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If you have experience as a gardener and you want to be your own boss and branch out, then you could be ready to start your own landscaping business. You probably already know people in your area looking for gardening help and someone to take over the mowing and wedding, but you also may realize that you could offer them the competitive prices they’re looking for.
Starting out on your own is never going to be an easy thing to do, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. You might already have some of the basic tools, such as a lawn mower, a trimmer, an electric chainsaw, and a leaf blower. You might already even have a Ute or a van to be able to bring your tools from house to house, so if you already have that, then you won’t even need to invest too much of your own earnings upfront. What’s really holding you back?Running your own business is a big step, so here are the 8 steps for you to take to get there.
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1. Get to know the local demand.
As we said, you may already know people in your local area who are looking for a great landscaper or gardener to help them with their outside space. Most hopeful entrepreneurs won’t take a leap because they assume people will see their service as a luxury, or they’ll worry that the local market is already saturated. However, all you have to do is Google lawn care near me and you’ll identify the current supply and demand of your area. If you can see a gap, you could fill that gap.
2. Be clear about what you can offer.
Can you only offer lawn mowing or can you offer mulching and deweeding services? Are you able to offer services that include making the garden look beautiful and planting local plants? It’s tempting to make those client connections first and customize your services later, but you need to know what your niche is so that you can sell yourself the right way. It’s always easier for people to find you online when you have the right keywords, and there will always be something that people are looking for that you can offer.
3. Research and budget for the landscaping equipment that you need.
You might already have a van, and you may already have a selection of tools that can be used in a garden, but it’s always worth investing in your own weed wacker and leaf blower. And it’s always a good idea to rent this equipment before you buy it. You need to know that you’re able to use it properly, and if you need a truck for your business, that’s a significant investment. Equipment prices are going to vary depending on where you buy, but whatever you do, make sure that you’re investing in quality equipment from the get go.
4. Look into licensing and insurance.
As a local gardener, you may need licences in your local town. Many landscaping businesses feature their licensing and their insurance details directly on their business listings and their website. This makes it easy for customers to see that they are a trustworthy business and they can feel confident in you before they get started with the work. Every state has different regulations for landscapers and many require a commercial licence and commercial insurances. If you’re planning on using pesticides, for example, you may need a licence for that too.
5. Start recruiting.
You can easily set this business up and run it yourself, but you may need a second pair of hands to help you out. You can start out as a one person operation and then hire somebody to work with you on your team. You could have an apprentice working alongside you that you can train up to be in part of your business and you can even have somebody part time for the bigger jobs. Hiring somebody new is going to take a little bit of a learning curve for you, but it’s worth it.
6. Decide what business management software you need.
Even as a gardener and a landscaper, you’re going to need business software to manage your accounting and invoicing, estimating and quoting, project management and team management. There is software for each of these elements of your business, and your investment is going to make a difference to how successful you are.
7. Plan your pricing.
Creating the right financial plan allows you to identify huge opportunities for profit and adjust your pricing strategy accordingly. The market is going to fluctuate as your business expands, and the process isn’t as complicated as it sounds if you follow the right steps. Figuring out your startup costs, developing a budget, and doing your market research will all be necessary for you to get started with your pricing structures.
8. Put together a good marketing strategy.
Word of mouth is a very powerful tool, but social media is what’s going to get your business noticed. You need to make sure that you build a professional website and list your business locally so that your business can be the one that people turn to.
