My First 2 Weeks As A Lco!!!!!

[HAMPTON ROADS LAWN CARE]

WOW…….is probably the best way to explain it lol I defiantly had some ups and downs but I will say that I am here to stay! So I get my first call almost 2 weeks ago inquiring about my services and if I could come out the following day so I did. I finish all edging and trimming and start mowing and as im on the side of a hill outta no where I hear my blade banging the deck so I stop and lift the mower up and I ran over about a 2in diameter piece of bark. Ok no problem finish with the 22” toro and keep it moving and get a new blade so when I buy the new blade and put it on its still banging the deck so I pull the mower apart and the damn pully is bent to h#ll and its made out of PLASTIC!!!! I couldent believe it a spindle pully outta plastic (smh) so I call to order the pully and they tell me that I have to order the entire assembly that they do not sell just the pully!!!! So now im really getting pissed and when he tells me 104.96 + tax I thought I had a heart attack. My mower doesn’t even have 1 hr on the meter yet so I have learned to buy better equipment which is in the near future. So then they said 7 business days before the part would come in and I had 2 lawns to cut that following weekend and so I went and had to do the lawns and one of them was a 1/4 acre with a 22 in toro…..smh…….but never the less as a new business I gotta do what I gotta do to keep the customer happy as I did in this situation even tho it took me almost 4 hours to edge, trim, mow and blow….lol But enough with all of the bad lol but let’s talk about the good………In 2 weeks I already have 5 accounts and 2 more bids to go and write. I have been doing a lot of door to door and nothing yet and I have a logo on my truck and nothing yet but im sure it will all pay off I have gotten most of my calls from craigslist and some from cutting one persons lawn and the neighbor comes over and asks for services. I really can’t complain I’m really enjoying being a LCO I think I have this in my blood!!!! I’m thinkin here in another 3 months or so if im still going strong that I will buy either a wright stander or toro grandstand and maybe a 48/52 toro 0 turn with a 8.5 x 20 enclosed trailer to match the truck but I need to keep this $$$ flowing steady lol never the less im sure yall will see me continue to grow on here! Also thanks to everyone who has given me advice on here and to Steve who has the site for folks like me to get on and be nosey as well as learn about the business………lol

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LICENSED AND INSURED

[CHEESE2009]

Lawn care business tips

I'm excited for you my friend! It's like reliving my past! The first year is always so enjoyable, there is so much fun to be had as you learn and try new things. The years after are ... hell. OTHER NEWS: I'm reading advertisements from other companies as I'm typing this... Kinda angry about one. A company went out of business (lowballer from last year), yet the advert is clearly the same guy, different company name.

[Chaz]

I enjoyed the story about your pulley lol

what kind of mower was that on...??

[Steve]

But enough with all of the bad lol but let’s talk about the good

Great story! A lot of times, we shy away from talking about all the craziness that happens when you are getting started because we feel better sharing the good stories. However the key to success may hinge more on being able to get through the tough times than dealing with the good times. So knowing the bad stories can be twice, if not more as helpful!

How many times when you are alone dealing with an issue do you get to the point where you are thinking, no one else is dealing with this crap. It's just me. This must all be a sign that I should get out of the business. When in reality the opposite is true.

Everyone deals with crazy crap, they just tend not to talk about it, leaving everyone to feel at times like they are the only ones experiencing it.

So thank you for sharing your experiences.

[wandfsmall]

Originally Posted by HAMPTON ROADS LAWN CARE

I defiantly had some ups and downs but I will say that I am here to stay!
So I get my first call almost 2 weeks ago inquiring about my services and if I could come out the following day so I did. I finish all edging and trimming and start mowing and as im on the side of a hill outta no where I hear my blade banging the deck so I stop and lift the mower up and I ran over about a 2in diameter piece of bark. Ok no problem finish with the 22” toro and keep it moving and get a new blade so when I buy the new blade and put it on its still banging the deck so I pull the mower apart and the damn pully is bent to h#ll and its made out of PLASTIC!!!!

what mower are your running that seems high for a unit with a plastic pulley setup. also a week wait time is not fair did they at least offer to special order the part for you? I can normally get any part I need overnight if I really want to.

