Stuck in a rut

[jasonw]

Question. I have a very odd urge the other day of not wanting to do this anymore. It kind of came out of nowhere and I don't understand it. I am making good money, I enjoy the work and its not really hard work so what gives? Anyone ever get in this situation? I almost did just say screw it I quit but thought wait I will sit back and think this over. I worked very hard to get the clients I have and have worked very hard making and keeping them happy so quitting would more than likely be very detrimental to ever trying to start up again. Any advice to get through these times? Maybe its just that things are not moving fast enough for me, On a brighter side Ben Bernanke Says our economy is recovering so that should be good for us in the near future. I am wandering if maybe my problem is that I don't yet have enough work to do this full time therefor I have to work my regular job still and at the same time juggle the kids and there education and family and everything. Maybe this all on top of trying to operate a business is just to much? It doesn't make much sense because this is not my first business venture and I have never had this feeling before but this is the first business venture that is service oriented so maybe that has something to do with it.

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White Company

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Jason, What do you think initiated this thought? What was going on at the time that you thought this?

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[jasonw]

I don't know what brought it on. I was not even working on a yard when it poped into my head. I was simply driving down the road enjoying the AC in my new truck and thought "whats the point" I thought later that its not worth making the money if I don't have time to enjoy it so maybe that has something to do with it but honestly I don't know what happened.

[Steve]

Well I think you bring up a very good point with all of this.

Is it possible this comes down to the debate of immediate gratification vs. delayed gratification?

You have a fulltime job. You get paid as you go. So why do anything on the side when you are already putting in 40+ hours a week.

Then somewhere in your mind you decide you want to try something different and you start a business on the side to potentially go with fulltime in the future, but in between the time that happens, it takes a lot of your time and you have to wonder is it worth it?

Why delay my gratification when I can have it immediately. I can just keep working and that will work. Sure this side business may pick up in the future but maybe it wont and I am working my *** off trying but I may be wasting my time.

Is this at all along the lines of what is going on in your head?

[jasonw]

Somewhat yes. It kind of feels that way. I mean I take 2 days off every week. Normally I work 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Now its more like 12 per day 7 days a week. No time to sit.

[Steve]

It makes you wonder, ideally what would you like? What would be the ideal situation for you?

I am sure many many members of the forum find themselves confronting this issue as well.

[jasonw]

Originally Posted by Steve

I am sure many many members of the forum find themselves confronting this issue as well.

Thats what I am hoping. My ideal situation would be to be busy enough to quit my day job and at last work for myself and not rely on the man anymore. It funny, I am getting closer and closer with each day yet I feel I am falling farther and farther back each day.

[CHEESE2009]

I have gone through this.

Some times I think about why I started a lawn business & I often say I'm wasting my time.

Though I thought over some pointers to why I should continue:

1. I hate school, high school was enough.

2. It's great exercise.

3. You get an awesome tan compared to your friends.

4. It makes you a man! Real men pull their weight & make mountains move.

5. Without challenges, life would shrivel up & become boring, really fast.

6. You have power when working for yourself. This also includes bragging rights!

7. The job is demanding, though it's actually very simple! It's almost hard to believe people pay us to cut their grass!

8. People look up to you for help & answers, you are the boss!

9. Women love us!

10. We are awesome.

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Why I thought that I should stop:

1. There is always a problem, & it's never manageable & will delay you by a long shot.

2. Every day feels like your going to war, so much preparation in order to become a walking piece of sod.

3. You have to chase customers & crew around & basically solve everything for them, "problems" so small it's irritating enough that you just want to smack them out!

4. You organize your business, yet it's never organized. The weather & our busted equipment are the actual bosses. Basically EVERYTHING gets in the way & you can be sabotaged in a heartbeat.

5. You don't get "real" time off. Time off consists of phone calls, customers needing jobs done which drag you back to work. It's great, but it can be a pain. Sometimes you wish customers didn't hire you to do a job, just so you could relax & get back to organizing, though it's a shame because we all want to do the job! If we don't we look bad, & it's someone waving money in our faces, we want it!

6. When we arrive home, we just want to relax. Which can be bad, because it would be nice to have energy to spare for other activities with your friends, etc.

7. We have all the answers, we just don't know how to implement them in our business without being nervous. Basically if we want to raise our prices, what will happen? Will we lose our best customers, will we have to start all over building up our clientele?

8. Days can really suck. If you are sick, injured, your day is going to be a nightmare.

9. You can come home & take a shower, but most of the grass is stuck up your nose & ears. You'll be washing your sheets all the time. Or give up like me & just come home & lay down in my grassy bed, spiders like my bed.

10. You will always imagine better things other than lawn service, though you can't find it, ever!





Anyway, I love my job. It has it's ups & downs. The real down would be disappointing so many customers by not being able to afford doing their lawns. It's a big scare, you can lose money over anything in this business if you don't sleep with one eye open & re-think your thoughts.

The up side is, we are giving it a shot. Something many people do not do. We are owners, not hired help. We have balls... LOL

[jasonw]

1. I hate school, high school was enough. Me to but education is good

2. It's great exercise. Cant argue there

3. You get an awesome tan compared to your friends. A tan would be the last reason for me to do somthing

4. It makes you a man! Real men pull their weight & make mountains move. I disagree. Why would anyone be less of a man if they sit at a desk all day?

5. Without challenges, life would shrivel up & become boring, really fast. Challenges are everywhere. I have a wife and 2 kids. Comparably lawn mowing is a vacation

6. You have power when working for yourself. This also includes bragging rights! Power yes, bragging rights I don't know

7. The job is demanding, though it's actually very simple! It's almost hard to believe people pay us to cut their grass! I agree. A moron can do the work

8. People look up to you for help & answers, you are the boss! Who? I only have hired help one time but treated them as an equal

9. Women love us! Ummmm is this a scientific fact? Or possibly mower frys talking?

10. We are awesome. Ok ok I agree lol

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by jasonw

4. It makes you a man! Real men pull their weight & make mountains move. I disagree. Why would anyone be less of a man if they sit at a desk all day? Well, a fireman vs a telemarketer, which is more manly? FireMAN, LMAO. I dunno. You know!

5. Without challenges, life would shrivel up & become boring, really fast. Challenges are everywhere. I have a wife and 2 kids. Comparably lawn mowing is a vacation 2 kids must be crazy... I guess your right, though I love the challenges in lawn service.

6. You have power when working for yourself. This also includes bragging rights! Power yes, bragging rights I don't know Well when I'm with friends & one says, "Oh I had a really tough day at work" what do you think? HE had a tough day? PSHHH!!!! hahaha!

8. People look up to you for help & answers, you are the boss! Who? I only have hired help one time but treated them as an equal Well for one, you look up to yourself which is something most people wouldn't do slaving for someone else. :P

9. Women love us! Ummmm is this a scientific fact? Or possibly mower frys talking? It's scientific! Given the circumstances, woman find lawn guys "sexy"... You wont hear a woman say, "I wanna bone a McDonalds manager"

10. We are awesome. Ok ok I agree lol

No doubt about it!