Landscaping is a business that is always in demand, and a talented landscaper can quickly become the talk of the town. Here is how to start a landscaping business of your own, whether as a new full-time venture or a side hustle to supplement your existing income.
Get Some Equipment
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This is a simple step and doesn’t require much investment unless you want to offer specialized services. All it takes is a mower and some basic tools like trimmers, pinchers, and a shovel and you will have everything you need for most landscaping jobs.
You can make a start with this level of equipment and then make some upgrades as your business builds, swapping out your old mower for something you can ride on. Most of this equipment can be picked up second-hand from yard sales and websites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
Get Insured
Many people skip this step, especially when they are just starting or operating a landscaping business as a side hustle, but this can be a costly mistake. General liability insurance and more specialist lawn care insurance helps protect you and your business in the event of an accident or if you damage someone’s property while you are doing a job.
You may also need some licenses to operate your business. Make sure you check with your local government before you begin your first job.
Get Marketing Your Business
Your business is not going to get very far if people do not know about it. Marketing your business will help you to gain clients when you start out, and then word-of-mouth should take care of your expansion. If you do the job well, people will talk about it.
Start your marketing locally, just in your immediate neighborhood or housing development. You can use flyers that you mail through people’s doors.
Get Planning For The Seasons
The amount of work you get as a landscaper will vary through the year. When winter passes, you will suddenly become busy, with many people getting their lawns and gardens in good order for the growth of spring. Business will steadily build through the summer but will take a sudden drop when the fall arrives, and winter is around the corner.
During the busy period, you will have to withhold some profits to keep you going in the leaner, cold months. Make hay while the sun shines, and store your money for the winter.
Get Ready For Growth
It is not only the grass that will grow or flowers that will bloom; your business will blossom and thrive too. You need to plan for expansion and growth, or it might catch you by surprise and you will not be able to take advantage of it.
More business may be too much for you to handle on your own, so have a plan in place for hiring new workers. This may mean more equipment and more liabilities. Make sure you have everything in place, so nothing slows you down, just rinse and repeat the first couple of steps on this list for your new hires.
Follow these five steps and you will be on your way to creating a successful and profitable business that could grow to support you and your family and provide for your future.
