Business Idea

[KyleK]

Hi everyone,

I am fairly new to the forum, but would love to get some feedback from others on a few ideas I have. I am 20 years old and am currently in college and want to get some real experience running a business. I particularly would love to start a business offline. I have a few ideas, but I am not exactly sure what I want to do. I have done landscape work in the past (with myself as the only worker), but I don't see this expanding into a business. I have about 5k to invest and would love any ideas or opinions on my idea...

Idea: Start a Mulch delivery/Installation service for clients in my current area.... Then expand.

I talked to a major mulch distributor and can get mulch for about $18 a yard. I would charge between $45-50 to install each yard into a persons yard. I would need to hire a few employees at $10-12 per hour but ultimately the profit is there... I could set up a website, SEO the crap out of it, and get rankings for (South Carolina Mulch) - Where I live.. Then ultimately set up an autoresponder or something where clients can book when they want the job done, or just keep there lead for a later time.. This was just a brief idea. The issue is that mulch is not a year round business. (I don't think). I keep trying to think through what type of offline business I can start with 5k or less and am running into some trouble. I want to have a lucrative business and I am willing to do whatever it takes to outperform everyone else on every level. I do not want to recreate the wheel, I just want to take someones existing process and kick their a$$ in it.

Anyways, I would love to have any feedback, or anyone who has any opinions or ideas.

Thank you,

Kyle Kerney.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[blackhat]

I could set up a website, SEO the crap out of it, and get rankings for (South Carolina Mulch) - Where I live..

Read @Andy Black's posts on AdWords. It takes a lot of time to get to the first page organically. With PPC you can have the first slot on the first page with a few clicks.

 

[Benjiben]

Hey Kyle! Have you ever thought about a pressure cleaning business? You charge by the area you clean and you can easily get a pressure washer from $300-1k.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

 

[KyleK]

Hey Kyle! Have you ever thought about a pressure cleaning business? You charge by the area you clean and you can easily get a pressure washer from $300-1k.

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

I have considered. Are you familiar with anyone who does this? Any recommendations on how to get started?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[damondietz]

I have considered. Are you familiar with anyone who does this? Any recommendations on how to get started?

Print flyers advertising your service. Put them on car windshields in neighborhoods and supermarkets. Go door to door. Make sales. Make appointments. Rent a pressure washer. Do the service. Break even or make a few bucks. Get referrals. Do again this time you'll make a little more because you'll have more clients to use the rented equipment on. Repeat business. More referral. Buy some of your own equipment instead of renting. Build a website. SEO. Adwords. Facebook Ads. More business. More referrals. Hire staff. Expand.

 

[KyleK]

Print flyers advertising your service. Put them on car windshields in neighborhoods and supermarkets. Go door to door. Make sales. Make appointments. Rent a pressure washer. Do the service. Break even or make a few bucks. Get referrals. Do again this time you'll make a little more because you'll have more clients to use the rented equipment on. Repeat business. More referral. Buy some of your own equipment instead of renting. Build a website. SEO. Adwords. Facebook Ads. More business. More referrals. Hire staff. Expand.

Are you familiar with pressure washing? Do you think it would be a better option rather then a mulch/landscape service?

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Do you think it would be a better option rather then a mulch/landscape service?

It doesn't matter what you do, as long as there is a need for it.
What matters is how you do it.

What I don't understand, why would you stop landscaping and start mulching?
When I worked as a landscaper, mulch was part of our service.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[KyleK]

It doesn't matter what you do, as long as there is a need for it.
What matters is how you do it.

What I don't understand, why would you stop landscaping and start mulching?
When I worked as a landscaper, mulch was part of our service.

The reason is this: I don't have the money to buy a trailer, equipment, ECT. The more I think about it... The more I like the Pressure washing idea for a few reasons:
-I have the capital
-I can start small
-I can reinvest profits to grow company larger.

Whenever I think of starting a business, I always think; is this something that can make me very wealthy if I put the work into it? I just don't know of many "Pressure washing millionaires"... Im sure there are though.

 

[damondietz]

Are you familiar with pressure washing? Do you think it would be a better option rather then a mulch/landscape service?

I am not personably familiar but I have a friend do this exact process (obviously my post is simplified) 20 years ago and now they run a half-million dollar+ per year multi-op business.

It's all about the hustle. To me, it doesn't matter if you do landscaping, power washing, or dog poop cleanup. If you hustle and you put in the time and effort required, you WILL be successful.

 

[Benjiben]

Kyle, I'm almost the same age as you and I've never ran a business before. But in case if you do start a pressure washing bussiness, here's a good article on marketing your business. P.s. I was actually reading this when I answered your post.

http://kopywritingkourse.com/powerwashing-flyers-copywriting-case-study/

-Ben

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[KyleK]

Kyle, I'm almost the same age as you and I've never ran a business before. But in case if you do start a pressure washing bussiness, here's a good article on marketing your business. P.s. I was actually reading this when I answered your post.

http://kopywritingkourse.com/powerwashing-flyers-copywriting-case-study/

-Ben

Really interesting. Thank you. Are you considering getting into this business as well?

 

[Ravens_Shadow]

Shouldn't be too hard to get into this. However, do realize its extremely saturated with competition, which is good in alot of ways, because it means there is a huge swarm of people fighting for money that exists. But really its about the marketing of your business via fliers, cards, word of mouth. Being from south carolina myself, i know lawn care etc is a huge business. I wouldn't focus too hard on online marketing because I have doubts that many people would look online for someone to get mulch put in their yard. However, a website could generate a few leads here and there, its just not where you should focus your time. Door to door is far better for what you're supplying.

Once you get enough clients to sustain a few employees, its really about expanding your clientele as fast as possible. I would also suggest going for businesses such as Bi-lo, piggly wiggly, chick-fil-a and other local businesses that like to keep their parking lots looking fresh (straw/mulch/trimming bushes). From the lawn service company i knew, they had contracts with all the major factories, grocery stores, banks, and schools generating majority of their revenue.