Newbie With A Few Questions

[markj892]

HELLO TO ALL !

I'M A Newbie Just Starting Out ! I Found Gopher On Youtube And Read Up On The Site And I Have Learned A LOT The Passed Couple Days! So A Big Thanks To Everyone Here!

Questions:
I Was Wondering Where Everyone Buys From? I Went To Home Depot And Priced Everything For Start Up And Its Gonna Cost A Lot Just To Start! (Less Than I Thought But Still Around $1.8k)

Also Any Suggestion On Which Walk behind Mower To Get? Residential Only As Of Right Now!

Do You Think Sept. Would Be A Bad Time For A New Start Up Lawn Care Business?

My Story:
I'M 21 And I Work In The wholesale pool industry but I have always wanted to own my own business'. When I was 13 I had 5 lawns a week for about 2 years then one winter I shut down and didn't start back up! so I am wanting to get back into it with the intention to support me and my bill's and maybe have some play money for myself and of course the most important is so that I don't have to punch a time card everyday !

Anyways I Look Forward To Reading More And To Your Responses !:)

Thanks To All !
To Your Success!
Mark

[Steve]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to our forum!

We have found now is always the best time to get your business started. There is no better time than the present.

As far as equipment goes, sure you can go out and spend a lot of money on equipment, but why?

Who knows if you will like this? Why get into debt early on when you are experimenting with being a business owner?

Why not start with what you have or some simple equipment and then scale up as needed.

If you end up liking it, you can always buy commercial equipment and spend more money, but early on, you may decide to just get your feet wet in it before you jump in.

What's your view on this?

[markj892]

That Is true ! I have went over what I can scale down on and got a trailer for free and I am in the process of repairing! so that has cut out a lot of the money !! I do not really want to go with a cheap mower since I will need one when I get my own house anyway, but I have decided I will for now!

Thank you for the advice!

[Steve]

Keep us posted on what you decide to go with and how your business development is going.

[markj892]

Hey Steve!

My business has been going really well actually!
I went with echo on my trimmer and edger and a Briggs n Stratton on the mower and it all came out to be almost $1.1k.

I have been advertising online for free since I have a little internet marketing experience and I have gotten several lawn care calls and 1 fence job that is going to pay off the debt for the equipment I just bought.

I am running into a little trouble with time management because I have a full time job and do not get off work till 5:30 and after that I have to eat and other random things so I have time for maybe 1 lawn job a night! but I have been losing a lot of business because I am not able to answer the phone while at work so I am at a major crossroad as to whether I should take a risk I would love to take and quit my job and go full time lawn care/fence or be safe and keep the job and just be overwhelmed with work untill I have enough lawns to cover my paycheck at my full time job?

[Steve]

It seems those who had been successful at making the jump from fulltime job to going fulltime with their business were able to save money. At the very least 1 month's income but I would think 3 months would be better.

Can you set up jobs to do them on the weekend? Also can you get someone to answer your business phone while you are at work?