be a possibility that if you visit a few and talk to the L.C owners in person they may have some smaller non commercial customers they wouldnt mind looseing and let you take a try at them.1 or 2 customers from 10 bloated L.C companies that want to move to larger jobs could give you 20 new lawns to mow in a heartbeat. Maybe you can give them a small commission if things follow through and they become yours. This may be a way for them to dump some dead old wood they have outgrown and florish without giveing anyone the impression they were droped or your a scrub. What one man considers trash can become someone elses HOPEFULLY YOURS treasure. I think if you were to atempt this gutsy move it would pay to do your visits with a lot of energy and presant yourself as professional and sincere as possible.Explain your just starting out,hungry,and have no intentions of stealing any comrades lawns. Dont forget to make your first contacts the best. The first impression is the most important and you never get a second chance at improveing your first impression. Good luck in whatever approach you try.But this has worked for me in a few ventures that i`ve approached. Every bussiness i`ve been involved with got started from talking to someone who was already established and when they found out i had skills in there field offered me some work they were looking to dump.SINCERELY,TRANS.

[WDrennan09]

Anderson, whats up man, look i was in the lawn care business w/ my dad all through highschool, When i graduated last year my dad told me he was gettin to old to do this sh*t and wanted to know if me and my brother wanted to run it from now on and if not he was gonna sell all his equipment. my brother is a couple years older than me and in college, didn't even come home for the summer last year living in knoxville. (he goes to Univ. of Tenn.), I said if didn't want to come home and help me run it then i didnt want it either & he sold everything but his door magnets, 1 22 in toro push mower and a old azz 34 in w/b (the worst mower he had) which he kept for our yard & a old azz trailer. This was the biggest mistake i ever made in me whole life was letting this buz. go! I was young and dumb, strait out of highschool had a bank account full of money from graduation girfs and all i cared about was chasing tail and drinkin beer. Now i'm tring to get back in the business, my dad got back some of his old cust. for me. I'm only nineteen and surprizingly it get the same sort of acts directed torward me even though I worked with my dad for 5 years and know quite a bit, plus i'm a legal adult (i know by no means am i a full grown adult but after 18 you are considered an adult). What i can tell you is talk to the people like you are an adult and don't act all nervous like a kid would, act as though you are confident and this isn't something new to you, like you do this on a day-to-day basis. i know this might sound bad but if they ask your age lie, say you graduated last year and are 19 about to be 20 (unless they know you) if they don't ask kinda tell them somehow that you graduated last year or something. Make yourself look professional even though you might not be that much of a perfessional. What i did and suggest is get some t-shirts made w/ your company name & what not on them, get some door mags; Instead of handing people fliers hand them a business card. This would poss. make them think you are a teenager working for a larger company ran by an adult. Basically just make them think you aren't just the kid from around the block thats only concern is getting a little spending money too run around town on. Stay in their bud it will all work out !
Best of Luck!
-Will

[skmodmsl]

Unfortunately the teenage years are the toughest. We've all been there ourselves. You sound like a very motivated young man. Not many guys your age have the same feelings you do. The majority of people regard teens as lazy and irresponsible. Don't get discouraged. Your time will come after you have paid your dues.

My advice is to portray a positive attitude. Be polite and address potential customers as Ms., Mrs, or Mr. If you wear any piercings take them off when meeting with potential customers and refrain from wearing them while working. When speaking to potential customers refrain from using slang words. Once you aquire more customers go the extra mile. Do a few extras such as pulling a few weeds, walking the trashcan back to the house, etc.

In the long run be patient. Someday there will be a youngin' who is in the same shoes.

[anderson_lawns]

Hey Guys again,
I am gonna go get my company name placed on my Three Dickies Workshirts. Should I get a polo shirt to wear when i go to make estimates and bids? Also, should i have them put my company name on the front and/or back only.

[WDrennan09]

I would wear your company shirt (wheter it may be a t-shirt or polo) and What i would do is put a smaller print of the name in the upper right or left hand corner of the shirt and a bigger one across the back of the shirt, unless you use a polo then i would just put it on the front corner. Best of luck bud !

[Bcalhoun2000]

Dude, I think the only thing for you right now working against you is your age. Can you drive? Do you have a vehicle that can carry your equipment? That is a complete other step about being professional and what your cleints might look at. I started with a friend of my dads at 16 and then in college I took over his accts part time, while I worked a 8-4:30 real job and about 20 lawns on the side under the table. Hang in there..Hopefully your clients now will see how you grow and dont throw in the towel. Cut your 5 yards and work another job till you mature (For your customers image) and can start to handle more accts.
Not a sermon, Just a thought!!
Brett Calhoun
Morning Dew LAwn Service
Morningdewlawnservice@yahoo.com

[WDrennan09]

Comeon cut the kid some slack ! At least he is tring, there are alot of 16 yr olds out there doing nothing but costing mommy & daddy $$, running around town all summer doing nothing but chasing tail, eating, smokin pot and drinkin beer and sticking their had out to mom and dad for money. At least this kid is tring to make an effort, I know i would have never tried to do what he is doing on his own at that age. Much props Anderson, keep on doin what your doing you'll make it!

P.S.--- your dad wouldn't be interested in maybe helping you so it would look a little more perfessional w/ an adult. or you dont have in older brothers or older guys you know from school or anything you could go in the buz w/

[sharp]

I have been in business a long time, there is always going to be something just as large as this problem you face now, suck it up and make a win, good luck

[anderson_lawns]

Guys, My dad always goes with me to make estimates and bids.

[WDrennan09]

but you go also...maybe you shouldn't go let your dad make the est. so it looks like he runs the buz. and then you come along and cut it and it looks like you are just working for your dad!

[anderson_lawns]

Ok, I am gonna get my shirts made some time next week.

[dennis]

but you go also...maybe you shouldn't go let your dad make the est. so it looks like he runs the buz. and then you come along and cut it and it looks like you are just working for your dad!

Hi again; I'll try not to be so hard this time.

I wouldn't do this; then you look dishonest. And what if they only want your dad to do the job if he was the one that got the job. Just keep everything upfront and you will be better off. This is a tough business just hang on a do all you can to stay professional.