Getting back in the business

[Tree94]

I currently work at a pipeline company as head draftsman making about 45k a year and I've got an associates degree in drafting/design technology. I hopped into the career when my girlfriend got pregnant to ensure stable work to provide for us as a family, what any man would do, right?

However, I sit in an office 50 hrs a week working on a computer using AutoCAD and if you're anything like me, this kind of work is not what I want to do the rest of my life.

Before I got my degree, I got a job 10$ an hr as ground worker for a small tree company that handled pretty tactical and dangerous removals. (where i got most my tree experience)

After a year working there I quit and started my own little company cutting with a truck and trailer. I ordered a whole bunch of cool stuff off baileys and ebay and watched lots of youtube how to's and what not and was doing very good for myself for a little bit with little effort. I was amazed at the success I was having and not to mention how fun it was being outdoors cutting trees.

Anyways, long story short, I'm gonna ween out of the white collar life and get back into the tree life with dreams of owning my own established tree care company some day.

Any advice on the business now can help me out in the long run and would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Tree94]

Another thing, I am very aware that this is a dangerous line of work not to be taken lightly but it thrills me.
Also I'm from Southern Arizona so not many big trees here except Eucs.
thanks for reading

 

[BC WetCoast]

Don't do it. Stay where you are and do some weekend work if you need the thrills.

Just go through this site and the Commercial Climber's site and read the threads about expenses, losing jobs, equipment breakdowns, making payroll, broken bodies, miserable working conditions, competition from illegals etc etc etc.

 

[Tree94]

That's the response i was scared of..

But What about the successful tree companies who get all the cool commercial contracts grossing 500+k a year?

Call me a dreamer, but i believe if you put in enough effort it pays off.

But i am still kinda on the fence, weighing out my options so your feedback is appreciated, thanks

 

[Zale]

You're a dreamer. Just because you put in the effort doesn't mean its going to pay off. Are you in a position to leave a secure job and hope your skills are going to provide for your family? How old are you? What kind of shape are you in? If you are into pain and misery, welcome to the club.

 

[pro94lt]

Tell me 10 reasons why you want in the tree business.

 

[I'llbearealclimberoneday]

Finding 10 reasons you think you want in is easy.
Finding those same 10 reasons to be true for the entire ride is another story.

 

[Tree94]

Honestly, I just want my own business and seeing as I found out I'm good with trees I'm thinking I wanna just pursue it.
I think its fun work and would MUCH rather be doing trees than sitting in front of a computer the rest of my life.
And again, I know the dangers of it I've gotten myself in the leg and had to get 10 stitches. (not trying to sound like a hardass)

About a year ago I had my own business going for about 6 months with just my truck and trailer and I was pretty amazed at how good I was doing.
I started with just one stihl ms192 and an old echo saw and after like 4 months had a stihl blower, nice hedge trimmer and stihl 391 i think it was. Also had all the climbing gear; ropes, spikes, etc.
I was making about 800$ a week which isn't too much but pretty good for a 19 year old. Plus here in AZ i do alot of mesquites and mesquite wood sells VERY good around here.

And yes I was making mistakes, I fell out the tree once because I didnt tie in,
I topped a tree once and did a very bad job that I feel very ashamed of but you live and you learn.
Underbid some jobs and realized I f'd up.
I took a landscape job once (stupid!) and ended up busting a ladys water pipe with a shovel digging and had to run around to home depot and get a coupling and glue etc., that day sucked
but the good definitely outweighs the bad

Im an outdoorsy person, I ride bikes all the time and I just cant see myself living the office my whole life
I've also been reading a lot of Napoleon Hill.

 

[TC262]

Being a good treeman is easy. There is much more to being a good buisness man. Your dream of grossing big numbers isn't to hard, put turning a profit sure is. Much more costs involved when you are bigger and legit.

 

[gorman]

That's the response i was scared of..

But What about the successful tree companies who get all the cool commercial contracts grossing 500+k a year?

