My Top 3 Lessons Learned - Top 3 Small Business Tips // Running a Small Landscaping Business
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- #landscaping
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• How to Start a Landsca...
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Keith K.
13854 Lakeside Circle
Suite #keithkalfas #landscapingbusiness #lawncarebusiness #startalandscapingbusiness #lawncare #smallscalebusiness #startup #landscaping #gardening #servicebusiness
Sterling Heights , MI 48313
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Where did YOU leave money on the table in 2018? Comment below.
Not having enough good employees to handle the workload... leaving me overwhelmed trying to do the work and not able to take on more work
I do private tutoring. I had one client (started in February) who led me to believe they were needing my services over the summer but they abruptly stopped coming in June and left owing me $300 (out of about $800 of business). I called them after their summer vacation and they haggled the price (was $70/hour they wanted $60/hour), saying they had a younger child with a special need and would start right away at the lower price. I was so afraid of not getting paid back the $300 I let them have it, I placed them on a payment plan to pay back the $300. I had been thinking at the beginning of January I'll raise the price again. Now they've disappeared after Christmas and owe me $150, and God knows what kind of game they'll play when they want to start the services again.
I feel they power played me and kept me constantly off balance as a negotiation edge. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and raise the quote and if I lose the $150 I lose it but I've become firm.
Have you ever had a customer put you so off balance in a negotiation? What do you do when you sense someone is purposely manipulating a negotiation?
FortNikitaBullion
You have to fight for your business! You can back down a bit but research what people charge in the neighbourhood, make you’re services better. Then you can charge a little bit extra for quality. Hope that helps you!
@@relaxandchilldownpeople4943 True to that. My first priority if (and when) they continue is to get paid on time and to get consistent working hours. The price is not bad for now but can be raised later once these two things are in place.
"People will treat you the way you condition them to treat you."
Absolutely.. Even people who aren't purposely doing it will do this.
Yes exactly.
Lessons learned in 2018:
1. You can’t build an empire alone
2. At the end of the day - Sales/Marketing and Customer service are the keys to success
3. Buying leads can keep you very busy, but getting referrals AND up selling are the ways to make a lot more ‘free’ money - that you don’t have to pay for. We did 300 services and only a couple of referrals- that’s insanity.
4. Pay for the help needed - so you don’t get burnout and can focus more on the things that matter - which is the growth of the business.
5. Your foundation has to be running perfect, before you pour more gas on the fire.
Yes man. Well. Said. Especially #5 haha
I've always marred the lines between clients and friends, and its been to my detriment as a contractor. You're absolutely right Keith, these people are clients, not friends. With each successive job interaction, the client expects more favours, there's more scope creep and they demand a better price all because they thought we were friends. They forget that I'm a business person operating a contracting business, and they're a consumer who is in need of my services. When will us contractors ever learn? No friends in business hey! Great video Keith.
You're right Craig. Thanks for the perspective brother
Keith, when I started looking up videos yours were the first ones I watched. I related because it seems we had a similar path. Thanks to you, I’m doing amazing with my buisness. This summer I was so busy I wasn’t able to watch your videos as much as I normally do and I literally noticed the difference, my drive wasn’t as high, I wasn’t making tons of progress, I was just going through the motions and working non stop. I made myself set time aside specifically for this, to watch your videos stay motivated and grow .and I feel great, buisness is great, I can tell I’m back on that perfect track again.It’s proof you have a a dramatic impact on others. Thank you, my life wouldn’t be where it is today without your help.
Chris
Florida Lawn Care Experts
I listen this in 2018 and now in April 2021 I listen again ,good advices
Most profitable was a retaining wall that we installed. Need to do more of those.
Profitable: Bought a 2nd truck, the months I had good guys I made more money than ever before. Money: 2018 I did not follow up with everyone. Things get busy and in 2019 I am determined to follow through with 100% of potential clients. College is not my thing and that was taking up my mental capacity, I do want to continue my education on business practices and other green industry information.
