Where do we (you/I) go from here?

[Bermie]

It real slow here too...thank God one of the high end landscaping firms (yes there are some good ones) has been subbing me lately, need to cultivate this!

I also do training, got two proposals in to the Government...thing is they take so long to get the ok, then take like six weeks to pay...so I probably won't see that till March!

Is there any opportunity for providing training to municipalities? You are credentialed so you have credibility...

 

[treeslayer]

are you a tree guy? do you climb? why are homeowners posting in the commercial tree forum?

Looking for rep, probably.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

thought about buying into a office cleaning franchise..i mean from doing tree work to cleaning offices...sounds like easy money to me

If you think tree work is cut-throat! Janitorial is worse then lawncare. I managed for a company shortly after I got outa The Suck. I was on-call 24-7 for 21k, this was back in '93 or so. I was trying to do tree work on the side, but sleep was getting in the way.

 

[tree MDS]

I'm getting very close to throwing in the towel. I don't care what is being said on the news. I know, very well, that our economy is limping along and may take another nosedive within the next year. Tree care is NOT a big priority to most, when everyone is worrying about their own incomes.

My question: If you were going to start up another business, what would that business be, based on where you feel there is a need out there that is not being met? Obviously we can all joke around on this, and, hey, that's cool with me, as long as some of you can come up with some business pursuits you honestly think may be the next "big thing."

Thanks, in advance. Hopefully business will pick up and I'll get out of my funk.

I've always thought that a chain of either package stores, or rehabs would bring good steady work... heck, on either end its like a revolving door.

 

[pmoudy]

How about being a repole man.

 

[gr8scott72]

How about being a repole man.

What is he going to pole? lol

 

[gr8scott72]

Two items that are recession proof are cosmetics and liquor.

 

[tree md]

Toilet Paper

Two items that are recession proof are cosmetics and liquor.

My ground guy works nights at a toilet paper plant. Although the cut his hours back over the past year, he kept his job. He's back to 60 hours a week again now.

 

[ASD]

REPO man get a tow truck

 

[treeslayer]

Two items that are recession proof are cosmetics and liquor.

My GF oversees Jim Beam's retirement accounts for their executives, they did VERY GOOD this year. made me sick to see those 401k plans paying over a :censored: million a year.

Repo man, now that would work. trade the chipper and bucket in on a snatch truck and a rollback? ( and a gun or 2).

$$$$$$$

 

[Sunrise Guy]

REPO man get a tow truck

Another profession I looked into to the point where I had found a new truck for sixty large, all signage included. I'm not totally turned off to the tow truck idea. Since I sleep odd hours, and always have from the time of college, the thought of getting up at 3AM to head out into a stormy night to rescue some vehicle from the side of the road actually sounds like fun, to me.

The idea of popping for the sixty g's does not sit well with me, but I'm examining all angles, right now. Something's gotta give.

 

[mckeetree]

This is not much help I know but what I would stay away from is anything to do with the green industry. The gov. just doesn't have the nuts to send the illegal Mexicans home and they have pretty much infiltrated this industry. If I could have known at the time what that amnesty deal back in 1986 would do to us I would have gotten out of this business so fast it would have made you dizzy to have watched it.

 

[fishercat]

look for a used one.

Another profession I looked into to the point where I had found a new truck for sixty large, all signage included. I'm not totally turned off to the tow truck idea. Since I sleep odd hours, and always have from the time of college, the thought of getting up at 3AM to head out into a stormy night to rescue some vehicle from the side of the road actually sounds like fun, to me.

The idea of popping for the sixty g's does not sit well with me, but I'm examining all angles, right now. Something's gotta give.

I would not want any writing on a repo truck.

general towing,yes.

 

[pdqdl]

DOT says that you MUST have ID signs.

I guess it would boil down to who you fear the most: the re-po'ed victims, or the DOT enforcement thugs.

 

[tree MDS]

Now that true tv has "Operation Repo", I'm sure every moron and their brother will be trying to get into that biz anyway. I mean really if that bunch can do it?? c'mon!

The dude who owns the local packie pays people to restore classic corvettes for his hobby. lol

Tree service??

 

[Tree Pig]

DOT says that you MUST have ID signs.

I guess it would boil down to who you fear the most: the re-po'ed victims, or the DOT enforcement thugs.

Guess it depends where you are here all wreckers for hire must be marked, repo and not for hire (private fleet tow trucks) do not need the markings.

 

[pdqdl]

It won't matter where you are in the US, DOT says you must mark the truck.

Here is the real question: will the truck in question be subject to DOT rules? In Kansas City, the DOT thugs will cite you for not having a DOT number even on a 6,000 GVRW pickup truck. Saying "not for hire" would not likely be enough to keep them at bay. They know better than that. You had better be able to PROVE that you are not making money with the truck. I imagine that would be difficult with a tow truck.

 

[Lawnmowerboy48]

Oil or auto parts is what I would do.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Start a business as a buyer/seller of stuff from the US to other countries that they otherwise cant direct order or its uneconomic to do so because of the 80 us dollar minimum fed ex seems to charge. (nothing like buying a quarter size bike part for 3$ and being hit $80 for shipping) or they wont accept orders from overseas visa's.

Overseas person contacts you with a net link to what they want, you give the a price for buying, receiving and sending via the postal system on the item plus a % mark up for your work. They deposit the money. Then you use there money to buy the item and forward it on to them.

Bike parts, car parts, saw parts, saws etc etc etc. Dont know the legality of it but its a thought, especially with the way the dollar is at the moment.

 

[460magnumMOD]

I work for a septic company here in CT. Its good business. Everyones gotta go, and its gotta be taken care of. And if a septic system fails then the local and state health dept. require it be replaced. It ain't pretty, but its work.