How’d ya get started?-personal business

[jzack605]

Been in the landscape industry since I was 15, almost 30 now and currently work for one of the big tree care companies as a PHC specialist. Ive worked in a lot of different parts of this industry; need more time climbing but I’ve been getting at it at least a few times a week, if not more after work (mostly recreationally to learn basics). I finish up a degree in horticulture + landscape design in about a year and a half and will then likely start making moves. I’ve already invested into some of the smaller equipment (ms201, ms441, climbing gear, etc.) I’m passionate about it, but it will be tough to walk away from current job as there is actually opportunity to move up; though I have a hard time picturing myself as what is essentially a sales rep for a big company.

I guess I have the same anxieties anyone else has with this weighing on my head and looking to hear from others experiences with starting their own tree care business; if you do tree care + design and build even better as that’s my plan.

 

[stihldragon]

Are you looking for a climbing crew leader position? It starts at $30 an hour.

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[John Barnes]

Felling pine bark beetle timber in high school. Went part time in trees for a while along with dirt work. Got sick and tired of corporate and all the stress. Best thing I ever did was starting my own company. I was fortunate and had training in business and trees/dirt. Really fun and met some great folks.

 

[John Barnes]

Been in the landscape industry since I was 15, almost 30 now and currently work for one of the big tree care companies as a PHC specialist. Ive worked in a lot of different parts of this industry; need more time climbing but I’ve been getting at it at least a few times a week, if not more after work (mostly recreationally to learn basics). I finish up a degree in horticulture + landscape design in about a year and a half and will then likely start making moves. I’ve already invested into some of the smaller equipment (ms201, ms441, climbing gear, etc.) I’m passionate about it, but it will be tough to walk away from current job as there is actually opportunity to move up; though I have a hard time picturing myself as what is essentially a sales rep for a big company.

I guess I have the same anxieties anyone else has with this weighing on my head and looking to hear from others experiences with starting their own tree care business; if you do tree care + design and build even better as that’s my plan.

If you go out and do your own thing and fail remember there is a ****** job on every corner. You can always just go back to 9-5.

 

[jzack605]

Are you looking for a climbing crew leader position? It starts at $30 an hour.

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Appreciate the offer but I’ll have to respectfully decline. I’d like to get some more time in the saddle in the next year.

 

[jzack605]

Solid comments so far.

what age were y’all when you went for it on your own?

 

[John Barnes]

Solid comments so far.

what age were y’all when you went for it on your own?

Started full time at 40. Hired a ground guy, hired an operator, been lucky and had some decent contracts and good tree jobs. I also own rental property so owning my own thing wasn’t foreign to me.

 

[tree MDS]

Started dragging brush and getting yelled at by my older brother part time at 15. Got my first full time job doing treework at 17. Worked for a few different companies for five years before getting my own truck and chipper at 22. 46 now and living the dream, baby. Lol

 

[scheffa]

Started tree work when I was 27, after winning my own carpentry business, 18 months ago was getting tired of the way things were being run so went out on my own with neither and a small truck and chipper, now employ 14 full time staff including myself, have 5 towers, 3 chipper trucks and chipper, excavator, skid steer etc.
Being honest and reliable has payed of huge, trees are my life.
Treat my crew like my family and refer to myself as the coach rather than a boss. We are a team and work together each with our own strengths and weaknesses to achieve a common goal.
Look after you workers and they will return the favour

 

[Groundman One]

Was doing some small time private tree jobs, then The Great Ice Storm hit in '98 and my buddy got a bunch of us together and started a company and got a ton of contracts from that storm. Been working with that crew, and variants of it, even since.

 

[under_the_hill]

Started full time at 40. Hired a ground guy, hired an operator, been lucky and had some decent contracts and good tree jobs. I also own rental property so owning my own thing wasn’t foreign to me.

How'd you find your hires?