Great video Keith. I'm 21 and just grossed over 130k this past year. Your videos have helped me from day 1. I enjoy growing my business and I try not to just chase the money. Sure we all do at times, but I enjoy growing my company and seeing how satisfied my clients are, it's not always about the money. Some day I want a company that focuses on the highest quality standards and is a well oiled machine. Something that is self sufficient and then I can invest my profits in other business ventures and try it all over again.
I cant tell you how much i learn from your videos, and what you have to say. Crush it next year man! i appreciate what you do
Thanks a lot Jacob
You really are a fountain of knowledge, Keith! Thank you for always sharing.
Thanks for the encouragement man.
@@keith-kalfas A pleasure!
Thanks for doing your videos. You have helped a lot. Great content!
Yo dude I really enjoy your videos. I just found them and they have already inspired me greatly.
You got this bro! Thanks man
Hell yah !!!!! Thanks for the comment back. When I was walking to work I was listening to you videos. You are super helpful and all around wonderful human. Thanks for just being you man :)
Funny thing is... staying at that job was and still is the right thing to do. Making the leap in the springtime if the cards are dealt right!
bank charges, the wife and bringing in 6 figures from 3 new accounts. ive been following you for the past year or so and the relations is quite trippy and very helpful knowing the struggle is real great info that has kept me focused i wish for you the best and most successful ventures my friend.
Man your videos help me out so much as a new business owner going on 4 years
You've got this!
I am realizing because of the Great Keith Kalfas where I have been going wrong all these years. This is my 4th year in business and I am learning that I entered into the business with the attitude that if I undercut the market rate I would get more business. I got jobs but I was finding it hard to survive. I have know learned from The Great Keith Kalfas I have to make money for my work. No more of letting the customer play buddy buddy with me and acting like he is trying to help me out. I am trying to get new customers which is going slowly but my current customers I am finding it hard to get the price to the level I want it to be at. I have started doing the fixed rate pricing on some work and I have lost a few bids because I know someone else came in lower. I want 2019 to be a killer year and I want to see things that I have not seen before. I am now seeing how I have left money on the table. I guess it is how I was raised, don't take advantage of people. I am not trying to take advantage of people but I am also not going to let people walk all over me anymore. I do have 2 customers that I do not charge full rate though. My first customer. I started doing work for him back in 2006. He has a very powerful position and has referred me out to the point over 25% of my customers are because of his referral. I respect that and there is more to that customer but I am not taken advantage of either. And my best friend. The rule with payment with him is just pay for supplies, t-bone/porterhouse steaks (24 oz min.), and a bottle of Jack Daniels. lol He has been my best friend for 19 years so it is a little different. But the 1 rule I stand by with my best friend is the Jack Daniels stays closed until the work is all done. I do not mix alcohol with work. He will even say that I don't mix.
Thank you Keith. If I emailed you a pic will you give me your thoughts on the tree? I have a tree with a 45 degree lean.
Clients are not friends, as soon as they bring up anything personal direct it toward the work.
Just found your channel from watching Brian's lawn maintenance! I like your personality you have alot of info washing around in that brain of yours! Being at a normal job these things don't go through people's minds! Most people are worried about what NFL player is injured this week!
We appreciate you kieth, thanks for sharing
Thanks a lot man.
Great video. I leave money on the table cause my family comes first and sometimes it interupts my business. What I accomplished this year was strictly doing lawn care (mowing). Now that its winter I've been only doing mulch intalls.
I feel you man. The family life business balance is not a fair game. But it must be played very carefully.
My side hustle business encompasses pest control, property maintenance and Handyman repair! I did this because I have access to a large pool of customers from my 9-5 doing pest control/outdoor services and wasn't willing to leave money on the table any longer. I do agree though, at a certain point you must have a solid focus or you will dilute your work while trying to just make money. For now though, As long as its work I can stand behind and make money, ill do it! Sometimes the learning process is just as valuable. Most profitable thing I did in 2019, since im seeing this now, mulching and bed maintenance. Love it and its pure profit.
Hell ya just started watching him to. Love The Knowledge.
Keith,
You know how you make a fire, and you stoke it, get it going really well... and then it takes off and all you have to do is feed it a couple new logs here and there to keep it going? I’ve done that with my business.... But then, you know how the next day, that Fire is still smoking and there are barely any coals left, but there is still slightly some life in the fire with smoke trickling out? That’s me now - BEYOND Burn-Out! I am the “used to be fire”, that now had smoke barely trickling out of it...
