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Lawn Care Business

 ... just released! | Lawn Care Business Marketing Tips - GopherHaul Blog

Spring is almost here and many of our regular lawn service customers are getting ready to distribute door hangers in their local neighborhoods. Door Hanger Advertising is a great method to use for growing your lawn care business.If y 00004000 ou are considering door hanger distribution, here are a few things you should consider.

1- Divide Your Market Into Groups

Group A: Homes in the neighborhood that already have a lawn service. Within this group are:

  • Customers that are happy with their lawn service
  • Customers that are unhappy with their lawn service
  • Customers that consider their lawn service "just ok", or nothing special

Group B: Homes that do not have a lawn service. Within this group are:

  • Potential customers that think they can't afford a lawn service
  • Potential customers that no longer want to mow their own lawn due to age or health
  • Potential customers that might need work done occasionally

2 - Create A Special Offer For Each Group

When creating a special offer, be aggressive. It's hard to get potential customers to change their habits. Whether you are trying to get them to fire their current lawn company and hire yours, or to stop doing the work themselves, you've got to give them a strong enough incentive to get them out of their "comfort zone".

Here is an example of a strong offer that has been used successfully by lawn services. Headline - "NEW CUSTOMER INVITATION: FREE LAWN SERVICE! Details in smaller type - Pay For 2 Cuts At Our Regular Low Price and Your 3rd Cut Is FREE!"

That works out to be a 33% discount on the first three cuts. After 3 cuts, if they like your work, you've probably got a regular customer.

Don't make the mistake of evaluating the success of your door hanger advertising campaign by considering only the first purchase a customer makes. Look at the lifetime value of a customer. Here is a link to an easy to usecalculatorthat can help you determine the lifetime value of a customer.

Remember that the purpose of your door hanger is to generate a lead. You've still got to make the sale. So be prepared. Answer the phone live if you can and if you must use a recorded message, let the caller know that you will return the call quickly (the quicker the better).

Don't worry about having the lowest prices and don't get annoyedif the prospect seems to focus on price. The reason most callers start off with price questions is because they don't know enough about the lawn service business to ask other questions. So, be prepared to defend your prices by describing the differences between you and your competitors.

When you give a price, look for a reaction from the prospect. Some potential clients may beembarrassed to question your prices. This is a "hidden objection" that you can dispose of by addressing it head on. For example you might say, "if you are shopping for price, you will find that the rates of most of the qualified lawn service companies in town are within a few dollars of each other. We not the highest or the lowest, however our service is way above average. Here's whya.."

Keep close track of which offers are working best and then fine tune your door hanger before mailing again. Door Hanger Advertising is an on-going process. You've got to distribute, track response, fine tune and then distibute again. After awhile your response rates will become predictable and your business will be growing along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    How should I make my lawn care Business?
    Me, and 2 other guys have begun planning a lawn care/landscaping business. We've discussed what we thought was needed to make this project successful. We discussed prices, tools and everything required? But can i get some opinions on successful ways to do this project?

    • ANSWER:
      I think you should check this out! I have a successful Landscape/Construction company. This will help.
      http://bit.ly/cbxI8m

  2. QUESTION:
    How do I start a lawn care business from scratch?
    I am 18 and I'm getting into lawn care with two other guys. None of us have much money and between us we have a couple of mowers, a couple of blowers, and a few weedeaters. We don't even have a trailer to haul all of this around so to start out we will have to stay local. We do have 600 business cards that we will be passing out soon though and ten clients all within our local residential area.

    Help me out. What kind of things should I do?

    • ANSWER:
      do a good job and start with a low rate, you will soon have all the work you need ,
      after you establish plenty of work than you can start slowly raising your rate to be more inline with your competition.

  3. QUESTION:
    How do I start a lawn care business?
    I would like to start a lawn care business from the bottom. What equipment will I need? What will startup costs be? What are some unique options for advertising? Any advice is welcome.

    • ANSWER:
      Get a lawnmower, knock on the door, negotiate a price, and start cutting.

      If you do a great job, she will tell her neighbor.

      Keep a record of your a. new customers
      b. expenses
      c. income

      Start out simple and work your way up. You will know what to do as you go along.