 

[BC WetCoast]

Have a look at your market. Is there room for more companies? Are the companies already established running a race to the bottom?

You have to think whether a company that does landscape design, with a side of tree work may be better for you. The landscape design can get your name out there.

 

[John Barnes]

How'd you find your hires?

Facebook, people I knew, customers... To be successful you have to market all the time. Stand out and people will eventually come to you. I had a TON of wash outs. Just like every other business I’ve ever been around. Get a legit logo and pay someone to do it. That’s one of the best things I did. Cost about $200 and has set me apart. Look like a pro and that will attract good people. Facebook is a major way to find work and people. I show up looking clean and respectful to bid jobs and insist everyone on my job has my shirt on, all the ppe’s... This has brought me good employees and customers.

 

[jzack605]

It’s crazy how easy social media seems to have made it to get your name out there.

Good call on the logo. I have a degree in graphic design and a lady who’s an artist so I actually got that pretty covered myself. Already have a few renditions put together.

 

[John Barnes]

It’s crazy how easy social media seems to have made it to get your name out there.

Good call on the logo. I have a degree in graphic design and a lady who’s an artist so I actually got that pretty covered myself. Already have a few renditions put together.

Social media has made it so much easier to get out and get business. When you do good work it makes makes huge waves. Same goes for shoddy work. A lot of my new customers only use me because of reviews.

 

[jzack605]

Have a look at your market. Is there room for more companies? Are the companies already established running a race to the bottom?

You have to think whether a company that does landscape design, with a side of tree work may be better for you. The landscape design can get your name out there.

I live on Long Island. The markets decent here, lots of building and landscapes to be maintained. There’s a few different types of markets and I’d like to focus on the higher end clientele, which is the clientele I’ve been working with for nearly the majority of my career. I know those areas and those types of people best through work. There’s a lot of competition but not a lot of people doing it who are educated in it. There’s also not a whole lot of young people getting into it. I see a lot of opportunity.

The design/build and tree combo comes from the mindset that being solely a design/build is hard to make work on its own, and I love trees and tree work. Most guys do lawn care to get their sustaining income and recognition around here while marketing as a design/build to bring in a bigger profit. I want to avoid lawn care at all costs.

 

[jzack605]

Social media has made it so much easier to get out and get business. When you do good work it makes makes huge waves. Same goes for shoddy work. A lot of my new customers only use me because of reviews.

Yeah man. I’m feeling lucky to have that tool at my fingertips when the time comes.

 

[mikewhite85]

It pays to get your ISA arborist certification, applicator's license, and whatever other certs you can get for design- and market yourself accordingly. Fancy website too.

Don't go into debt if you can help it. Start small. Don't underbid stuff. Be safe. Prioritize family/relationships/values in the midst of all-consuming small biz.

Many new businesses fail not because they don't have enough work- it's because they get in over their heads. Don't be afraid to turn down stuff that is too big or isn't right for you yet.

Oh, and get a used chipper as soon as possible. Stomping brush in a trailer/truck bed is the worst!

Good luck!!

 

[sb47]

There are pros and cons to everything. When you work for someone else and your day is done you can leave work at work and enjoy your time off. When you work for yourself it's hard to leave work at work and not have it on your mind 24/7.
When you work for someone else you generally have one task to think about, when you work for yourself you have to think about everything and always keep 3 or 4 steps ahead of where your at. When I was working as a driver for someone I only had to make sure my job was done, once I left work my mind was off work, then I moved up into management and suddenly I had to always be thinking 3 or 4 steps ahead so if one job hit a snag I had a backup for my crew so they always had something to do. Now that I own my business I have to think about all aspects of keeping everything running smoothly. Sometimes it's hard to turn your brain off of work and enjoy your off time. The only way to tell if it's for you is to try it and see how it goes. Some like it some don't.

 

[Sidvicious]

Solid comments so far.

what age were y’all when you went for it on your own?

27 I started up two months ago