Just wanted to let u guys know how i was doin

[clandscaping44]

Hey everyone, I have a confession to make. I havent told you my age, I am really 14 years old. owner and operator of charlie's landscaping. Now that fall is here I have been pretty busy with fall clean up jobs. I have about 5 jobs for $200 each or more. Profits have been up since last year, I think its b/c of all of you guys on the forum, and learning how to price jobs and everything. I ended my mowing season with 1 lawn care customer I know it doesnt sound like alot but this is how most of you guys started... with 1 customer but with each season passing you have gained more and more customers. Hopefully starting next spring I will have more spring clean ups, and evidently more lawns to mow. And a special thanks to you steve, without this website and all these extra stuff you offer us, I can probably speak for alot of people here, we would have never been succeeding day after day, month after month and year by year. Thanks again to everyone and I'm sure I wil be askin for more advice soon. Take care everyone

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi Charlie, I am glad all these resources are helping you out. Can you tell us a little about how you are pricing jobs now? Any tips especially for other teens having difficulty pricing jobs? What do you feel you will be doing differently next year than you did this past year?

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[CHEESE2009]

Nice to see you on the forum Charlie!

This forum is a fantastic place to get involved with, full of people who can relate to you - what more can you ask for? It's perfect!

And you are right, it takes awhile to get the ball rolling. I am very impressed with your interest in this field as you are quite young and don't have a lot of resources at your disposal. If you need encouragement, you've come to the right place.

One customer is a good start considering you probably don't have a vehicle just yet (I'm assuming). If you build up locally with your neighbors as customers, by the time you are 17 and receive your license hopefully you will have access to a vehicle.

At this point, it is your mission to impress your family with your work ethic - as they will find it necessary to most likely help fund your business and see that you are successful.

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Are you still in school? What are your plans for winter?

[clandscaping44]

I am still in school in the 9th grade now. And your right i dont have access to a vehicle but sometimes my mom drives me to where i have to go. But hopefully for the winter I can still rack in the dough haha.
What kind of winter services do you think I should offer???

Going back to what steve asked, I used to work for a landscape company and I am friends with alot of landscaping companies around here. And i pretty much know how to charge my market goes from $25 to $50 i am hoping to expand in 2 or 3 years when i get a car.
Im not really sure yet about how i will approach thing, maybe im hoping to be more confident when it comes to going door to door b/c I get kinda nervous when I meet new people.

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by clandscaping44

im hoping to be more confident when it comes to going door to door b/c I get kinda nervous when I meet new people.

I understand.

Throughout school I have been very sociable, I always enjoyed debates and speeches and found the best way to avoid letting your nerves get the best of you - is to KNOW that you are above those who you are in discussion with and only they have something to lose.

People may say I have no dignity, which may be true to some extent - though I am rather comfortable with myself yet courteous of others.

It sounds conceited, though it's a must. I have been to a few visits with a psychologist who believes that I am a 'self actualized' person which is the last step several people may experience throughout life.

LINK

It may be the way I've been raised, or the several experiences I've found myself in which kind of gives me courage. Whenever I'm in a tricky situation, I can say, "I've been through worse" so the present becomes less stressful.


The thing I notice recently with me, is I am becoming less interested in being sociable. It's not that I'm nervous, it's that I'm bored. I'm bored of conversations because I am at peace with myself and conversation doesn't benefit me - there is no gain.

I believe I am becoming anti-social because of my business. I wont even answer the phone for family, friends, my woman - the phone or chat is just dreadful. I think I'm turning into the Grinch! I feel rushed when in a conversation because it's something I've done over and over again.

I must be crazy. I stopped answering my phone the last two months of my lawn maintenance season till now. The only thing on my mind is how fast I can get my customers off the phone when they call, weird - it's my only concern.


I feel like I found a 'Cheat' to conversation, which took all the fun out of it for me. I basically just tell people what they want to hear as long as I can get something in return. Other than that, it makes me yawn.

[Steve]

Scott, do you think there are other industries out there you would enjoy more where you would have less interaction with your customer base?

What kind of winter services do you think I should offer???

What about keeping it simple and going out there to shovel snow? People always need that!

You are doing great too. Can you imagine where you will be in 5 years from now! You are going to have a great lawn care company.