[Malrex]

I'm screwed. Started this business close to 2 years ago and I think it was bad timing. I've had alot of time to work on our new home's landscape, which is great, but it's not bringing me in any money and the wife is starting to get grumpy. Very very few jobs this summer, and being subcontracted quite a bit for pond building has kept me afloat...barely. I've been looking for a more stable job for the pass 1.5 months now and its grim as hell. I'm debating if I want to keep my business for next year, working on weekends/evenings (I only get 1-2 day, small projects usually anyways) or if I should just bag it and not spend money on insurance, advertising, etc.

My belt is going to be tightened this winter...hey, maybe I'll lose a few pounds..positive thinking!

[johnkeegan]

For what it's worth...
When I started my business in 1985 I did whatever it required to pay the bills. I cleaned leaves from gutters, did minor house maintenance, painted, vacuumed pools...whatever. And raked mountains of leaves...And in the winter I delivered pizza to pay the bills a couple of winters until I got enough money to afford a snow plow (and I still delivered flowers for a local florists when I could).

By no means do I think my story is unique. Most veterans here will tell similar tales. But it took patience and the willingness to do whatever it takes to make it work. Now I'm right where I want to be, solely design and installation..and winters off.

I know I sound like an old fart here. But I wonder if some of the new upstart "landscape" companies are willing to endure the same things to get their busisness through these impending hard times.

[VoodooChile]

johnkeegan makes a good point. We did roofing, attic cleaning (mountains of coon skat), painting, drywall, anything we could find and halfway manage, to make ends meet through long winters and slow July/Augusts.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and achieving market presence, acquiring equipment, training and retaining good workers, learning to bid and sell, all take time too. Starting a landscaping business these last few years is definitely tremendously more difficult than in '95 (or 1st start-up) or '02 (our last start-up).

Malrex, adapting your business goals to market conditions is part of the art of survival. This trial by fire will make your business that much stronger when the recovery occurs. If you really want to own a landscaping business, hang in there, however you can, and know that this too will pass.

The only thing you can be sure of is constant change.

[papercutter]

I think you either want it, or you don't. The days of waiting for the phone to ring and shooting fish in a barrel are gone. I know I've mentioned my dislike for managing projects; well, now I'm managing projects. Once a week I drive a 200 mile round trip loop to check in with jobs in progress and contractors that I work with, and drum up new business. And right now I'm spending 8-10 hours a day in the field and coming home and drawing for 4-5 hours. The weather's cooling off, so "I can't/won't do that" is no longer in my vocabulary.

This winter will be... interesting. I have a large project that will hopefully continue to move forward in small increments that will pay the bills. I'm also hoping to grow the architectural rendering and illustration side of my business. I'm lucky in that VA has a pretty short winter, so realistically I have three months to get through (December, January & February) before spring maintenance starts. If I'm waiting tables or tending bar or whatever, it's not the end of the world.

Someone previously mentioned being richer in relationships, and I think that's a huge point to think about. We're working with our friends on a lot of projects to help us get through the next few months, from co-marketing efforts (where our businesses and client bases overlap) to creating some informal food and product co-ops. The way we've been operating isn't working, so it's time to try something new.

[kinnanscaping]

I am coming to the end of my first full season in business for myself. Things haven't been great, but I attribute that more to growing pains and establishing a presence and market share. I don't doubt that other parts of the country are feeling the current state of things more than we are here in Omaha. I have a hard time believing that it is only the economy threatening some of you that are expressing concern. I am among the ranks of someone that is doing all that comes my way, which I can handle. I'm only 29, but I realize that it takes time and hard work to make it work. I didn't start this thing with a huge investment, so I have been slowly accumulating equipment and tools and making due with what I have.

Since I started, I have done the following to pay the bills: landscape design and installs (my preferred area), Spring and Fall clean-ups, mowed four different lawns, painted a few interiors, bartended last winter, substitute taught at local high school (I have a teaching degree), coached wrestling, snow blowed and scooped 8 driveways over the winter, tutored a few people, hung a few Christmas lights and took them down, been a sub on a few jobs, been a straight laborer for a couple of different guys, hauled random debris, simply delivered mulch, re-graded and seeded a couple of lawns, etc, etc. This winter I plan to: plow and run a sidewalk crew, paint interiors, substitute teach, and coach. My wife doesn't like it all that much either, but I'm not throwing in the towel after 1.5 seasons and this "horrible economy."

