Excellent advice Rob. What would I have done differently? I would have invested in myself more. You can have all the swanky equipment you like, but looking after your body is the best investment you can make. Nothing will kill your business quicker than an injury that was avoidable. Buy knee pads, ear defenders, good quality boots and have a spare pair, good quality gloves and anti vibration gloves, eye protection, and wet weather gear. You can have all the kit, but if your body gives up, it all turns to sh*t.
Well said Rob, I've never felt guilty about binning a bad customer, after a while you will spot them quicker as there always seems to be a common denominator.
You give quite good humble advice from your experience. When I get my gardening business on the way I'll have you to thank in the video. At the moment I've got my car I can start small and see how it goes
I only come on to your channel Rob looking for a review on Honda lawnmowers but found myself going through your posts. I can only commend you on your straight forward chat, honesty and advise. its a pleasure watching and listening to you. good craic and good advise. top man. cheers.
Hi Rob, I heard someone say once, "it's no good being a busy fool". Take some time to make a plan, if it needs tweeting to become more efficient along the way, that's ok. Work smart, not just hard. I enjoy your honesty and willingness to share your thoughts which can help others. 👍 Remember, "If the green gold's growing, the difficult customers are going", lol!
Spot on Rob, i used to work all through winter, tree work, hedgerow planting and maintenance etc but now i enjoy a bit of down time, my cooking head comes out ,soups, stews, slow cooker meals, cant beat a bit of home cooked food, especially in winter
Rob there no such thing as loyalty in this business people come and go , this is my 7th year now full time self-employed on my own 2 vans on road and ive never been as busy, few years ago i had to work parcel force over winter which was hard, now im in a good position thankfully due to hard graft plenty of times felt like throwing towel in but you just have to keep pushing on, watching from sunny spain here great watch as always Rob 🇪🇸
Im looking to start my own gardening business and have been putting money aside to get it up and running. After watching your video im even more motivated to get going! Love the video, liked and subscribed! 👍🏼
I don’t agree with back pack blower ha! I’ve got a br800 and yep it’s thirsty but doesn’t half do a good job of tidying up hedge cuttings and leaf clearance at end of year when stuffs wet and sticks to floor! Takes use of your smaller blower too if you get a big job where you need it!
Absolutely spot on rob im fortunate enough to turn work away as I’m near retirement 😂however I don’t work hard but definitely work smart I do what makes me happy great content rob all the best buddy 👍🏻💪😊
100% agree with everything you said. " three or four weeks off over winter" 🤣😂 I have three or four months!! I don't take on ANY winter work. Never have done. Never will. Winter time is time to relax, rest my aching bones, prepare for next season, and do the list of jobs the Mrs has planned for me. ( which negates rest and relax bit )
Rob absolutely brilliant 😂. Everyone says I'm mad cos I like when the time changes dark evenings lololo and February is brilliant cos get my bottom to a chair. Thanks Rob finally someone understands 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Hi Rob, awesome video once again. Being in Central Scotland the rain , under cutters, people cancelling transport, was and still is a major issue so had to give up. Don't get me wrong I've had my fair share of work. But having to cancel due to rain , people were just getting fed up and chasing to keep up was impossible. So next year it'll be local as in scheme to scheme, still can't compete with under cutters even with uniform and mid end gear. But can only try. Keep up the awesome work fantastic tips
Hi Rob. Cracking topic as usual! My first season this year and hell have I dropped some clangers! Only a few mind, but they cost me! I've learnt quick though so I'm only left with one customer that at the end of the season I'm dropping like a hot potato (unless they agree to the revised price) They're a lovely couple and I enjoy cutting the grass but I seriously under priced it! Beginning of the season, worried I wouldn't get enough custom to pay the bills ect so went in cheap, too cheap! Lesson learned.
Ornaments - Came home to find the Mrs got me a load of tools from Aldi. The usual stuff came in handy at first...but there is one thing I have yet to use and has been in my garage since August 2021....and that is a wheel barrow. I work from my car so no job is ever suitable for using a wheel barrow. It is currently sat in the garage beneath a mountain of plastic plant pots!!!
Dont forget mileage adds to depreciation. I work in construction and have spent the past year driving to an absolutely lovely job but....I have put 30,000 miles on my car so how much has that cost me.
Great Video Rob. “Walk before you run” build it slowly and avoid debt. It’s good to look professional but borrowing to buy a fancy work vehicle is nuts when you’re starting. I started with all second hand gear except one Honda I bought new. Graft hard and you’ll have cash down the track. Cheers!
