I love my customers :)

[MAKLawnCutter]

So. We all have customers that we love, and we hate.

I have 48 contracted (weekly/bi-weekly) accounts that i take care of. I pump them out in 3 days usually, have done it in 2 but, couldnt move afterwards.

Anyways, TODAY!

I dropped the news on my mother, that she is going to be a "grand mother..."
You would assume she was EXTACTIC. Negative! I havent been with my GF for more than 8months, and she is close to 4 months pregnant. She said some VERY mean things, meaner than i expected in my "****tie responce" idea i had in my head. Like, SHE BLEW THE HELL UP! I was at my last lawn today (pumped out 17 today *thumbs up*). I was at my last lawn (18 if you arent keeping up). And my customer saw me on the phone, saw the hand run through the hair and pinch the upper nose. Came out with a pair of cold Zeph bottles of water and told me to sit down. Asked me what the problem was... (is a retired phsycologist) i cracked a joke and he said he wouldnt bill me. I vented and actually cried in front of a customer. Was one of the most difficult days cutting lawns i have had (mentally).
I had billing ready for him, and awesomely enough, he had a check ready for me :) (and the last three months ive let him slide). He even had a tip on it. He doesnt know it but, im making July fo' free after todays littling issue. He also told me to take the rest of the day off and relax. So, i did, ill cut his lawn on Saturday morning before my clean up job i have scheduled.

The thing i dont know about my Mother is, why she is like she is. She has never really had the ut-most-confidence in me. We had a really bad outting when i was 17 and my father passed away. So, maybe thats the issue, im relentless to forgive her for kicking me out at 17 and she is relentless to accept i make more money that her :D. LMAO.

ON THE UPPER HAND FOR TODAY! I showed up to a basic service call (BSC) and landed three new contracts :). All three paid me up front for two months; 7 months in, i have gone from my original 4, to 48, that is like 12x what i started with. I have never pushed upsells on anyone, i let them come to me. I do the work and leave them be. :P

Enough rambling from me. My customers are awesome, bottles of H20 always make me more happy than a tip :)

[Jack Rabbit]

17 yards in a day? Awesome.

I've had customers give me Gatorade, stew, sandwiches, and an antique wooden ladder.

[picframer]

Well for what it's worth Congradulations to you and your better half and I wish you the very best!

[The Cleaning Doctor]

Congratulations. That little one will definitely bring a joy to your life that nothing else can.

As for your mom, mine left when I was 6 and I did not see her again until I was 18. She will eventually come around. Just give it some time. Keep your head up as you have something to be proud of. A new family and a successfully growing business.

[DillonB92]

hey man i am only 17 now. Lets just say my nephew had is first birthday party this past weekend. Man when my sister told my mom she was pregnant she blew up like the grand finale at disney world. She was Explicit and madder than heck. She slowly started being ok with it. When the baby was born it was like pissssssed offff................baby's birthday....... HAPPIER THAN EVER. It was a complete 180 degree switch. Now she spends every second she can with the baby. Shoot i'm lucky to even get too hold him for 5 min. Your mom will come around trust me. I work at baskin robbins part time and i have my regular customers that come in and talk to me as i am serving up their 5 quarts of ice cream. It takes about 10 min to pack a quart because you know they have to pick the hardest ice cream.But one woman had same thing happen to her. Then i met her mother. After a while she quit coming in and then came in last week. I asked how her daughter was and the baby and she like I wasn't excitied at all at first but now i can't freaking wait. Don't worry about your mom man. She'll come around. Its deff just because you make more than her. lol

[MAKLawnCutter]

Yeah, i am totally excited about becoming a dad. She has a 3yr old that calls me dad. And i love her daughter like no other. *coughwithallthegirlsivehadunprotectedwithyoudimag ineidhaveonebeforenowandthisgirlieveplayeditsafewi th*

And Dillion. Being 17, working two jobs... dont burn your self out bro.

i work two jobs, i cut lawns 3 - 4days a week
i manage a pizza shop 2 -3 days a week. Exhausting.