  4. QUESTION:
    How to make money in the lawn care business?
    Me and some guys are starting our own lawn care business this summer out of high school. I need to know how i can maximize profits and make the money i keep hearing people can make. Also I need ways to attract customers cause right now i dont have any. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      i started my business about 6 six months ago with a help from this book http://bit.ly/bflToE

  5. QUESTION:
    Registering a lawn care business in the great state of New Jersey?
    I am looking to register a lawn care company I started as a business so I can do things by the books etc. Well first, I am not sure what type of business I have a LLC,LLP,proprietorship.... Basically what I am looking to do is register this business so I can pay taxes on the income recieve and how would you set the taxes up as in once a week,month,year or quarterly?

    • ANSWER:
      You will want to start an LLC most likely. Im not sure about in New Jersey, but in New Mexico and LLC is a separate entity so if someone sues my business they cannot get my personal assets. Then, google "New Jersey Articles of Organization. That is what you will need to start your LLC. Then, get your EIN from the federal Gov, its free and only takes a minute online, and you need to get a business license from your local government, i.e. your county.

      There is a lot of information you need to learn but just remember to keep it organized. Get a large binder and any information you get keep it in there and organized. That is what I did and it has become a great reference because I know what I need, where to find it, and its accurate. I takes a bit to learn how things work, but in the end, knowing and having the binder is a major time saver.

      Also, you will need to learn about merchant accounts to accept credit cards.


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How To Start School Business

Starting Out: How to start a health and beauty business - Getting a ...

In this bad economy, people are looking to start a home based business with minimal cost outlay and low monthly fees.

My name is Brent Vanderstelt and I am an Expert Internet Marketer and successful home based business owner. What I am about to review here will simply blow you away on how easy and inexpensive it can be to get started and be successful in not one business, but up to three separate business opportunities.

I have been involved in home based businesses and specifically, network marketing for many years. Until I started getting emails from people asking what is the cheapest way for me to join my business, or having to say aI am interested in your business, but I need to save up the money to joina, that it became very clear that my primary business opportunity was letting most people slip through the cracks.

I am going to reveal 3 incredible businesses that you can start right now for JUST 0.00, get a marketing website complete with a automatic email responder, contact manager, calendar and a source of excellent residual income.

Business #1. Magnetic Sponsoring. You can become an affiliate for Magnetic Sponsoring that pays decent money and pays frequently for sales made from your affiliate business with Magnetic Sponsoring.

Get the Free Magnetic Sponsoring 7 Day Video Boot Camp by Mike Dillard. Mike has personally helped thousands of network marketers go from "zero to wealthy" in as little as a few weeks. And many of his students have achieved total financial freedom in almost every MLM company in the business.

With Magnetic Sponsoring and little effort through writing articles on your online marketing website, business opportunity #2, you can easily make .00-0.00/monthly without ANY expensive advertising. You can start making money right away with Magnetic Sponsoring. Cost .00 no monthly fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Hoping to start a small business consulting firm, any help?
    I hoping to start a small business consulting firm that specializes in technology, marketing, and similar services. I don't have any formal education, but I'm about to start business school, and I have worked in my aunt's small business for several years. I've helped her grow a lot and she suggested I give helping others a shot. Basically, I need tips on how to attract clients, and how to persuade them that my advice is as valuable as a much more expensive firm. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      to try to do this without having a BA/BS or MBA and 5 yrs experience with business repairs for
      others....will be a challenge.

      If you were to charge -15 an hour and stuck to hi-tech, you could do it.

      I suggest for now, you change your approach and write a biz plan for hi-tech consulting
      if you have at least 3 yrs helping people remove viruses and installing printers,
      video cards, etc.

  2. QUESTION:
    How can i Start a secret business with friends at school?
    I want to start a small business at my middle school.I have done it before and made alot of money but i want to take to the next level and hire workers. But i dnt know how many. I think am going to sell packs of gum and candy but I thought know what prices i should sell it for. and how many workers i should have and how much I should pay them. Plz replay back. p.s . what else can i sell
    Thanks in advance

    • ANSWER:
      I cannot tell you because it is a secret.