This is right on the money my man! Thank you for discussing this. EVERY
Business Person needs this advice and even if they have heard it before, they need to hear it again, and again, and again. Because we all go through different stages of our business and whether we all admit it to ourselves or not, the pitfalls or traps, are always there and the more we grow the more those old “traps” become camouflaged.
Stay focused my friend and keep up the good work! I’m gonna throw another log on the fire and rekindle this thing with a renewed focus so that I can rise from the ashes this spring and make 2019 even better and stay true to what I love the most in my business.
I missed out in 2018, left money on the table, by NOT sticking to my pricing and by not trusting my gut on employees, because I am great at my expertise and killed it but didn’t charge what I should have.
God speed brother!
Awesome man. I think you would love the book Emyth Mastery. You're gonna crush it dude.
I can relate.
Gotta have conviction in the professional world.
Some ways I left money on the table was not being able to get a couple yards done every 7 days. With raining and being solo I could only make it every 10 days a couple times here and there. So next season I’m hiring someone.
For sure man. You're gonna be swamped again next year. So if you feel it's the right time. Then, you got this bro.
As always very motivational video Keith 👍. One of my most profitable moments was athena the very beggining, but with a down turn at the end due to the lack if hands to handle more projects. We end up speeding up the project so that we can move on to the next projects, but we end up returning back because some things went off place during the process of construction. Again, it was one of the most profitable, but definitely didn't last for so long. We end up spending more money when we came back to fix it because it was within the guarantee period for my customers. Watching your videos about systemizing really pushes me to take action otherwise I know it will just keep happening. This is not the 1st year that has happening to me.
I know you hear this everyday but Damm it man you got my ass inspired to go out an get it hustle hustle hustle become my own boss live the American dream I stay out here alot of competition all that means I have to work harder an set my self apart
It all comes down to what fits you,what meets your needs and what is your comfort range in the whole risk vrs reward game. Buying expensive equipment to tackle large jobs is not right for everyone( huge risk/huge reward), trying to grind it out with a ton of small invoices( little risk no expensive equipment but many minor rewards) may not fit everyone. Set your 2019 revenue target goal .Select your path that you are comfortable with that fits you best and just do it. Life is short, it goes by fast enjoy it while you have it.
Your still aggressive Keith, the terrain is just much steeper now. Can't wait to see were you take your channel!
I just started my business and had 3 clients but i didn't do a "good job" so now i have zero, i also lost some money, and feel really down, im trying to think positive but would appreciate any advice you guys could give me
Wow I didn't even notice the smile direct Club retainers! Good for you man! It's funny how in life we are so aware of our own flaws and how we assume that others are also aware of them. And it's even funnier how our own Consciousness/focus/energy can highlight our own flaws to others who would've never even noticed them unless we had pointed them out. It's like we wear our scars on our sleeves, which puts blood in the proverbial water so to speak, which then in turn draws in the sharks. when we take a step back and look at it from the third person perspective, our self perceived flaws blend in with the bigger picture (Gestalt) and become unnoticeable. A little objective introspection can be very eye opening when it is truly objective. Gotta let go of the ego/ l'eggo of the Eggo.
P.S. I just made that up and I didn't even have waffles this morning. Feel free to use that if you want I will only charge you a thumbs up.
Keep being you man!
You Da Man!
I dunno why I watch your videos I’m not into landscaping, I trade stocks for a living. I left lots of money on the table closing trades out before I should have, but I’m up 578% for 2018 so I cant really complain too much. Also I left money on the table by not negotiating lower trading fees sooner.
Tree planting... I had an estimate for about $15k that I failed to close because lack of knowledge... it was for an entire new commercial construction... red maples and all of other 12 ft trees
Knowledge is king...keep reading up and learning. Good luck to you
I try to communicate with all my clients,but alot are 1 hit wonders,but I do have two repeats..so I'm happy that I started this business but like you said on an earlier vid,it will have you stressed n give anxiety..
