New Areas

Do you have a website ? I will build you one and host it on my web server for free. Ill even help you get listed on google`s search engine and be number one in your town, when someone looks for lawn care on the website. I also get alot calls from people out state looking for lawn care here in my county. Cause they own homes here they do searches on the internet looking for lawn care. Of course my website is the first one that comes up. If you dont have a website try to think of a name for it. Rodman

Lawn care business tips

Your situation caught my eye as I have close up and personal experience from having to investigate and arrest those that batter spouses and family members. In addition to the ideas posted here about promoting your business, you should put an effort at shutting up the ex. If you have evidence that his bad mouthing has cost you business, time for legal action. I think you should fight back as all he is trying to do is keep control over you any way he can. You can't let him win. When the time comes that he realizes he can't control you anymore, he will disappear off the radar screen. Do not be afraid to seek out help from organizations that help out women escape domestic violence and enable them to strike out on their own. The resources are out there and want to see you succeed, as do all of us.

[Steve]

Teresa,

You should consider taking Rodman up on his website offer. That would be great!

I did a quick search for your business on google and guess what came up first?

This forum! WOW!

We should be getting your site up there as the first to show up!

I have sent a couple messages to Rodman asking what he needs from me. No response yet

[Clean Lawn]

Well I didn't want to get this personal but I want Teresa to know that there are other women out here trying to also make a go at it so she is not alone. Teresa I can tell you I know 250% where you are coming from. I post that I was married before. It was an extremely verbally abusive relationship. That I put up with for 5 years. I left the day after the relationship turned from verbal to abusive when I told my husband I wasn't taking anymore of his sh t and he punched me in the face. I had to constantly face the women he was sleeping with and thought I was too stupid to even know about. I didn't have anything then. #### I didn't even have enough respect for myself of my child to leave until it was too late. I lost a lot from that relationship but for a long time I thought that was a normal relationship because that is what I grew up with from my stepfather and my mother. My stepfather was an alcoholic, slept around and even went so far as to molest his stepdaughters. You don't have to sit there shocked with mouthes hanging wide open or shaking off a tear. They aren't worth it and I am not the same person now that I was then. 10 years ago I wanted to start a lawn care and landscaping business. My family told me I couldn't do it, that I would never amount to anything in this world.
Since then I have left my family. My exhusband and my mother, sisters, everything. I left them behind because of everything they did and didn't do to stop any of the #### they put us through. I am married again to an incredible person. He was the one who helped me leave that life behind. I have a beautiful home, and we were blessed with a son who is now 2 years old. His whole world is growing up so he can work at "CleanLawn". Mommies business and cut grass and drive a big truck. They make it all worthwhile. Your children are your world and they are very strong. Then take more then most people will ever know. They see you being strong and surviving. Making more and more of yourself everyday. Your an incredible role model for them. Don't ever worry about your husband and his unkind words. They cannot say nice things because they have put themselves in such a world of #### they do not know how to be nice or say nice things. The customers that listen to your husband and believe the foolishness that comes out of his mouth are not people you want in your customer base. Scratch them off the list and move forward.
Its already been one year for you. One year and many many more to come. Focus on the positive. You created a great business and these guys are awesome and will help you find even more greatness in your business.
I just started my business at the beginning of June 2007. I had maybe 4 residential accounts and I just signed last month for nine residential property contract. Its nothing to you all who are veterans compaired to people like me but it was huge for me. Even after 8 years of leaving that horrible life behind me I need things like 9 residential properties at once to make me realize I am doing something right. I wish I had not listened to my family and started this 10 years ago but I didn't. I read what these gentlemen suggest. Everything I can. I am trying to work a lot of what they are telling you into "CleanLawn" because like you I know what I have and I just want the rest of the world to know how great it is too.
Right now I am working on landscaping packages that I am going to push in the spring. I think its a good idea and will work with a lot of hard work. I also think trying to get in with realtors. I think if they would purchase small contracts for homes that sell it would help push great businesses like ours and the gentlemens on here but convincing them of that isn't so easy. I also think pushing gift certificates at Christmas time for lawn care services would rock! But that won't likely happen till next year for me.
I want to create a webpage but everything takes time and money. I buy things as I can.
I guess what I am saying is stick with it and never give up your dreams and it will all fall into place. The womans touch thing for lawn care is great and would work well considering everything you have been through and you can benefit from it. Hang in there it gets better.

Thank you very much for sharing your story with me. You are right it is hard to pick up and move on. I have been more inspired this week than I have been in a long time. Right now I need to focus on two things MY CHILDREN and promoting the heck out of MY BUSINESS. Hopefully one day like you I will find a wonderful man who will want to share life with me. There is one really interested, I can't go there yet. I need to be independant and stand on my own two feet for awhile.

[Clean Lawn]

I agree 100% with you. You need to show yourself how strong you really are by standing on your own two feet. Your two beautiful children will be a source that you will use to find strength for yourself when you least expect to find it but it will be there. Your children, your lawn care business and yourself will all be all right. You are a lot stronger then you think. You came forward and shared with all of us. That is strength. Take up these wonderful guys on the webpage and help with marketing ideas, newspaper articles, everything and keep your eyes out for more ideas in these forums. Everyone has ideas and we all share them and just because one idea might not work for you another one might. Your welcome to try to push any idea I throw out in any thread in these forums and I love feedback. Its what helps me make great decisions for my lawn care and landscaping business. It is only a couple months old but I look forward to the day when I can look back and see how much I have grown and how much even in a few months everyone has helped me.
If you ever just need to talk I am a great listener and I have been there before. If I can help, I will.
Whether you know it yet or not, your very strong and independent and your children have a great role model to look up to. You deserve a big pat on the back hun, your doing great!