Help from EXPERIENCED PROS...

[affordablelawnmgmt]

This site has been very helpful in giving me information on some things I did not fully understand about landscaping. So thanks to all the guys who take the time to post relevant and knowledgeable info, it is greatly appreciated. I need a few tips from some of the more experienced guys on here. I have been in landscaping for 10+ years and I am currently 23 and finishing my last year of college. I was taught at a young age that hard work gets you where you need to go, so I started young and worked through middle school and high school with my uncles company. I have cut thousands of yards over the years and have mastered that aspect of landscaping. My real question is for the guys who have knowledge of expanding. I work with my uncles company which gives me access to zero turn mowers,weed eaters, edgers, etc... I started my own company last summer while also working with him. I made around $10,000 from March to November on my own. I am planning on going to my local bank this week to ask for a 1-4K loan to fix a truck I have obtained and also to finish the customized trailer I have been working on. Will I have any problem obtaining this small loan? I already have my business account and have good records showing revenues, expenses, etc. My business makes MONEY I dont waste money on things trying to be the COOL company. I bust my *** and I am there %100 percent of all jobs. My customers have never complained and I put an emphasis on customer satisfaction. I have around 20-25 accounts so far and thats without hardly any marketing. I am working on a big marketing plan that I have been developing over the winter using some methods and strategies I have been learning in my business administration school. I really expect to gain many customers and I need to be able to meet demand. I have been doing all the work myself in order to increase profit. It has been exhausting so I am hiring one person to help me this summer to ease the load. I have developed strategies to cut down the time it takes to do mulching, mowing, and other things which involves taking care of lawns so I am able to perform high quality work for lower prices. My degree is in human resource management so I am constantly looking for ways to speed up processes and cut down businesses costs. I am very innovative and look for things that others do not when they see a landscaping job, I am always expanding my knowledge so any tips or info from people who have went through this stage in their company would help me out. Thanks in advance!

[bruces]

Lawn care business tips

As a new business,its generally tough to get a loan .Good luck to you !

[LawnBoy0311]

Most likely not. Your a new business, and your gross was only 10K.


You could be the hardest working man alive, but they don't care about that. It's all numbers.

[affordablelawnmgmt]

Yeah I know exactly what you mean. I know that I am still considered startup/new,but I know the president of the bank personally and played ball with his son when we were younger. He also gave me a car loan in high school for 6k. I know that it usually is about the numbers but I believe when dealing locally with banks it is a little bit easier and other factors come in to play if they know you. I have 2k in my business account saved up. So you are saying they wouldnt lend me anything just because I am new?

[LawnBoy0311]

When dealing with banks in general, they always think "whats in it for me"? When they lend money, they want to know they are getting paid. In some cases a good credit score will get you a loan.

I don't know much about business loans, I know from personal experience dealing with banks and all the crap i've had to go through. But i'm sure business loans aren't that different. I could be way wrong.

If your only looking at a few thousand, why not a credit card?


If you know the bank president, and you were good with your car payment, he may lend it to you anyway. Who knows, but it doesn't hurt to try.

I'm getting ready to apply for another mortgage on another house, the worst case all they say is "no". If you know you can make the payment, go for it and see what they say.

[stevef1201]

Personal experience-If you can show that you have a viable company with growth potential, and ability to repay- Banks would rather lend a million than a thousand

[affordablelawnmgmt]

Thanks for the help, and your right. All they can say is no so I am going to give it a try. The credit card is also another option I will explore if I get denied.

[Steve]

Do you REALLY need that money? Or can you get by without it, in another way?

[affordablelawnmgmt]

I could get by without the money as I work for someone else also and we have a joint agreement that I can basically use his equipment when I choose. I wanted to get the small loan in order to keep me from spending the money I have saved. So basically I will be fine until season starts in March but with a small loan I could have my own truck an trailer ready to go. I am just trying to get everything in line because I am a full time student so I balance landscaping/class with most of my time. As I have learned if you are not prepared before the season starts up it will cause a lot of stress when customers start calling.

[Steve]

What kinds of things do you need to do to finish your truck and trailer?