new to forum

[accesslawns]

My name is joe I started a Lawn care business on July 2006. The idea of getting into lawn care started when I ran into a friend that was working for a guy who was going to sell his business with about 40 accounts. Well the wait went on and I was looking to get out of construction and do my own thing. I got tired of waiting and decided to start off on my own. My first account was commercial, a friend of mine has a furniture store and a vacant lot and needed someone to take care of the grounds so with my pick up truck and my personel toro lawnmower I decided to give it a shot. It was ####!!! the properties were long overdue for service and with my homeowner lawnmower it was a difficult task.. to make a long story short, I started doing this part time after work soon I purchased my first commercial mower with a trailer and edging machine and a trimmer. I went door to door withhome made flyers and hit up shopping center parking lots and it started to take off. I gave up my construction job in march 2007 and am now legally in business for 1 1/2 years and fully insured and have about 115 accounts. One of those homemade flyers landed me a nice commercial account where I maintain 6 properties for and it now gets me thru the winters with snow removal and side jobs like gutters cleaned and power washing. I have to add that reading this forum and watching the videos here on gopher has really motivated me to move on.. I am not gonna stop going out and growing.. I would love one of those banners for my new website.. thanks for everything!!!

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http://WWW.ACCESSLANDSCAPING.COM

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi Joe, Welcome to our forum! Thanks for joining up. I won't be able to put together a banner for you until next week, can you send me a pm then to remind me? What advice do you have for newer lawn care business owners just getting started? Also what are you most looking forwards to this upcoming new year? What will you be doing to grow?

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[accesslawns]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 29 2007,11:26)]What advice do you have for newer lawn care business owners just getting started?

Also what are you most looking forwards to this upcoming new year? What will you be doing to grow?

It can get discouraging at times starting out, my best advise is to stick to it, hit the books and learn everything you can in your field from types of grass that grow in your area to marketing yourself. Ive done alot of homework and thats how I found gopher. I learned alot about the lawn care industry and its potential and I know I have alot more to learn. When I started out with flyers door to door, I didnt just leave them at the door I rang the bell and talk to as many homeowners as possible. Whatever equipment you have to do the job and get it done is fine, as you grow you can purchase as needed that way you dont go over head and crash.. I have a mortgage and a huge nut every month so it is not easy right now, I have to watch what I spend. I know I'll get to where I want to be with hard work and determination.

I really look foward to the new year, I will start by marketing toward landing some more commercial accounts and expanding my business and services. I am looking toward a purchase of a hydroseeder. I did my first job this year with a rental unit and worked out great. There are endless ways to prophit from hydroseeding doing new lawns to repair work. It really works nice. Good luck to all in the New Year!!!!!!

[Steve]

Very nice work.

With you background in construction and brick laying, do you think you will be specializing in hardscapes? Is that a possibility?

[accesslawns]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Team Gopher @ Dec. 29 2007,4:47)]Very nice work.

With you background in construction and brick laying, do you think you will be specializing in hardscapes? Is that a possibility?

Thank You...

My plan is to be to able to incorporate as many services as possible to my business and at the same time not to over do it, and yes specialize in them. I have found that the more you can offer a customer the more work you get from them. To the customer having one service company handling most of their needs becomes a real convienience to them and more business for you.

[Steve]

Joe,

Would you still offer some handy man services? That could potentially get you more business in the slower times of the year like now.

What's your view on that?

[accesslawns]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Joe,

Would you still offer some handy man services? That could potentially get you more business in the slower times of the year like now.

What's your view on that?

yes, Its a good way to stay busy in the winter..


How bout one of those banners?? I would like it to read;

GOT GRASS? 732-634-5377
WWW.ACCESSLANDSCAPING.COM[/b]

Nice website, clean and neat. Good job on it, the work in the pic's is great. very nice job.

[Steve]

Hi Joe,

Here you go!

Wow, Joe! *You do some great work!

In the pics for landscape design, did you guys do the hardscape work, too?