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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.
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 business—especially in those early days: ✅ Pay yourself around 50% of your turnover
Bonus Tip: At the end of the financial year, if you’ve got excess funds, take half as a reward and leave the rest in the business to keep building. My wife and I stayed small on purpose—no staff, part-time hours, simple gear, modest lawns—and we still made it work. The key?
If you’re just getting started, your situation might look different. Maybe you’ll need to invest more at the beginning. But this guideline can give you a solid starting point. Want more support?We run a free group at lawnmowing101, where we help others build low-stress, profitable mowing businesses with smart strategies and a supportive community. 👉 Come join us → Lawn Business Builders Until next time, Get out there, mow lawns, and have fun. Stuart |
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I knew a guy who wanted to be the "everything" man. Mowing? Yes. Gutter cleaning? Sure. Chemical spraying? You bet. He thought saying "yes" to every request was the fast track to growth. Then came the day he mixed the wrong batch for a weed-and-feed job. By Tuesday, the customer’s prized front lawn was a sea of crispy, yellow straw. Total disaster. He called his insurance company, feeling glad he had a policy. Then came the worst part... "Do you have a chemical handling license?" they asked....
He had the sports car. The boat. The big house with a home office for his accounting business. To most people, he looked like he had it all. Every time I mowed his lawn, I’d make sure to smile and wave. I didn't think much about that. I always do that. One afternoon, he walked over to me while I was working. "You have such a great attitude," he told me. Not like the last guy..."Every time he showed up, he complained. He told me that he was a qualified locksmith who was mowing lawns because he...
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve pulled up to a quote only to hear the same story: "My last lawn guy just... stopped showing up." He didn’t move. He didn’t retire. He just ran out of steam. Most of these guys are great at mowing, but they’re terrible at business. They treat their business account like a personal piggy bank. They have no buffer for when a transmission blows. No plan for the winter "dry spell." They work themselves into the ground until the engine—or the bank...