Entrepreneur Press, Publisher Cover Design: Jane Maramba Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions © 2012 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to the Business Products Division, Entrepreneur Media Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Lawn Care or Landscaping: Entrepreneur’s Step-by-Step Startup Guide, 3rd Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-476-0 Previously published as Start Your Own Lawn Care or Landscaping Business, 3rd Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-408-1, © 2011 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc., All rights reserved. Start Your Own Business, 5th Edition, ISBN: 978-1-59918-387-9, © 2009 Entrepreneur Media, Inc., All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America 16 15 14 13 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Preface . xiii Chapter 1 The Green, Green Grass of Home . .1 The Green Scene. 2 Reality Check. 2 Industry Snapshot . 4 Types of Green Industry Service Businesses . 6 Other Opportunities to Get Green . 7 Meet the Entrepreneurs . 7 Chapter 2 Lawn Care . 11 Historical Perspective . 12 Business Basics . 13 Grass Attack . 14 Spreading the Wealth . 15 Guesstimating Your Worth . 16 Establishing Prices . 16 Start Your Engine . 19 Staffing . 21 Weathering the Storm(s) . 22 Chapter 3 Landscaping . .29 Historical Perspective . 30 Types of Landscaping Businesses . 32 Scope of Services . 34 Gardening/Maintenance . 35 Installation . 35 Special Construction . 36 General Business Operations . 38 Estimating Jobs . 38 Setting Prices . 41 Scheduling Jobs . 42 A Day in the Life . 42 Staffing . 43 Weather Woes . 44 Start Your Own Lawn Care or Landscaping Business Care Own Lawn StartYour Chapter 4 Mowing Down the Competition . 47 Defining Your Market . 52 Conducting Market Research . 52 Primary Research . 53 Surveying the Market . 53 Cash Bait . 57 Calling all Lawn Owners . 57 A Job for the Pros . 58 Secondary Research . 58 Economic Environment . 59 Chapter 5 Your Budding Business . 61 Naming Your New Baby . 62 Registering Your Corporate Name . 65 Your Corporate Structure . 66 Sole Proprietorship . 66 General Partnership . 66 Limited Liability Company . 67 Corporation . 67 The Home Zone . 68 vi Other Licenses and Permits . 68 Contents Navigating Unfamiliar Waters . 69 Chapter 6 Cutting-Edge Help . 73 Your Legal Eagle . 74 Money Managers . 76 Computing King . 78 Covering Your Assets . 78 Types of Insurance . 79 Chapter 7 Tools of the Trade . .83 Lawn Maintenance/Landscaping Equipment . 84 Vehicle . 84 Utility Trailer . 85 Vehicle Alarm System . 86 Storage Facility . 86 Uniforms and Hats . 87 Safety Equipment . 88 Digital Camera . 88 Lawn Care Necessities . 89 Lawn Mowers . 89 Snow Removal Equipment . 90 Spreaders and Sprayers . 90 The Final Four . 91 Landscaping Necessities . 91 Basic Tools for Other Landscaping Professionals . 94 Office Equipment . 94 Furniture . 95 Computers . 95 Software . 96 Telephones and Answering Machines . 97 Copy Machines . 98 Point-of-Sale Equipment . 99 Merchant Accounts . 99 Office Supplies . 100 Business Services . 101 vii Chapter 8 Turf Tenders . .109 Diving into the Labor Pool . 110 Good Company Culture . 111 The Chase Begins . 112 Back to School . 113 Giving ’Em the Third Degree . 114 Making a Good Impression . 116 Giving the Taxman His Due . 117 Promoting Workplace Safety . 119 Call in.