Hello, I'm new!

[JODY84]

Hello everyone, it's so nice to find a site like this!

Here's some info on us, My husband and I are both 23 and have a 1 year old daughter and we are just getting our service started. It took us a while to finally decide on what business to start. My husband was persistent on the landscape service, so here we are *http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

We have 8k cash saved and have only bought a few things so far. We live in San Antonio Texas where there are A LOT of landscape compaines, so we need some tips on how to stand out from the crowd?

One question I have is: what type of trailer is best to start out with...the large flat bed with gates or the enclosed
trailers? We've priced around and we're looking at spending about 2600 for a 16 foot flat bed trailer with the gates. But where do you all store the equipment at night?? Maybe we should get a shed or something?? <but again this is more money spent> so We really need advice on that!

Also regarding the bus. lic, how much do they usually run? What do we have to do to get one?

We will be buying a large "TROY BUILT" tractor from lowes tomorrow for about 2800 and then 2 reg mowers from sears.


As far as names go, my hubby and his partner want to call it "C & M services"...To me it sounds so bland, what do you think?

Also, we plan to be a full service business in the future, including pressure washing, landscape, stump removal, planting and adding curb appeal to a home or bus.

Thanks for reading! Any advice would be great! http://www.gophergraphics.com/forum/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[JODY84]

And how do I get that gopher-avatar off my posts! lol

[Steve]

Hi Jody,

Quote[/b] ]We have 8k cash saved and have only bought a few things so far. We live in San Antonio Texas where there are A LOT of landscape compaines, so we need some tips on how to stand out from the crowd?

This is a big question. I am happy to say that from this forum we have seen new lawn care businesses grow and some attract global attention.

You have to be crazy and rebellious to break from the pack to even start a business. You even have to be crazy to consider starting a business, so for you to be there, I do applaud you. You have taken a big step. But quickly you may find yourself surrounded by other crazy rebels who decided they were going to break from the pack too and start their own lawn care business.

So how do you stand out from the crowd? Simply put you have to be different. If you really want to stand out, create an attention getting name. Create an attention getting logo. How do you know what is attention getting? Well if after you create it , you sit there and say owwww this is a little over the top and I am not really comfortable with it. THAT is exactly where you want to position yourself if you REALLY want to be different. When Lee of Tiger Time Lawn Care decided he was actually going to go through with the bikini lawn care service to gain attention, believe me I think we both cringed for a moment. We both hoped there wasn't this huge backlash that would forever branded him in a bad light in his community and sink his hopes of succeeding with his business.

So think, what name would make you cringe? What logo would make you cringe? What marketing campaign would make you cringe? It's there that would make you stand out. It's not for the faint of heart that is for sure, but neither is starting your own business, so maybe this is something that you may explore.

Quote[/b] ]One question I have is: what type of trailer is best to start out with...the large flat bed with gates or the enclosed
trailers? We've priced around and we're looking at spending about 2600 for a 16 foot flat bed trailer with the gates. But where do you all store the equipment at night?? Maybe we should get a shed or something?? so We really need advice on that!

If it were me and I was just starting out, I would buy a cheap used flat bed trailer. I would experiment with little cash to see if this was something I indeed liked.

Ask around on this forum and you will find stories of people who went under or almost went under due to debt. Don't spend a penny more than you absolutely have too. You never know, you may start doing this and find you hate it. Then if you spend as little as possible, you will still be able to have cash to explore other business opportunities.

Quote[/b] ]Also regarding the bus. lic, how much do they usually run? What do we have to do to get one?

Go to your town hall or county court house and you will be able to register a business name, dba (doing business as), for less than $50 I believe.

Quote[/b] ]We will be buying a large "TROY BUILT" tractor from lowes tomorrow for about 2800 and then 2 reg mowers from sears.

Why? Why not buy a cheap used one first? Save your money, you never know when you will need it to get through the lean times, like the fall and winter. Also, I would much rather spend less money on equipment and more on marketing, any day. Idle equipment makes no money.

Quote[/b] ]As far as names go, my hubby and his partner want to call it "C & M services"...To me it sounds so bland, what do you think?

I think if they want to do this, then go for it. I applaud them for getting started. I am not going to say anything negative about their name. I personally wouldn't choose that for my business name because I would look for something that stood out. Something that made a person look twice when you drove by them.

Quote[/b] ]Also, we plan to be a full service business in the future, including pressure washing, landscape, stump removal, planting and adding curb appeal to a home or bus.

Good! You never know which services will take off and which won't so the more you explore and experiment, the better off you will be.

What's your next step? What are you going to be doing to gain customers?

Quote[/b] ]And how do I get that gopher-avatar off my posts! lol
The graphic changes as you post more.