  3. QUESTION:
    how can i start a school business.I want to open my own school?

    • ANSWER:
      find about 200 people willing to pay you to teach them, would be a start.

  4. QUESTION:
    How can a high school student start a business with about 00 capital?
    I am interested in business and I want to start small, while I am still under my parents coverage so I have room and time to learn and understand how stuff works, and hopefully something that will make me a few bucks. Any suggestions? I live in a medium population city, also about 30 minutes from Chicago. Any ideas on how to do this would be helpful

    • ANSWER:
      Here are some ideas, hope it gives you some light bulb moments and helps you decide on a good business to busy yourself with.

      1. First, find out what you are really interested in. Do you like the idea of buy and sell? What are your skills? Do you have excellent computer skills? Do you have very good writing skills?

      2. If you are into buy and sell, create your own online store.

      3. If you're a really good programmer, create your own web developing or software company. There are many free tools online that you can use to make it possible.

      4. If you're into graphic design, create your own web design company.

      5. if you're an aspiring writer, create your own website and offer writing services.

      6. But first do some research, find out where you are better suited. Find out where you can apply your skills and abilities the most.

  5. QUESTION:
    What is best advise anyone can give me before i start school for a Bachelor of Science in Business/Admin?
    I am currently 26, i have my high school diploma and i have been working since 1999 with hardly any schooling. I have worked mainly with retail clothing and production companies. Well i was thinking about how my life is now and if it stays this way i am going to be working for the rest of my life. So i was researching and i feel that a major in business is what i want and need. I just want to know if there is any advise for someone who has been out of school for over 7 years now and is planning on majoring in business. Example if there is any classes i should take before hand or what i was thinking was some math classes and english lit. classes to refresh my memory. Thanks in advance for any advise.

    • ANSWER:
      Before you start, send for your high school transcript. Any college will require that. The first year you will have to take standard Freshman courses, especially English and math. You won't have a choice that year. The second year, you can begin to make some choices. Ask for a counselor and then get to know that person. He/she will help you plan the courses you need to take and when to take them. This will make all the difference in your success or failure. To try to plan your own courses is a big mistake. Learning the study habit again is a major concern, so look for a quiet area you can study in. Kids can stand noise while they study, adults can't.

      I applaud your decision to go to school. This is a big step in your life, but without higher education and a degree, you are on a treadmill going nowhere. Stick with it, especially when it seems like you can't open another book, read another page, turn in more homework. Your computer will be an invaluable aid. You'll need a good dictionary, a good encyclopedia, and a tape recorder that has playback. Headphones are also necessary.

      Go for it, and the best of luck to you!


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Greenthumb Lawn Service

GreenThumb Lawn Service Dungannon 4, Toberdowney Valley, Ballynure ...


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Great Lawn Company

The Great Lawn Company - ManxAds

Find th 00004000 e best Tennessee Lawn Care company for your area with the click of a button. Lawn Solutions has been servicing the west Tennessee are for many years and they are bringing a new service to local customers.

Check Out Tennessee's Lawn Care Company

Lawn Solutions is one of West Tennessee's finest lawn care contractors delivering on-time service through out the year. Creating beautiful landscaping for area residents and businesses has been a trade-mark for this local company for over 20 years.

Whether you need a brand new flower bed or hedge or you just need some mowing and trimming, Lawn Solutions will be more than happy to give you a great deal and quality service. And dont worry about references- Lawn Solutions is a Tennessee lawn care company that has references from many businesses and many homes as well. With a full list of maintenance and installation options, you will be hard pressed to find a job that Lawn Solutions cant do.

Among the many services that this Tennessee Lawn Care Company provides:

  1. Mowing - Large and Small Landscapes
  2. Tree Planting /Trimming
  3. Flower Beds and Flower Trimming
  4. Sod Recovery and Sod Laying
  5. Mulch Laying
  6. Hedge Trimming and Installation
  7. Exotic Flower and Plant Installation
  8. Mini Water Falls
  9. Rock and Stone Design Installation
  10. Plastic And Rubber Installation
  11. Streams and Ponds
  12. Many Kinds Of Soil To Select From
  13. Every Kind of Clean Up Available
  14. Shrub Trimming and Installation
  15. Hill and Mound Creations
  16. Unique Floral Designs
  17. Customer Design Collaboration
  18. Land Build Up
  19. Flood Irragation
  20. Crater Filling
  21. Gravel and Limestone Driveway Installation
  22. And Lots More!

