[RyanVT2005]

Just a point of discussion...wanted to hear what some of you guys in the business started your business with. Truck? Trailer? Mower? Nothing?

[Stonehenge]

1986 Chevy S-10, a 5 cubic foot w/b, a round shovel, flat shovel and edging shovel, hand tamper, rake, broom, level and a few other assorted tools.

[Stonehenge]

Now this:

[Stonehenge]

There are many here with much more than that, so I don't see that as much of an accomplishment. As for tools other than trucks and skid steers (smaller), we have quite a few more than when I started with that red P/U.

[scl]

Started with a Wd 45 tractor, 60 John Deere Skid, Ford Aerostar, 7000 Lb. car trailer, Simplicity l&G tractor shovels and rakes, and a line of bull@#$@ 3 miles long. Quickly got a 1 Ton dump, now have a bit more stuff and some serious upgrades. Stil got a ways to go though, even to catch Jeff LOL.

[Dale Wiley]

There are many here with much more than that, so I don't see that as much of an accomplishment.

Jeff:

The measurment of sucess in this business is not how many vehicles and equipment you have, but rather by building a sustainable and profitable business that provides a good living and ROI for you and your family, provides a good income and job path for your employees, and builds long term business relationships with your clients.

I would rather have 3 vehicles and 3 employees and be doing 30% net profit, than have 30 vehicles and be doing 8% to 10% net ( maybe) with all the headaches that come with volume.

I started with a 75 Nissan pickup and trailer, built it up to 5 vehicles, 6 employees , and all the equipment. Got divorced and liquidated it all. Worked outside jobs for the next 10 years and got back into it 6 years ago.

I now have 3 vehicles, 2.5 employee's full time, a couple more on weekends right now, 4 trailers, Toro multi pro sprayer , Toro greens aerator, Ryan overseeder, Troy built vaccum, Lazer mower, Exmark wb mower. We will run about 20% net profit on sales of $ 134K this year, after my salary. We will do about
$ 230K this next year and will hold the profit line.

Big is not better.

[Stonehenge]

Y'know Dale, I was toying with talking about that.

But then I thought - all he was asking was what did you start with. I thought that showing the current stable might be fun and motivational.

Anyway, Ryan, listen to Dale. Much equipment does not a successful person make. It's true that you do have to spend money to make money, and catching the tool bug is an easy thing to do, but keep your receivables in line and your financial ducks in a row and you'll do fine.

[RyanVT2005]

Thanks for the input guys. And I understand that the amount of equipment is not a statement of the business. I was just wondering what it took to get off the ground

[jwholden]

I started out mowing lawns at 15 years old with Dad's mower. I bought my first mower a year later and have added equipment as neccesary. I will admit to being an equipment buff and have an excess of stuff in the under $500 range. I hate not having the right tool for the job and don't like renting smaller ticket items. I know I'm in it for the long haul so don't worry too much.

I remember when I bought my first truck and studied the numbers for hours, and then some. Eventually I was making payments on my K3500 and Bobcat 763 at the same time and would watch the balance go down down down until I could finally make a payoff to get rid of it. I lost sleep on those payments! I hate owing people money, especially banks!

While we are posting cool shots of euipment here's one of my toys taken three or four years ago. I sold the blue Chevy to my employee last year, traded the K3500 in toward a Dodge last year, and still own and love the International.

Don't buy it unless you know you will use it. Don't buy saying I know I can find work for it, buy it because you have work for it and need it. But hey, we all need to bend the rules once in a while!

[landscaperpro]

I started out years ago with a toyota pick up, borrowed trailer, craftsman lawnmower and a holeite trimmer. At this stage in the game roughly 10 years later, I now have 4 trucks 3/4 ton or larger, two enclosed trailers - 1 22' and 1 16', a 18' flatbed, 18' tiltbed for the skidsteer with rock buckets, gp, and harley rake and excavator, 4 commercial mowers 2 ZTR and 2 walk behind, 1 10' dump trailer, a 1000 gallon hydroseeder, numerous hand tools bed edgers etc. Last week bought the first loader, kubota r420s cabbed unit. All in all, I have come a long way; even own a good protion of it at this point and not the bank, boy is it a chore to get there

[agla]

A "Chitbox" pickup ('73 F250) with 2x4's holding up the front of the cab because the cab mounts wetre rotted, powered by a 429 out of a '71 Mercury Marquis (because that car's frame rotted), spray painted a lovely shamrock green. It eventually had the standard rope holding the sides of the bed straight up after the tailgate was long gone. These were standard fare in the Boston area in the seventies.

I backed up my fine ride with a wheelbarrow (something that used to be around before skid stears), 9" wide grub hoe (old school sod stripper), 10 prong fork (old school mulch loader), shovels (old school miniexcavators), a push broom (old school backpack blower), iron rake (old school rock hound), 36" aluminum grading rake (old school box scraper attachment), hand shears (no cord), bow saw (definitely more than two-stroke, like 200 strokes and you were through a 3" branch), pole saw/loper(that did have a pull cord, but no motor), hand pruners, and an 8' long 2' wide pull rod type concrete form that I used to load weathered rocks with for my rock gardens.

So, why do I have a junk back and a shoulder that could really stand a grease fitting? At least my hands are pretty.

[Nebraska]

Toyota pickup and a 15 year old lawn boy mower!

Alga....that picture of your hands....they look smoother than my new son! (he's two months)

[site]

Good descriptions AGLA- I remember the days...

[GLAN]

LOL humble beginnings to say the least


I started out of a 61 Willy's Jeep