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This idea is a good way to start but not the best way to continue. When you first start a lawn-mowing business, finding customers is one of the hardest things. One way to get some work from day one is to approach local property managers. They always need things done, and usually quickly. When you start your business, you have one thing available to you that the bigger businesses don't: time. They may have the work, but you have time. Having time available in your schedule is a godsend for local property managers. When they want a job done, they usually want it done ASAP. ​ This is ideal when you are starting off and you are time-rich and work-poor. It's a win-win for both of you. ​ The work is usually varied and can include everything from lawn mowing to gardening, clean-ups, and a bit of treework. What you will need is the right equipment, experience, and insurance. Getting this kind of work is not easy, either. Prepare to knock on a few doors, make phone calls, and arrange meetings. Get some magnetic business cards made, too, so they can find your card when they need it. Magnetic cards usually end up on a fridge or a filing cabinet—both are good. The magic word that will get them interested is that you get the job done ASAP. If you tell them that you can get on the job within 24 to 48 hours, you will get their attention. ​ This kind of commitment is easy to make in the early days. As your business grows, it will become harder to keep. That's why I said that it's a good way to start but not continue. Hopefully, you have built up a good stable of private, regular lawns along the way. ​This is what we teach at lawnmowing101​ And that is where you want to end up with your business Being at the beck and call of a property manager can be a curse as your business matures and you start getting busy with your own work. This is why it was low-hanging fruit in the first place. What goes around comes around. So, if you’ve been struggling to gain traction with your lawn mowing business, you don't have to make the same mistakes I made. ​Click here to join Lawnmowing101 >>​ Anyway, until next time Get out there, mow lawns, and have fun Stuart ​ ​ |
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I once heard about a contractor who was still mowing a property despite being three months behind on his invoicing. He nearly went under while struggling to get his business back on track. In our line of work, getting paid is just as important as doing the job. But if you're just billing monthly or letting payments slide, you're not a business owner. You're a bank. And you're lending money to people who "forget" where they stand the moment the grass grows back. Here's how to keep your cash...
I get asked this question a lot: "How much does it actually cost to run a lawn mowing business?" The honest answer is... it depends. Different countries, different seasons, different business models. So instead of guessing, I did something more useful. I took the real figures from our own lawn business for a full financial year and broke them down line by line. Not theory, not averages. Real numbers. Here's the part that usually surprises people: That year, my wife and I worked around 20...
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