Why Most People Fail With Their Lawn Business

It is a chilling fact that 80% of small lawn businesses fail within 2 to 5 years in the United States. But for more than one reason, I managed to stay in the 20% group that succeeded.

Was I lucky? What secret ingredient was I using and not aware of? Of the ones that survive, why is it these lawn mowing business owners are not hitting the jackpot with their businesses?

After I tenaciously began to search for the answers, I eventually found them. I cut them down into the top 4 major reasons people fail (or barely get by) with their grass maintenance business. It is my sincere hope that anyone reading this article will make a stern decision to avoid these 4 subtle business killers.

Ignorance

This is the story of the first part of my life. I grew up in a middle income family. Both parents were highly educated and had worked for other people their whole lives. In fact, all of our family friends never owned their own businesses. That was the environment I was raised in and I was never taught that I could work for myself.

For the average person, this too was his life story and maybe it?s yours. In every area of his life he is surrounded with the old truth of ?go out and get a good job?. Even the circle of influence he has around him doesn’t include people who are wealthy. There isn?t really anyone he can think of that has ever said to him that the way to wealth is with his own business.

Believe it or not, there are people who live and die without even conceiving the possibility of entrepreneurship for themselves. They never realized they had just as much potential as anybody else to start and run a profitable business.

So, the first reason why people don?t become rich with a lawn care business is because it never occurs to them that it is possible. And so if it never crosses their mind, they never even start up the mower.

Indecision

A second reason that robs people of wealth with a lawn service business is that the person doesn?t make a decision to be successful. Even if she reads all the books in the world cover to cover about mowing for money, several times in fact while taking notes, nothing changes until she makes a firm decision to do something different. Even if I show up at her front door and manage to convince her that she could become rich if she just followed my instructions, if she doesn?t put one foot in front of the other and take the first step, she ends up staying just where she is.

Think about that. Everything you?ve done up to this point in your life has gotten what you have in your life. Unless you do something differently, you?re going to continue to get what you?ve always gotten.

Indecision is at the top of many lists about why people are failing. People just aren?t taking action on the success information they are learning. A rock-solid, committed decision is not something they ever do. They just swing for the fences and hope it all works out for them. They expect lawn business success to fall on them like ripe cherries from a tree but they never decide they?re going to ?Just do it!? and make it happen. This point seems obvious but I?ll say it anyway. You?ve got to make a firm decision to be successful and burn the bridge behind you so there?s no turning back.

Procrastination

Holding out my hands, I can personally name more people than I have fingers for that have been destroyed by this one reason alone. People know they can make money with a lawn business and they make a firm decision to do something about it. But, they?re not out of the woods yet.

When it comes to exercise, for example, have you ever noticed how many really good reasons to not exercise come up just before you hit the treadmill? Ever notice how tempting it is to just stay home and skip going to the gym when it comes around to the time you should be leaving?

There is no shortage for good reasons to not begin doing what is necessary to build a successful lawn business. It?s the wrong time of year. It?s impossible to get ahead with all the competitors. It?s just not the right month to start this sort of thing. The list goes on.

Day after day, month after month, and year after year, people delay. Little do they know, but their time of opportunity will run out.

Don?t put off what you know you need to do until tomorrow when you can and need to do it today. Like Benjamin Franklin said, ?You may delay, but time will not.?

Get Some Discipline

Anyone who wants to see their dream turn into reality needs to be disciplined. They need to do what needs to be done, over and over again, every day they work. Rain or shine.

If a boxer gets into the ring and doesn?t knock out his opponent or go the full amount of rounds, he automatically loses. He has to be disciplined enough to keep throwing punches and stay on his feet until the end.

Keep mowing. Keep trimming. Keep treating your lawn maintenance customers and employees right. Keep fighting. Do what needs to be done and you?ll be successful with your own lawn care business.

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Spring is right around the corner and thoughts will soon be turning to love, romance and… mowing the lawn? Well, not exactly, but this is the time of year when the cycle of life renews itself with vibrant shades of green and other colors. It’s also a great time to make some extra green doing what many can’t or rather not do; mowing the lawn and getting the yard in shape. While it may not be the most glamorous work you’ll ever do, it can be quite lucrative. Back in the 90’s, I did this part time for several years. During those months of Spring and early Summer, I usually earned more cutting lawns part time then I did on my regular job. It’s a simple way for practically anyone to earn good money, and requires little investment other than basic lawn mower equipment and bags, and a lot of energy.

While you can do this type of business just about anywhere, one area that always has a need for this type of service is a community that consists largely of professional and business people. These people tend to lead busy lives, and often have large yards that they have neither the time or desire to maintain. Your task is simply to let them know that you’ll do the nasty for them. One way to accomplish this is by placing small advertisements in local papers. In most cases, you’ll find that these communities have a local paper that caters to the community. You’ll usually find these papers at libraries, and local convenience stores. Once you’ve located the local community newspaper, shopper’s guide, etc..you next step is to place a small classified or display ad describing your ‘Professional Lawn Service’. In your ad, simply let them know how your service will enable them to enjoy that beautiful lawn without the hassle of trying to maintain it.

Another way to reach potential clients is to place small signs at busy intersections that these people travel. Although you could do signs by hand, it would look much more professional to have your signs made by a sign company. Keep it simple and don’t use a lot of unnecessary words but instead keep the focus on your ‘Professional Lawn Care Service’. You can also print up circulars but be careful how you distribute them so that you don’t receive a lot of complaints about the circulars trashing up the neighborhood. One little advertising thing that I did was having a friend draw up a simple flyer of an old balding obese man sweating profusely while pushing a mower with the headline, ‘Having any Fun Yet?’, and distributed it to some houses in the area. I received enough business from that circular to keep me busy for most of the summer. As they say, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.

If you decide to give this business a try, one suggestion is to get the best type of Commercial lawn equipment that you can afford. Even though it might set you back a bit initially, it will pay for itself many times over through the course of the summer. Oftentimes you can get good used heavy duty lawn equipment at local lawn repair and sales shops for a discount, since they usually have things left over from the previous season, and like car dealerships have to move them out to make room for the new models.

While not for everyone, a lawn care business can be an excellent income earner this time of year. It requires no special skills, and with a few pieces of basic equipment, you can be on your way to earning money practically the same day. Just one last thing, watch the flowers!

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