starting new part time business

[huskerfan62]

Hello, as the name says I am from Nebraska and a huge Husker fan. Trying to start up a lawn business part time as I am a full time mechanic during the day. I do have 3 sons 15, 21, and 26 so will have the help I believe if I need it. About 10 years ago I started a fence business part time and grew so fast it outgrew me and I had to put it on the back burner because of lack of time. Also the fence thing was a lot of physical labor for an old man like me. What I am trying to do is start up doing a few small yards with a push mower and grow from there. As/If it grows I will add a rider and other services also. As of right now I am in a town of about 10,000 and hope to pick up about 10 or 15 yards per week for this year and see how it plays out. If things work out I will dive headfirst in over the winter with a gameplan for next year. I'm hoping this becomes a plan "b" for when I want to quit the automotive business. My brother in law and my dad have both done lawns in the past and encourage me to get out and do it. The family name has been in business for over 30 years in some capacity or another so hoping that leads to a few accounts. Thanks for all the good info on this site.

[Tom53]

Lawn care business tips

Welcome to the forum, and as far as being a husker fan, we wont hold that against you! LOL Just kidding...(hawkeye fans can be a pain, cant we!) This is a great place for information, tips and tricks. I am in Iowa right across the river from So. Sioux, so if you are in this area let me know. Good Luck in your ventures.

[Steve]

Welcome to our forum!

About 10 years ago I started a fence business part time and grew so fast it outgrew me and I had to put it on the back burner because of lack of time.

Can you tell us a little bit about this experience? What is your view on why it wasn't able to grow into your fulltime business?

How do you feel the lessons you learned from that experience will help you now get this business grow at a comfortable pace?

[huskerfan62]

as far as being a husker fan, we wont hold that against you! LOL Just kidding...(hawkeye fans can be a pain, cant we!)

I get this alot on another forum i'm on also. lol. Can't wait for the day after Thanksgiving. Seems like a natural rivalry to me.

Can you tell us a little bit about this experience? What is your view on why it wasn't able to grow into your fulltime business?

The fence business was mainly a good experience. One problem I had was that my oldest was only 15 at the time and trying to keep him working was a chore. I also had to be on every job myself and had nobody to delegate duties too like I would be set up to do now. I tried to take on every fence job I could get so I did get over my head on some larger commercial jobs. Financially I just couldn't get the equipment to do the larger jobs at the time and I hated being a business that only did certain jobs and not others. I did learn alot from it though that I think will help now as far as organization. I have been in the auto business long enough that my customer relations skills are very good. Someone once told me if you have a product that you believe in you can sell it. I do think that is true. I may incorporate some small fence jobs into the lawn business. We are going to start small and grow as it goes. This first year is just a feeler and if we get enough interest we will do some major things over the winter and go all out in 2012. My second son graduates next spring in business administration so hopefully this becomes a dad overseeing the business and having proper people in place to make it work.

[Steve]

. I tried to take on every fence job I could get so I did get over my head on some larger commercial jobs.

Many business owners seem to rush to get larger and larger jobs. Here you have been through this situation. Can you explain to others why they need to be careful and not rush to take on ever bigger jobs?

A lot of newer business owners feel the bigger the job the better because they will make more money. But what is the down side to rushing into it? What do they need to look out for?