Great video mike! I have been solo part time for 6.5 years and now I have to decide between my full time job and full time lawn care. This is exactly the things I'm looking at
It's just my husband and myself in the biz. Our biggest problem is figuring where to advertise and get the biggest bang for our buck. Our other big one is just the legal stuff...taxes...licensures... insurance...there's not good step by step instructions for building a small business...lots of books/websites out there but most are very general. Even the SBA has been very little help. Another big question...thinking about scalability...how much do we pay ourselves? Do we just treat ourselves like paid employees and get paid an hourly wage while sinking everything else in to the business? I'm just starting to explore your content but I'm really liking what I'm seeing so far! A big thank you from Arkansas!! ❤🧡💛
My biggest issue is time management. I'm not in a position to go big right now, and I still work full-time. So I juggle a job, a business, and a family of six. I don't have days off from spring to fall unless it rains which hurts more because I work 12 hour shifts at the full-time job. That makes it tough to keep caught up, so I try not to bite off more than I can chew. I slowed down in 2020, cut around 60% of my clients. Rebranding in 2022 and shifting more focus on the business.
One thing I struggle with is working a full-time job 3rd Shift and trying to grow my landscaping business to the point where I can quit my full-time job I've been a Nike Richie from the supermarket for almost 39 years and I'm fed up with it I'm making some changes this year that is helping but there's only so many hours in a day and I don't make enough right now lawn wise to be able to afford a helper that's my biggest struggle
Dan Fontaine you are just gonna have to step out on faith and quit your job and be a full time entrepreneur. If your serious about growing your business you can’t let nothing get in your way
Some of the best stuff I've heard in a while. New business owner operator, he touches on some tuff learned lessons, and some ideas I thought were new. None the less thanks
Im solo. I managed for a large company that had systems for everything. I get that part. What I'm struggling with is my first hire and getting out of the truck. To cover payroll I think I need to build a little nestegg because customer payments come at all different times. In this area the average yard is $50 and takes 45 minutes to an hour to mow solo. I have enough work to keep myself busy all week but to get help I'm going to have to double that amount of work quickly or lose money paying a guy for something I can do myself. See the conundrum?
biggest frustration is just overthinking a lot and knowing that since i need to base things on time and expenses, how am i supposed to know how long a job will take? things take time being solo, and i dont care to just make up a time that may be hours over than how long a job actually took for me. I am pretty content with my rates, just hate looking at lawns and have to figure out time.
Hi Jack! I am 22 now... and I started in landscaping business when I was 11. Here is a video that tells more about my business, metrics, etc czcams.com/video/Ljhdgvth1Lk/video.html
To calculate overhead: 1. Add up all expenses (average gas for a season, trimmer line, oil, maintenance, parts, tires, trucks repairs, cell phone bill, insurances, licences, etc. 2. Divided that number by the average hours you will work in one season. 3. That number will be how much it costs you to operate per hour.
Exactly! This is why we leave jobs working for assholes - so we don't have to deal with shit like that. The danger of being a boss yourself is that YOU yourself will turn into a complete dick - the very person you escaped working for.
Great video mike! I have been solo part time for 6.5 years and now I have to decide between my full time job and full time lawn care. This is exactly the things I'm looking at
It's just my husband and myself in the biz. Our biggest problem is figuring where to advertise and get the biggest bang for our buck.
Our other big one is just the legal stuff...taxes...licensures... insurance...there's not good step by step instructions for building a small business...lots of books/websites out there but most are very general. Even the SBA has been very little help.
Another big question...thinking about scalability...how much do we pay ourselves? Do we just treat ourselves like paid employees and get paid an hourly wage while sinking everything else in to the business?
I'm just starting to explore your content but I'm really liking what I'm seeing so far! A big thank you from Arkansas!! ❤🧡💛
Hi Cheryl! Some of these are answered in other videos I have made but feel free to bring them up in the next live Q&A
My biggest issue is time management. I'm not in a position to go big right now, and I still work full-time. So I juggle a job, a business, and a family of six. I don't have days off from spring to fall unless it rains which hurts more because I work 12 hour shifts at the full-time job. That makes it tough to keep caught up, so I try not to bite off more than I can chew. I slowed down in 2020, cut around 60% of my clients. Rebranding in 2022 and shifting more focus on the business.
