Three small lawns beat one big one

Published about 9 hours ago • 1 min read

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 lawns work.

You earn more per hour.
A small lawn mows fast, so it's easier to get a good hourly rate.
I'd rather do three small lawns than one 90-minute lawn, and I often earn more that way.

Your gear gets cheaper and more reliable.
A push mower breaks down less than a ride-on and uses less gas.
You may not even need a trailer, which saves on fuel, insurance, and parking.

I'm on the wrong side of sixty now.
Pushing a light mower is easier on my back than sitting on a ride-on all day.

There are a few more reasons I stick with small lawns, including how much easier they make your schedule when you're running solo.

Read the full story of how I downsized and kept my income.

Until next time, get out there, mow lawns, and have fun.
Stuart
Lawnmowing101

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