For sure man
Heck ya we can relate and you helped me start my bissiness but i have only just begun my journey. - thanks Keith! - Broga lawn & service
How’s your business going?
Video is gold. Like where the channel is going.
Money left on the table.
Not wanting to work sat Sunday. Tried to schedule only mon to fri.
Another is listened to friends. Let's go out. Stay up then I'm feeling like crap the next day....already drawing my line and separating the bull crap.
Keep em coming
Nice. What's up Gene
Fired up.
Fired up is all!
I knew something was different with your channel can't blame you for taking it a different direction. . . Not going to lie I miss the old videos but you can't be creating free competition for yourself not a good idea
Biggest loss was a client that had 5 dead trees he wanted gone. Met back up with him. He says, "go ahead & do it". I wasn't ready though. Asked if could do it on the weekend, because I was just booked.
Next day he says his wife wanted to have another company do it. They had bidded before me.
I had also agreed to do a whole bunch of other stupid stuff, with the expectation of getting those tree jobs in the end.
Great advice! Thanks!
love it keith ! Im starting my channel today just picked up a computer and go pro!
Nice bro. Good stuff
Keith, you made this badass blog talking about customer relations and how it is important to not get personal. You specifically mentioned a customer getting off topic and slumping into a pit that was personal to them but had nothing to do with her lawn care. You also brushed up on what to say and not say leaving the customer to admire you instead of judge. Then you got into a very cool topic on ora and our ability to think, and answer, explaining how our brains work at a level of chemistry...then you even go, as u are sitting in your trucked parked, wow, I can't believe I am even telling u guys this and that's all I saw. Do you know which one I am talking about? I have been going thru tons of your videos every weekend for the last month. I have to know what you were going to say!
Haha yes!
@@keith-kalfas top secret huh!?
I left a ton of money on the table by starting to late in the year. I didn't start until the end of July first of August. But, even being that late in the year, it actually took of quicker than I thought it would. Where I made money was finding all my new equipment (new to me) for dirt cheap, I mean DIRT cheap, and it all works! Here's to 2019! Hopefully we all make better and smarter choices!! I know I will.
Where did you find equipment? Craigslist?
@@keith-kalfas No. Actually my girlfriends uncle runs a large commercial landscape company down here. They got all new equipment went from Exmark to Toro and from Redmax to Stihl. I got a 36" Metro, 2 48" Vikings, 2 Redmax 7500's and 2 Redmax 7150's an 2 Redmax trimmers (dont remember what those were). All for $200. Not bad at all!
@@keith-kalfas I got a 5x8 trailer. Now I gotta figure out how to get like a 14-16' trailer.
Awesome content, Keith!
+Keith Kalfas
Finding permanence through systematizing parts of your life is so beneficial.
I have gotten better about it, but I'd say I am still temperamentally neurotic.
Now, I can always look at certain objective metrics in my life to see progress; when everything around me is clouded some days, I can always find my way back to my path using my systems.
My top lessons from this year (that I kinda knew already, but guess I decided to learn 'em the hard way...) are 1) Revenue means nothing - only profit counts; 2) Growth is very risky and needs to be done really carefully; and 3) the fastest way to lose money as a business is through payroll - which is to say hiring too many people, or people who aren't working efficiently. Lost so much money this year to mediocre employees who went home really happy with their paychecks. : ( Next year's goal: run lean and focus on maximum efficiency, never sacrifice profits for growth.
Not quitting my job and starting my own thing. Estimating $250,000 with 1.5 guys and I feel like we would make $500,000 this year if I started earlier.
hahaha, 4:23 one second! 😆 Good video man, I appreciate it.
Thanks Dillan
I left a lot of money on the table this year by letting a few customers basically name their own price and I realize now that I need to get my ass in gear and stop being a pushover. I’m way to nice with prices for people that I knew before I owned a business. I need to be more aggressive and stand my ground.
You got this bro
Keith Kalfas Thanks Keith!
Dude this is key today
Why would someone dislike this guy's video? I you don't agree for whatever reason just keep on keeping on.
Exact Truth from Experience here...you can tell ..