Help in landscaping is ridiculous! I go thru the same shit every year and I am sick of it!
One thing I struggle with is working a full-time job 3rd Shift and trying to grow my landscaping business to the point where I can quit my full-time job I've been a Nike Richie from the supermarket for almost 39 years and I'm fed up with it I'm making some changes this year that is helping but there's only so many hours in a day and I don't make enough right now lawn wise to be able to afford a helper that's my biggest struggle
Dan Fontaine you are just gonna have to step out on faith and quit your job and be a full time entrepreneur. If your serious about growing your business you can’t let nothing get in your way
#1 struggle : getting customers (new in town no network, limited budget). Goal is to Scale.
Some of the best stuff I've heard in a while. New business owner operator, he touches on some tuff learned lessons, and some ideas I thought were new. None the less thanks
The number 1 thing I struggle with is... finding people who want to work for less than $25/hr.. untrained
Dont hire ur friends, they will bail out when u need them most. Working solo is tough when the competition is big
Networking is key.
Friends can't be employees, but employees can be friends. Totally agree with you here.
great info, going to work on systems soon.
Trying to keep all my clients close together. /route density
Now this here is a nice lawn business, but the real question is WILL IT SCALE?! Lol
I have a lot of respect for the guys who are Solo. But being Solo is not sustainable. One injury and your business is done!
Im solo. I managed for a large company that had systems for everything. I get that part. What I'm struggling with is my first hire and getting out of the truck. To cover payroll I think I need to build a little nestegg because customer payments come at all different times. In this area the average yard is $50 and takes 45 minutes to an hour to mow solo. I have enough work to keep myself busy all week but to get help I'm going to have to double that amount of work quickly or lose money paying a guy for something I can do myself. See the conundrum?
Ben Hernandez 50 a yard wow what state do you live in
Work on giving him all of what you do and then you can have time marketing and getting new clients
biggest frustration is just overthinking a lot and knowing that since i need to base things on time and expenses, how am i supposed to know how long a job will take? things take time being solo, and i dont care to just make up a time that may be hours over than how long a job actually took for me. I am pretty content with my rates, just hate looking at lawns and have to figure out time.
Yeah I agree
Can you do a post pandemic update of this video? I’m 50 and thinking about starting a lawn mowing business with my son. Thanks!
czcams.com/video/PrWZPTEyC0Q/video.html
As a solo guy I would say the largest frustration would be making the initial jump to hiring that first guy
easy hire then you sit back
Is it wise to just pay your help per lawn instead of hourly?
informative, nice vid
Very helpful bro thanks
How old are you? How big is your company? How’d you get started?
Hi Jack! I am 22 now... and I started in landscaping business when I was 11. Here is a video that tells more about my business, metrics, etc czcams.com/video/Ljhdgvth1Lk/video.html
Do you have a lawn care company?
What is the formula, or how do you figure out your overhead expenses to ensure they are covered? Also, what items should all be included? Thanks!
To calculate overhead:
1. Add up all expenses (average gas for a season, trimmer line, oil, maintenance, parts, tires, trucks repairs, cell phone bill, insurances, licences, etc.
2. Divided that number by the average hours you will work in one season.
3. That number will be how much it costs you to operate per hour.
I need help to make a bid paper for apartments
I have subdivisions near my shop and a lot of commercial work also. Should I just go after the commercial work or just focus on the subdivision work.
Really just depends on the business model you want to pursue. I have made a couple videos about commercial VS residential
@@MikeAndes I don’t think it would bother me to do both. I know some people have their preference but it doesn’t matter to me.
What do you mean by scale?
Grow the business
Do you have a business license for land scpaing
i wouldn't hire anyone. It's called solo. If you cant do it yourself then move on to something else.
Exactly! This is why we leave jobs working for assholes - so we don't have to deal with shit like that. The danger of being a boss yourself is that YOU yourself will turn into a complete dick - the very person you escaped working for.
so true
Michshnly what happens when you fall sick or have an emergency or get hurt ? You can’t be solo for ever trust me I’ve tired
@@BoBPrivateSecurity1 you network with someone else in case you go down.