Top 8 Rookie Mistakes That New Business Owners Make
When running your own business there is plenty of opportunity for success!
There’s also plenty of opportunities to make mistakes.
Mistakes are what help us to learn and grow in our business. I am going to share the top 8 rookie mistakes I made in hopes to help you avoid them.
In no particular order:
#1 Having NO Service Plans OR Have Too Many Service Plans.
Personally, I only offer one service plan and that’s my sweet spot, but some companies may have three different offerings and that’s fine! You just don’t want to get bogged down in every customer having a different plan because that can become absolute chaos to keep track of.
#2 Don’t Let Your Customers Control YOUR Schedule.
I like to schedule solid routes for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I leave Thursday, and Friday as buffer days in case of rain or breakdowns. I also ensure to tell the customer that we mow every 6 to 8 days because routes can shift days depending on rain or breakdowns. I do not guarantee that I will mow o...
Who Are You Listening To?
In this day and age there are hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of resources. Whether it be podcasts, YouTube videos, books, audiobooks, Facebook groups, online courses, the list goes on and on. With so much content out in the world, it's hard to know what to listen to. You need to be mindful of the content you are taking in, otherwise the content can take over you.
Let’s take a step back, why do we listen or take in content in the first place?
Well, entrepreneurship is lonely, it’s not like we are in some corporate office and can get advice from the person in the cubicle next to us. It’s easy to feel like you are on an island of your own and no one understands what you're going through. Although, it may feel that way sometimes, it simply isn’t true. That’s why there are SO many resources out there.
If you’re an entrepreneur, who are you listening to? Who is providing you with the support, inspiration, motivation, and education you need to keep working hard to achieve you
...Add A Little Sizzle To Your Summer! What's New July Newsletter!
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It's Finally Here! Podcast Update Fullerton Unfiltered!
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New Partners And A New Way To Connect! *Podcast Coming Soon!*
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A Downloadable Commercial Contract Designed To Empower Your Lawn Care Business!
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Why Presenting Your Best Image to Clients Old and New is So Important
We know our job isn't the cleanest one to be in - after all, we're in an industry where getting dirty is part and parcel for the job.
But that doesn't mean we don't need to present a clean and professional image for our customers, whether they're long-term existing or brand new ones.
Think about it - is a customer more likely to hire a business that presents itself with a good image, from trucks, to clothes, etc, or someone who makes a poor first impression?
We have a short amount of time to make a good impression, and the more professional we look, the more likely it is to present a business that a customer would be happy to use.
Hope this video helps, guys, and here's to a great season!
Brian Fullerton
Brian's Lawn Maintenance
What's The Best Octane For Hand Held Equipment? What About Ethanol?
A lot of people recently asked me a great question about 2 stroke mix, and 2 stroke fuel. Specifically, "What is the best octane or fuel mixture for our handheld equipment?"
I know a lot of new folks are getting into the industry today, and there is also a lot of confusion about what fuel we should all be using. Now I am not an engineer by any means, but I know someone who could provide some technical answers.
Jason Wilk is with ECHO, and he is one of their main guys as a product manager. Him and I spent a lot of time talking over the last 18 months, discussing little technical questions about topics just like this.
I wanted to get Jason on the phone and get a solid, concise, and easy-to-understand answer, about what's the best suggested fuel for us to be using on our 2 stroke equipment.
Hope you guys enjoyed Jason and I’s discussion on the difference between 87, 89, 93, and even a few tips about Ethanol and what to look out for!
Brian Fullerton
Brian's Lawn Maintenance
What Business Are You In? - The Answer May Surprise You!
If I had to ask that question to a hundred different landscapers, I'd probably get a hundred different answers. You may get answers all over the place, ranging from a technical answer to a good elevator speech.
But in my opinion, they still may miss the mark when it comes to describing what business we're in.
You see, it's been my experience now for more than a decade being in this industry, that what we really offer may in fact be entirely different than what most ever realize. Let me explain.
When someone asks what's the number one thing my company offers, you would probably guess our services like, spring clean ups, lawn maintenance, core aeration, or mulch installation.
You may even say we do snow removal, fertilization, and the list goes on and on.
But if I can make a suggestion, a different way to look at your business and what you really offer, I would probably be able to provide an entirely different answer.
It’s Not What You Offer, It’s What Your Customer Receives
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...The Simple Way to Better Prices for Your Lawn Care Business
Imagine with me the freshly cut grass of a brand new lawn client of yours. The grass looks pristine and manicured, the signs of a job well done. The birds are chirping. The skies are bright blue. It's summertime, and the mowing season is here!
The business is booming, you've been growing your clientele list, but then it happens. You pull up to that one client that you really, really dislike working with.
You can't exactly put your finger on it, but you hear yourself saying
"Not so-and-so's lawn, this one is such a pain"!
If I had to rattle off the list of reasons during the summer that I could lose momentum or my attitude over, it usually comes down to one factor: the price I'm receiving for a job I'm about to do, or have been doing.
One thing that I can share from experience, when I am muttering words like that, is that there's a 95% chance it's because I don't feel I am being adequately compensated. For one reason or another, the price we're about to charge doesn't align with
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