@@karlitobergkamp8082 I paid cash for a used van. No debt and my partner still had a family car. My van was $10k some young guys I see have borrowed to buy a $60k set up. Huge weight around your neck.
depends what service you offer, as you do only cutting, yes rotary is the way forward, but if you want to look after customer lawn, treatments and roller mower is a must.
Hi Rob, hindsight is a great thing. Everyone makes mistakes. Main thing is to rectify them to your liking. Great, honest video again. Thanks for taking the time 👌
Hi rob , I can 100% relate to this video , being doing it for 2 years now and it’s now time to get rid of the jobs we’re you dread turning up to , looking forward to some quiet winter time now aswell , was worried when I first went self employed but if you earn enough during the busy time and put some away it’s a lot easyier to enjoy the down time , all the best to you ,
Well said I went full time in January this year best choice ever as I do landscaping aswell keeps me busy but been gardening for 9 years finally got rid of the crap jobs and enjoy every day and sometimes I think when it not going well I think I get there in the end and get to the next one when I can they will wait if they want me My ornaments got to be a chipper and ride on Great vids rob keep it up cheers
I need to watch this video every morning before work so this all gets drilled into my head, your a goldmine of information for us new lads rob, always love to see a new maxwells notification I just wish you could make more.👍
Brilliant vid Rob👏I’m coming to the end of my fourth year being self employed after years of working on a golf course which I really enjoyed, but being self employed is the best thing I’ve done. It’s a bloody scary step to take but so worth it. Loads of points you’ve made that I can certainly relate to, one of which is to go through my regulars this winter and “thin them out” so to speak. I find it difficult to say no and it took me a while to realise that “YOUR” the boss and what’s the point of doing jobs you don’t enjoy or don’t want to do. Like you say the you’ll soon replace them with jobs you do want to do. I’m based in Bristol and work on my own the majority of the time and I’ve honestly turned away enough work this season to keep another person busy for 3/4 days a week. I’m certainly looking forward to some downtime over the winter. My #ornament is a £1500 Hyundai petrol chipper for all the tree work I was going to do over the winter months two years ago 🤔used it a handful of times!! it’ll come in handy one day😂 All the best👍
Bang on Rob everything you said is true after 30 plus years still buy the odd ornament 😂 Love January and February but why do I still feel a little bit guilty if I'm watching Netflix 😂😂 Keep the videos coming 👍
Hello Rob Spot on Mate , you are bang on with your post Had a chuckle with the ornaments so right ( bought a chipper used it twice & battery stuff) and the big backbackblowers i think the guys that keep going on about new battery tools etc,are getting sponsored by the manufactures or there main dealers for a mention on their posts still love my petrol gear the best, keep up the great work all the best MK
Hi Rob just started to watch your videos on utube been doing gardening for 30 years plus and I agree with everything you said I got 2 hayter pro 56 fantastic in the summer but just got honda 4 wheeled cost me &1700 and so much easier in damp conditions like dew morning
hindsight certainly a gift none of us has … That’s life but I believe you have to go through experiences making mistakes to be better . Good points you make Rob but the biggest thing that has to be considered when starting out is from day one run it as a business … get to know your numbers . I believe you need to target the right area that brings maximum return with less effort and that requires good research , nice to be near where you live depends on the customer type , but sometimes you may need to travel like me for 25 mins then the rest of the day all the jobs are mins away .. Agree about equipment, since you have established what area you want to target that’s when you equip yourself for that … Great points made
Instead of taking three ''A'' Levels back in 1976, I wish to God I had started up a mowing round. One snag, 1976 was The Mother of All Droughts! Literally, 95 consecutive days at 95* degrees fahrenheit,....lawns turned yellow, then brown. Yes, all of June, July and August before the heavens opened on the 31st. But very, very few gardeners back then.
Absolutely spot on Rob, this has been my first year and I've been too cheap which I am rectifying, said yes just to get some work in and put up with some far from ideal customers. Next year things will be changing !
