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Original discussion thread: http://www.fastseduction.com/discussion/fs?action=9&boardid=2&read=101961&fid=136
I know that a lot of you younger cats are college students, working at shitty restaurant jobs with dickhead customers and managers. Let's not even get into the pay. We both know that shit ain't worth what you put up with.
Hell, even if you don't work at a restaurant, chances are, you're doing some kind of work that takes up most or all of your weekends, cutting into fun time with your friends.
Here's an idea: Start your own business this summer. If you have a car and about $200 bucks to throw down on a weed eater, blower and a couple of lawnmowers (in case one breaks down), you can tell your fuckhead boss and cocksucking customers to fuck off for good...well at least until the grass stops growing next fall.
Which, if you play your cards right, won't necessarily mean you'll have to go back to work.
Forget what you may think about landscaping and lawn workers, that it's mainly non-english speaking illegal immigrants that do that kind of work for shitty pay. I'm talking about being the president of your own company!
True, you're going to work your ass off, but when you're laying on your couch or bed after taking a shower after an exhausting day in the summer heat, looking at the massive stack of cash on your nightstand or coffee table, thinking about how much fun you're going to have over the weekend with the MONEY THAT YOU MADE, you're going to sleep like a baby and dream happy dreams about girls and beer and fishing.
Well maybe that's just what I would dream about, but you get the idea.
Working for yourself is a lot of work, but the rewards are well worth it. The money is better, the hours are better and you are generally left with a higher sense of self-worth than you are just droning away as one of the hive.
Hopefully I don't have to sell you guys on the entrepeneurial spirit. It should go without saying that a true leader works for no man but himself and those that he cares for.
That being said, let's talk implementation. I'm going to assume that you have a car. If not, tough shit. You've got bigger things to worry about than starting a business.
There are a few things you need to pick up before you can start advertising. You'll need no less than 2 lawnmowers, just in case one of them breaks down. A weed eater (trimmer is what some people call those) and a gas powered leaf blower.
Buy a shitty weed eater if it is all you can afford right at first, but I recommend you upgrade to the best you can afford ASAP. Time is money and shitty trimmers take for fucking EVER to get the simplest of jobs done. Don't skimp on this one if you don't have to.
Once you have these items, it's time to advertise your services. Print up some fliers and drive around neighborhoods you want to work in hanging them on mailbox flags.
Expect to get 2 calls per 500 fliers you put out. I know that sounds like a lot of leg work for 2 jobs, but the advantage is, you are able to advertise to people with easy lawns to cut, i.e: you don't have to hang fliers in front of houses that have intricate landscaping (bitch to weedeat around) or back yard fences (more trimming headaches).
The upside is: it only takes an hour or two to hang 500 fliers. Target upper middle class neighborhoods with small yards. The work will be quick and easy and those types of people are good about paying on time.
Craigslist:
If you're going to go this route, make sure that your location setting is an area or areas that are close to your house. Again, time is money and so is fuel. This time of year, everyone and their brother is thinking about making a buck cutting grass (and with good reason...IT'S GOOD MONEY) and CL is going to be FLOODED with ads for this kind of service. That being said, post an ad every single day.
Take a look at what your competition is charging and offer your service for $5 less. If your competition is charging $25 for a 1/4 acre, offer to do a 1/4 acre for $20.
Generally speaking, 1/4 acre is worth $25, 1/2 is $50, full acre $75. Mention in your ad that you are gladly willing to work with people on larger properties. Probably a good idea not to go overboard on taking the big jobs until you can afford a commercial mower (if you decide to really get into this) as doing those big jobs really wear out a small push mower.
To best optimize your results, do BOTH Craigslist AND fliers. Onward.
Use your game skills when dealing with customers.
Assume rapport, DHV (don't tell a person that called you that you can't make it that day because you're fixing a mower; tell them you're booked up today but you will gladly stop by in the morning), be non-outcome dependent (you will gladly perform the service they need, as long as the price is right! You're never desperate for jobs!).
To make some real money at this, you want to have enough clients to be able to cut lawns all day, M-W, M-Thu or even M-F if you so choose. Depending on the equipment you can afford, this can mean 15-20 clients or all the way up to 50. It's up to you.
Probably the coolest thing about starting a business like this...besides the money, besides the fact that it's EASY, is the way it makes you feel. Man's work is good for men to do, guys. I've been doing this shit for the past three summers. If you had told me back before I started this the way that women fucking look at a dirty, sweaty, tanned and toned guy in his work clothes at a gas station at 4 in the afternoon on a hot summer day, I probably wouldn't have believed you.
Well, believe it. The rewards outweigh the cost. A million times.
