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What is your idea of being a successful Lawn Care Operator? What kind of goals do you have for your business?

fireman gus said:

What is your idea of being a successful Lawn Care Operator? What kind of goals do you have for your business?

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I don't know if anyone can answer that question. How would one define successful? You can't use money as a way to determine success nor equipment or the time a person spends each day in the field.

In the field you have all types of operators from the beginner, the guy that is trying to break into the business that automatically earns the name of Lowballer or a Hack, and god forbid he drives a Toyota pick with all his mowers and equipment in the back end, that makes all the so called professionals cringe. would you consider this guy successful?
Maybe the fact he has $12,000 mowers and 50 or 60 thousand or more in overhead with a with every piece of equipment imaginable. would you consider this guy successful? .

How Do you measure success when the measuring stick is different for every Individual.

I think I would like to hear your definition of successful. I would guess we all have our own idea of what is looks like, but it does not mean that one would be right and the other wrong.

fastback said:

I think I would like to hear your definition of successful. I would guess we all have our own idea of what is looks like, but it does not mean that one would be right and the other wrong.

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I think it is "money", but 5 years down the road, when a man is trusted and respected and earns a decent living...Its said, I this is true, that for the first year, a business should lose money, but at year 3, should break even...
A far as professionalism goes, its what most consumers state, and ones peers...

fireman gus said:

What is your idea of being a successful Lawn Care Operator? What kind of goals do you have for your business?

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a simple way to get to the top of the ladder is one rung at a time. So, set several short term goals that are easily attainable, and you will get to the long term goal. and when your long term goal is met, you were successfull, no matter if it lawn care or anything else.:smile:

fastback said:

I think I would like to hear your definition of successful. I would guess we all have our own idea of what is looks like, but it does not mean that one would be right and the other wrong.

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A definition of successful could be having a favorable outcome to anything a person is trying to do. The measuring stick is different for every Individual and Business. Now would I consider myself successful with my business? Only if I can pay my bills at the end of the month :laughing:

I agree with Ric - there are many measuring sticks that define successful.

I totally agree that a successful venture must have the ability to pay its bills at the end of the month!

However, I would go a step further and add that one's personal happiness and satisfaction at jobs well done and happy customers would be part of that.

There are two vital pieces to building a good reputation - not owing money to everyone in town AND having customers say great things about you. Reputation isn't everything, but it sure is important.

As previously mentioned, defining success is difficult because what may be successful to me is not successful to you. However if we look at the inverse of success, which is failure, we can better define failure as "one's inability to reach his goals, whatever they may be". So you see you'll have to set your own goals and attempt to reach them. When you reach them, you have achieved success but then you have to raise the bar and set even higher goals and this my friend is what keeps the successful people successful. Don't compare yourself to any other individual or business. Concentrate on becoming the best you can be and don't get complacent.

I am not in the lawncare business, But a friend of mine from a long time ago was and still is, he started as a 12 y/o pushing the family mower to houses up and down his street, by the time he could drive he bought the family station wagon from his parents with cash and kept growing his business, he put himself through college, his little brother as well. I dont know how many houses his company mows today, but I can tell you he looks successful to me. But it started by making his customers happy and gaining their repeat business. I consider him very successful. in your business work ethic and willingness to make sure the job is done right is everything. I dont use my friends service, but I always recommend him.

Lawnranger said:

As previously mentioned, defining success is difficult because what may be successful to me is not successful to you. However if we look at the inverse of success, which is failure, we can better define failure as "one's inability to reach his goals, whatever they may be". So you see you'll have to set your own goals and attempt to reach them. When you reach them, you have achieved success but then you have to raise the bar and set even higher goals and this my friend is what keeps the successful people successful. Don't compare yourself to any other individual or business. Concentrate on becoming the best you can be and don't get complacent.

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Setting goals for your business is fine but when you reach those goals you say you've reached success but then you raise the bar even higher but be careful about extending those goals further. To many people in the lawn business do exactly what you've said, Raise the bar.

