Dear Lawn or Landscape Business Owner:
The results have been pouring in over the last 3 days. The last count shows 377 responses. We read each and every comment.
In case you missed it. We asked ONE question: What’s the single greatest challenge you face in your business today?
This isn’t a multiple choice question. It’s an open ended question with no limit to the amount of words you can use or details you choose to provide as you answer this thought provoking question.
We’ve found that we can learn a tremendous amount about our clients, how they think, the exact words they use and the amount of passion that goes into THINKING about their business challenges. We’ve used this survey question since 2010. This helps us keep our eyes and ears on the top challenges faced by real lawn and landscape business owners.
The #1 challenge reported continues to revolve around employees. By far, the people challenge is still the biggest challenge for lawn and landscape business owners.
The details and descriptions vary from response to response. We see words like “hiring”, “retaining”, “keeping”, “training”, and “motivating” …but it all comes back to people – employees – teammates. We will have more on this in a minute.
The NEW Challenge for 2022?
We’ve spotted a new trend in the responses for our 2022 survey. The #2 challenge is the one we fear the most.
Here’s a few of the comments we’ve just read:
- Low to no profit.
- Dwindling profits.
- Low margins.
- Cash flow stinks.
- Costs are rising faster than we can raise our prices.
- Inflation is killing us.
- Gas prices have sucked us dry.
- Low ball competitors.
We could go on and on…but this should give you an idea of what we are being told today.
Yes…inflation is making a significant impact on Profit in 2022!
We’ve invested the majority of our time, energy and efforts in 2022 reporting on how inflation is impacting costs in landscaping companies…and most importantly – what to do about it.
And for some reason…we just ain’t connecting the dots with a lot of our readers.
You see…
These two BIG problems – PEOPLE and MONEY – These two problems are connected. It’s that old conundrum often called the chicken and the egg. But in this case…we KNOW what problem comes first. It’s the money problem!
You can fix your people problem when you have enough money. It’s almost always impossible to consider fixing a money problem by adding MORE people. Nope.
You gotta get this MONEY problem fixed. Listen…
Everything that happens in your lawn and landscaping business is subservient to how you price your work.
If you foul up pricing your work…everything that you try to do in your business to fix the people problem is going to be harder. Money can solve the people problem!
More money can allow you to:
- Increase your marketing and advertising for attracting employee prospects
- Increase your pay rates for existing employees and new hires
- Increase your benefits package
- Increase the training you provide your team
- Improve the equipment you provide your team
- Decrease the pain and pressure caused by poor cash flow
- Give you the confidence to raise prices so you get MORE MONEY!
Yep. Fix the money problem and the people problem will be much easier to fix my friend. That’s not just an opinion. It’s exactly what we’ve learned as a business owner over the past 34 years. And it’s exactly what our students learn AFTER they fix their pricing/estimating system in their business. Here’s an email we received a few days ago. If you don’t believe us…perhaps you will believe Matt.
Subject: Reserves
Hi Tony,
I wanted to thank you for your advice to have (1) year of overhead in cash. I have heard you say that many times and thought it was a good idea.
However, I never really knew the positive impact that would have on me mentally and for my business.
I have not quite reached my goal. I am about 2/3 of a year’s overhead currently.
I have to tell you, I have never felt such little stress, not to mention a whole lot more confidence.
As you know, my business model is a bit risky as we are 100% focused on design build projects with a very specialized crew, I have always felt a lot of stress with a type of operation like this.
Knowing that those funds are in the bank, take away all the worries as I know I can solve almost anything now. If my key guy disappears, I can shut down if I have to until I find and train a replacement.
If the economy goes to crap and work is not as easy to find, I don’t really care!
I really think you should encourage other contractors to pursue this idea, it’s the best!
Thanks again,
Matt Ward
President
ONA Landscaping LLC
We appreciate Matt’s feedback very much. He’s sharing a real personal story about how improvements in MONEY are impacting his personal life. It takes courage to share these details. Matt’s story could be YOUR story.
Here’s your chance.
We’d like to help you get this MONEY problem fixed. We’re holding the highly rated Profit Builder Training event very soon.. We have a few seats still open. IF you own a lawn, landscape, hardscape, concrete or pool construction company, you are invited to attend. You can bring your spouse, key employee or accountant with you if you like.
We will teach you how to fix your money problem…regardless of what’s going on in the macro economy. Remember what we have shared here today. This will NEVER change.
Everything that happens in your lawn and landscaping business is subservient to how you price your work.
And yes…we mean EVERYTHING!
It’s very unlikely that working longer hours will fix your money problem. You can try to become more efficient by buying better equipment or hiring better employees, but the money problem rarely goes away. Your quickest, easiest and most predictable way to improve your money is to fix your budgeting and estimating system.
Why work? Why take on the risk of contracting if the financial gain is poor? The answer is really pretty simple. You shouldn’t!
It’s time to pause. It’s time to stop complaining about the people problem. Don’t try to blame slow paying, price shopping customers on your money problem. There’s only one person who could take your company to the next level by building big cash reserves like Matt has done. That’s YOU!
Learn how to build a business that builds cash by learning how to build a budget and estimate jobs correctly. We can teach you these skills in the Profit Builder Training program. Your financial future is your responsibility. The good news – we can help you take years off the learning curve. Click here to get the details.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Tony Bass, founder
866-923-0027
