Ques for the business owners/attorneys/tax guys

As an accountant, I can tell you one thing that not one business person ever heard before they went into business for themselves; "that's a good idea."

Look at your friend's books and records and see how much he's really making. Understand that $30/lawn/week won't be there in non-rainy months and winter. Did you ask him why he quitting? What he hates about the business? If he's a friend, you probably have an idea, but ask for an honest answer.

It doesn't seem like you want to be a landscaper for a living and $390 for a day's work doesn't sound bad to me. However, I wouldn't spend the money right away. Make your estimated tax payments and save as much as you can year one to pay for things that come up.

 

I understood this to be a " side job" and not a career move?

 

...trimming the bushes in Ethiopia is highly regarded, same as here...

 

Is this a side income or a global take over? For what you're talking about go to walmart and get a receipt book, a stamp with your name on it and go cut grass. Leave the bill tucked in the front door on your way out. If you have a plain truck with no business name on the doors most people will think you're just helping your friends and family. Now if you're a blooming idiot thats always fucking up......then i might rethink this strategy. good luck

 

I do lawncare, been doing it for 18 years. Started out small, do over 400 residential accounts. 4 boxvans, 12 full time employees. Stay away from commercial, or split your accounts 70% residential 30% commercial. Commercial accounts are nice and bring in big money, only problem is they have zero loyalty, they will switch to another provider for a $50 dollar savings, and then you have a truck, equipment, and employees standing around, or you have to fire someone, or find another account fast (which is hard to do).
I am a LLC, have $1.5 million general liability policy, and have basic full coverage insurance on my company vehicles.
If you do this be smart! Do not start adding accounts outside your area, no matter how much money or enticing, because as you grow you want to be able to do as many lawns as possible with as few trucks and employees. If you are interested PM me your number and I can talk to you about it. It is a great money maker if done right... I just bought a 2003 Ferrari 360 Modena to reward myself for a job well done! :up:

 

dont do this...

 

Oh yeah, great moneymaker, buying a nearly decade-old Ferrari.



Is it at least a yeller Ferrari?

 

Guys, this is a side business, not a way to pay my mortgage.

I'm consulting an accountant and my Ins. agent this week.

I love me some yeller Ferraris.

 

Just remember that if you've got a mortgage, you *might* have something someone else wants, and a lawsuit over a thrown rock or a massacred petunia might be the difference between paying for your house or someone else's.

 

No doubt.

I'm not doing shit without insurance and the level of incorporation my accountant says is necessarry. Like I said early on, I'm a worrier. I don't just do shit.

 

I can tell you that this WILL pay the bills. If you have a truck already, you're ~~$100 from being all set equipmentwise. Go to local dog daycare places/vets and offer $50 bucks cash for referrals that stay with you 3 months. Door hangers in select neighborhoods. Take chocolate-covered donut holes to HOA meetings with a stack of cards (hey, you gotta have a sense of humor in this line of work).

Commercial accts are great until management changes ad the new mgmt wants to cut costs, but they can be golden while they last. Last Thursday at 9:32 AM I had already covered 268 bucks worth of commercial accts. If ""The Wisco"" in your location means Wisconsin, I assume you already know you'll need to find something else a few months out of the year, but come Spring you've got a lot of people with yard bombs surfacing... could be a good time for an ad campaign.

Well.... make up yer mind already!

 

No, I opted for the red decade old Ferrari... I would have bought something a little flashier, but then again I'm just the stupid lawn guy...

 

Mine started as a side business too. I was making great money in sales, but hated dealing with liars day in and day out, plus the hours were aweful! I did lawns in high school and made decent money... took my new found sales skills and applied to lawn care and was out of sales in less than a year.
PS. I have not personally mowed a lawn in 17 years... If you do it right you can have tons of free time and make really good money.
I have never been sued or had any type of lawsuit brought upon me or my company...

Yellow was my second choice

 

@burner. Cool story. It's always great to see people living the American dream.

 

This made me laugh.

My wife and I own a real estate company in our small town. We had trouble getting someone to mow the grass at one of our apartment buildings we own so I did it for one summer. Throw my ztr from home on the trailer and take care of it myself. It was a nice break from normal life. One time there was some kind of interpersonal problem in the parking lot. I noticed it while I was mowing but just figured it would go away on it's own. Pretty soon it's a major interpersonal problem and the cops get called. Bunch of cop cars show up, lots of shouting and finger pointing. I just keep mowing. Eventually one of the cops is trying to figure out what happened and asked someone "what about that guy, did he see anything?". He is pointing at me on the mower. The dude responds "No, he's just the lawn guy".

 

Got the insurance quote back, looks like 1mil in liability and 5k in theft coverage with a $250 deductible will cost me $401 a year.

Doesn't sound too bad to me.

 

He's got 13 yards right now and they average about $30 per yard, per week.

Can you come and do my yard 2x's a month?

 

Sure. Move to Southeast Wisconsin and we'll get it started!

 

That is actually a great rate! I am paying $1200 per year for 1.5mil liability and $25,000 theft.