Starting my own business.

**JHayesLS1** · 09-15-2008, 10:19 AM

Well guys its official. I have almost all the equipment to start my lawn care business. I have about 8 people now I do it for at $70 per yard per week. After gas costs its not that wonderful but the cool thing is nobody is above me and it's my business.

**Spaz** · 09-15-2008, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by JHayesLS1

Well guys its official. I have almost all the equipment to start my lawn care business. I have about 8 people now I do it for at $70 per yard per week. After gas costs its not that wonderful but the cool thing is nobody is above me and it's my business.

i wish you well!!!

**JHayesLS1** · 09-15-2008, 10:23 AM

American Dream baby. God bless this country!!

**gwballin** · 09-15-2008, 10:24 AM

Best of luck

**third_shift|studios** · 09-15-2008, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by JHayesLS1

Well guys its official. I have almost all the equipment to start my lawn care business. I have about 8 people now I do it for at $70 per yard per week. After gas costs its not that wonderful but the cool thing is nobody is above me and it's my business.

I can tell you a lot of stories...I worked for my brother's company for about 8 summers. www.jtlandscaping.biz

**Spaz** · 09-15-2008, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

I can tell you a lot of stories...I worked for my brother's company for about 8 summers. www.jtlandscaping.biz

mowing along the edge of the woods i had a rabbit run out of the woods right in to the mower deck... he ran right in to the outlet hole and shot back out in pieces...

**FSANE** · 09-15-2008, 10:35 AM

Best of Luck with your business!!!

**JHayesLS1** · 09-15-2008, 10:42 AM

Thanks guys. Thats awesome with your bro's business TSS.

**third_shift|studios** · 09-15-2008, 10:57 AM

It's a lucrative business for sure. I mean this in the nicest way possible-I hope you're an asshole, b/c your employees will dick you over any chance they have. My bro actually put GPS systems on all the trucks to monitor how long and where they go-that was due to his guys constantly doing "side work" while on the job with his equipment. Get yourself a dumptruck, a trailer with a tail gate, 2 eXmark walk behinds [36" and 48"] and 2 lawnboys, oh and he uses Shindaiwa weed wackers with tap heads. Good luck, bud!

**SleeperC5** · 09-15-2008, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by JHayesLS1

Well guys its official. I have almost all the equipment to start my lawn care business. I have about 8 people now I do it for at $70 per yard per week. After gas costs its not that wonderful but the cool thing is nobody is above me and it's my business.

The best of luck to you bud !!

I tried to start my own auto detailing business a few years ago, ended up getting referals from the local Volvo Dealership but not enough to make a go of it.

I wish you every success !!

**third_shift|studios** · 09-15-2008, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by SleeperC5

The best of luck to you bud !!

I tried to start my own auto detailing business a few years ago, ended up getting referals from the local Volvo Dealership but not enough to make a go of it.

I wish you every success !!

thats a shame.

**ls1blackbeauty98** · 09-15-2008, 12:27 PM

do landscaping, with the flowers/trees then u can really rack in the cash. just cutting lawns isnt going to make it worth ur wild. i have a friend who started as "lawn care" just cutting, went into more landscaping and now hes making a killing.

good luck

**gwballin** · 09-15-2008, 12:33 PM

Since others seem to be giving advice, I’ll throw my $.02 in.

Make sure you have all of the appropriate business licenses, tax id numbers, etc. You would hate to have an otherwise successful business brought to its knees because you didn’t cross your T’s and dot your I’s.

**Tonik** · 09-15-2008, 12:42 PM

I personally use Bank of America Business. It has reminders when and how much you need to pay for taxes and fees and all kinds of bullshit. (Because, God bless America, there is a lot of bullshit you have to pay for as a legitimate business owner.) Federal AND State taxes, medicare/social security/federal income you have to match along with SUI tax = very overwhelming before you get your cherry popped.

It takes care of all the taxes on payday and is VERY quick. I go in, choose how much each employee gets paid, press a few buttons and the direct deposits are in. Gives me amounts for anyone I have to write a check for and use Quickbooks (Also HIGHLY recommended) to print out checks. Payroll total can take me as little as 30 minutes a week, depending on how many jobs were completed.

**JHayesLS1** · 09-15-2008, 01:05 PM

I def plan on going through Bank Of America when I can. I just finished my AS in business at my community college so I have seen what is ahead of me as far as taxes and whatnot. I'm sure there will be more but I'm ready to do this. I plan on offering fertilizating and hedge trimming, flowers, tree's, I just want to get my feet on the ground and grow from there. Until I'm overwhelmed it will be just me doing the work.

**JHayesLS1** · 09-15-2008, 01:07 PM

My vision is to have the best possible service, with the best possible workmanship. I scaped my aunt and uncles house recently I'll show you what I did there when I get some pictures.

**flash** · 09-15-2008, 01:26 PM

What does the 70.00 include.Thats seems awfully high for cut,edge,and weedwacked.

Just wondering.

**Rhinohuey** · 09-15-2008, 01:45 PM

I did landscaping 1 summer for a company and 2 years for myself....fun stuff. I had it bad in the hot AZ sun though. We always charged ~$100/house/week and had more business than I could handle....probably just location though.

**PatrizioD** · 09-15-2008, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by ls1blackbeauty98

do landscaping, with the flowers/trees then u can really rack in the cash. just cutting lawns isnt going to make it worth ur wild. i have a friend who started as "lawn care" just cutting, went into more landscaping and now hes making a killing.

good luck

+1 on this... my father owns his own company, and its usually just me and him on the job. Worked for 7 hours the other day trimming shrubs and raking up the debris, cost the customers $585, and they loved it. Plus its quite satisfying to turn a POS yard into a nice clean place you'd wanna hang out. Best of luck to you. We need more American's doing these jobs.

**FasstChevys** · 09-15-2008, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by gwballin

Since others seem to be giving advice, I’ll throw my $.02 in.

Make sure you have all of the appropriate business licenses, tax id numbers, etc. You would hate to have an otherwise successful business brought to its knees because you didn’t cross your T’s and dot your I’s.

Great advice! Do it right!

And.........don't screw around with your taxes - you'll be the one that ends up screwed........

Good luck!