[Mac]

Is anyone refocussing their businesses? Im planning on launching a second company this spring that simply competes on price; isnt that high on people's minds now? If nothing else, its cash flow and building equity, even if the margins are low.

[Cochran]

I have expanded my services into pest control. I'm only offering exterior pest and disease control (lawn, landscape, mosquitos, fleas, ants, etc.), though I'm licensed to do interior as well--and will if I get that hungry! It's been a promising effort and I believe it will allow my company to continue to be successful.
I'm also going to start up an ecommerce site focusing on specific lawn/garden/gift items. I'm working the logistics on this still, wanting to find the right 'niche' to focus on and work on targeting the right customer base for those items.
I hate to brag, but we are on track to have our best quarter in our 4 year existence and my phone is constantly ringing. I'm also turning up the marketing and getting more visible to try and promote my company. I'm not growing by sitting on the couch waiting for somebody to find my name in the yellow pages, that's for sure. I recently joined our local Chamber and have taken part in some of their volunteer efforts. I have already received calls for work from that exposure--our community is loyal and loves to work with folks involved in the community.
I recently started up a 2nd crew as I have too much work for only 1 crew. They're a part-time/temp crew right now, but they may become permanent if my business continues to grow.
I feel like now is the time when your quality and professionalism will pull you through. All the slacker types we've competed against for years are going to be the first to fold. I have noticed more contacting of referrals, more questions over work details, and other items homeowners used to not seem as concerned about. I have been told twice this month that I was awarded a job because of our professionalism during the process to choose a contractor--the biggest being ON TIME.

[Stonehenge]

Mac,

I'm interested to know why you'd not change the focus of your current company instead of launching another - unless the first one is so autonomous that you don't need to spend much time on it.

[Malrex]

Originally Posted by johnkeegan

For what it's worth...
When I started my business in 1985 I did whatever it required to pay the bills. I cleaned leaves from gutters, did minor house maintenance, painted, vacuumed pools...whatever. And raked mountains of leaves...And in the winter I delivered pizza to pay the bills a couple of winters until I got enough money to afford a snow plow (and I still delivered flowers for a local florists when I could).

By no means do I think my story is unique. Most veterans here will tell similar tales. But it took patience and the willingness to do whatever it takes to make it work. Now I'm right where I want to be, solely design and installation..and winters off.

I know I sound like an old fart here. But I wonder if some of the new upstart "landscape" companies are willing to endure the same things to get their busisness through these impending hard times.

Don't mistake my post for me not trying to work or find work. I patrol the craiglists and help people with random jobs, most of them moving out of their apartments, staining decks, and now driving Amish around and countless other small odds and ends that sometimes only last an hour. I feel like people got the impression that I'm waiting by the phone all day from my post and that's not the case. Perhaps what I lack is the patience of not getting work everyday that lasts a full day, I have to be busy doing something.

It is refreshing to hear that those who have ran a business for awhile have done the same things. odds and ends jobs to keep afloat. I guess I felt I was the only one and was/is getting frustrated.

[kinnanscaping]

Precisely, Malrex, it is encouraging to know that most of the long-termers have had to put in their time and make ends meet. I think that you were looking for some affirmation more than you were really saying "I quit." That is one of the best things about this site, the affirmation. The people on here aren't necessarily encouraging and coddling, but they are honest and helpful, speaking from years of experience.

[Mac]

when I first graduated college, I was flat out of cash from paying for school so I moved back home and waited tables when the snow was not falling. It sure sucked, especially working with some of the people there, but I was/am so driven that I just sucked it up and did what I had to. Thankfully it only lasted one winter but gosh was that more than enough.

Jeff, really two reasons: 1)my current company really doesnt compete on price; my clients are all referrals/ relationships and most of the time I am able to name my price, obviously to a certain degree. I dont (didnt) want to dilute that and cheapen the brand. 2)the new company is going to be built strictly with the intention of being sold when things get better. In reading my response, I dont think either of those reasons are really valid to justify additional expenses; im sure I could spin my price competition in a positive light and my current company is going to be sold eventually one day also. Hmm. thanks for provoking more thought.

ps- it is certainly not autonomous yet - it requires way too much of my time actually.