A couple of things fell into place

[mark123]

July was my first profitable month since I started in March 2009, the business has grown, I sold a few unnecessary things and the offer was almost too good to let pass. The news is I was able to replace my truck with something much nicer on Thursday. My 1992 GMC 1500 with it's V-6 was really starting to have issues. Everything on the dash was broken except for the speedometer, the wipers didn't work sometimes, the brake system needed completely replaced, it smoked like crazy, it was scratched and dented and wrecked and just looked horrible. So I replaced it with a 2000 GMC 2500 (rated at 8800 GVWR) with a 350ci engine (5.7 litres for the great white northerners). Everything works on it and it just looks so much better. Made in USA! W00t! Cassette (heck yeah! LOL) and AC both work: I took it on it's first work day on Friday and it worked out very well. You could say I'm stoked.

__________________
Boughter's Lawn Care Services Mowing and Fertilizing in New Castle, PA

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Last edited by mark123; 09-05-2010 at 05:19 PM.

[cleancutlawncare5382]

Lawn care business tips

Gotta love it when a plan comes together! Nice truck.

[MountainViewGreenskeeper]

Sweet. A nicer looking truck always a good thing.

[Steve]

That truck looks really nice and is a great big canvas for all sorts of vinyl signs, if you decide to go that route.

Didn't you used to have a red truck?

July was my first profitable month since I started in March 2009, the business has grown,

What do you think of this? Did you plan for your business to start to profit then or was that a surprise? Looking back, were there things you would like to have done differently if you could?

I sold a few unnecessary things and the offer was almost too good to let pass.

Was this equipment you purchased and you found you didn't need? What type of things did this include?

[mark123]

Originally Posted by Steve

That truck looks really nice and is a great big canvas for all sorts of vinyl signs, if you decide to go that route.

I'm thinking of going a bit more subtle than the other guys in town but yes, I do plan to have it lettered.

Originally Posted by Steve

Didn't you used to have a red truck?

Yes, it's in the front of the newer truck in the first pic. It's just falling to pieces. A hundred little problems add up to big headaches. Besides it was at capacity for what I am hauling, especially when I put my spray bubble on the back. Now I can haul whatever I need and not have to worry about breaking anything or getting pulled over for sagging too low.

Originally Posted by Steve

What do you think of this? Did you plan for your business to start to profit then or was that a surprise?

I had no idea when things would start rolling. I just kept going and decided that I won't give up no matter how hard things became. I just put my faith in God and put all the worries in his hands. He hasn't let me down.

The business almost immediately started paying for itself when I began but that was it. Even that was only because I purchased equipment a little bit at a time over the previous 5 or so years before I was forced into starting this business by my last job not paying. If I hadn't have had the equipment I needed I would surely have had to find a low paying job to keep food on the table.

Originally Posted by Steve

Looking back, were there things you would like to have done differently if you could?

I would have started when I was 20 years old. If I knew then what I know now. Seriously.

Originally Posted by Steve

Was this equipment you purchased and you found you didn't need? What type of things did this include?

I sold my 1984 Nissan 300ZX, a SIG Sauer P220ST and a few other firearms related items. I think there was something else but I can't think of it right now.

I actually had the money in the bank to buy it without selling anything but I've learned my lesson on letting the accounts get too low. Before my last job quit paying me I had about $10,000 in an emergency fund and quite frankly, it was gone before I started my mowing/fertilizing business. Now I'm dumping everything I can into the house to get it paid off. From last count I'm about 21 years ahead in my house payments and hope to have it paid off next year. After that a huge financial burden will be lifted and I can relax.

[cleancutlawncare5382]

Originally Posted by mark123

I'm about 21 years ahead in my house payments and hope to have it paid off next year. After that a huge financial burden will be lifted and I can relax.

I hear ya, great feeling getting the house paid off.

“A word of caution”

Paid mine off about 6 years ago and still don’t have 2 red cent to rub together. Gotta stay focused on your business plan.

[Steve]

Paid mine off about 6 years ago and still don’t have 2 red cent to rub together. Gotta stay focused on your business plan.

Would you have preferred to do something differently instead? When you say you have to stay focused on the business plan, what lessons do you feel you have learned from all this so far?

I would have started when I was 20 years old. If I knew then what I know now. Seriously.

Why do you feel you didn't? There are a lot of members here who are around 20 and many of them may be dragging their feet when it comes to starting their business. Your thoughts on this could help them and all of us.

Also, what do you feel are some of the most important lessons a 20 year old should know about that might kick their butt to get them to start?

[mark123]

Originally Posted by Steve

Why do you feel you didn't? There are a lot of members here who are around 20 and many of them may be dragging their feet when it comes to starting their business. Your thoughts on this could help them and all of us.

Basically, I was your typical liberal, dumb kid, expect everything for as little effort as possible sort of person. Your basic middle-class son of a mill-rat. I had no drive or ambition and just expected everything to be handed to me.

Originally Posted by Steve

Also, what do you feel are some of the most important lessons a 20 year old should know about that might kick their butt to get them to start?

Working hard for yourself gains you more than working hard for someone else. Why work to make someone else rich? The worst part is when they flaunt their wealth, that you made for them, in your face.

The most important lesson I learned was business owners lie. They poor mouth and tell you how very expensive it is to run a business. If it cost them anything they wouldn't be doing it. That's another point, you've got to learn to run your numbers to see what is making you money and what is losing you money and keep doing the money makers and drop the money takers.

[Steve]

Working hard for yourself gains you more than working hard for someone else. Why work to make someone else rich? The worst part is when they flaunt their wealth, that you made for them, in your face.

The most important lesson I learned was business owners lie. They poor mouth and tell you how very expensive it is to run a business. If it cost them anything they wouldn't be doing it. That's another point, you've got to learn to run your numbers to see what is making you money and what is losing you money and keep doing the money makers and drop the money takers.

This is a great lesson. When you look back at such situations, in what kind of ways, did previous employers flaunt their wealth? How should a business owner instead handle such an issue?

Is it possible some flaunted and some did the opposite and cried poor, to throw their employees off? You can't expect a raise from a boss who cries poor all the time. At least I would think that is the case.

[mark123]

Originally Posted by Steve

This is a great lesson. When you look back at such situations, in what kind of ways, did previous employers flaunt their wealth? How should a business owner instead handle such an issue?

Is it possible some flaunted and some did the opposite and cried poor, to throw their employees off? You can't expect a raise from a boss who cries poor all the time. At least I would think that is the case.

That's just the weird part, they would tell me that owning a business is so hard and so expensive and then drive away in a car that costs as much as my house.

The worst example that I can remember was back in 1997 my employer owed me a weeks pay and said he didn't have the money yet and as he was saying it his wife and her friend were carrying in a giant television set from Best Buy.

How should a business owner handle it? Hmm. I'd say don't lie. If they had said "it's a lot of work. You don't want to get into it at this point.", I could respect that. If they said "owning a business isn't for everyone", that would be true. There are some people that just aren't cut out for it and they just end up costing themselves money, relationships, houses, cars and everything else they have.