help please!!!

[cody_lick]

I am going on my second year of cutting grass. I only do residential. I am 15 so i cant drive yet but i want to expand and make more cash.(who doesnt) My problem is i dont no how i should go about expanding with out being able to drive. Any help on how i should do this would be great Cody

[psparaco]

Lawn care business tips

I was in the same boat when I was your age. I started my own lawn care business then with a buddy of mine. He used his mower and i used mine. We split the profits down the middle. I used to use my little red radio flyer wagon to transport 200 foot of electric cord, a trimmer, a blower and hedge trimmer. I also rigged a skateboard to suport a mower to allow me to haul the mower on it so i could save the mower wheels from excess wear from pushing it around from client to client. the skateboard has a piece of wood nailed to it that was the length and width of the mower minus the wheels which hung over the sides. After the first year, my friend did not continue since he moved to another state. Then i did the business alone for the next 5 years. all toll I think i had 12 customers from year to year. I never tried to expand due to being under 16. After i got my license i still didnt drive since most of the properties were within walking distance of each other and my mom wouldnt let me use the car cause she always said she might need it. I think i was making like 180 a week. Most lawns i did this day in age i charge double than what i did then. So as you can see. I was in the same boat you were kinda. this day in age, I have only been in business a year and have about 20 clients. and looking to triple my customer base through massive door to door flyers. But without a car or truck. it makes it very difficult to expand. good luck. hope i gave ya some ideas.

[Steve]

My problem is i dont no how i should go about expanding with out being able to drive. Any help on how i should do this would be great

Are you marketing to all your neighbors within walking distance? What have you been doing to attract them so far?

[cody_lick]

Well my bro n his buddy did it for a year.n stopped. So I have the one guy that still wanted it done n I got 2 myself due to someone moving out of 2 houses so I got those. In conclusion I didn't have to do anything. I am thinking of making flyers up to give to some neighbors who I dont have. I have a total of 3 houses not counting mine. This is typed on cell phone so any mistakes Im sorry

[Steve]

It sounds like you are doing great so far! You have to give yourself a lot of credit for getting into the game. Now just keep getting the word out. Business cards, flyers, get some tshirts too. Let everyone know what you are up to.

[cody_lick]

I will Def do that. Still would like more advice anything at all woukd be awesome

[CHEESE2009]

Getting your license is the easy part, getting a vehicle is the hard part.

Running a business without either of them, will drive you insane.

Though it is GREAT because now you have a goal.

I suppose you are still in school? Which probably leaves you only the weekend to cut lawns.

So studying & all that boring stuff, you have about 18 hours to run your business.

What can you get done in 18 hours? 9 hours (8-5) Saturday & the same on Sunday.

If I get up at 7AM, I make sure to get on my first lawn by 8AM.

I usually take around 30 minutes per lawn give or take, add the fact you are using an electric mower & have to haul around wire +30 minutes minimum (wires, unloading, loading) w/o trimming & blowing. So maybe an hour to an hour & 20 minutes per lawn.

Now I am not able to figure out how many lawns you can do per day, because I do not know your route. Without a vehicle, getting to each lawn might take 10 minutes or more. You could get maximum 8 lawns done during the day with a tight route.

If you have a vehicle, & are like me (I consider most stop signs fake) & with a commercial mower, you could manage 17-18 lawns a day. Though I am too lazy to manage 18 lawns a day & like to finish working at 2-3pm, so I only manage 15 lawns a day.


Here is an idea, you will be more efficient with a gas mower, though you'd have to pay for gas, which is not a real problem because the extra work you do you will just be making more of a profit.

Now you can get a great commercial grade mower for $1,500.00 & only spend $7.00 a day on gas.

So to make your business worth it all, you have to make more than $1,500.00, which to me is 3 1/2 customers for the entire season.

#####

To get your license do you have to be 15 or 16 years old? I don't remember.

I suggest you get into the habit of studying for your test. I wouldn't worry about taking lessons, just another way to throw away money.

Go purchase the latest driving study book & glue yourself to it every night.

I believe in Ontario you take a written multiple choice test & if you pass, an appointment is made for your driving exam.

In Montreal, it's a computerized multiple choice test with goofy pictures. If you pass your appointment is booked for a driving exam.

The tests are really simple, in fact they are so simple you might get it wrong.

On this site http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/driver_licence/index.php

if you can find it by clicking ROAD SAFETY, & under "Online Services SAAQclic"

Click on, "Check your knowledge online" or "Road Safety Quiz"

there is the exact test I had to take & you can practice with it. The real test is very similar regardless of what they say. (For Montreal)

Wherever you are, laws & such may be different... Especially if you are in England & drive like a mailman (steering wheel on the right) lol.

The reason I believe you should focus on getting your license above all, is because it is just THAT important. Having a license enables you endless opportunity to expand your business. Without it, you will not be able to expand & be kicking yourself for not getting it earlier.

In later time, the best purchase you can make would be in a truck. Forget about cars. Trucks = even more opportunity & the ability to grow, you can get so much space, 6-8 ft bed for equipment, not even including a trailer!

And don't forget about the drive type, you want a vehicle that can perform well in winter so you can get more business doing snow removal.

Plan for the future. We all want stability, plan for a future wife, kids, & house. Total it all up & figure out how much you have to do to get there.

If you have a woman in your life already, forget it. Your money is as good as gone. GOOD LUCK!

[cody_lick]

Thanks long detailed plan haha. I can do my residential in us with a push mower. This august when I turn 16 I m going for permit here I have to be on it for 6 months. N the girl part well its confusing rite now idk If we r together or not

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by cody_lick

N the girl part well its confusing rite now idk If we r together or not

If she makes you happy, never answer the phone when she calls & say, "I'm mowing!" & hangup. Girls don't like that. lol.

If you get your permit, run your own business & do physical labor, you are 100 steps ahead of the other guys.

Lawn service separates the boys from the men.


If you need any relationship advice, I recommend talking to "Just In Time" on the forum.

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

You can expand without increasing your customer count by offering additional services to your existing customers.

Travel time is one of the most draining activities of your lawn care business...especially since you are not yet driving. Since you are already visiting your existing customers, offering additional services will be pure profit without additional travel time.

Here's an example: We getting close to springtime. Start asking your customers if they need their flowerbeds weeded and remulched. If they agree to mulching, next time your mom is at a retail store, ask her to pickup a few bags of mulch that you can sell to your customers with a remulching service. Additional services to existing customers is a great way to exand without the need to add customers to your roster.

Good luck:
Keith