Brad Montgomery
10-29-2009, 08:20 AM
Yup. Canada.. Eh...
Hi all. My name is Brad, and I live in Kingston On. I have worked in some sort of Lawn Care/landscaping for the better part of 10 years. Started out cutting feilds upon feilds of tall grass with a weed waker. (Empty building lots, about 125 in total) Then I stepped up to lawn care and landscaping for a VERY VERY VERY large organization (think Canada) Not that we do anything for the public, but we had a large are to maintain.
After about 6 years of that, I decided that I am sick of working for some one else. Their Rules, their times, their money... And they way things work where I am is just terrible. Too many systems. So last fall I started doing stuff on my own. It orginally started with a friend, but when we got our first job, and he set the times to do it, then bailed the night before, stating he had something else to do, I figured it was better to just go it alone.
Any way, things were looking up, I got a really good customer last fall just for fall clean up, and talked to her a little about her wreck of a yard. Just like was being mentioned in the up selling thread, I planted a sead and let her run with it. I did a little snow over the winter with a blower and shovel, and then come spring my old customer called me for some work. At the end of the year she has paid me close to $5000. Not bad for one person.
I still work my full time job, only because things are too slow to quit it yet, and the benifits and perks are just too good sometimes.
The main reason it has been slow for me was because in early June, I seperated my shoulder, and was not able to move it for almost 8 weeks. That really hurt me, but I am better, and starting to pick up.
As far as Marketing (cause after a couple days of lurking on the forum I know Steve will ask) I really have not done much. Regular ads on Kingston Kijiji, Really nice Business Cards, and word of mouth. Word of mouth has worked the best for me so far. That one customer I had last fall, and again this year, her Father in law just built a house, and needs the whole yard done. Right from design, and clearing, right down to the last details. I am really looking forward to it. But ya, word of mouth is the best. And I recently got an ad in the yellow Pages.. That should help too..
Anyway, look forward to my time on this site..
Thanks
Brad
Hi all. My name is Brad, and I live in Kingston On. I have worked in some sort of Lawn Care/landscaping for the better part of 10 years. Started out cutting feilds upon feilds of tall grass with a weed waker. (Empty building lots, about 125 in total) Then I stepped up to lawn care and landscaping for a VERY VERY VERY large organization (think Canada) Not that we do anything for the public, but we had a large are to maintain.
After about 6 years of that, I decided that I am sick of working for some one else. Their Rules, their times, their money... And they way things work where I am is just terrible. Too many systems. So last fall I started doing stuff on my own. It orginally started with a friend, but when we got our first job, and he set the times to do it, then bailed the night before, stating he had something else to do, I figured it was better to just go it alone.
Any way, things were looking up, I got a really good customer last fall just for fall clean up, and talked to her a little about her wreck of a yard. Just like was being mentioned in the up selling thread, I planted a sead and let her run with it. I did a little snow over the winter with a blower and shovel, and then come spring my old customer called me for some work. At the end of the year she has paid me close to $5000. Not bad for one person.
I still work my full time job, only because things are too slow to quit it yet, and the benifits and perks are just too good sometimes.
The main reason it has been slow for me was because in early June, I seperated my shoulder, and was not able to move it for almost 8 weeks. That really hurt me, but I am better, and starting to pick up.
As far as Marketing (cause after a couple days of lurking on the forum I know Steve will ask) I really have not done much. Regular ads on Kingston Kijiji, Really nice Business Cards, and word of mouth. Word of mouth has worked the best for me so far. That one customer I had last fall, and again this year, her Father in law just built a house, and needs the whole yard done. Right from design, and clearing, right down to the last details. I am really looking forward to it. But ya, word of mouth is the best. And I recently got an ad in the yellow Pages.. That should help too..
Anyway, look forward to my time on this site..
Thanks
Brad