On average, an American household spends $616 on lawn and gardening activities every year. So, this line of work is highly demanded and would pay itself off nicely with the right approach.
If you have an eye for beauty and a passion for hard work, you have the first 50% of the desired skills necessary to start a landscaping business. Yet, it’s not all about your intuitive understanding of the work – a business is a business, so you must do it by the book. At AroundWire, we’re here to help and guide you! Let’s check what steps you must take to start a thriving and genuinely functional landscaping endeavor.
We’ll cover the basics here, so don’t expect detailed outlines and revenue calculations. Our goal is to help you gain a greater understanding of the processes and operations behind the curtain. Starting a business is like starting your PC—if a single detail is malfunctioning, the whole thing will refuse to power on.
Research the Market
First things first—you start by researching local landscaping needs. Scan the area near you for potential clients, check what’s trendy this season, and pinpoint the most in-demand solutions. This will help you tailor your services accordingly, with greater reach and better results.
Don’t forget to see what your competitors are up to! Try to understand what they’re really good at and what they’re lacking. Use their weakness to your advantage by filling in the gaps.
Also, make sure you segment your customers according to the services they require; these can be residential, commercial, municipal, etc. Every segment requires a certain approach and a certain set of skills. Joggle around them wisely to get more gigs.
Develop a Business Plan
Get started by identifying all the services you can offer. These may include lawn care, garden design, hardscaping, irrigation system setup, etc. All of those services might come in handy since you may never know what your next gig will be all about.
It’s essential to establish clear goals and objectives. Move from one goal to the next and follow the time-proven SMART system. Your goal needs to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
No business can start without a proper budget. Detail all financial projections as much as possible. These should include startup costs, operating expenses, revenue forecasts, pricing strategy, etc.
Don’t Forget about Legalities
It begins with the basics—defining your business structure. The legal structure may take on many forms. It could be a sole proprietorship, a joint venture (partnership), an LLC, or a corporation—you name it! Define your business model and pick the legal option that suits your needs.
Licensing and permitting are all essential for operating a full-on landscaping business. Get contractor licenses and environmental permits. It all has to be in order – otherwise, you won’t be able to activate legally.
Finally, you need to take good care of your insurance. Cover all grounds – general liability, worker’s compensation, and vehicle insurance, to safeguard your landscaping business as much as possible.
Gear Up!
Your tools are your allies, so don’t forget that! Invest in high-quality landscaping equipment; you won’t regret it. Mowers, trimmers, edgers, blowers, fertilizers—these are all essential for your business, so make sure you get the best ones that will last long and serve you better!
You’ll need plenty of supplies, so establish good connections with vendors and suppliers who can hook you up on a need basis. Purchase in bulk to minimize expenses, calculate in advance, and get all supplies early, where possible.
Any piece of gear requires maintenance from time to time. Implement rigorous maintenance practices in your schedule to ensure that your tools are in good condition and ready to do some good work.
Build a Crew
There’s no I in the word team, and you’re only as good as your team is. Recruit seasoned experts who know a thing or two about landscaping. Review their qualifications carefully, check their professional experience, and see where they stand regarding their work attitude.
Even with a great team, the sky’s the limit! Invest in regular training to help your crew uphold their stellar qualifications. They should be current with all the latest tech advancements, safety protocols, industry standards, etc.
To retain the best specialists in your crew, maintain a positive work environment for the team and compensate their efforts fairly.
Grow, Expand, Skyrocket
Starting a landscaping business is one thing. Being able to find more jobs and gigs is totally different. Well, you could cut corners with AroundWire.
Our platform grants you instant access to landscaping jobs near you. Signing up is free, and we don’t charge for service listings. Give it a go and see your landscaping business thrive!
Stay the Course
Starting a successful landscaping business is one thing. Maintaining it and working around the competition is far more important. A winning endeavor is a sum of all the things listed above, so stick to every trick in our book and don’t deviate from your global goals and daily objectives to achieve great results in the long run.