Business 101
Thank you for this Keith it helps alot to hear this it verifies my experiences these days exactly..i cant keep doing all this myself...lol
Yes made it to end of video ...
Left money on the table not making it to many estimates that were missed ...
Tim R. The pimp. Wadup doe haha
@@keith-kalfas Finally getting home from work...pushed 4 ton of stone and planted a bunch of cypress trees ...
I also run a small interview project on my channel here as a side project mostly musicians and artists but id be honored to do a short talk with you on video sometime..ive watched you for the past 2 years and you have helped me build my business....let me know..👍
I've got a better chance raising the prices on my clients than my friends ha... my friends are total pricks that just want to take me to the bank instead of being a friend and actually supporting me. They want me to do the job for half off and then they come back later on in life and tell me they helping me out. no man if i give you a deal at half off on a job you needed done, then it is your favor buddy, not mine. i got used and you got a deal. nothing annoys me more than that situation right there.
Boom!
Truth.
We should have raised prices more than what we did. Costs went way up this year. We also need more systems, we are spinning our wheels
I feel you bro. Haha
Awesome video...Thanks for sharing
Hey, it's Keith Kalfas.
Please help me hit 100K subs
Please subscribe 🙏 🙂
👉bit.ly/2gUIwVF
How do you use Craigslist now to advertise your services?
10:28 😂😂😂 I love when the voices start happening
Lol
Hey buddy how you doing thanks for the great video Sure Cut Landscaping Inc
Haha what's up Tim
Brah, And i thought i was the only one!!!!
Im a GC in Maui..Im about to celebrate year 10 in biz.
Left money on massive condo remodels this year. Also learned doing half remodels is not in my best interest.
P.s. Are you headed to maui with Eric Reno?
Aloha Gabe the GC
We might be partnering or actually buying out a tree company that would double our business and get us higher profit margin jobs. You already know how lucrative tree biz is
Love your videos brother!
Thanks brother
I'd like to see you when you're fully cafeinated; bet you're something to behold guy!
Haha thanks.
Always awesome stuff here
Lol
Love the inner monologues- so true with some of these fuckin people !
what a great video and your right about what you told us :)
Thank you Andrew
Gold!!
Number one key to building your elevator is knowing how high and where you want it to take you
Very smart Chris
Thanks again
My dog ran to the front door when she heard your dog.
Good job!
My first client who hired me just fired me. She had the biggest property and pays me the least. Thought she was a friend until them fall leaves start falling and she doesn't want to pay me for double the work...
No one starts a business cause they like running a business. They start a business cause you make more money rather then working for someone else
Lets do Christmas everyday 🤣
I'm working on developing systems in my business for this exact reason. I burned myself out this last year it was my second year in business and my goal was 100,000 and I know exactly what you're talkin about. I feel burned out and I just keep going Through the Motions hoping to get the excitement back. but it's not easy when you feel like that. What Would you recommend to somebody to help them get motivated again?
You got this man. Look how far you've come though right?
The realest
What’s up Skeet Calvass!
+dheadhunter413 what up do
Keith Kalfas I’m trapped as a landscape employee lol
Keith Kalfas we kill it though 500+ mowing accounts a week, 300+ snow removal accounts , the normal mulch, stone, shrub trimming , pruning, sod and lawn installs(seed) , fertilizer and weed control, aeration.
Keith Kalfas thought you said what u do
How do you handle it when your client is too friendly with you and make it impossible for you to demand anything?
Now... it doesn't even get to that point. But for you... You go totally silent... in the phone or in person. Take responsibility but just stand there totally silent.... just relaxed.
Then it will create a mirror... and they will be repelled from you.
Hold up an energetic mirror.
Do you have a response to my other question under your thread? I have another client that is very manipulative in their negotiation (whether it's intentional or not I'm not 100% sure)
But dang maybe my weakness is that I have few friends outside of business. That's 90% of why I'm so talkative. Maybe that should be my goal in 2019.
“I baby my dogs and they walk all over me” 😂😂😂
Lol
Anybody else calling bullshit with the guys in the ads saying they can teach you to make a billion dollars in a month.
