Humm Breaking into the Professional Lawn Care Business

[Ric]

I disagree there are some of us that went to school.I do lawn care and landscaping I have 20 or 25 books on lawn care.I'm a certified pesticide applicator. There is more to being a lawn care professional than cutting grass. Knowing what height to cut it when to cut it.changing directions knowing how to identify weeds what to put on them when to put it on.just cutting grass does not make a person a lawn care pro.but I think there is a true lawn care pro and you can go to school to learn about it. I have spent a lot of time in schools taking classes and reading books computer programs. I even have a lawn care app on my iPhone.

Yea I don't doubt that there are some that went to school, I also have over 1900 hrs of going to school for lawn care but all those hours doesn't give me professional status.

As far as being a certified pesticide applicator, if it's something you want to do great. All Florida requires is the completion of 24 semester hours of entomology and pest-control classes to be certified. A University of Florida program allows candidates to complete the required courses over the internet.

See my point is to do the jobs we do you need next to nothing, No proof, No classes, No Degrees nothing. Have a High School Diploma or a GED, which should in-able you to read and write (although that's debatable) so you can fill out the little paper work they give you and the next thing they give you is a paper with your businesses name on for $35.00 does that make a professional. I don't think so.

Like you said there's more to being a lawn care professional than cutting grass and that's exactly why there are very, very, few if any. There Mow and Go businesses. IMO 90% of the outfits today don't care about the people they work for, they don't care about the lawns they cut, all they care about is the almighty dollar.

If you want professional status you have to earn it with the work you do, not with the piece of paper.

​

 

[Lawnpro1969]

Yea I don't doubt that there are some that went to school, I also have over 1900 hrs of going to school for lawn care but all those hours doesn't give me professional status.

As far as being a certified pesticide applicator, if it's something you want to do great. All Florida requires is the completion of 24 semester hours of entomology and pest-control classes to be certified. A University of Florida program allows candidates to complete the required courses over the internet.

See my point is to do the jobs we do you need next to nothing, No proof, No classes, No Degrees nothing. Have a High School Diploma or a GED, which should in-able you to read and write (although that's debatable) so you can fill out the little paper work they give you and the next thing they give you is a paper with your businesses name on for $35.00 does that make a professional. <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2379"/> I don't think so.

Like you said there's more to being a lawn care professional than cutting grass and that's exactly why there are very, very, few if any. There Mow and Go businesses. IMO 90% of the outfits today don't care about the people they work for, they don't care about the lawns they cut, all they care about is the almighty dollar.

If you want professional status you have to earn it with the work you do, not with the piece of paper.

I agree best way to earn that status is with the work you do. Like Florida in my are of there is a lot of mow and go contractors. Up here a lot of them don't last long because of the shabby work they do. To be certified up here is a little harder we have to keep up are credits to keep the certification which requires going to more school.like you also said a lot don't care about the people I spend a lot of extra time at each lawn making sure they are happy. I also take time to talk to them do extra stuff for them. My customers often ask me to bring them there mail. Take the garbage can to the road carry something heavy from the car. They are mostly retired and are both friends and customers I'm one of the few that take time to actually talk to my customers and treat them right. I love my job and the people I deal with are great. I even have one couple that make lunch for me when I'm there if They are my last one he even brings me a beer after I'm done

 

[Ric]

I agree best way to earn that status is with the work you do. Like Florida in my are of there is a lot of mow and go contractors. Up here a lot of them don't last long because of the shabby work they do. To be certified up here is a little harder we have to keep up are credits to keep the certification which requires going to more school.like you also said a lot don't care about the people I spend a lot of extra time at each lawn making sure they are happy. I also take time to talk to them do extra stuff for them. My customers often ask me to bring them there mail. Take the garbage can to the road carry something heavy from the car. They are mostly retired and are both friends and customers I'm one of the few that take time to actually talk to my customers and treat them right. I love my job and the people I deal with are great. I even have one couple that make lunch for me when I'm there if They are my last one he even brings me a beer after I'm done

It's funny you should mention spending extra time at each lawn and making sure that the client is happy and in another post PyhooyaBooya mentioned something about spending so much time on each of them and if it was even possible to make a living out of it doing that at my prices. Well like you I start early and I do much of the same things, move the garbage can from the road, put the newspaper at the front door, heck I even took the time to check out a ladies garbage disposal the other day and she is supposed to pick up a new one next week for me to install.

Spending thirty minutes a lawn is not a lot of time and you can often pick up extra work if you can save someone a little time and money, like the $180 extra I made for removing some small trees and branches the other day or possibly gaining another client which I have done on occasion. You'd be amazed at what people will do and say when they see someone actually spend that much time on a lawn.