Probably the best video I’ve seen you post Rob if I’m honest. Some great advice. I’ve started part time gardening whilst in full time work and taking the plunge after Christmas to full time gardener. Ex squaddie like yourself mate which I think gives us that determination to succeed. Keep up the good work mate. Mag to grid 😂 that takes me back a bit
Love this video. I started a lawn care business last year and was delighted I did so. This year we did extremely well and hopefully next year will be the same. Either way. Earning your own dollar for me is far more rewarding than being an employee. Keep on mowing. 😊
Needed this video! Been toying with my own business as I’m from a mixed Arb/Greenkeeping/Estate management background. Going ahead in Feb, saving my pennies and getting going 💪🏼
Great tips and advice as always dude your vids are so down to earth and always cheer me up. I'm looking forward to days off with out the guilt too! 'keep mowin! 💪
Buy a decent mower. 19-21 inch Honda twin clip, self drive with brake clutch. Look after it, change the oil initially after 20 minutes then again after an hour. Then every 3 month. Keep it clean, wheels greased and it'll last a lifetime
Some good pointers there thanks , I'm currently working for a fencing landscape company and have private jobs building up on the side, the company and the owner can be unreliable sometimes and if works quiet , they dont really care that your out of work for a while , hoping to be out on my own at some point and I look at my current job as a training ground to learn fencing , patios and artificial grass so I can turn no job down when fully able to do all aspects soft and hard , have subscribed cheers mate
@@maxwellsgrasscuttingservices when it comes to marketing what do you do with regard to putting yourself out there, is it mainly check a trade subscription, bark , my builder ect ?
Great video. I use a Stihl BR600 at work… it’s effective but as per your review having to take it off to restart it is a downside. Would still like one at home, ornament or otherwise… I’d buy yours but I’d have to get it across the Irish Sea. Hope to meet you at Saltex. Keep up the good work.
Morning Rob I’m Brian Cannybody you do loads of work for me Mam Mrs Cannybody. I’m in Dundee Scotland just a few miles away any chance you could pop up to do a mow blow & go for £25 it will only take you 20 min what about £20 for cash 😂💷 I was that person in a dead end job and one day thought 🤔🤬it…. Best thing I ever did should have done it sooner. I have as many holidays as I want and start and finish when I want. I’m cutting right back on work next season seven I’m 62 yeh na 👴🏻it’s hard graft on the old body. Agree with all your points I’ve no ornaments thankfully. best thing I ever did was go through my list and all bad payer, nightmare to park, steps to go up, dog 💩💩 and didn’t enjoy going to got rid 👍🏼 I’m lucky I’m having the whole of the winter off to recharge and I can’t wait 😎👍🏼 Keep up the good work.
Play Garden Monopoly😂 aim of the game is to get 3 gardens on one road ... road 1 has no8 no14 and just added 16😂 Road 2 no58/56 48😂😂 happy days .. when you can push the mower to the next job well😊😊 👍🍻 ps after watching one of your videos I went out and brought a scarifier a cheap second hand one. Well it did nothing so it's been sold made a little profit on it so can't complain 😅😅😅😅😅
Hey buddy, I’m doing gardening as a weekend job whilst I’m still serving in the RAF in Oxfordshire. I’d like a van and was wondering what sort you used ? Do you store your stuff at home or lock up etc?
I’m wondering what sort of salary can be made as I’m currently working in the retail garden centre trade on not a bad salary but working ridiculous hours and have done for 15 years & hate it. Want to be my own boss & am used to grafting. Just haven’t made that leap mostly due to that financial security with a salary. Cheers, Kate
I know it’s not the answer you want , but if financial security is important best stay at the garden centre . The disadvantages of lawn care are that there’s no skill required so you have lots of competitors , the demand for it isn’t constant like house cleaning , it’s very seasonal . And how long does it take to mow the average lawn ? Half hour maybe ? So think how many customers you will need to keep you busy.and what’s the chances of getting them all close together so as to minimise your travelling ? IMHO a better strategy for you might be to capitalise on your experience of plants which few gardeners out there will have had and offer to do project work restoring gardens that have got a bit neglected and need improvements or restoration . All you would need would be a fair selection of hand tools which would probably fit in the back of your car so no need to buy a van or mower etc . most folk ,I know , will disagree , but I advise charging an hourly rate , fixed price on that kind of job will give you sleepless nights .
I will mow during showers, heavy rain when the ground is wet I tend not to mow. It causes track mark in the soil and you don’t get a great finish. I hope that helps. 👍🏻
1999...I spent £1,000 on a Honda Pro 21'' rear roller mower,....what a waste of money, a write off after just 6 months. Took me years to realise that the gear box/transmission could not cope with the weight of wet grass in the bag, far too much load to cope. Soon after, under a different badge, I discovered Lawnflite, SARP or KAZ all of them a replica of the Honda Pro were a vastly improved performer...AND about £300 cheaper on price.