Do I go an get a business license then go get the customer or get a few customers then go ligt need info on this
The mistake I made this year was advertising on Google instead of sticking to what I know and getting 10000 flyers dropped a month for landscaping and I also try to open up a roofing company and it didn't work out so 2019 I know what I have to do stick to what I know landscaping and dropping 10000 flyers every month 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑
i would have dropped out of school asap but i promised mom I wouldn't but i probably lost 10 grand cause i was in school , Also wish I got into climbing way earlier
I literally had a lady tell me the last guy did her yard for $40 I think it should be $60. Plus there is an area across the street. I’m so stupid I told her “well if you were paying $40 to the last guy I think it should be $60 but you’re not going to watch to pay that when you were just paying $40. I’ll do it for the $40. She said oh wow! Really!?? Awesome! When can you start?” How stupid am I right? I’m such a vagina. And she bought a new Lexus this year. Brand spanking new. That last guy wasn’t charging $40 dude I guarantee you that. I’m just a stupid naive push over.
Learn from mistakes brother. That's all.
bet yu w0nt d0 that again my keys are fd up
thats h0w I Iearned its a tough lesson but a good one
Haha lol...we've all done that bro. It's part of the process. I used to do the same stuff.
Keith Kalfas yeah that’s what attracted me to your videos so much when I first found you a while back. You made a video saying how you used to do everything you could to save the customer money and i mean everything you said in that video could have been my exact words to describe me and how I feel. I don’t think I’m a good business owner. I want to help ppl too much and feel guilty making money it’s so stupid. I didn’t grow up in poverty like you always mention a poverty mindset but growing up we have never paid anyone to do anything for us. If we needed something done we did it ourselves. So although we weren’t in poverty we were cheap. And it’s hard to be in business charging people for things that we would have never paid for. So it’s almost the exact same mindset really.
Whats up Keith
Keith,
Can you do a video on what someone that does around 1 million in sales should spend on seo?
Aloha gabe the gc
ask I like to call it Snowball effect right?
I can't remember 2018
i lost out by not newspaper advertising earlier...
I’m a PT solo guy I’m keeping the same prices for 2019. Do you think I should let my customers know next season that I will be raising my prices for 2020 ? I was thinking about raising them about $2.50-$5.50 just to stay competitive.
Grassology4610 always raise your prices we made that mistake and now we’re behind by a lot
What up Keith
Hey what happened? You were talking about speaking with authority and then got off topic lol.
Oops. Haha. Oh yea. Maybe I wasn't supposed to talk about that stuff on this video. Haha
Hey buddy... whats up!?
Whatupdo!
An abrupt ending Keith
Yea. Lol. Camera stopped.
Doggie door collar activated
Before first 🤙
Lol whatupdo
Keith Want to know something funny I don’t own a landscaping company at all but I listen to all your advice.I was working at the Port of Tampa when I started looking at your videos thank you you open up my mind and a month later I walked out I was making $60,000 a year and i remember in one of your videos that $60,000 is peanut .Dude I walked out Started my own company A junk hauling business that turned into a remodeling business that turned into buying and selling homes now I could guaranteed 60,000 a month and I just started my business a year and a half ago and I listen to all your advice is to the T...I went from sleeping on the sofa at 30 working at Home Depot pushing carts from working at the Port of Tampa like a slave doing 100 hours a week.All that stopped when I came across your videos now I own my own businesses thank you big dawg...... On another level.
That's amazing Miguel. Congrats brother. Many blessings
Keith is that snow or gray hair lol
It's called, 2017 was a very stressful year. One of my mentors died unexpectedly and I went into a deep depression.
My hair went grey overnight.
@@keith-kalfas Thank you for being this authentic! That really helps! Have a great and healthy "rest of 2018"! K
@@keith-kalfas
Damn Keith...sorry to hear that. Remember your a mentor to a lot of people too. Thanks for posting
Though year for me :(
Hang in there. You got this.
dude let me see some piano playing bro
is online orthodontics a thing
Now it is
Number 1# never trust a person with a face tattoo... Number two# never trust a person with a face tattoo that has a gun! .....Number 3# Never trust a person with a face tattoo and two guns!
12M Views never trust someone without any tattoos