[yardscapes]

I am the worker-she is the brains-I do numbers in my head - she does them on EXCEL (what is excell?) She has an excellent $ corporate job that we are thinking of giving up to grow our business.

I have always been self-employed, a recent 25 year dairyfarmer retire' (40 yrs old) we (I am) are starting our lives over.

I am used to hardwork - sun up to sun down - in the hot sun - self pensioned - self insured.

We have paid our health insurance and extras through her job. It is worth giving up that security in order to avoid hiring "employees
? She is a hard worker and can handle most jobs.

We also see the advantages to managing our childrens schedules, we usually rely on family and babysitters otherwise.

Any thougths or expeirences? Not divorce stories though...

[scl]

I have tons of input on this, tough not much time right now. I'll post on it tonight!

Scott

[VoodooChile]

Thought about this one all day, and like scl, could ramble on for longer than I can afford...

My wife, Spiderlilly, and I started landscaping in '95 with another business partner, then went out on our own at the end of the '02 season. We started in '95 with a 17k loan from my parents for a used Chevy 1/2 ton and one account, and now run two crews, two trucks, lots of equipment, and own a new old house....that is, by our measure, we have done real well.

Initially, Spiderlilly handled the business end of the business, while I got things done, and any profit we ever made is all hers to claim. After the kids got older, she began to step into the field, and now runs a maintainance crew, does perennial layout and design, and is a great sales-person.

So yeah, it can be done.

What concerns me about your proposed change is that it sounds like your wife is only stepping in to pick up the labor slack.

That's great, you gotta do it to know how to tell and supervise someone else doing it, but I doubt that the physical demands of the job are gonna jive too well with the business/mental demands that I am assuming she will continue to handle. It's hard to run Quickbooks when you are falling asleep after a long day in the field.

Also, you have to consider honestly how long she will be satisfied digging holes, runnning mowers, whatever your business mix is? How long will your and her body hold up performing all the labor?

Which brings me to my final thought. Since you two are the most skilled and responsible members of your company, and she already spends a big chunk of time working on the business, doesn't it make some sense to consider an employee or two to handle the physical load, freeing you both up to deal with other matters like planning, designing, sales, or even just supervision? We make good money on every hour an employee spends in the field, and yeah, it can be a real pita, but the hassles are worth it.

Spiderlilly loves working in the field, but I've had to temper her enthusiasm for busting butt cause she comes home too trashed to do much else. Basically, if you have a couple gorillas on site, why would you ever fill or walk behind a wheelbarrow, mow grass, pick up rocks, do whatever the most menial task is that you company tackles?


Oh yeah, your business plan best be damn tight if you are giving up hefty bennies to make this switch. In our case, we could never afford health insurance and our home without laborers out there handling the bulk of the volume of work...

Don't want to monopolize this thread; hope some other couples pipe up.

[scl]

Jeez Voodoo, talk about stealing my thunder!!! Just kidding. Yardsapes, what VD said. My wife, who doesn't have a chic and catchy GTX handle, gave up a nursing career, and really has never looked back. She loves the work, and will work herself into the ground, and will outwork most guys, including me. But there is a downside. This is hard work, and the older you get the more you,and she, will know it. More and more of your life will be in the discussion of work. And my best line of all is "I feel like the only guy who started a business and then got a boss!"

Patience, understanding, and an agreement to spend x amount of time out of the field are imperative. Mine stays away from retaining walls now, and basing for pavers. But she still lays pavers, and does plantings and designs, most of the bookwork, and tells me what to do! You just have to find a happy medium.

On the finance side, you need to understand the diferrence between overhead and an hourly wage. I've had a couple of good coaches from this site who have pointed out these things, and the fact is that some day you'll both need to step away from the labor and run the business, not be the business. Easier said than done. Most SBO's are self starter, go getter, give em hell and expect the same from your employees types. Life is about learning and man o man will you ever.

Just to let you know, our little partnership is working quite well. There are days, and there will always be days. It takes a special relationship so good luck!

Scott