Raising the bar means more clients and more work load, it also means more equipment and employing people/adding crews and so on. The next thing you know you have a lawn business that has over extended it self and has more overhead than income.... a prescription for failure. Raising the Bar is Risky Business

txzrider said:

I am not in the lawncare business, But a friend of mine from a long time ago was and still is, he started as a 12 y/o pushing the family mower to houses up and down his street, by the time he could drive he bought the family station wagon from his parents with cash and kept growing his business, he put himself through college, his little brother as well. I dont know how many houses his company mows today, but I can tell you he looks successful to me. But it started by making his customers happy and gaining their repeat business. I consider him very successful. in your business work ethic and willingness to make sure the job is done right is everything. I dont use my friends service, but I always recommend him.

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I love hearing stories like this. My teenage niece wants start mowing in her neighborhood so I'm setting her up with a mower and string trimmer. Gramma lives across st from her so she already has her first customer.

A guy I went to high school wit started right out of school. Had one truck and trailer. Now he has two different crews cutting. Two dump trucks, a compact tractor and does well.

Me too.
As a child , I delivered newspapers and mowed lawns..
The growing grass was to be conquered - cut as fast and easily as possible...this I was no good at..No edging, trimming, no knowledge of grass and lawns.....this attitude was not good, so today I pay the price, and plant trees..
Lawns love trees (correct grasses of course).

Ric said:

Setting goals for your business is fine but when you reach those goals you say you've reached success but then you raise the bar even higher but be careful about extending those goals further. To many people in the lawn business do exactly what you've said, Raise the bar.

Raising the bar means more clients and more work load, it also means more equipment and employing people/adding crews and so on. The next thing you know you have a lawn business that has over extended it self and has more overhead than income.... a prescription for failure. Raising the Bar is Risky Business

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Raising the bar is no riskier than starting a business and definitely not a prescription for failure, if done properly, and actually a recipe for more success. Keep doing the things that got you to where you are and always strive to improve (raise the bar). By providing quality service, giving a little more than you receive, you will keep your customers happy and they will recommend you to family & friends (grow your business). From the time your initial investment is paid for, start saving your money for better equipment and pay CASH for everything. Be disciplined about saving your cash. Don't take on more overhead until you can pay for it. Don't use credit - we're not talking about millions of dollars in equipment here. If you can't afford something you do without until you can afford it. I know that may sound strange to some folks but you'll never spend more cash than what you have in your pocket and that has kept me out of the tank while I watch people all around me going down financially because they over-extended themselves with credit. Set a goal to have an emergency fund to cover your most expensive piece of equipment so if it goes down, you can go right out and purchase another or rent one while yours is getting fixed. Most people who start a business don't plan to fail, they fail to plan. I've seen it more times than I care to say. After you reach your goal of your emergency fund -RAISE THE BAR! Grow your emergency fund into an equipment upgrade fund. Maintain your equipment and keep it clean - customers notice things like that. Operating a business isn't rocket science but it does take some education, common sense and discipline, which, unfortunately, some people lack and are the reasons businesses fail. The good news is you have control of these factors and you can always raise the bar by getting more education, thinking about your decisions before making them and setting discipline goals for yourself and your business.

Do something extra for your customers such as when you see the house address numbers falling off, go to the hardware store and buy some new numbers for .99 each and replace the numbers for them - this will do wonders in your customers eyes. Pick up the newspaper and hand deliver it to them when you come to the door. Pick up the dropped tissue in the driveway (with your pick up tool, of course). People notice these things and may not always say something to you but they will to their friends when asked who cuts their lawn. At Christmas, go to the store and buy some gifts for your customers such as a glass jar filled with candy. If you can't afford to do things like this then something is wrong. Remember the "Golden Rule" when dealing with your customers.

You also have the choice of keeping your business small and only take on a workload that you can handle yourself and not grow your business and not make more money and hope you will make enough money by yourself. The choice is yours. J. Paul Getty once said "I'd rather have 1% of the effort of 100 men than 100% of my own effort." Think about that for a few minutes and then come back and tell me about more clients and more work load, it also means more equipment and employing people/adding crews and so on. The great news is the choice is yours.

