The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Starting (and Fastlaning) a lawn care service business

Paleo

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
184%
Mar 3, 2014
76
140
61
As Minivanman says, many people just do not want to have to deal with customers- they just want to work and get a paycheck. Plus, many of the people in home service jobs don't have the temperament, mentality or social skills to get and keep customers, much less do the level of organization, marketing and sales that is required to have a successful business.
It's a barrier to entry and a competitive advantage if you can do good customer relations and sales. Contractors are notorious for being terrible at this. Just yesterday i had scheduled a contractor (handyman really) to do a repair at a rental property. He was referred by someone. He did not show up at the set time. I waited 15 minutes then left to do my next task. He called my assistant half an hour later and said he was there. I told her to pass on to him that I could not come back because I was busy. He then gave her attitude like we were the ones being unreasonable. He had not called to say he couldn't make it on time and offered to reschedule. He just assumed I would be there waiting on him whenever he felt like showing up. Not! Of course I will never call him again.
Poor organizational skills, lack of self discipline, lack of initiative, personality/social skill issues and personal problems are typical things that hamper people in home service businesses. They are physical activity oriented and often are very good at physical and mechanical type work. But they need someone to provide the planning and structure and customers for them. That is the value the entrepreneur brings.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Deri

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
100%
May 13, 2016
46
46
45
Wales
What stops independent contractors from stealing your customers? Especially if they are bringing in their equipment and tools/supplies. How does that work?
Nothing. It happens all the time.
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
Update: Got my LLC papers finally. Got my EIN and bank accounts. Heading down to figure out local licenses, talking to the department of revenue and then finally labor and industries to figure out hiring my employees officially.

Already aware of the self employment tax, payroll taxes, and other various forms of theft.

Figuring out which tax and payroll software to use or really just what to do about it honestly. Meanwhile still selling cars full time down at the dealership. I'm at 2 cars for the month...pretty weak but oh well.

Using software for scheduling, organizing and invoicing customers. I accept online payments via credit card and it's integrated with the system to show revenue, expenses and profit.

I will continue bidding 1-2 jobs after work each day, and adding more to my workers' plates. They are working hard and getting the jobs done. I had a little talk with them about respecting my equipment and they listened. I stay on the phone with them before and after the jobs to track their efficiency while at work. Which jobs take too long, which are worth the money. Turns out oddball cleanup jobs are the real money. $400 for a few hours the other day. Much better than $60 to drive 20 minutes to a lawn and mow it for 45 minutes and drive 10 minutes to the next job. I pay my guys for windshield time.

I just bid a landscaping job for $1,500 + purchased expenses to rip out grass, plant some hedges, spray the lawn and weed around the property as well as laying down some beauty bark and rocks. Hopefully it is accepted. It's a 3-day job and it'll be a good payday. Currently figuring out a formula for bidding jobs that can be followed by anyone so one day I won't be the person doing it. Mowing is easy but other things can be tough to bid for someone else.

I pay my guys well ($12 and $15/hour) + free lunch + tips. I pay tips if we bring in $500 or more for revenue a day but they don't know any of that. I just say the owner wanted to give them a tip for their great work. One of these guys has a family to feed. It helps me work harder to get them jobs to do and I'm happy to pay more to help them out. We get more and more efficient and I respect the effort these guys put in. They wear company polo shirts but I ordered some that are too thick for the heat. I'll get some lighter ones. I feel pretty cool rolling up in a company polo shirt that I made myself for my own company to bid a job.

I'm going to see what we can do until October. My summer goal is 60+ regular customers that have bi-weekly/weekly services done and two crews out there working. Hopefully by Mid-August I can get that rolling.

When October comes my goal is to close up shop for the winter, park my trucks and trailers and equipment in a garage and head off to somewhere cheap like Thailand. When April comes I want to come back, sign contracts with old clients and hit the ground running with contracts for the whole spring-fall before hiring anyone back on while marketing during the spring time. I want 2019 to be the year we lease a property and bring on 4 trucks + office employee(s).