Whatever you need to do to create the ultimate landscape for your home. Just ask and Lawn Solutions will work with you to create real lawn and landscape possibilities.
Improving your homes outward appearance will have long lasting effects. In these tough economic times, we must use the resources we have and improve our own assets. Here are some of the main benefits of professional grade landscaping for your home:

  1. Increase Your Homes Value By 10-20% Depending On Current Market Value
  2. Create a healthy Atmosphere By Adding Oxygen Rich Plants and Flowers
  3. A Beautiful Yard Demands Respect From Neighbors, Friends and Associates
  4. Using A Professional Lawn Service Will Leave You More Time For Your Family -Nothing Could Be More Important In This Economic Climate
  5. Hiring Local Contractors Is Great For Our Local Economy
  6. A Clean and Open Yard Will Keep Varmits From Hiding In Your Yard
  7. Your Children Will Spend More Time Outside
  8. Properly Trimmed Trees Keep Your House Safe From Wind and Storm Damage
  9. Businesses Keep That Professional Image That Will Keep a Strong Customer Base
  10. And Many , Many More

As you can see , the possibilties and benefits are endless. Dont pass up the opportunity live in a truly beautiful environment. Your home should be full of life , or atleast neatly trimmed and cut. For more information on one of Tennessee's lawn care specialists, click the link below.
Dont forget to get your FREE estimate. (All FREE Estimates come with yearly lawn and garden tips via email)

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    I need a great name for my lawn care/garden services company - help please!?

    • ANSWER:
      Marti's Mowing Services, Garden Care- Give us a call beacause we care!, Lawns 'n' More, how about mow 'n' snow

  2. QUESTION:
    Registering a lawn care business in the great state of New Jersey?
    I am looking to register a lawn care company I started as a business so I can do things by the books etc. Well first, I am not sure what type of business I have a LLC,LLP,proprietorship.... Basically what I am looking to do is register this business so I can pay taxes on the income recieve and how would you set the taxes up as in once a week,month,year or quarterly?

    • ANSWER:
      You will want to start an LLC most likely. Im not sure about in New Jersey, but in New Mexico and LLC is a separate entity so if someone sues my business they cannot get my personal assets. Then, google "New Jersey Articles of Organization. That is what you will need to start your LLC. Then, get your EIN from the federal Gov, its free and only takes a minute online, and you need to get a business license from your local government, i.e. your county.

      There is a lot of information you need to learn but just remember to keep it organized. Get a large binder and any information you get keep it in there and organized. That is what I did and it has become a great reference because I know what I need, where to find it, and its accurate. I takes a bit to learn how things work, but in the end, knowing and having the binder is a major time saver.

      Also, you will need to learn about merchant accounts to accept credit cards.

  3. QUESTION:
    What company makes the best lawn mowers engines?
    I am looking for a new lawn mower and would like to narrow my choices down by the the company that puts the best and most reliable engines on their mowers. With that said, any suggestions for a rear self propelled walk behind mower would be great.

    • ANSWER:
      We've had several over the years and hubby likes his Husqvarna with the Honda engine the best of any he's had. We've tried them all and none of them lasted more than a few years. This one is standing the test of time; I bet we're going on a good 6 years now.

      The Honda engines are quieter and have more power than most. We've had Sears, Yard Man, MTD and several others and this is the only one he's consistently been happy with.

  4. QUESTION:
    What should I name me and my buddys lawn mowing company?
    Well me and some girls that live across the street are going to mow, pick up dog poo, and some other lawn care things but we just need a name for it. Our ages are around 12 years. Thanks in advance. P.S (You can make it cute, funny, and kiddish if you want. A lot of choices would be great as well. Thanks again!)

    • ANSWER:
      Teen Green!

