[Rob Shauger]

What problems in your operation are keeping you awake at night?

[Bill Schwab]

Money and growth. Everything else is dialed in.

[Rob Shauger]

I hit the send key to quick.

What problems in your operation are keeping you up at night?

Do you have a plan to resolve these issues and if so what is it??

[scl]

Nothing keeps me up (or awake,as i asume this is going)! But I have worries!!!!Lets list:

1. Will business continue to grow at the rate of the last 8 years, and if so:

2. What the hell do I do with all the work?
a. Do i grow?
b. Do I charge more?
c. Do I hire full time help?

3. If business slows, do I have enough back?

4. Is it gonna snow tonight?

5. Its late, where the hell's my daughter?

6. What are my equipment issues now and foreseen, and do I buy, rent, repair, sell, discard....

7. How can everyone be first on the list when i already have 2 months of work booked for next year?

I don't blieve I'm a nervous guy, but I must be. These are questions of every owner/operator/manager/ of a small company, and I belkieve I know where I need to go. But its scary and risky and to put it simply, I just don't know how far to take it. Where's my Valium?

Scott

[Stonehenge]

I rarely lose sleep anymore, but it doesn't mean I don't have worries.

I have the usual assortment:

Bringing in enough leads
Accurate estimating
Profitable execution of contracts

[Rob Shauger]

Scott,

Care to share some of your insight with us about the future?

How about you Jeff, whats your plan?

[agla]

The wild woman I married 15+ years ago.

[scl]

Certainly,
As an aging landscaper, I need to "staff up" with some reliable, strong, younger help. I have 3 young 'uns that help in the summer, college kids, and this works well. Till school starts. I have a couple of guys who'll work part time spring and summer, great help, but I have to get some full timers. I don't foresee not being at the jobsite, or lifting blocks, or laying pavers... but I need to get to where its a 10 hour a day, 6 day a week job where I'm not owner/operator/manager/labor all the time. I've pretty much maxed out earning/booking potential without some kind of growth, and am taking the first step this winter by building a new building for an indoor shop( key word "indoor" aka heated) with inddor storage and hopefully an office area. After that I believe I need to organize my projects better, which will include scheduling and labor estimates. Labor is the key, and labor is what frightens me.
Let me explain just a bit. I'm not scared of payin someone or insurance or taxes (well, somewhat), but I know that there is help for this stuff. I get scared that the guy that i hire is dependent on ME to provide his income to feed his kids, and buy his house, and , well, you get the picture. I like being responsible for ME, and can deal with that just fine. Enough.
Where I'd like to go, is add 2 for April to Nov. Already paring back on services. I eliminated lawn treatments as it was the least profitable, biggest headache part of my business. Great getter to start with, but just not lucrative if you don't have a boat load of them. Kee the bookeeper/designer off in those areas and have her quit layin pavers and retaining walls, she needs to start takin it a little easier and just keep cookin me dinner LOLOLOL!
Other questions?

Thanks
Scott

[Rob Shauger]

AGLA

Do you know Ian McCarthy form Caledonian Stonework and Landscaping?

[Rob Shauger]

Scott,

Have you considered looking into H2B for labor?

[scl]

Now here's an interesting theory. I have, but have acouple of concerns. They are
1. I do not speak 1 ioda of Spanish. Oh yeah, ola, que pasa.. but not enought to get much done.

2. i have a competitor who uses H2B workers and have heard from MY customers of how they look down on this. Now I know it may not be right, and that their perceptions are most likely inaccurate, but most of the clientele in my area would rather see "locals". Please no flames on this, its just my take from what my customers say. I know many latinos who are hard working and it may all be just my perception of my customers, but thats my take.
3. i don't really know how to do this legally, and don't need the hassle of nons.

Do you have experience in this area, and if so, what was your take.

Thanks
Scott

[scl]

AGLA
You da'man!
Scott

[Rob Shauger]

Well that perception certainly does occurr in some markets. Your right it's not cool but thats the way some people are. I send everyone I know to www.holalabor.com
The owner is one of us, someone out working it everyday.

I would say you definately want to start looking at your options now. Have you tried hooking up with some Horticultural Schools?

[VoodooChile]

agla,
I thought she was my wife!!!

[jwholden]

The news that the stork is coming in July....

As of late taking the time to learn what I thought I already knew about using Quickbooks and learning how to come up with accurate, consistent, and profitable estimates.