starting a lawn care business?

i use to chase a mower..that's landscaper talk for mowing

because the mowers now you have to run after them..

he res a few tips i learned

for the advertising..keep it simple and put flyer's you print up at home around the neighborhoods you already have accounts with..its better to have three clients on a block then six spread out across town..give senior discounts...and knock on doors of the unkempt yards and offer a discount for trial month...do good work and word of mouth will get you jobs..

always remember to close gates..double check gates..very important..

its best to weed eat first then blow all the trash and leaves onto the lawn so when you mow it picks it all up..then a quick sweep with blower when you leave..don't blow stuff into street or neighbors they hate that..

mow in a one way pattern don't turn mower and come back this leaves a uneven looking pattern..and its faster

always tend to your equipment..keep it clean and maintained..

now here's the hard part

don't do extras for nothing...because if you do ..it will be expected every time and sometimes you wont have the time..and then you will find yourself bogged down and not getting paid for it..and a unhappy customer because you now aren't trimming and hauling all the extra stuff..

always be honest and smile even if you don't feel like it..

your gonna do great..

Good luck in your venture and your degree. If you can make $50 / yard/week you are doing quite well. l Have my own small gardening business and I average $20 - $25 /yard. Here in Southern California lawn mowing is a cut throat business, where is there is a lot of competition. Also your fee will vary by the size of the yard and some people only want service every other week. Buy the best self propelled mower you can afford. Very few gardeners use a riding mower except on commercial property. In addition to mower, blower, edger/string trimmer you need a rake and long handled pruning shears. A shovel and trowel are handy for sprinkler repair. Later you may want to invest in a hedge trimmer. In addition you need some sort of vehicle to haul your equipment in. A computer is handy for record keeping. Improvise your own software. Also be prepared to have some customers tell you you're fired after one month or several months. That is way people are. Sometimes dealing with people is the hardest part of the business. Very few gardeners advertise except by word of mouth and tossing a flier on someones lawn. However if your college has a newspaper advertise there or in a city newspaper. Start small and work your way up.

edit- If you declare your business with the IRS you can deduct any reasonable expenses. See a tax consultant or a software program like Tax Cut.

I would say before you get started to call around to some lawn mowing businesses and ask them how much they would charge to mow your grass. Then based on what they have said, start your business on that. At first you can start out with a regular push mower. Once you build up enough business and clientele you can purchase a rider and maybe a bagger, and a cart. You will also need two weed eaters at all times, in case one breaks down. Remember to keep GOOD records as you will need to file taxes at the end of the year. Anything you buy for your business can be a tax write off. Including a new riding lawn mower! If you have any questions as to what you can write off, call your local tax place. Also, set it up so you pay your taxes quarterly. This will save headaches on down the road. One more thing, remember that this is only a seasonal job. Also, you might want to see what kind of insurance you need to carry in case you accidentally mow over someones dog, or cat. Or you break something on their property. Hey, it might sound stupid, but stranger things have happened!!! Good Luck, your first step is seeing the dream.

Wheelbarrow, round shovel, edger. A clipboard for paperwork. You'll make more money doing clean-ups and tree planting than with mowing. Good luck!

hire some illegal aliens to do the work....you can only cut so many in one day & are limited on what you can make. start that way, but when you hire it done you're unlimited