Guys I have been a real jerk as of late. I have a ton on my mind and I have become overwhelmed with work and stiff competition. My business has changed me this year and I feel my whole life changing with it. In all my 20 years in the business I have never went through this before. I have become really pompous and self centered and that is Just not me. I feel that I must always be right because when I second guess myself I mess up badly. I enjoy this forum and all members post and so I think to myself tonight why am I a member of it? I am a member because I love this industry and respect anyone with the guts enough to jump in and give it a shot "the right way". I enjoy reading the trials and tribulations from fellow lawn men across this country. I have only one friend in this business and we are too busy to talk most of the time, I live for this business guys and I can't get enough of It. That's why I joined this forum and that's why I will continue to be a member. We are all alike in many ways and I forgot that for a spell.
I want to say a big SORRY to members who I have been rude to.
We all will go through the same things at some point. I forgot how I was 20 years ago starting my business but I remember now. I was just like many of you.
And I still am today. I am small peas reaching for the top.
So to the fellow members and the Administration of the forum. I am sorry for being a jerk and I want y'all to know that I respect each and every one of you.
Accepted. We can all let things get out of hand at times. Owning a business is stressful.
I know what you mean. Ive been an a$$ to some of my customers lately.... Letting my stress show thru... Actually fired a customer yesterday, wasnt nice about it all.
What you have demonstrated by initiating a public, non-solicited apology is to be commended. With humility comes honor, but arrogance is the wine of fools. One thing I have learned and experienced time and time again, is that BEING right is not nearly as important as DOING what's right. Clearly, you DID what you knew was right. In a culture where abdicating personal responsibility has become the norm, it's inspiring to see what you did. It takes a level of maturity and courage to do what you did, and for that you have earned my respect.
I am happy to see care enough about your fellow members to say all that. Thank you.
My business has changed me this year and I feel my whole life changing with it. In all my 20 years in the business I have never went through this before. I have become really pompous and self centered and that is Just not me.
What do you think it has been about this year that has made such an impact on you over other years?
My small business want's to grow and I have become complacent where I'm at. I But I know it is now or never. I have been waiting for this for a long long time and now that I have a chance to grow I find it hard.
Everything has went great this year, no issues other than a sprang ankle. Work has been coming in steady the equipment is running great and I am putting money back every month. I hired 2 men when I sprang my ankle one of whom has been released, so It is just me and my cousin working 40 hours per week.
I refuse to miss a phone call, when I do I return the call promptly. I find myself on the phone almost half the day. This has become a burden.
My shop time in the afternoon has become neglected due to other business duties that take priority. Or the fact that I am just plain tired and wore out.
I have to run bids in the middle of the day, I find this harder to do with a guy on payroll, but I do it. And he gets free money. Just last week we put in our 40 and on his check he was paid for 48.25 hours. 8.25 hours were paid to him for just riding with me to do this and that, bids etc. That was 82.50 I was out of pocket for nothing.
The way I do my proposals takes me time and cost me money. I work nightly on making packets and planning my strategy. In years past I would average 2 packets per night and drop them off to target customers every other day.
Now I am lucky to get 2 done in one week.
I spend no money advertising, I do all the footwork myself, It works well for me but is time consuming. And I have little time.
My only option is to hire a guy or 2 and get out of the field altogether. Then I must build the business from a small one man operation (just me) to a full crew of 3 men inside of 1 year. I must add as many commercial jobs as I can, and focus on high end residential work.
I am not sure if that will be possible. But I am all in!
Failure It is terrifying to me.
Thank y'all for being cool!
Yes it can. I am going to take a break this week and run the hounds. A beer might be nice also!
Waaay ahead of ya. Minus the hounds.
Although I have released the hounds of Hell on my liver.
I wish I could get someone to just apply. I am discovering that if I want a decent hired hand, I need to figure out how to crack the culture. All the stuff you hear about what millennials want (decent pay, upward mobility, etc.) doesn't compare to how they have been conditioned by their schools, the media, and their peers. I think if a fallacy could be rationalized to them in their current way of thinking, then perhaps more of them would be willing to give landscaping/grounds care a try.
Also, failure is over-rated. Social norms have portrayed failure as a direct reflection of what a person is (who fails), when in fact that is completely off-base. Failure is merely when things don't go as planned. It is part of the human condition, and should be expected from time to time. Experience lets us view failure in hindsight, and allows us to learn what adjustments are necessary to prevent repeating it.
I have failed at more things in life than I can count. Guess what? It doesn't matter! I became more competent because I learned from my failures. There is no shame in that.
I have to run bids in the middle of the day, I find this harder to do with a guy on payroll, but I do it. And he gets free money.
Could you split from him during parts of the day to do estimates while he works on other lawns?
First, I know what you are saying. When things get crazy busy, I tend to be a little short tempered and the fuse tends to be a little shorter. I commend you for recognizing that things were going south and finding a remedy for it.
Also, I wanted to comment on the coworker getting paid for doing nothing part. Couldn't he have learned how to estimate while riding with you and that way you could send him off to do that as well and have a little confidence in what he knows? That way you could get double the estimates done and it wouldn't cut into your mowing time... Just a thought.
I always found it funny how in a one man operation that clock just flies and just seems theres never enough of it in a day. To free some of my time I've utilized my daughter and 1 of her friends only for safety and company to do the parts running, quoting, and addressing customer complaints. Found these 3 items utilize a lot of time but are not a per se' daily affairs so when she wants for something well - She is to wear our company shirt when visiting these homes and to act professionally at all times. "No excuses", the friend she chooses to ride with her does not get paid but at times they get compensated some how Pizza's on the patio, Movie tickets here and there, etc. Don't know your situation but if got kids use them, teach them, and they'll get first hand knowledge of the real world not taught in books today. The best was one night she made a comment to me that she now understood why I was so tired all the time and had a healthy respect for what I do for our family. That 100 degree day must have melted something up there LOL **I had a neighbor ask me one time and there's a lot of very bored retired people around now a days some would love something to do where you wouldn't have to put someone on full time.