[Vineyard_Inc]

Hello my name is Nathan,

I am 21 and live in GA I work 5days a week with a friend of mine doing lawn maintenance he pays me 8.00hr and I really enjoy the work. However the more I work with him the more I want to invest my own money into some equipment and being the owner instead of the laborer. My plan is to gather some essential equipment over the winter and start next spring. I believe I am going to start out with a 36" walk behind,a couple of high power weedeaters,a self propelled push mower, and a BP blower. I want to focus on lawn maintenance more than actually landscaping for now. I also work part time at a grocery store and I have great people skills which I believe will be very valuable in running my own business. However I do have a dilemma. How do I tell my boss also my friend I want to venture out to start my own company? He would make a good reference but I don't see him taking the news so well I am the best help he has had in awhile.

I am thinking of using my last name in the name of my company, I have read that is a no-no in the event you ever want to sell the business however I live in a smaller type town and my family is pretty well known by quiet a few folks.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated,also if any of you guys work out of GA i'd like to know what all liscens and stuff I need to apply for and possibly the cost of becoming a LLC for insurance purposes. I have experience in Mowing with push mower,walk behind, also edging,trimming,planting plants/trees,also have experience in laying sod. Is this enough?

Looking forward to your input and thanks for taking the time to read this. I love to learn and I am sure I will learn alot here. One more ? is there any really good informative "Landscape Business" books that you'd recommend?



Thanks,
-Nathan

[Mac]

Congrats on speaking your dream - since it has been verbalized, it now has a chance to become reality.

What you are thinking of certainly can be done - I did it 9 years ago when I was 16.

Why do you need to tell your boss anything other than you are leaving? If you choose to level with him, what he chooses to do with that information is up to him - dont sweat his reaction if you do tell him.

Buying equipment is fun but life will be so much better if you stay as debt free as possible. This may mean buying used equipment for a while til you can pay cash for new.

What you name your venture is entirely up to you; there are plusses and minuses to using your name in the co name. I choose not to use my name but that doesnt make my choice right for you.

[Vineyard_Inc]

Thanks for the reply, as the year goes on the more excited i get. Im gonna start getting my weedeaters and push mower and blower around nov - dec. and get the zero around jan. feb.

Where would I go to find out how to get my business liscens?


thanks again!
-Nathan

[TrickyDick]

I'd start by looking on your states official website. They probably have most of the info you need.

[site]

I would keep the dream alive, but hold out a few years. Go to work for the best company in the area and learn everything you can. If you plan to run your own business you need to be good at business. That is not the same as being good at mowing lawns. Learning from others is a lot cheaper than learning from your mistakes.

[synner]

Site made a good point. Go get a couple years under your belt with some reputable companys, look for opportunities with companies offering different services and finely hone your skills, knowledge and business awareness so that when you do venture out on your own you hit the ground running.

Telling your buddy/boss is tough but it happens. Almost all of the really good employees I've had have learned a lot and gone out on their own in one aspect or another of the business. It's tough to lose a good employee but its rewarding knowing that they're learned from you and now they are able to take it to the next level for themselves.

Working for yourself is far from easy but ask many of us and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Best of luck with your endeavour.

[TheShrubber]

Here's another idea, why don't you choose to perform some green industry services that would compliment your boss's company and not compete with him? You may find yourself in need of a job if sales don't go according to plan. By building that bridge with your current boss instead of burning it, you may be able to keep working for him, while building up your own business.

Everybody wins, everybody is happy.

[CMNLandscapeDesign]

Id agree with shrubber, if you do not have the clientelle going into the season, its hard to stay a float long enough to become successful. Not to mention the undue tension between you and your boss/friend. Id hope you wouldnt plan on trying to approach the clients that he has to try and start your own. You must think about the long run, have friends in the business can get you farther than screwing one to get a little, then be known as that SOB that all the companies hate. Start advertising yesterday if you want to work in the spring, and in GA you should be able to pick up landscape work during the slow winter time, which will help you along in purchasing equipment and keeping your overhead low. This is the main reason that many great landscapers fail, they just do not know the business aspects. Being able to go to work in this economy is the most important part of business right now, for yourself or others. But like everyone else says, its your decision, make it wisely, weight all options heavily and do your math.
Other wise get an education in the field if you plan on useing it your whole life. Even if your just taking night classes at the local community college. Knowledge is power and in this industry knowledge is success, (whether experience or education) from the sounds of it, you have some of the basics down. Even lawn maintenance, you need to know how to identify insects, weeds, and grass types. Then how to treat any problems. (To grow professionally) And #1 Rule in Lawn Maintenance DO NOT LOWBALL!!!!! and do not steal accounts! Bad Karma.. and we need all the karma we can get.
Anyway enough of my essay. hope i helped even if a little bit