All the best

The point I'm trying to make is raising the bar is risky business. Most don't know when there well off. Raising the bar is fine like I said before but at some point you reach the point of No Return and at then what happens if you lose a couple of commercial accounts or a bunch of residential accounts because some other business lowballs you and cuts your price, it will be OOPs guys I can't make payroll or bank payments for my equipment this month and crews don't work for free.

People see lawn care businesses all over the place and like some here have said they seem to be doing well but for everyone of those businesses they see they don't see the two or three others that have gone under trying to do what you say, I see it happen everyday. Greed is always a deciding factor.

The lawn care business is one of the easiest professions or industries to get into, it is also one of the businesses with a highest failure rate. 80% of lawncare businesses fail with in 2 to 5 years.

Ric said:

The point I'm trying to make is raising the bar is risky business. Most don't know when there well off. Raising the bar is fine like I said before but at some point you reach the point of No Return and at then what happens if you lose a couple of commercial accounts or a bunch of residential accounts because some other business lowballs you and cuts your price, it will be OOPs guys I can't make payroll or bank payments for my equipment this month and crews don't work for free.

People see lawn care businesses all over the place and like some here have said they seem to be doing well but for everyone of those businesses they see they don't see the two or three others that have gone under trying to do what you say, I see it happen everyday. Greed is always a deciding factor.

The lawn care business is one of the easiest professions or industries to get into, it is also one of the businesses with a highest failure rate. 80% of lawncare businesses fail with in 2 to 5 years.

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All I can say to that is "wow, you must not have read the first paragraph in my previous post".

Lawnranger said:

All I can say to that is "wow, you must not have read the first paragraph in my previous post".

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I read your post, I just don't agree. There's a lot more involved to the business than what you think or that you're taking into consideration. The one thing you're not considering is the cost involved in starting a lawn care business and how much it cost to keep it running. To start with you better have good credit because the cost for equipment to start with is going to cost between 5 and 6K alone. Then lets talk about the license and lets not forget Insurance but you say raise the bar and add a crew or two say two guys to a crew so we can make more money and improve the business? Now we have a total of six individuals that you have to supply Payroll, Insurance workman's compensation say nothing about supplying equipment, gas,oil, parts etc. for, can you see where I am going with this? the biggest percentage of Lawn care Businesses will end up with more money going out than coming in from raising the bar. That's why 80% of lawncare businesses fail with in 2 to 5 years.

Ric said:

I read your post, I just don't agree. There's a lot more involved to the business than what you think or that you're taking into consideration. The one thing you're not considering is the cost involved in starting a lawn care business and how much it cost to keep it running. To start with you better have good credit because the cost for equipment to start with is going to cost between 5 and 6K alone. Then lets talk about the license and lets not forget Insurance but you say raise the bar and add a crew or two say two guys to a crew so we can make more money and improve the business? Now we have a total of six individuals that you have to supply Payroll, Insurance workman's compensation say nothing about supplying equipment, gas,oil, parts etc. for, can you see where I am going with this? the biggest percentage of Lawn care Businesses will end up with more money going out than coming in from raising the bar. That's why 80% of lawncare businesses fail with in 2 to 5 years.

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You and I have a very different definition of "raise the bar" and I will not add anything more to this post as it's no longer productive.

I have finally decided, after much thought, to give my answer about success and my goals. As most have said it is the attainment of wealth. position, or honor. Also having the desired outcome to a situation (your business).

I feel I have been successful in my business as it has provided the funds to support my family, helped put them through school and let me put back money for when I retire.

When first starting mu lawn business my goal was to make money. Now as I have been in this business for over 30 years that goal has changed. Now my goal is that people will say that I am a man of integrity, a man above reproach, and I treat ALL people fairly. That I am a man of my word and willing to go out of my way to help someone in need.

"Are these things possible? I think so, they are being fulfilled in me, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materilize if I work for them".

Being successful is satisfying your customers. Although you want to make a lot of money, satisfying your customers should be your main goal.

Being sucessful to me is being my own boss and being able to support my family with nothing but the business. That is sucess anything above this is a bonus

According to how I interpret Mr. Webster, Successful is defined as gaining, having gained or to attain a favorable or desired outcome, object or end. :biggrin: Which means everyones attainment of success is relative to their desired outcome, object or end.