I see this all the time. Someone starts a lawn care business with a hiss and a roar. Brand-new mower. Decked-out trailer. A truck that screams money to burn. And then? They sit back and wait for the calls to come in. Here’s the hard truth: That hardly ever happens. Because it’s not the gear that gets you work. It’s the hustle. You could have bare-bones equipment — just a decent mower, a blower, and an edger — and still grow way faster than the guy with the $15K setup. Why? No big repayments....
3 days ago • 1 min read
Mistakes happen. And sometimes, things break on the job. I’m not talking about your mower this time. I’m talking about the customer’s stuff. Windows Cars Houses Gate hinges A fire. (ok, that was my mower that time.) In 30+ years, I’ve seen it all. When it was just me out there, it was simple:Knock on the door.Own it.Let the customer know we’d fix it. That’s what insurance is for. If they weren’t home, I’d call.If they didn’t pick up, I’d text. The goal was always the same:Let them know before...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader Have you ever wondered “How much does it cost to run a lawn mowing business?” And more importantly, how much do you pay yourself? It’s one of the most common questions, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The truth is: it depends. On your location On the tools you use On how big your service area is And even how long you’ve been in business With the lawn businesses we’ve worked with, we’ve found a simple approach that works really well for managing finances in a lean lawn care...
5 days ago • 1 min read
They don’t talk much about this stage. It’s not the beginning—when you’re just picking a name and ordering gear. It’s not the smooth-sailing part—when you’re booked solid and running like a machine. It’s the awkward stage. You’ve launched. You’ve got a few clients. But not enough to get you out every day. And this—this is where most people stall. Because pushing through this phase is hard. You’re doing the work but not seeing the reward yet. But honestly? This is the phase that makes or...
6 days ago • 1 min read
A lot of guys in lawn care are full, but they’re still not earning what they want. And the thing is… they’re not sure why. They’re turning down new jobs because their schedule’s packed. They’ve got lawns they’ve been mowing for ten years… but the prices are just as old. No wonder the numbers aren’t adding up. What they should be doing is simple: Start treating every new quote as an opportunity to upgrade your business. Don’t just say “no” because you’re full. Say “yes” and use that new job to...
7 days ago • 1 min read
When I first started poking around the world of lawn care franchises vs. independents, I wasn’t expecting a philosophical debate. But that's exactly what I stumbled into. Every article I read was either singing the praises of buying into a franchise “structured support, guaranteed income, brand power!” Or preaching the gospel of going in as an independent “ultimate freedom, more profits, be your own boss!” Both were trying to sell me something. Both had a point. Over the years, I’ve spent...
9 days ago • 1 min read
The best and worst thing about running a lawn mowing business? You’re the boss. That means freedom, real freedom, the kind where you can take a day off for an event without asking the boss. No one to call.No one to explain yourself to.You just catch up the next day. That’s one of the big upsides. You're in control of your time, your clients, and how big (or small) you want the business to be. You can push hard and build something full-time or keep it lean and flexible around your life. You’ve...
12 days ago • 1 min read
Every first Saturday of the month, I service my mowers. Not because I’m some kind of lawn care monk. But because I got sick of breakdowns. Back when I was running a bunch of vans and machines, things would just fall through the cracks. I’d go to use a mower, and I'd always be finding things that needed work: – blunt blades, – wheels that needed bearings, – and a layer of crud an inch thick in places under the deck. And of course, it would always happen on the job, right when I didn’t have...
14 days ago • 1 min read
The other day I was chatting with a lawn mowing contractor who was frustrated that he was out doing quote after quote, only to end up looking at jobs that were not ideal. I dug a little deeper and found the real problem: he wasn’t asking any questions during the initial call. Because of that, he was turning up to jobs with no real understanding of what the customer actually needed. Problem solved. Once he started qualifying leads properly over the phone, things improved quickly. It all starts...
16 days ago • 1 min read