Career Advice

[Jwearb]

Need some advice. As I sit now I am a Certified arborist, have my pesticide license, CDL, associates in turfgrass management, bachelors in plant and soil. I love climbing and I'm pretty good. Plant health care/turf care is my strongest capability and what interests me most, but I love pruning/removals too. Been working in the tree industry since I was 14/15, with a 3 year pit stop on high end golf courses participating in construction projects.

I have the opportunity to take over my fathers tree service within the next 5 years or so. Besides me he lacks anyone with any sort of tree/landscape competency, CDL or any sort of certifications, just lazy brush draggers. The costs and head aches of running a tree/landscape business seem like they outweigh the financial reward. I would absolutely love to be a second generation business owner and run a successful tree and turf care company, and will inherit a lot of equipment (none of which have a loan on them). I've seen the headaches and struggles from the inside, just don't know if its really worth it. Any advice helps. Thanks fellas

 

[northmanlogging]

Downsize?

No one likes downsizing, but pare it down to a manageable size, 1 or 2 good employees, 1 truck, 1 chipper, etc.

Cut all the old equipment for newer better maintained equipment.

If you have a yard to store stuff in, keep a spare if you have any, but no reason to keep em running full time.

Or hate life and go work for a wage somewhere else.

 

[Jwearb]

Downsize?

No one likes downsizing, but pare it down to a manageable size, 1 or 2 good employees, 1 truck, 1 chipper, etc.

Cut all the old equipment for newer better maintained equipment.

If you have a yard to store stuff in, keep a spare if you have any, but no reason to keep em running full time.

Or hate life and go work for a wage somewhere else.

Already have a shop, we've always kept it small, three man crew. none of our equipment sits so it would be a matter of reinvesting into new equipment.

 

[northmanlogging]

I guess then the only thing would be to take it on slowly.

Adding responsibility a little at time until you're running the show and dad is hanging out at the shop abd just getting in the way.

You'll find the head aches aren't so bad

 

[Groundman One]

I have the opportunity to take over my fathers tree service within the next 5 years or so. Besides me he lacks anyone with any sort of tree/landscape competency, CDL or any sort of certifications, just lazy brush draggers.

Advice?

Don't hire lazy people.

 

[Oldmaple]

There are decent employees out there. Might go through a few to find a good one. Then you need to make it worthwhile for him to stay, think $$$$ to start, treat him decent. Must charge for your work appropriately for you to compensate them appropriately.

 

[no tree to big]

How is the existing biz doing? Is the equipment decent or rundown junk? If you have a running biz put in your lap make some money with it, change it to be what you want it to be. You want to make it a lawn and tree biz to use your knowledge? maybe try to faze out some of the big huge takedowns that are more hassle then they are worth to give you more time for the lawns then focus more on your trimming and small to medium removals. Then with your lawn accounts try to push trimming to those folks. Find yourself a good company to recommend to the people who have those big ugly mofos and try to get on their good side to try and get some of their plant health care stuff.

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[Ikeholt]

Sounds like the opportunity you were born for. You certainly seem prepared for it. If you're not sure you want it, just think how you would feel if you had an older brother and he had the first crack at it.

 

[The Singing Arborist]

Not sure what your lawn care market is like out there out there, but it sounds like you have a great opportunity here. Find and train a crew lead for your trimming division, shouldn't take more than 1-2 years. Then head out and spray the lawns yourself. You'll see a lot of properties that way and will have your foot in the door for trimming upsells to your lawn customers. You get this going and the income might make it worth the hassle.

 

[CanopyGorilla]

It is a hassle running the show, and tons of stress. With that said, I would have a hard time going back to work for someone else at this point. Just having the plant health background you do puts you miles ahead of the competition. I say run with it and maybe bump the prices a bit to make it worth the effort.

 

[NeSurfcaster]

There are decent employees out there. Might go through a few to find a good one. Then you need to make it worthwhile for him to stay, think $$$$ to start, treat him decent. Must charge for your work appropriately for you to compensate them appropriately.

That's how my boss's 1 crew company makes work fun/not hell. He doesn't screw us we don't screw him. He started us off w/ a fair wage for being new to tree work. Once we proved that we were hard working, reliable, not wreck/careless and capable of learning/remembering our pay gets bumped up regularly. The boss's can only cut as fast as the guys on the ground can clean up. We feel appreciated and are reminded of it regularly. Bad employee's add lots of stress just about everyday. I own a swimming pool service company and when I have a good employee life is way better.