That's my goal and I know it's possible.

The long term ultimate goal is to create a cookie-cutter system of finding a location to lease in a new area with opportunity, buying x amount of equipment, hiring x number of employees with support staff and getting more trucks/equipment/employees per location as required by demand while downsizing and maintaining customers through the winter seasons.

This is a long ways out, but that is the goal.

We will see. For now, just the daily grind of 6am-9pm 7 days a week. Having tons of fun, honestly.
 

ZCP

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
336%
Oct 22, 2010
3,952
13,267
Woodstock, GA
set it up to run through the winter and support your key guys so they are available again in spring!
you going to pull the rug out from under them in October?
set this up as a passive business
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
set it up to run through the winter and support your key guys so they are available again in spring!
you going to pull the rug out from under them in October?
set this up as a passive business

I’ll see what their plans are as summer ends.
 

CareCPA

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
356%
May 2, 2017
976
3,479
35
Pennsylvania
Figuring out which tax and payroll software to use or really just what to do about it honestly. Meanwhile still selling cars full time down at the dealership. I'm at 2 cars for the month...pretty weak but oh well.
Most payroll services are not economical at the level you currently are. The reason being software and setup costs are usually fixed (or at least base + incremental).

You can do it on your own without software, but you have to make sure you get deposits to the right places at the right times. As I think I mentioned up-thread, payroll-related penalties accumulate quickly.

If you have any questions, just post here and I'll answer as I can.
 

NaPal

Done > Perfect
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
112%
Apr 16, 2012
229
256
USA
Have you looked into Aeration?

I've had a pretty strong connection to the industry my whole life and right now a 0.3 acre lot goes for about $250 where I'm at. Bang 8 of those out in a weekend and you're sitting on $2k minus expenses which isn't much considering one guy can do it.

I have a paid truck, aerator, mower, and weed eater. Maybe I'll turn this into a hustle :cool:
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
Have you looked into Aeration?

I've had a pretty strong connection to the industry my whole life and right now a 0.3 acre lot goes for about $250 where I'm at. Bang 8 of those out in a weekend and you're sitting on $2k minus expenses which isn't much considering one guy can do it.

I have a paid truck, aerator, mower, and weed eater. Maybe I'll turn this into a hustle :cool:

I offered to do it at the same hourly rate that we mow at and it got shot down. Not much of a sample size but I felt aeration wasn’t going to help.

“I’m moving” / “I’m selling the house” clean up jobs are where it’s at. I’ll have the guys spend a whole day at a job for $500 and there’s no driving around half the day. Boom boom boom. One customer to bid and talk to. One to get paid from.
 

CPisHere

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
110%
Sep 17, 2011
750
827
Louisiana
Speaking of aeration....
I always felt like the thing that was missing from lawn service companies was one that would guarantee a nice green lawn with minimal weeds. I would pay twice as much if the company didn't just cut the lawn but did whatever it needs to make it look nice. I don't know if it needs to be aerated, or nitrogen, etc.

Seems like it would be a compelling customer value proposition, but more difficult operationally.
 

CPisHere

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
110%
Sep 17, 2011
750
827
Louisiana
“I’m moving” / “I’m selling the house” clean up jobs are where it’s at. I’ll have the guys spend a whole day at a job for $500 and there’s no driving around half the day. Boom boom boom. One customer to bid and talk to. One to get paid from.
These jobs are more profitable but less scalable. It's a trade-off.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

minivanman

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
265%
Mar 16, 2017
1,722
4,562
54
DFW
I know a guy in Kansas that says he makes about $60,000 a year profit from each guy he has aerating. He doesn't offer any other service besides aerating nowadays since his grandson is older. I don't know how many guys he has doing it these days.
 