Treating people right can go a long way in the business and yes PyhooyaBooya I make a decent living out of it, I'm not getting rich but it pays the bills.

 

[Lawnpro1969]

I forgot one lady I work for she is an older lady 70 maybe 75. She would do her own lawn she had a hard time getting rid of the grass clippings. I do 4 of her neighbors I would take her grass clipping with me every week no charge. She hurt her back guess who is doing her grass now me. Also picked up 2 more neighbors. Treating the good makes all the difference in the world. I even send Christmas cards flowers to some of them. Flowers to a funeral of a spouse.I have even brought them tomatoes from my garden. I forgot a couple years ago I had a customer give a 1995 jeep wagoner that was in great shape it just needed a battery. Also Ric I would like to apologies to you. I totally miss judged you. I thought you
Were one of these new guys that was just trying to start out. And was mad at all the one that have been around for awhile. There are some out there that get mad at others that are doing good at there job. They don't realize what it takes to make it. It takes time to built the business and patience and a lot of hard work.

Sent from my iPhone using LMF

 

[Ric]

I forgot one lady I work for she is an older lady 70 maybe 75. She would do her own lawn she had a hard time getting rid of the grass clippings. I do 4 of her neighbors I would take her grass clipping with me every week no charge. She hurt her back guess who is doing her grass now me. Also picked up 2 more neighbors. Treating the good makes all the difference in the world. I even send Christmas cards flowers to some of them. Flowers to a funeral of a spouse.I have even brought them tomatoes from my garden. I forgot a couple years ago I had a customer give a 1995 jeep wagoner that was in great shape it just needed a battery. Also Ric I would like to apologies to you. I totally miss judged you. I thought you
Were one of these new guys that was just trying to start out. And was mad at all the one that have been around for awhile. There are some out there that get mad at others that are doing good at there job. They don't realize what it takes to make it. It takes time to built the business and patience and a lot of hard work.

Sent from my iPhone using LMF

Well I appreciate the apology but it's not really needed. You wouldn't be the first one who has miss judged me and probably wont be the last. I guess maybe I do things a little different than most and I can be pretty opinionated and it doesn't jive with some of the upper echelon members here.

 

[helianthusdd]

I don't have an I'm better than you attitude. I have stated that I'm proud of what I have done in the past 24 years. I started the business at age 18 right out of high school no money and old equipment. I spent 24 years working 16 - 18 hour days 7 days a week unlike florida up here we can't work 12 months out of the year unless we get snow. The last couple winters was not good for snow. I built it into a good business when I said to come to central pa. I was not trying to say I'm the only one that can run a business what I was trying to say is up here thing are different. The people in the business up here treat each other with courtesy and respect and try to help each other out. We don't see the 1960 and 1970 trucks up here with the winter salt they don't last that long the rust out after 15 - 18 years. I use John Deere,stihl,and echo equipment I personally think that is the best money can buy.

Sent from my iPad using LMF

Congratulations!
I believe you're so excellent. How's your curent business? Please tell more and share your experiences!
:smile:

 

[Lawnpro1969]

What would you like to know? business is good going through a hot dry spell but doing other work instead of mowing grass.trimming shrubs mulching and other landscaping until we get enough rain to make the grass green and grow again.

 

[helianthusdd]

What would you like to know? business is good going through a hot dry spell but doing other work instead of mowing grass.trimming shrubs mulching and other landscaping until we get enough rain to make the grass green and grow again.

I believe there're many companies and other small business. How do you get contracts?

 

[Lawnpro1969]

Sorry it took awhile to respond been really busy. When I started out there was not a lot of people in this business.basically I worked my tail off doing good work at reasonable price.treated the customers good with courtesy and respect. Passed out a lot of cards put them on people cars at the local shopping center.went door to door a lot. know I get a lot by word of mouth some from my add in the phone book and a get some by just being very out going and friendly. I like talking to people and have no problem nocking on a door if the grass is high and giving them a card

 

[helianthusdd]

Sorry it took awhile to respond been really busy. When I started out there was not a lot of people in this business.basically I worked my tail off doing good work at reasonable price.treated the customers good with courtesy and respect. Passed out a lot of cards put them on people cars at the local shopping center.went door to door a lot. know I get a lot by word of mouth some from my add in the phone book and a get some by just being very out going and friendly. I like talking to people and have no problem nocking on a door if the grass is high and giving them a card

Excellent strategy! Execcelent experiences!
Tks so much! I'll always want to hear you about your business. I think it's interesting.