I couldn’t imagine starting out without another source of income just to help get through the winter. It took me 4-5 years to feel really comfortable making it through the winter but I can also blow through 10k a month. Get ready to spend a lot of money on websites and marketing. You’ll never make it if you don’t. When I first started out I spent 3 grand on a website and $700 a month on SEO to get me on the first page and another couple hundred a month on ppc ads. I knew what my potential was because I saw others doing it. I was lucky enough to meet a guy who without knowing became my mentor and I somewhat modeled my business after his. I’m not a used car salesmen like some others in this industry by I do damn good work and I take pride in it. Over the years that has created an extremely loyal customer base who wouldn’t go somewhere else even if it was half the price. Now every time I think things are about to start slowing down I get an influx of calls from repeat customers and book up a couple weeks in a day. When you start getting repeat business on top of new business you will be busier than you can imagine. It takes time and consistency. I had people fighting me the whole way. Every winter my in laws were trying to pressure me into getting a real job and now I rub it in their face every chance I get. There’s nothing like proving people wrong but you have to be committed and willing to invest and take sacrifices especially during the winter.
So, your partner has done this for 7 years and hasn’t started his own business yet. You stole from your previous employer by taking his contacts. You seem to have little knowledge about the industry for the combined number of years of experience. I see some used equipment being sold on craigslist in a couple of months.
@HydroPlus I appreciate the wise words, I was actually going to take a bit of time from work all together to “decompress” from running myself ragged and use the time to do more research on the necessary licenses and permits because I STILL can’t even find what business tax this occupation would even fall under! All this stuff is a little overwhelming at first glance but I’m trying to make sense of what I need to get together!
Also I was actually thinking about a job at Amazon or somewhere to keep me going!
Hire good people, give them good jobs, and good things will happen
@Innocentbystander I see where you’re coming from bud and I completely get it but at this point we’ve been doing this long enough to want to see whats on the “other side” of it all lol I know you might disagree with MY experience but I know what we’re capable of and time isn’t exactly an issue either so…
Good luck. I’m just happy for your old boss.
It is much appreciated good sir! I’d like to think all parties involved would be happier further down the road anyway!
There are almost 13,000 members of the forum. 105 new sign ups in December and 56 engaged daily viewers. That doesn’t include a significant number of readers of the forum who don’t engage, i.e. post, like, comment…
I haven’t read all of the comments because I couldn’t really make it past the first 7 or so. A fair number of us employ subcontractors regularly or employees and to read your original post made me momentarily furious, then disappointed. You probably don’t care and that’s totally respectable. To each their own.
However, if your boss isn’t one of the readers, there’s a fair chance he’s been to the forum a time or two. Who knows? The worst thing you can do is burn a bridge. I saw a mention of scalping. I’m not sure if that was your original intention, but if your boss has run a business long enough to employ someone for 7 years (which is damn near IMPOSSIBLE in the service world) scalping customers is the first and easiest way for him to bury you before you start.
Strictly my opinion, but trying to work together with him if you want to set out on your own as subcontractors and sharing a market which he is obviously doing well enough in to hire people in a tough business to hire in might be a more pragmatic approach.
If he hasn’t read this already, I’d just thank my lucky stars for 8 years of employment between you because if he has read this… neither of you have a job anymore or a chance at surviving your market. Good luck to you.
Might’ve been prudent in the original post to leave out any employment details of you and your partner and a picture of your easily identified trailer. Not too late to remedy that either.
Second awful decision: A partner.
Good luck.
@squidskc it’s saddening to know we’ve made some moves that are frowned upon but scalping was never the intention nor was it our intention to use such a tactic to generate “side work” but I alone have had about 4 people insist I take their number and out of respect have indulged them enough to take down their contact info but again that wasn’t the “plan” to generate business
@squidskc And the forewarning is very much appreciated but if my previous employer happens upon this I hope there’s no hard feelings but if he can get an insight into what would actually be considered fair pay that might be nice for his next guys
I wouldnt mind making $100 a day. I work at TSC i made $77 dollars today before taxes and ill be making $44 tomorrow before taxes. 
Other than benefits self-employment is the way to go. First year self-employed i doubled my income.
@Grizz dang, I must’ve had it easy in comparison loool I never imagined liking spam could be a job requirement! It must be a part of the optimal pressure cleaners diet or something
Don’t underestimate this
Definitely over paid and under worked, lol.
Thats great… little birdie told me there is room for 1 more landscaping crew in that area too, better hurry up though.
Fair pay is the amount decided upon between boss and employee. No one forced you to accept the wages he offered. To work less than your best for the wage agreed upon is theft by the employee. You seem polite and open to advice. I appreciate that. Go ask for your job back, or find another. A partnership between two that were dishonest to an employer will never last. Both of you know the other will steal from you.
Partnerships are bad pretty much always.
Really thankful you guys were all able to chime in before the year was over! All of you have offered some sound advice/criticisms that has really given me much more to think about as I take on this endeavor.
Also I reached my post limit before the new year so: Happy Late New Year!
