StrikingViper69
Shredding scales and making sales
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Damn dude. That's awesome.
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Free registration at the forum removes this block.How long have you lived in Lakewood? I'm just wondering what the old Hollywood Video got replaced with?
still there lolAutoZone
How about Elmo's Video?
If 500 people called me and wanted to sign up, I could quote them online, collect their credit card info, spend 3 hours writing out the schedule for them, run their first payment, use that as a down payment with a private loan to purchase 14 trucks, trailers and equipment, and rent a empty lot to park everything, and I could hire the workers within a couple of weeks using temp agencies, Craigslist, Indeed, etc. And then I have a +1 mil / year business operating at a 40% profit margin. It would not be the easiest couple of weeks but I could do it.I violates the commandment of scale.
still there lol
I've only been here a couple weeks.
makes a bunch of money in the meantime......I violates the commandment of scale.
makes a bunch of money in the meantime......
not sure what your definition of scale is? explain your post to help the discussion?
should @Johnny boy be doing something different? seems like he is killing it..... what is he missing? what could he be doing better?
This looks awesome! Which one did you choose, Sri Lanka, Himalaya or India? Do you do it all on your own or do you have some mates that will go with you?As I was writing this, I thought about what I'm going to do this winter and the answer is a rickshaw run .
This looks awesome! Which one did you choose, Sri Lanka, Himalaya or India? Do you do it all on your own or do you have some mates that will go with you?
It reminds me of when I decided in January that I could run a marathon, so in April I finished my first marathon ever. I like the idea of thinking about some crazy/funny stuff and then actually doing it.
Pretty much like entrepreneurship I guess.
I'm gearing up for the Bataan Death March next year, but this thing sounds wild!For the last couple weeks, I've worked about 4 hours each week while my employee worked. My business brings in enough to pay for expenses, an employee working full time, and all of my personal expenses. In the winter, I will have an extra 3000-3500 each month because I will have the same revenue without an employee or work to do so no gas or other expenses. That is if I do pretty much no work at all. I could just sit on the dock and relax all summer, get a second truck in the winter, sign up lots of customers and have two crews working full time next year and continue not doing the actual work. However, my brain gets weird when I don't work. It just turns off, gets foggy, and I become stupid and unhappy. It's funny that I'll dream about doing nothing like in office space, and then when I can do nothing, I hate it.
So instead of being lazy, I am going to sign up more customers, help my employee work and get done early in the day so I can make more money, get my blood moving each day, get done around 4pm and still get to enjoy the lake. I'll grow, have more money to save up for a rainy day and get to a second truck by this year possibly. If I can get to two trucks working full time, this winter will be quite an experience. It'll be more money than I've made in a year in a couple of months without doing hardly any work. I'll have 2 weeks off, then 8 weeks off just two weeks after that.
As I was writing this, I thought about what I'm going to do this winter and the answer is a rickshaw run . I like making decisions fast like that and I did the same when I decided to climb Mt.Rainier and bungee jumping so this is no different. It'll give me something to work towards and focus on.
another update: just paid for my ticket. I forgot you need a team lol.
View attachment 24960
Btw, I thought of a marketing ploy. Offer clients and their neighbors 5% off for each contiguous neighbor. That way you can do say ten lawns at once. The 5% is off each new price so for $50 full fee it would go
0 neighbors $50
1 $47.50
2 $45.13
3 $42.87
4 $40.83
...
10 $31.51 ea. Basically, you make $315 without having to move the truck
Hi man, a nice story about your success!
I cant accept (thats wrong! I accept YOUR ambitions! But I just have an idea! )your winter ambitions. I planed a similar business and in my plan I did winter services in winter.
My brother in law works at a business similar to yours. And he does winter services all winter long. Every one, who has a parking lot needs that (stores, hospitals, factories...). It will ad or doubble your business! So put a board on your trucks in winter and make winter services!
I've been lurking this forum for a little while, and I think it's more than just motivational. I need ideas too. I read the post on unsexy businesses, and I think lawn care qualifies.
I would consider this gold, however I think the idea proposed in this forum is a little optimistic, but achievable. I find it hard to believe someone with only car sales experience can suddenly jump into another industry, and find success in such a short period of time.
My approach is to spend appx 4k on a truck, appx 2k on a trailer, and 5k on used equipment found at auctions with cash. I won't launch the business until the spring of 2020.
I live in Michigan and wouldn't begin advertising until February. I would spend the next 2 months hanging bandit signs, knocking in doors, and cold calling. I would set up a website with paid ads, but nothing crazy. Possibly place ads on doors? I hear it's all about how effective the ad is itself
I would plan on operating as a sole entrepreneur for the first year to see how this goes. I would plan on getting 50 seasonal customers to keep me extremy busy the first year. 50 customers give, or take.
Hire employees if I'm winning after season 1?
My tips right now are
1. Recurring services only and make a “plan” they can sign up on
2. Contracts for everyone but make it a digital form they fill out and call it “terms and conditions” instead of shoving a 3 page contract in front of them and scaring them away
3. Use QuickBooks for recurring payments it’ll help make sure you have them by the balls because you’ll have their cards, and they won’t be able to ignore an invoice. It’s just automatically taken out.
4. Include cancellation fees in your contracts
5. The simpler the work, the less mistakes employees will make.
6. Get basic equipment like walk behind mowers. Less that can break. Easy to fix. Cheap, so it’s easier to grow to a second crew. Simple for the workers to use. Smaller lawns are more profitable anyways I promise.
7. You’ll feel like it’s impossible to sign anyone up and then boom, the grass starts growing and you get 10 calls every single day. Sign them all up. Don’t miss calls.
8. Craigslist posts and google is everything. Home adviser is good too but watch out for them sending too many leads at once you’ll have to pay for.
9. Your employee policy will be written from your first employees F*cking up in every way imaginable.
10. Your competition is mostly on the autism spectrum so be confident and keep your prices high. They’ve got few better options.
Good info here. I'm going to start solo next year with the goal of having a few crews working by the second year.
I believe digital marketing is key these days in these types of industries. Do facebook ads, do craigslist, definitely build a website, and use paid advertising. Maybe run an ad in the local paper? Only older people read them these days. Give potential customers a ballpark before estimating. You don't want to waste time dealing with cheapskates.
Create a unique name for your business, and use a catchy logo. Don't simply use part of your actual name. Come up with something unique. Walmart is a unique name. Would you be more likely to shop at Waltons? Meijer did it, but that's the exception. Meijer sounds better than Walton.
You should have a goal of creating a brand in this industry. Create a brand with the idea of hiring. I'll do fine my first year solo, but I want to become a manager of my company within a few years.
Only buy a good commercial mower. They say a well used commercial mower is far better than a new mower available at a box store.
Don't work for less than 70 per hour while at the customers site unless it's a large job.
Wisdom right here. Congratulations on your first complete year in business, and thank you for taking us along with you.It's like my dreams have killed my old self. I won't let the reverse be true.
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