Call me a dreamer, but i believe if you put in enough effort it pays off.

But i am still kinda on the fence, weighing out my options so your feedback is appreciated, thanks

Grossing 500k a year, well yes. Or more. But that's not the line on their schedule c you should be reading. Read the profit line, that's the one that counts.

 

[Tree94]

You guys make it sound like the tree business is not the way to go.

I thought Most of you have successfull companies?

 

[hseII]

Keep your day job for now, and ease into tree work.

Nights and weekends.

If you get enough going, then look at doing different down the road.

That's what I'm trying to do myself.

 

[Zale]

My suggestion would be to go work for a tree care company first. Learn from their mistakes. It can be a great career and can provide for your family if you do it right. Owning your own business is a 24/7 deal. Are you ready for that? Is your wife and child ready for that? I'm not trying to discourage you but also don't go into it with rose colored sun glasses.

 

[Toddppm]

You guys make it sound like the tree business is not the way to go.

I thought Most of you have successfull companies?

Hahahahaha and a It's a struggle man, you're young and making good $$$, do it on the side like a couple people have said and make some extra money. It's one thing to have enough work to keep busy on the weekends, it's another to keep employees busy daily, monthly, yearly and turn a profit good enough to make it all worth it. If you think your co. can only gross 500k and make a good living, keep your job and you'll probably make more and have a savings, 401k and benefits without having to go through obamascare.... You won't make enough doing the work yourself forever, to make it big or bigger, you need employees and lots of them to make the real money.

but, no risk, no reward? At your age you could probably get another job like you have but I would stick with it a little while longer so you have the experience to fall back on.

 

[Tree94]

Thanks for the reply's everybody.
I'm gonna start it out only on the weekend like most of you said before I quit my job and get the ball rolling.

I'm gonna do what I did last time, I got plywood, stencils, and paint and made some nice looking signs that said "TREE TRIMMING 308-8027"
I then went and nailed them up to the wooden telephone poles in a few spots around my city at night. Real good spots like a busy intersection, right where you would see it if you were parked at the red light.
I think if I remember correctly I got a call the very first day. And then they started rolling in like 1 call a day, sometimes 2.
I had work lined up like 4 days out of the week and I only hung up like 6 signs. And about 3 of those signs got taken down.
So I was getting fairly steady work off 3 signs and I had CL going.
Not to mention I was building clientele and getting a fair amount of reference work.

The way it went before is the reason I'm so confident now to go into it again. And I've been planning this for a while now, I didnt just have some random stick up my ass like
"hey, I think ill try tree trimming!"

But again, I truly appreciate the feedback so thanks for reading/replying and any tips on advertising would be nice. If theres one thing I learned its advertising is a big part of a business, you can have all the tools in the world, but if you don't have the work then you aint gonna make any money

 

[Tree94]

And please remember, everyones gotta start somewhere, think back to the time you were in my position trying to launch your first business

 

[BC WetCoast]

Around here, not only would your sign get taken down, but you'll get a visit from the bylaw officer. Fines for signs without permits are several hundred per day per sign.

Learn the rules and local legislation.

Have you been trained on how to properly prune or are you just winging it for customers who don't know better?

 

[Tree94]

Well around here, there are signs EVERYWHERE, like mine. And I did get a call one day from a city worker who said I had to take it down or I'd get fined.
But if you ask me, a small fine vs lifetime of work, ill hang up a sign and count my blessings.

Also, the guy I worked for was darn good at his job, he would always emphasize the difference between a landscaper trimming a tree and an actual tree trimmer.
I learned alot from him and I really want to be an arborist one day so I've read alot of stuff online, however, no I do not know all the technical details when it comes to pruning but I can make an overgrown tree look real dam good.
Without leaving saw marks all over the branches or tear in the bark

 

[Tree94]

Everyone knows the first years of a business will be the hardest to get work unless you got big money and get nice advertisements. So i figure I gotta make do with what I got and go for it

 

[Zale]

Tree94- are you planning on buying insurance for yourself?