Idea for a new Forum! Cost of doing business.

[CraigTurf]

A year ago, I was new to a site that is vaguely familiar to this one. I stayed outside the fence watching from a distance feeding off of the wealth of knowledge contained therein. I was afraid to speak up, offer my opinion for fear of sounding stupid like the rookie I was(am). I was afraid to be blown out of the water for asking a question that all of you successful LCOs surely knew the answer to. This in my opinion is a unique opportunity for a lot of us to make a fresh start, and for folks who are truly new to the business to learn the right way from the start. I commented on this topic on another forum a couple of days ago, but decided to move it here to see if I can build interest. So here goes.
I'm just guessing, but I bet more than half of the members here don't know why they charge what they charge for their services. I mean I don't believe that many of us know how to determine our true overhead and cost of doing business. I think it's like the kid in school who is afraid to raise his hand to ask a question out of fear of being ridiculed by the class. Then on test day, he blows the test,flunks out of school, can't get into college,so he buys a lawnmower and gets into the business only to fail at that because he is afraid to ask his buddies on a lawncare forum how to figure out the cost of doing business because he is afraid of being ridiculed. I see things changing around this place, and maybe now is the time to get back to basics, ask the hard questions, and be honest with yourself and everyone else on this site. Do you need help figuring out the business side of doing business? Maybe some of the successful operators on this forum can help us or send us someplace for this information. Be honest, should you be on this list of people who need help? I think I need help, so I'm raising my hand> Be gentle, I'm your buddy. Don't ridicule me. Let's have some healthy constructive discussions.
Bill Craig!

[SprinklerGuy]

that's what this place is for.....we all need help with something and all of us can offer help with something........

Just post on the stuff you need help with....make it as descriptive as possible....not just a general question.....refine the question as best as you can...help will come

If you can offer help to a thread then do so........if not, pass till you find one you can help with.

Seems easy, let's get started.

[SJR Lawncare]

If I remember correctly, Guido has a great way of explaining the cost of doing business, such as the cost of operating each piece of equipment. Hopefully he can find time to explain again here on this great forum.

[Eric ELM]

Do you think we need a new separate forum for this? If so and enough want this, I will open up a new forum just for this topic.

I want LawnForums.com to be the best it can be. :)

I will start this out by saying YES

Anyone else?

[AustinJ]

I'll chime in here. I too, am a rookie to the business side of this business. And I'll admit, I'm a bit shy to ask questions for fear of sounding dumb (And in all actuality, I don't even know what questions to ask, yet, either :rolleyes: ). I could use all the help I can get with costs of doing business, so I'll raise my hand, too.

Not sure if it needs to be a separate forum, though, as I think it could fall under the business forum just as easily... Good idea, though, CraigTurf! :D

Brian
Greene Meadows Lawn Care

[Eric ELM]

AustinJ and other new guys, don't be afraid to ask a question here. We are starving for things to answer. ;)

BTW, there is no dumb questions, so ask away. That's what this forum is all about, learning and teaching.

[scotlawncare]

i'm sorta new. year and a half in the business and always need help. Plus i'm cutting part time trying to figure out if what it will take to grow and be more profitable.

My vote is yes

[tranum]

craigturf,
i read your post on this subject at the other site. i beleive you said you were going to go to the business forum & start a thread. my mouth is watering for this information because i too don't think i really know my cost of doing business. i pay my bills, look at my checkbook and say i did pretty good this month or boy, i better tighten up. I'll show my ignorance here. depreciation has always been a mystery to me, figuring out what my equipment costs per hour to run, duhh, how to figure my truck expenses into my business, what?, what my helper cost me (beyond his paycheck). at the end of the year, my tax man tells me whether i really made any money or not and this ain't gettin it.
my hand is way up in the air for this info.


i've already admitted my ignorance so don't pound on me too hard!!!

[CraigTurf]

Doesn't necessarily have to be another forum, but I want this to be thoroughly discussed. Maybe some how to. In posts on other forums that I'm a part of, these type questions are asked on a daily basis. I just get the feeling that a LOT of folks just don't get it. This should be basic. Before pulling the cord on the first mower on the first account. I think that it would be helpful if someone more knowledgable than myself could steer the discussion on some basic topics such as this. I'm afraid we will miss the opportunity to get this subject down pat, and the thread going to the bottom of the stack. I would like to see us take this thread and really build on it. I tried to read a Van der Kooi manual, and it's a bit above my head and more geared for the construction side of the business. Come on guys...don't let this die. It's the root of our business!
Bill Craig!

[HOMER]

I'm game............I think it needs to be discussed in detail. I got so worried about my cost of doing business I just startede bidding everything at $60.00 per hour, figured if I couldn't make it off that then I should find another line of work. Surprisingly enough, the work I've figured at that rate I've got!:D

I think, from what I've read elsewhere, that it needs to be broken down and simplified (KISS) so that everyone without a MBA can understand it.

Lets do it.

[cpmayhewinc]

This back office stuff is probably the most important to keeping a company up and running as is cutting a pretty lawn.

Here's one for starters: Life insurance on me the owner. My current policy was about $500,000. That seemed alot at the time but now with me being the president of a company and with all the additional assets of the company if I was to die tomorrow there would not be enough to go around and support my family for the amount of time that I wish.

I never planned on increasing my life insurance and right now I can't afford it. Just another risk I'm living with for now.

I hope this thread goes as far as it is capable of.

[Williams Services]

Let's do it.

[Eric ELM]

Go to the Business Forum and look at the top. You now have a Sub Forum of the Business forum for posting on this.

Enjoy ;)

[Ricky]

I like the new atmosphere on this forum. It is refreshing to see the willingness of people wanting to help others. I know what you guys are talking about when you are wanting to ask something but you don't want to be slammed. Seems like there are those that like to put others down and think that makes them higher.(not here) I like this place. :D

[Eric ELM]

I will leave this here to help guide others to the new sub forum. When you get done viewing or posting, it won't be as easy to get out of. It will take one extra click, but it will be worth it. ;)

[CraigTurf]

Eric,
Thanks for all of your help with this matter. I hope we get a lot of participants. This can be an awesome site if we make it so.
Take care, Bill Craig!

[AltaLawnCare]

Great idea - lets build a wealth of info, so that later on someone can do a search on practically anything and gets loads of great info!

Guido will be all over this! :D

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by AltaLawnCare
Guido will be all over this! :D

He already has 2 great posts on this there, check them out.