NaPal

Done > Perfect
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
112%
Apr 16, 2012
229
256
USA
I know a guy in Kansas that says he makes about $60,000 a year profit from each guy he has aerating. He doesn't offer any other service besides aerating nowadays since his grandson is older. I don't know how many guys he has doing it these days.
EXACTLY! Aerating is bank. My dad works for a national company and has told me this for years. Upsell by overseeding right after with a spreader :)

Does the guy you know aerate all summer long? Or just spring/fall? It's very tough to aerate when it hasn't rained for 2 weeks. :clench:
 

minivanman

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
265%
Mar 16, 2017
1,722
4,562
54
DFW
I'm not sure what his schedule is. He doesn't offer any upsell. Does the job and on to the next. I think all of his customers are repeat these days. Back a few years ago he said he didn't have to advertise anymore. He probably told me how many people he has working and maybe when he does it but I don't remember now and neither me or my friend has talked to him in a few years.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
Speaking of aeration....
I always felt like the thing that was missing from lawn service companies was one that would guarantee a nice green lawn with minimal weeds. I would pay twice as much if the company didn't just cut the lawn but did whatever it needs to make it look nice. I don't know if it needs to be aerated, or nitrogen, etc.

Seems like it would be a compelling customer value proposition, but more difficult operationally.

people ask for that and I’ve talked to some people that want that type of service. I’ll just go to the local golf course and chat with the groundskeeper. Or maybe a minor league baseball grounds crew. Throw it in as an add on.

It would be easier to market to people than mowing. Walk up to decent houses with dead grass and leave a nice little letter about how it’s a science and we can make it much better. Along with a recommendation of the first thing we’d do, to get their interest and reel them in, like good sales copy.

Isn’t trugreen doing the same thing though by spraying lawns?
 

CPisHere

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
110%
Sep 17, 2011
750
827
Louisiana
It would be easier to market to people than mowing. Walk up to decent houses with dead grass and leave a nice little letter about how it’s a science and we can make it much better. Along with a recommendation of the first thing we’d do, to get their interest and reel them in, like good sales copy.
Yes, seems like an easy, high $ sale to the right customers.

Isn’t trugreen doing the same thing though by spraying lawns?
I hadn't heard of them but it looks like that is what they do.
 

NaPal

Done > Perfect
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
112%
Apr 16, 2012
229
256
USA
I can already see a flyer titled, "YOUR GRASS SUCKS".

Then followed up with a 'Join the Ranks of Chuck Norris and unleash our Astonishing Lawn Secrets Today!"
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Paleo

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
184%
Mar 3, 2014
76
140
61
I've been seriously thinking about snapping up some used equipment this winter and putting a crew out there next spring just because the local companies SUCK at marketing. I've been in this house for over a year and have gotten one door hanger, one crappy flier and I think one postcard from lawn mowing companies. I could do the marketing and have a couple of guys execute. I have no desire to take it beyond one truck but it could be a nice side business given the quality of the competition.
Trugreen does market heavily but they are sprayers, not mowers.
The typical mower here looks like a bag of rags. Twice recently I have seen this scenario- a guy with a truck and trailer with no lettering, mowing grass wearing jorts and no shirt with a cig hanging out of his mouth. NOT the same guy. These are very nice neighborhoods too. If you just require that your employees be fully dressed you are way ahead of the competition.
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
These jobs are more profitable but less scalable. It's a trade-off.
I've been seriously thinking about snapping up some used equipment this winter and putting a crew out there next spring just because the local companies SUCK at marketing. I've been in this house for over a year and have gotten one door hanger, one crappy flier and I think one postcard from lawn mowing companies. I could do the marketing and have a couple of guys execute. I have no desire to take it beyond one truck but it could be a nice side business given the quality of the competition.
Trugreen does market heavily but they are sprayers, not mowers.
The typical mower here looks like a bag of rags. Twice recently I have seen this scenario- a guy with a truck and trailer with no lettering, mowing grass wearing jorts and no shirt with a cig hanging out of his mouth. NOT the same guy. These are very nice neighborhoods too. If you just require that your employees be fully dressed you are way ahead of the competition.

