Say Hello !!!

[graybroslawncare]

That is probably the biggest question I ask my self everyday too. I own our lawn care company and my two younger brothers still work for/with me everyday. I have to be their boss but also their older brother, so distinguishing between those two roles has been a challenge for me.
I have found that one of the best things we do to minimize conflicts is to spend time together away from work. We are all really close in age, so we are able go mountain biking together, ride four-wheelers, shoot guns, golfing, etc. We like keeping the tight bond that we have as brothers, because it is what ultimately got us to where we are now. Our name has grown into our business name, and people in our area love to see us working together and upholding a high reputation. The family aspect of our business has gotten us many accounts and helped us keep them for many years.
My suggestion to others in a family business would be: keep everyone invested and motivated equally, spend time together away from work to further your relationship, and ultimately just have fun and love what you do. Small family businesses are huge reputation builders, and equally reputation destroyers; don't let money and stress come between family.
Thanks again for the great question Steve, and the chance for me to reflect on such a great aspect of my life!

[clooney]

Heys everyone,

My name is Steve from Delaware. I'm a new member ready to get started this spring with a new landscape division to my company. I own an asphalt sealcoating company looking to expand and offer customers more great service. I have worked in the landscape field during the summer while in college years ago. I did fall clean ups in my area last year and looking for more opportunities this year. Any tips with estimating, purchasing material at discounted rates and start up suggestions would be of interest to me. Thanks in advance for any and all input you guys might have. Look forward to the time here!

[Steve]

Welcome to our forum!

Figure out how long it takes you to mow your own lawn. Then you should be able to bid a job based on the time per sq/ft. That should be the simplest way for you.

Keep us posted on how it all goes.

[elitelawn13]

I'm exploring starting a lawn care business and purchasing some existing accounts with equipment and labor to get started. Given my background is in business and marketing (serial entrepreneur) I'm looking at this as more of an investment to grow rather than working directly in the field. I rarely join forums but this one has a lot of good information. Excited to learn more.

[Steve]

Welcome to our forum!

I'm looking at this as more of an investment to grow rather than working directly in the field.

How will you go about doing this? How do you maintain a certain level of quality and know what your employees are up to?

[guardacorte]

Originally Posted by elitelawn13

I'm exploring starting a lawn care business and purchasing some existing accounts with equipment and labor to get started. Given my background is in business and marketing (serial entrepreneur) I'm looking at this as more of an investment to grow rather than working directly in the field. I rarely join forums but this one has a lot of good information. Excited to learn more.

In my experience as both an employee and now my own boss I don't believe you can learn more unless you get out into the field. how can you grow your business on reputation, without knowing the "complete product", how can you ensure your buying the right (expensive) machinery if you haven't been on the ground, Obviously if your loaded you can pay people to do this, but you won't know anything about the process or product, and if you are not directly involved how can you ensure your not just investing in the process of building the reputation of your crew not your company....maybe costing you contracts if they left.

I have employees and I leave them at contracts, whilst ill do others, I always check there work, I have high standards and on more than one occasion I've made them do it again, you must do this on every job until they know the standard expected, I know I sound hard, but my customers refer my name not my crews name to friends etc.

Bottom line, get out in the field if you want to learn how to really care for lawns.

Hello my name is Patrick and I am trying to start lawn mowing business this spring in Somerset Kentucky. All I have is a Honda HR 214 push mower an echo weed wacker in a pickup truck like everyone new I wish I had some customers. Any advice or tips for me would certainly help. Thank you everybody

[elitelawn13]

How will you go about doing this? How do you maintain a certain level of quality and know what your employees are up to?

My intention would be to be on site for the first month, afterwards, check their work on a consistent basis. Additionally, I would be focusing on sales, marketing, billing, purchasing, client relations, etc...

I have been shadowing my friend this week. I've learned that there's a lot to learn and if I did enter this industry I would dive in head first.

Thank you for all of the great feedback. This is exactly why I joined this forum. Ideas need to be challenged. They can save a pretty penny.

[guardacorte]

Originally Posted by Pat65

Hello my name is Patrick and I am trying to start lawn mowing business this spring in Somerset Kentucky. All I have is a Honda HR 214 push mower an echo weed wacker in a pickup truck like everyone new I wish I had some customers. Any advice or tips for me would certainly help. Thank you everybody

Hi Patrick, I used friends and family to get first contracts, ensuring i was freindly with anyone i saw whilst doing the lawn, chance conversations grow money, i never offer, always let them ask the magic how much will my lawn cost to cut question, always visit job before giving a price and if a hedge needs doing to, tell them, hedge cutting is also lucrative. Never give a price without seeing it. it has grown naturally from doing this on residential to over 100 lawns a week peak season this on word of mouth alone, factor in hedges too and you will be on a winner. I tried a few weeks advertising once and got one customer from it and luckily I still do him, but was an expensive experience for a new start.

Once established and having invested nearly everything back in on equipment etc I started targeting commercial contracts and gardening contracts all have come mainly from online yellow pages, very cheap local advert 100 a year per local area targeted, I invested in a free phone number which points to my mobile and whispers free phone number so I know To answer phone correctly with company name etc, because this is the only advert I run and all my lawns come in on mobile number I know it's very effective, but you need the equipment.

Hope I have helped a little basically get people talking about you.

[EricG82]

My name is eric, i have been mowing part time for 4 years now. Im wanting to go full time with my business this year. Would love any advice on getting more new customers.