Solo Lawn Care Business Pros and Cons
Many people were happy to dropkick 2020 out of the picture as soon as the clock struck midnight. Even though you may not want to tempt fate by telling people, “2021 is going to be my year”, it just might be, especially if a career change into a solo lawn care business is on the horizon.
New things are scary. Change is scary. So, before you jump right into one of the most significant decisions you’ll ever make, make sure you’re aware of the pros and cons of a solo lawn care business. Doing so might give you full confidence that you’ve made the right choice.
Pro: You can work your own hours
Very few workplaces offer flexible working hours. You might be fortunate to have a boss that lets you pick up the kids from school, but you may just have to sacrifice seeing them play sports or accepting an award at their local school assembly.
By starting your own lawn care business or purchasing one that’s already established, your working hours are yours to create. You can make time for those special family events while still ensuring you satisfy your new customers’ every need.
Pro: Better earning potential
Work as little as you like or as much as you like; the choice is yours. When you align yourself with a reputable lawn mowing brand, you benefit from marketing and brand recognition that puts your franchise front and centre.
Therefore, your earning potential is only limited by how much you’re willing to take on. This can offer much-needed peace of mind that your investment has the potential to pay for itself over time.
Pro: Bigger network of clients
Working in lawn care enables you to meet new people from all walks of life. The more you take care of someone’s lawn mowing and other needs, the better you get to know them.
Life-long friendships can be built simply by providing a service that people require. While you’re often working alone in a solo lawn care business, you never have to feel alone.
Pro: Service offerings decided by you
A lawn care service typically means you offer lawn mowing services. Though, you’re not limited to lawn mowing alone. If you’re particularly skilled in other areas, you can incorporate these services into your business model. From hedge trimming and tree pruning to water blasting, garden tidy-ups, and weeding, the sky’s the limit.
Pro: It’s easy to learn on the job
Even though purchasing your own business can be a daunting prospect, it’s not one that has to come with a great deal of formal experience or training. In lawn care, you often learn by doing – and you become quite good at what you do.
As a result, when you’ve mastered one service, you can branch out and begin learning about others from which your customers can benefit.
Pro: Overheads tend to be smaller
Even though working in lawn care requires you to have a few tools of the trade like lawnmowers, power tools, and vehicles to transport them, the overheads can be minimal. There are no buildings to worry about paying rent for, and you can even maintain the equipment yourself to save servicing costs.
What’s more, you can set a lawn mowing price that best works for covering these costs to ensure you’re able to benefit from a healthy bottom line.
Con: The changing seasons
Perhaps one of the most significant worries about starting your own solo lawn care business is that the colder months of the year can see reduced working hours. However, that doesn’t mean such a business isn’t financially viable.
By organising your finances to cover you through the quieter months of the year, you may not notice a massive difference in your income. Many lawn care business operators also end up diversifying their service offerings in the colder months to ensure they can work throughout the year.
Some excellent winter lawn care service ideas include:
Gardening
Pressure washing
Weed removal
Leaf removal
Gutter cleaning
Winter lawn preparation
General house maintenance tasks
Con: Carrying the startup costs on your own
If you’re starting a lawn care business from scratch, there are many things you’ll need to buy. Lawnmowers will, of course, be one of the primary considerations, but there are also power tools, a work vehicle, and a ride-on lawnmower if you require it. Then there are the marketing costs to make sure everyone knows about your new business.
Fortunately, there are ways to get around this problem. You can purchase established franchises from people looking to sell. Quite often, they are willing to sell their client list and all their equipment. All you have to do is start where they left off.
Is It Time to Start Your Own Lawn Care Business?
Whether you’re looking for a change of pace or like the idea of being your own boss, lawn care may be worth your consideration. Work your own hours, meet new people, and earn as much as you like. There are many established lawn care businesses for sale, or you can start afresh. There’s every reason to believe that 2021 can be your year.