Credit?

[Matther777]

Hello everyone I am wondering if I should get a business credit card when starting out? Or if I should just have a business bank account and wait later on to get credit. I am not sure if credit is bad for just starting out. Well my question is what did you guys do for first starting out.

[stevef1201]

Lawn care business tips

Worked three jobs to pay for my equipment and get someoperating money

[dpld]

i saved my money and prepared before i went solo while i was working for someone.
i saved for over three years and even when i went full time i still worked a winter job as well as a night job in the early years.

in the early stages it is too easy regardless of how good you think you are with money to not get caught up in credit card debt.

too many guys think when they start a business that they need to focus on their business full time and they go ahead and quit their job or think working for someone is beneath them now that they they are self employed.

by saving before i started i was able to start out with everything i needed and by working as long as i could with someone in the beginning it kept a steady cash flow coming in.

i am from the school of thought that some of us go to college and some of us go into the trades but regardless of what we choose to do it takes a few years of preparation and working double time as well as sacrifices to make it all come together.
in my late teens and early 20's while all my friends focused on the next party and having a good time i was doing what i had to do and by the time they got out of college i was already a few years into what they dreamed of making with their fancy degrees and some to this day never got that far.

most young people when i was growing up as well as today think that they got to enjoy life when they are young and have plenty of time to get it going and i always felt i got to bust my @zz while i am young so i don't have to do it when i am older and why put off until tomorrow what i can do today.

to get back on topic, if you need to use credit cards to pay for fuel or to finance a job then you are not making enough money with your business and have to do what you got to do and find extra work to bump up cash flow.
using a credit card is not gonna make that problem go away.

and if you need to use a card to get a job going then you need to start getting deposits on jobs because that is the norm in any industry today.

i only started using cards the last 10 years or so long after i was established because what little we use them for today we pay them off in full every month and do not carry debt.

i know you are probably thinking that i been at it a while and how i do things now being established don't apply to you, but you got to realize that i did not invent the wheel in the landscape business and other then working my tail off and following good advice from other successful people in the trade everything i accomplished can easily be done by anyone on these boards.

you just always have to safeguard yourself from shortages in cash flow and accumulating bad debt in the early years because when you are starting out nothing can take the wind out of your sails better then being broke and in debt.

just my two cents, good luck

[Matther777]

Thank you for your response. I have been saving money and have already purchased a trimmer and mower. I just need a few more things before this company is official. From what you were saying and what I was mostly leaning towards is stay away from credit until I truly need it. What I will do is just have a business checking account. I really do appreciate what you have to say. I am only 20 and decided not to go to school. It is nice to have job experience and understanding what hard work is. Once again I appreciate everyone on here for helping us new guys.

[Steve]

I am only 20 and decided not to go to school.

What's your view on why you decided not to go to school? Could you still take some pt courses at the local community college or what is your view on that?

[Matther777]

What I really want to do is go into film but I find it difficult to go to a 4 year school and learn math, science, history for no reason. I have been looking for film classes and might take those in the future. I mainly find it hard to go to school then have a degree in something that I may not even use. With starting a business like this I would be able to get a head start and really see if this is the best choice. I really don't have much to lose with starting this. I don't want to be rude or offend anyone but I see no point in school at the moment. The past few years I have been working with older folks that have degrees yet we have the same position at work. I believe if you work hard enough, keep pushing through, and put your mind towards it you will succeed.

[Steve]

Well just something to keep in mind, you could go for an associate business degree first and then a bachelors. That would always be helpful.

I would also love to see you experiment with some film projects and show us all.

[Matther777]

That could work I will keep that in mind.