NewBusiness

[RudeDude]

Hello all this is my very first post

I currenlty just graduated college with a degree in Computer Science but for the past 7 years while attending school I have had a small lawn maintenance business with 30 residential customers. I have A 36" Metro with 2 STIHL string trimmers, 2 blowers 1 redmax and 1 STHIL and a couple 21" mowers with a trailer. I basically have all the equipment I would need in order to start the business, but i am also working full time. So here is my problem I was wondering if I could make more money opening a lawn business or in the computer field working for someone else. Or shoud I continue to work and scale down the lawns to what i can handle and cut them after work.

Any suggestions would be helpful
Thanks in advance

[Phil Nilsson]

In many businesses the self employed earning potential is often two to three times higher or more compared to being employed ... this is a broad generalization ... also by the same token there are countless businesses that don't make any money at all where the owners would have been better off working even at minimum wages!

If you leave a career field for any length of time ... returning will take a lot of explaining. If you are at a fork in the road ... either choice you make will be a mistake ...

[csm]

I used to work for the "man". Unless you are the big corporate type you'll do better on your own. I use to make over $1500.00 a week driving a truck from Richmond to Meridan, CT every other day. I spent three nights a week away from my family in order to make that. I just started my company this year, ( buy the way this is my second go at the lawn care business) Last month I did $8000.00 to $9000.00. This week I made profit about $1500.00. My average days are around 6-8 hours. Whats going to happen four months down the road when I hire more than one subcontractor? $15,000.00 a month, $20,000.00 or more. The sky is the limit when you control your own destiny!!! I see me making half a million five years down the road. Why? Because I want it!!! Am I getting a little ****y? Yep and I'll fall on my azz soon but I'll get up and start again because I'm dam good at this and it shows in my workmanship.

[Image]

I don't know where you are in NJ but it is tough around here!! I recently started a thread about selling my business. It is such a demanding business, physically and financially. The off season can really drain your funds too. Praying for snow doesn't work either!! If I had the choice to do it again, I probably would not. I will say that for the most part I was happy, I just haven't been able to make the money I wanted to. But that's just me. Some do just fine.

[RudeDude]

Thanks for all the helpful comments and thanks to all the people who replied. I will take them all into consideration and I will let you know what my choice is early next year. Thanks again. I truly appreciate the help.

[Tom-N-Texas]

Well I think it depends on your area. Is the market there? How long is your growing season? Is there already tons of competition where you are. These are important questions you need to answer before making a decision.

I went to college and got a marketing degree. I mowed lawns all the way through college. My plan was to graduate and then get this magical job that paid big bucks. Well...that job never came along....and by the time I graduated I was making $40,000 a year in the lawn business on a very part time basis. Going full time soon after nearly doubled my income.

But I live in Texas. The growing season is long here. And luckily in my area there are lots and lots of potential customers. I would not trade the lawn service for anything. I set my own hours....Get a bit of down time in the winter....Have a flexible schedule. Make all my own decisions....Unlimited vacation/sick days....Decide my own pay/get regular substantial raises....can't get fired (at least not by everyone all at once) etc.

Not many 9-5 jobs will give you these things.

(I wish I would have gone for a horticulture degree now)