I have sundays off to keep my sanity which has seemed to fail lately, im still a nervous break. I hope FL sees a hurricane so i can sit in a hotel room with my two special ladies for a few days as it passes. Be a short vacation.

[robgee05]

@ 26 Mak you sure cant worry about what Mom thinks. My daughter attended my college graduation when I was 22. I have worked 2-3-4 jobs. It will all work out in the end, if you work at it. You seem to be doing well for yourself. My daughters 13 now her brother 10 and Ive been married 12 LOL. But my wife and I worked hard, have good jobs and a small business. And life is good. Im not gonna bad mouth my mother or mother in law. But the best advice I can give you is this. Turn off the negative and nay sayers and only take advice from those doing better than you. Good luck and congrats.

Rob

[Steve]

Everyone has ideals for YOU. Mom, dad, sister, cousin, nephew, neighbor. When you don't walk the path they envisioned you walking, they get mad. What can you do though? Try to conform to anyone's ideal and you will make yourself unhappy doing it.

All you can ever do is follow your path and take your own journey in life. Some may approve and that is great. Some may not approve and that's ok too.

Congratulations on being a future dad and keep us posted on how it is all going. For every one person on here who talks about an issue, there are hundreds more who are dealing with it and afraid to bring it up.

[DillonB92]

haha heard that about the Hurricane. I think this past week was the first it has rained here since may. The grass was drying up and stoped growing.
Shoot man i know its hard! since this is my first year i can't even begin to think how much free time i am going to have once school starts back in two weeks. I mean really i got burnt out on baskin robbins a while back. It is just crazy. I guess there is only so much ice cream you can scoop and only so much of rude customers having a bad day you can take while Scooping their stuff too. When i turn 18 and finally get my truck paid off I am probably going to switch to bass pro or lowes. I would like to work just mowing yards but once winter hits i don't know what i would do. I am trying to move out when i graduate but thats going to take a lot of money.

Man hang in there! Good luck!

[MAKLawnCutter]

im stoked :).

I saw a guy out today doing a commercial job with his little son, probably 6 or 7. i dont think ill be doing the same but, i can envision the "daddy, i wanna go to work with you"

And 17lawns in a day, alone is not fun ride. 7am to 8pm, with a 20min lunch, 3 gallons of water and SPF100. Makes the entire day awesome :). When i started i could barely do 4 in 7 hours, now im pumping out a lot more. I love this industry.

matt

[robgee05]

im stoked :).

I saw a guy out today doing a commercial job with his little son, probably 6 or 7. i dont think ill be doing the same but, i can envision the "daddy, i wanna go to work with you"

Well my son will be 11 next year, and has an interest in making $$ and the lawn biz. Me and my bro are lining up jobs in a local seniors mobile home park. At 20-25 a pc he could easily be making $200 A WEEK for himself by 13. Hes got the mowing down, trimming is another issue LOL. He's a big 10yo though, hell catch on. There is an older fellow that cuts most now, but he is retiring this year. So we figure well help my son out a couple years to get him rolling. No matter what he chooses to do in life, running a small lawn business in his teens will help with any future entrepreneurial endeavorers he sets out on. Now if I could only get the 13 girl (They are High maintenance) :D interested in making $$$ to pay her bills. LOL.

[Chachi]

My mother was the same way with my first and now we just found out we have another on the way lol. She came around the instant she laid eyes on my daughter.

[MAKLawnCutter]

Here you go! Sonogram Pictures, from today :). I cried like a lil baby.

ITS A BOY... better be, has truck and trailer waiting for him *kidding, he can do whatever his heart wants*

Anyways, yeah, Customers are awesome... when they pay, this month everyone is SLACKING!

Matt

[Steve]

That is so much fun! Great picture!