I have the guys wear company polo shirts and they’re both English speaking 100%.

We invoice online and are satisfaction guaranteed. Everything is professional.

I stole some practices and strategies from the car lot.
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
Update:

Workers are kicking a$$. Showing up every day. Getting jobs done quicker than expected and doing quality work.

Got my licenses yesterday.

Taking online payments.

We have our schedule filled up for the next few days. And loads of bids being scheduled.

Staying on top of scheduling and keeping track of leads. Everyone goes into the system and everything is flowing smoothly. A couple weeks ago I couldn’t handle the leads and I’d be late at responding to a third of the people. No more of that. Everything is dialed.

Once I schedule my guys out for more than 2-3 weeks straight and more to come, I’ll bring on another crew.

Profit is slightly less than expected because after spending hundreds on legal zoom wasting my time, filing again with the state for another 200, paying 300 for licenses and paying insurance in full, combined with being less than fully efficient with jobs early on has resulted in not making as much as expected. Still making money though. Doing the math it makes sense to bring on another crew soon.

Next BIG hurdle: finding a way to outsource the bidding, sales and customer service... I can’t clone myself so it’s a necessary part of scaling the business. Not enough income and time left in the season for a commercial property.

We’ll see. I’m not buying any property when the market is this high though... I’m a lawn mowing company not a real estate investing company.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

minivanman

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
265%
Mar 16, 2017
1,722
4,562
54
DFW
You said you will have to outsource the advertising, how are you advertising right now?
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
You said you will have to outsource the advertising, how are you advertising right now?

Craigslist, google AdWords and yelp ads.

I don’t need to outsource that. I can do it all in a couple minutes from my computer. Craigslist is 90% of our business.
 

NaPal

Done > Perfect
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
112%
Apr 16, 2012
229
256
USA
Craigslist, google AdWords and yelp ads.

I don’t need to outsource that. I can do it all in a couple minutes from my computer. Craigslist is 90% of our business.
Looks like I've just found my first place to market :praise:
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Boo

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
290%
Jul 6, 2018
93
270
If you really want to scale you need to productize your services. You can't be going out to bid on jobs, especially if you're primarily doing mowing for them.

You can either:

- Estimate lawn sizes and price that way (customer estimates size or you use a mapping solution to see the size online)
- You price per hour

That way you can do it all online and don't need to drive around between lawns taking measurements and wasting your time. Sure, occasionally you'll over estimate and sometimes you'll underestimate but overall it should average out the same if you set the systems up correctly. Cleaning companies do the exact same thing, typically based on the number of bedroom and bathrooms - obviously sometimes the houses are far bigger than they expect and that's that, but at least they didn't have to drive around bidding on places.

Not only does it save you a bunch of time, you'll also see your conversion rate increase because people can book online in minutes rather than waiting days for you to come bid on their home.

Check out this company: Lawn Mowing & Lawn Care Services in Washington, D.C. | Lawn Tribe

They do it based on $ per hour and then give the client an option to either check "go over the time to do the job right" or "do the best you can in the time slot".
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
If you really want to scale you need to productize your services. You can't be going out to bid on jobs, especially if you're primarily doing mowing for them.

You can either:

- Estimate lawn sizes and price that way (customer estimates size or you use a mapping solution to see the size online)
- You price per hour

That way you can do it all online and don't need to drive around between lawns taking measurements and wasting your time. Sure, occasionally you'll over estimate and sometimes you'll underestimate but overall it should average out the same if you set the systems up correctly. Cleaning companies do the exact same thing, typically based on the number of bedroom and bathrooms - obviously sometimes the houses are far bigger than they expect and that's that, but at least they didn't have to drive around bidding on places.

Not only does it save you a bunch of time, you'll also see your conversion rate increase because people can book online in minutes rather than waiting days for you to come bid on their home.

