Expanding business

What other services you do you offer? Have you thought about hiring on one guy part time to do the "landscaping maintenance" work, or something like. That would free up probably 15 to 20hrs a week for you

[myrlin]

Lawn care business tips

thank you John i am till think about it .think are slow down.i am mowering ever 2 week now. barry

[myrlin]

if i what to become the biggest in port charlotte fl. were wood i start. and wood i have lower my price to it.

[Steve]

This is a very good question. The thing I wonder is, should the goal be to be the biggest of the area or the most profitable?

This industry can be very cut throat and I don't think it would be much fun being the biggest company and just squeaking by or even worse, losing money.

I would think, one way to become more profitable would be to become specialized in some kind of installation and become the go to person in your area for that.

Let's see though what other members of the forum think.

If you are getting to the point of where you need help, then my suggestion would be to hire on someone that would work 2 to 3 days a week, your most busy days. That not only gives you time to train the person, but the ability to get more customers for then you can make the person full time.

There are a lot of downsides though, and I know first hand experience about. Here are some things to think about
1. When you hire on someone, you open up a whole new can of worms. Insurance, payroll, liability, etc. It will now cost you more money to do the same work that you did before. Don't think too that by having another employee that all jobs will go faster. The only jobs of where it will go faster is with larger properties.

2. What happens if you hire on an employee, and grow to 100 customers. But before you know it, that employee quits, and now you are stuck taking care of 100 properties yourself, before you can find someone else to hire and train.

3. Expect the quality of work to go down probably. Your quality is going to be a lot higher than employees. To employees, their work is only a paycheck. Employees that work for the green industry that are entry level really could care less about the company.

4. Expert a high turnover rate with entry level employees. Before you know it, you may even see them as your competition

5. Have systems in place and regulations. You have to set ground rules up front with the employee, and don't budge on them. Once you budge, they know that they can take advantage of you.


I have had it before of where I had one employee up to two crews working. I went back to working solo though because the profit margin was really low with employees, they were a constant headache, and the quality of work was not 100% of what I wanted. Will I ever go back to employees? Maybe. But definetly not in the next 2 years.

[Steve]

When you want to shot for higher profitability would you suggest specializing in a niche? Or what would you suggest?

To me, if you want to shot for a higher profit margin, you need to either stay small, or do one particular service very, very good. To the point of where people are lining up to receive your high quality and very expensive service. For example, outdoor BBQ's, patios, hardscapes, micro-irrigation, and color displays/plantings.

[myrlin]

ok you have ask my Q now i know which way to go. so i got to find my niche.

thank you very much
Barry

[Steve]

Have you thought of what kind of service(s) you would like to focus on?