Why You Should Not Quit On Your Landscape Business
Wow, fifteen years went by like that, I am so grateful I did not quit. Many times I look back on how it all started. That 1995 Mini-Van, old tilt-bed boat trailer and of course the John Deere mower that was older than me at the time, got me started. Yes, there were many years of figuring out what customers need and how to make the phone ring. Believing in my work ethic, customers and the employees that have worked here over the years, it was all worth the wait.
Many landscape business owners get to a point in their career and just think about quitting. I know that was a reality for me in the Spring of 2011. One property management group decided they did not want to pay for snow plowing. Their bill reached a little over $4,000 and it left me with no start-up money that Spring.
One day I received an email from another customer asking me about services and how the winter went. To make a long story short, I informed her, excluding the name of the property management group. This was on a Friday. The very next Monday, I headed to the mailbox and found this customer sent a $1000 prepay check for services. At that time Ring Lawn Care’s policy was not asking for prepay monies. Overjoyed and having a new outlook, this was the year we turned the peripheral corner.
I built our company website and it was gaining traction quick that year. People in our service areas started to take notice. And I shook hands with many customers in attempts to gain their business. Tons of footwork, but well worth it.
Today we are looking towards the future, not forgetting all the moments that got us here. Also today, I have been on a mission to help those who are thinking about quitting their landscape business. By telling my story and the actual time it took to see real results, has been my motivation to share.
My first five (2002-2007) years in business taught me more than I ever could have imagined about life and business. It showed me what I am made of. Those first five years showed me what I was going to become. Teaching me new ways of conducting myself, not just as a business owner, but as a person.
The five years (2011-2016) after building our company website, is the main reason I can write this article today. Our website has become our number one lead generator. These years also have me reflecting on all the people I have met over my business career.
Many customers have seen my growth in the community as well. Some have left nice reviews. There have been emails, letters in the mail, phone calls or face to face compliments. Had I quit that Spring, we would have missed out on what could have been. Could have been is here now.
Currently writing this from my second home, located three miles from the property we called home for sixteen years. Two of my five children currently rent this home with their significant others and children. To say that I have built a legacy would be an understatement. My children will now have something from me to give them a leg up on life.
The gratitude I have for making it this far would not even be possible without people. Many customers and the many peers I have met through the Lawn and Snow Industry have made it possible for me to provide for my family.
Without the guidance of some customers and peers, we could not provide outdoor services the way we do. Through it all, it has made me grow as a man and business owner. And for that, I will be forever grateful.