Check out this company: Lawn Mowing & Lawn Care Services in Washington, D.C. | Lawn Tribe

They do it based on $ per hour and then give the client an option to either check "go over the time to do the job right" or "do the best you can in the time slot".


If I have a commercial location with 4+ trucks I imagine it would make sense to have a manager that bids jobs and does other things. Along with an office lady to take calls and schedule bids.
 

NaPal

Done > Perfect
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
112%
Apr 16, 2012
229
256
USA
Question:

How does one find out about companies that are bidding out lawn/landscape services?

I.E. > Local bank branches, chain restaurants, HOA's, shopping plazas.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
Update:

Changed business model into a single plan that we don’t deviate from now signing people up for next year.

No more “do you do (insert custom bullshit that takes up mental energy and isn’t scalable)?”

One formula for determining price

Contract work only

Contracts are air tight and I had an attorney look it over

Higher profit margins

Each contract = average of 3600 revenue for next year = less annoying bidding jobs and avoiding variance = less headache and costly errors.

Goal before the years end: 90 contracts

Currently working on getting a commercial lease on a warehouse in a nearby town

Goal revenue for next year: $327,000 determined by contracts signed in the next few months.

Moving fast.
 

minivanman

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
265%
Mar 16, 2017
1,722
4,562
54
DFW
Good job on no custom work. In the house cleaning business we never did custom work and it made it really simple and 1 reason things usually went so smooth. Me and the office worker knew exactly what was being done, the QC person knew exactly what to check and the worker never had to guess at what needed done. We did the same thing at every house. Now we did have 2 plans.... GOLD & SILVER. Something to think about for yourself is the same. With the GOLD, offer something simple and make more profit on the job.
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
Good job on no custom work. In the house cleaning business we never did custom work and it made it really simple and 1 reason things usually went so smooth. Me and the office worker knew exactly what was being done, the QC person knew exactly what to check and the worker never had to guess at what needed done. We did the same thing at every house. Now we did have 2 plans.... GOLD & SILVER. Something to think about for yourself is the same. With the GOLD, offer something simple and make more profit on the job.

We offer a watering plan for an extra $30-$60/month for customers that don't have a sprinkler system that have smaller lawns. We bring in our own hoses, sprinklers and timers and set up the system to run automatically for them so they don't have to touch a thing and get a watered lawn all summer without paying for a sprinkler system. It's like leasing. The customer is responsible for damaged or lost equipment.

edit: everything is paid monthly for the whole year so nobody gets only a few months of our services. It's a full year paid at the beginning of each month starting in January. So even though it only needs water for a few months, it's being paid for the whole year. $350 a month for lawn care sounds better than paying $110 each time we come and most visits will be well under an hour.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

USN-Ken

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
274%
Apr 21, 2015
103
282
45
Durant, Iowa
I’ve heard of a program (not sure if it’s state or federal) where the government will reimburse employers for one full years worth of salary if they hire felons. Lots of folks getting released are decent people and need jobs.

So, basically you get a free employee for one year.

Of course, there is one a**hole locally who hires felons for one year, gets reimbursed, then fires them so he can hire more —it’s a perpetual revolving door of free one-year employees. His whole company was built by ‘free’ employees. Don’t be that guy.

If I hear of the program name I’ll come back and post it but I’m sure you could find it though google if you are interested.

Just a thought.
 

Johnny boy

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
621%
May 9, 2017
2,929
18,182
27
Washington State
I’ve heard of a program (not sure if it’s state or federal) where the government will reimburse employers for one full years worth of salary if they hire felons. Lots of folks getting released are decent people and need jobs.

So, basically you get a free employee for one year.

Of course, there is one a**hole locally who hires felons for one year, gets reimbursed, then fires them so he can hire more —it’s a perpetual revolving door of free one-year employees. His whole company was built by ‘free’ employees. Don’t be that guy.

If I hear of the program name I’ll come back and post it but I’m sure you could find it though google if you are interested.

Just a thought.

Wow...you think a lawn care employee could stay for a whole year? That would be crazy.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top