jimmyneutron2015-blog

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

start up venture

Whats working- well the weather has been fair this week allowing me to cut 28 lawns this week at 20 a lawn that is $560.00 its better then last week 

Whats not working- Well not that much has gone wrong or not work it was a decent week. the business could always use improvement to expand to where i want to be.

How do you feel the project is coming- i feel the project is coming along good i predicted that i would do $3,000.00 and i hit $3,600.00 for my business in net profits i was hoping to make more but i never took into account the rain we had a decent amount this year.

What have you learned about running a business- Nothing has changed here. I need to be organized with my financials and keep track of my records of how much money i made over the summer.

What are you learning about yourself- I am learning that i just have to have patience with the business and that everything will fall into place on its own time it is a lawn care business and i cant expect to get rich over night.

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

week 12 start up venture

What is working - this week has been productive I got 37 cuts under my belt I have been lucky the rain has missed us. I have been able to cut lawns all week i have been doing extra work though running sprinklers to keep the lawns healthy. 

Whats not working - This heat has been killing me making me lazy but i guess you cant complain least i am working.

How do you feel the project is coming - I feel the business is going good I am networking with people now in the construction business that are looking for people like me to plant grass seed and tend to new customers lawns as i made a jump this week from last week. 

What are you learning about running a business - I am learning that me doing a good job for my clients. then word of mouth tells new clients what a good job i do that those people want to hire my services. 

What are you learning about yourself- i am learning about myself is that one this heat is making me lazy and not want to be out in the sun as much as i thought but i am a hard worker. this gives me a feeling of accomplishment that my work reflects me and the kind of work i do. i do not cut corners with my work i finish i do it once and do it right the first time around. this is all i can be asked when a client hires me, just work hard even if it takes me 20 min longer least no one can talk bad about my work.

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

Start Up Venture

What is working - this week has been good all my machines are working at 100% no problems with work jobs are coming in i mowed 20 lawns for last week i wish i could have cut more but ill take what i can get 

Whats not working - Everything is working out OK this week. I haven’t had as much lawns to care for as i had hoped.

How do you feel the project is coming - The project is coming along i’m getting steady customers but i just need a few more i made $400.00 this week but I would like to make more so i make my $500.00 a week if I could.

What have you learned about running a business - this i learned i have to be humble and except that i only have enough work to make $400.00 this week even less with my fuel costs and oil of $50.00. so i really only made $350.00. I hope next week will fair better then this week did.

What are you learning about your self- I don’t really have much to say about myself for this week im still determined to run the business although i am getting discouraged with my low income for this week it is below what i expected to be making each week i can only stay positive and optimistic 

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

Update on start up venture

Whats working - Everything is working out. my customers are happy with my work. I’ve taken on some contract work (repeat customers). 

Whats not working - I’m having trouble balancing my contract customers that want there lawn cut or weekly or bi-weekly to my new customers or even the ones that want there grass cut when its to long. its a balancing act right now I am just working through it to my best and to keep going but my sales have dropped due to taking on contracts for the season it works out to be about 15 bucks a lawn since the customer wants a bit of a break to commit to my services

How do you feel the project is coming - I feel the project is coming along. A lot busier then i thought it would be. although im not making what i would like to some customers have bigger lawns that take longer or need more care because of the lack of cutting it this takes me longer since i have to put my blades up cut it then go back over it to cut it short and neat. 

What are you learning about running a business - I am learning that there is no days off if i want to make money i set my days though to mon - fri. i also wont work past 6 pm if i can avoid it. I learned that you need to keep track of things and costs so i write everything down or i forget.

What are you learning about yourself-  I am learning that I have dedication and drive to run this business  I know i am smart with numbers and money to make smart decisions and that i cant be impulsive that i have to set a weekly paycheck and that i wont see a profit until the end of the season by not spending most if the money and only setting a weekly paycheck i will still save money to put towards my business at the end of the season.

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

progress of start up venture

whats working the weather has been nice so I’ve been able to get a lot done

whats not working I’m not making the profit margin that i was originally hope for

feelings on my project  my feelings are still positive, and i am hoping to increase my customer clientele 

what i have learned about my business what i have learned is that there is a lot to do that i can not be lazy, i can not take days off like i would like to i find my self working more now then i did when i was getting a paycheck from some one else

what i learned about myself what i learned is i am determined to meet my goal i get up early to get started to beat the heat and try to be proficient enough to manage my time and not waste it doing other things other then lawn care 

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

Progress of start up venture

Whats working, word of mouth seems to be my friend in helping me get customers. Whats not working, this weather I never took to account all the rain that we have had this summer. The rain has made it limited to cut grass even after the rain the grass is still wet. Wet grass dulls the blades of the lawnmower, makes a uneven cut. This even puts me behind schedule. My feelings on this project is positive as long as I can keep cutting grass. I think i can do well I’m busy with lawns all day work 9 to 5 all week although i may have to pick up a Saturday or two to make up for lost time with the rain.

what I learned about the business, I learned that it takes commitment, sacrifice,hard work, a positive mind, preparation, and determination to succeed.

It takes a well thought out business plan to do well with your business, research to your competition, your target customers, location, just to name a few to do well.

