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"I guess this is the last time you will be mowing that lawn" ​ I knew it wasn't his lawn so I was understandably confused. So I asked him to explain. ​ This meant that I would no longer be able to mow the lawn I was working on. ​ Seriously?? I couldn't believe it. Now I had to explain that his territory was an agreement between him and his franchise. It had nothing to do with me or my business. It solely meant that there would be nobody else from his franchise working in that area. (assuming the master franchise would enforce it) ​ ​ Working away in his orange overalls. He always looked a bit grumpy when he saw me and never waved back and he disappeared within 6 months. ​ ​ Do this before you run out and buy a pair of orange overalls. ​ Stuart |
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A friend of mine, back in the 80s, jacked a car up on a sloped yard. It rolled and hit other parked cars. The repair bill came to $100,000. He had no insurance and it bankrupted him. I bought public liability insurance the very next day and I've carried it every year since. That's why "get insured" is one of the jobs in week one of starting a lawn business, not a someday task you get to once you're busy. A mower breaking a window, a trimmer throwing a rock through a car, a slip on a wet path,...
Here's the first question I ask on every new lawn call."Were you looking for a price on a one-off or a regular visit?" The answer sets the price.It also tells you a lot about the customer. I know a contractor whose quotes went nowhere.He wasn't asking questions on the phone. Here are two red flags I listen for before I've even seen the lawn. The sudden change of heart.You give the one-off price.Straight away they say, "Actually, make it regular."Often that's not a regular customer.That's...
I used to think bigger was better.I bought ride-ons and self-propelled mowers and ran five trucks with staff. Then I did the math.To step away from the business and still match my income, I'd need over 1,000 lawns.I was just under halfway there. And the ride-ons broke down all the time, often halfway through a job. So I downsized.I kept my best 100 lawns and let the rest go.Turnover dropped by half.My workweek fell to under 20 hours.My take-home pay stayed about the same. Here's why small...