[HAMPTON ROADS LAWN CARE]

Originally Posted by CHEESE2009

I'm excited for you my friend! It's like reliving my past!

The first year is always so enjoyable, there is so much fun to be had as you learn and try new things.

The years after are ... hell.


OTHER NEWS:

I'm reading advertisements from other companies as I'm typing this... Kinda angry about one. A company went out of business (lowballer from last year), yet the advert is clearly the same guy, different company name.

WOW SMH........so i hear there is alot of them around here like that and i know some bids they will be like I was paying $30 and you want $45 and all I say is that when you want superior quality it sometimes costs a little bit extra but if you just want a mow blow and go service and dont care about your lawn then im not the company for you.

Yeah I wish I could fast forward 5 years just to see where my company will be at!

[HAMPTON ROADS LAWN CARE]

Originally Posted by Chaz

I enjoyed the story about your pulley lol

what kind of mower was that on...??

It was on a junk Cub Cadet 760es 33" walk behind

Originally Posted by wandfsmall

what mower are your running that seems high for a unit with a plastic pulley setup. also a week wait time is not fair did they at least offer to special order the part for you? I can normally get any part I need overnight if I really want to.

^^^^ no the sad thing is that the lady that sold me the mower (the owner) would not even look at me or talk to me she had the salesman deal with me smh!!!! Then when I called one day to check the status she says to me well if we havent called you then that means that we havent got your part in. Im going to call mtd today and see if they will give me a refund on my mower!!!

[HAMPTON ROADS LAWN CARE]

Originally Posted by Steve

Great story! A lot of times, we shy away from talking about all the craziness that happens when you are getting started because we feel better sharing the good stories. However the key to success may hinge more on being able to get through the tough times than dealing with the good times. So knowing the bad stories can be twice, if not more as helpful!

How many times when you are alone dealing with an issue do you get to the point where you are thinking, no one else is dealing with this crap. It's just me. This must all be a sign that I should get out of the business. When in reality the opposite is true.

Everyone deals with crazy crap, they just tend not to talk about it, leaving everyone to feel at times like they are the only ones experiencing it.

So thank you for sharing your experiences.

The funny thing is that I have been feeling like this and have been like why me??? lol but I understand that stuff happens and this is what we learn from!!!! But I appreciate the feedback steve I will be here as long as you have the site up and I have taken alot of proples advice from here as well as my new salesman at the new mower shop!

Thanks!

[HAMPTON ROADS LAWN CARE]

UPPPPPDATE!!!!!!!!!!




Well I got 2 more accounts yesterday and my spindle came in so I went and put it on and now both blades are hitting the deck so I dunno what the problem is so I am about to get on the phone with mtd and tell them im sending my mower back because I am sooooooooooo fed up with this mower all that I want is for my mower to do its job!!!

Well again enough with the bad and let me share the good lol

I run all echo trimmers, edgers and blowers and I shop @ sti turfcare.

So I went up there to talk to my salesman about the issues with my mower and he told me I shoulda came there and he warned me lol but then again I should have and I cant blame him either lol but he told me that the scag rep was commin up there in a few hours so fast fwd a few hours........


I show up they have a exmark 0 turn and a scag chettah 61 0 turn as well as a scag 52 stander and a 36 stander......needless to say I had a blast demoing the units and by far scag is the way to go!!!

They have a deal right now with almost 2k off some units so im going to try and get my $$$ back from mtd and put some extra and pick up a new mower or 2!!!

I will tell you im sold scag's were super smooth and the funny thing is that there was another guy there with me and ran into a huge steel pipe that was sticking out of the ground at almost full throttle and dident even hurt the mower just put a small knick in the blade after that I was sold!!!

[Chaz]

don't stick to one company go to other lawn mower companies, i personally like gravely

there is a gravely 60" that i bought, its 26 hp (Kawasaki) deck fabricated as well 3 year warranty on everything, for about 5600 retail. its right below commercial its a top end residential. looks like a residential mower with commercial deck and motor. and goes about 8mph two gas tanks etc