What I learned about myself with running my own business, I learned that I become overwhelmed and want to quit. I keep telling myself to push forward, that I cant quit I know I can do it. I also learned that I have to keep busy not let myself get lazy and say i can do it tomorrow  but in fact I need to work that much harder when I say that even if I’m sick I still get up and do my job I know that I am a hard worker. I know that I am smart, ambitious, and hungry 

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

where will I get the money

i will have to get my business plan ready for the bank for my business start up loan. I have to show the bank that i am a good risk. I would have to show the bank where i would get my clients from, strategy, my location, and my supplies.

my location is center of my community so that wouldn’t be a problem my target is the upper class that will pay to have some one like me cut there grass.

i would use my equipment as my guarantee for my loan, my loan would be small since my over head is small my weekly expenses are fuel and gas. since i am a lawn caring company there isn't much to explain. i have my equipment weed eaters push lawnmowers and zero turns commercial grade 

my risks would be if my equipment were to break down depending on the situation could get costly. i will approach the local bank lenders in the area. i wouldn’t go to the bank with out a list of my equity to prove that the bank cant lose if i fail. 

failure isn’t an option for me if I am using my meal ticket ( lawn mower) to get credit from a bank. people look to hire people like me everyday to do a job that they are to busy, lazy, or just trying to keep up with the Jones so to speak.

some people are sick or elderly and can not tent to there lawns. i would promote a senior discount of 20%  to making the offer sweeter i am fair i am willing to expand, change and redesign my bus operation if needed to show the bank i am flexible and able to adopt to my environment. say if less people want there grass cut but more people want a tree trimming service or a weekly service i am open to anything that doesn't allow money to be loss of the table 

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

business operations plan

my lawn mowing business is a small one person operation that generates a steady income. There are two other businesses in my area that are to there capacity with clients to tend too. my business can accommodate people that  can’t find any one to care for there lawn. so this is my opportunity to pick up customers. my company will only cut locally to cut costs travel will increase expenses and prices for cuts that can steer people away from hiring my services, when business is slow my company has to adopt to the situation such as add on snow removal, trash pickup in the rainy season,and even some small builds projects such as building decks or tree trimming services.

 my business opportunity is now to pick up customers that can not hire the local competition. i will cut the costs to beat my competitors since i am the only person in my business i do not have employee over head each week so i can work at my own pace, and not have to meet a weekly quota each week just to cover payroll. 

my marketing sales will be using the local radio to air commercials for my business to increase business anyway i can i am using the social media to promote my business as well Via Facebook, Twitter, Snap chat, and Instagram just to name a few.

my team will just be myself id like to expand maybe add  another lawnmower down the road to increase production with each customer. 

my operations for my business will be locally using my garage to run as my home base, and is locally centralized in my community. 

my financial forecast is feasible as long as the weather is nice and i do not have any problem with my equipment. my business will make 

$15.00 each acre of land cut

$ 40.00 first cut

eight to ten cuts a day 5 days a week

20 percent off elderly 

open rates for the season depending on size of lawn

Realistic goals are to expand to a company that employs 1 to 2 people that are competent to run lawn mowing equipment, make profit with low over head.

it will be discipline in the first year to raise money to cover my equipment with a payback period of roughly 4 years to pay for my lawn mower and weed eaters. 

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

creative advertisement 

i would use social media to promote my business facebook,twitter, and snapchat. Now using this route is like using word of mouth can be good for my business as long as i do a good job. i would also use a magnet logo of my company to help promote my business when im driving around or steak signs that stick in the ground of the sites that i worked on. when i could afford more i would buy air time from the local radio station and post ads in the paper.

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

The local Competition

My lawn mowing business is one of 3 lawn care services in my area. The other 2 businesses have been around for a few years and have established them selves around the community. Both businesses are busy. When I’ve approached them to hire there services I was told that they had to many contracts and couldn’t take on any new customers. So I ended up buying a Zero turn commercial grade lawnmower. I already own a couple weed eaters and a push lawn mower. so I got to thinking I could start my own business, I do own a truck and a trailer so I decided to give it a shot. I’m in my second week, the volume of people out there that would rather pay $15.00 a acre to have there grass cut then to do it them selves was crazy. I offer a package deal too for 20 bucks. Ill pick up the trimmings and clean up around the yard from garbage that could have been blown in from the winter. So if I cut 12 to 14 lawns a day 5 days a week at $15.00 a acre is $900.00 to $1,050.00 a week multiply that by 12 weeks for summer months est would be $10,800.00 to $12,600.00 in that time and roughly 80 bucks a week in fuel, oil, and misc. costs of 50 bucks totaling $960.00. Location of my place is center of town a minute from the main road but my business is a phone call away so I don’t need a nice office for my services. I can also use social medias like Facebook, Twitter, and snap chat for my advertising. I think that there is more then enough to go around with people that want to hire someone like me to cut there lawns, thus far have been successful.

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

Strengths and weaknesses

I am determined, smart. I don’t quit, I push myself to do the job at hand i am competitive, played sports always excelled in everything i applied myself too. im punctual, I hate being late or showing up and someone said that there going to be there at a said time i expect them to show up at that time. Some of my weaknesses that i can identify is that I am hard on myself, I am a good person always willing to help out but people tend to take advantage of that, sometimes I don’t see it until the damage has been done. I can be a procrastinator too. Sometimes i tend to doing things on my own with out listening to reason like i think im always right, i like to be the leader take charge with things in my comfort zone, i don’t always like to come out of my zone. With school i took a chance it was time for change and this is the one time i can say i came out of my shell so to speak to try new things and earned my degree in (ESET) Energy Systems Engineering program, this was the best thing i could have done with my life i now have my own business that my two partners and i run together. this is alot of work and presents its own challenges having to find jobs and chase the buck so to speak.

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

trying to figure this out lol

[jimmyneutron2015-blog]

Hello I'm new here