  5. QUESTION:
    Husband won't pay to have our grass treated?
    We've had grubs in our lawn since atleast last year (I pulled up some dandelions & discovered them) & they are killing our grass. My husband does a terrible job in maintaining our lawn & refuses to pay someone to do it. Anyways, I found a great lawn company that my sister-in-law uses but my husband doesn't want to pay. I've told him it'll be a lot more expensive to buy all new sod once our grass is completely destroyed...which is happening. What should I do!

    • ANSWER:


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Service Lawn

Professional full-service Lawn Care Services for both

There are two established methods for growing a lawn from scratch. One is to use sod rolls that have already been grown. The second is to do it yourself with seed, fertilizer and water. Pre-grown sod is quick and easy, but becomes rather costly if you are sodding a sizeable area and requires professional installation. Growing your own from scratch is more time consuming and requires some understanding of soil chemistry, the type of grass seed to use for your climate area and the patience that will result in pride of personal accomplishment.

In some new developments, the property doesn't come with a lawn already planted. This means that you have a lovely new home on a bare piece of ground. Moreover, many developers have 'scraped off' all or most of the top soil during preparation of the lot for home building, so you may need to buy and add a new layer of topsoil in order to plant a new lawn successfully. To determine this, you need to purchase an inexpensive, do-it-yourself soil testing kit that is readily available from garden supply stores and nurseries. You can also get the job done by purchasing an inexpensive test that some agricultural extension services can perform for a nominal fee. However you do it, this soil test will tell you if your soil is basically acidic or alkaline by measuring its pH. It will also tell you if the soil is lacking potassium or phosphorous, both of which are necessary for a healthy lawn.

If the soil turns out to be too acidic, you can modify it's pH by adding lime. If, on the other hand, it's too alkaline, you can correct it by adding sulfur. If the agricultural extension folks do the test, they will tell you exactly how much fertilizer is necessary and how often to add it. Once this has been done, you will most likely have to 'rototill in' some compost (or rotted manure), rake it flat and remove any pebbles or other chunks of material that may be present from the construction process.

Selecting the right seed can be a mystery too, since there are so many different candidates available. Most nurseries or agriculture extension groups can tell you or you can ask a neighbor with a great lawn what they used. Be certain to buy the best quality seed since the 'cheaper' varieties produce poorer results. Keep in mind that the climate you live in and the time of year affects your choice of seed since you'll want to plant a lawn for warm or cool seasons. Cool season grass seed includes Perennial Rye grass, Kentucky Blue grass, Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue, which are best when temperatures outdoors average between 60 and 75 degrees F. They will look nice and green for most of the year and then go semi-dormant and become tan during the really hot months of summer. Warm season grasses like Bermuda grass and Zoysia grass are best during the summer months and are dormant in fall, turn tan and remain so until the following spring.

The warm season grasses are best started in the spring while the cool season seed does best if started in the fall months. You can spread the seed by hand (the slow method) or use a seed spreader that can be rented inexpensively at most garden stores and nurseries. Once the seed is spread, you will need to apply water twice each day to keep in the moisture necessary for proper seed germination.

Don't forget that if you have decided to use sod and eliminate all the time and effort required for growing a lawn from scratch with seed, don't apply the sod in winter. The soil still must be prepared as described earlier even with sod to ensure proper growth. Some people even plant small tufts of grass that will propagate by runners in a properly prepared soil. Again, the soil must be prepared as described prior to planting to get a good result.

Whichever technique you select to develop your new lawn from scratch, take your time and pay attention to details, especially when it comes to applying fertilizers or other required soil additives.

Whether you decide to plan new grass seeds or lay down some sod you may want to consider talking to a professional at your local garden center or ask a professional online. They'll be able to give you tips and advice that will help you to make the best decisions for your lawn and they will give you these tips for free. They can also steer you in the direction of the proper items for your lawn in terms of chemicals, seeds and other tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    What would you expect from a lawn service and how much would you be willing to pay?
    I am President / Operations Manager of a lawn service and this is research. It's for my own information so that I can figure out how to better service my existing and future customers.

    • ANSWER:
      I think services generally charge based on the size of the yard and/or the time it takes to do the yard. Also, I think that they charge more for extras like removing leaves, mulching the flower beds and trimming along the walks. Some people may want the trimmed grass, but most do not. Some people may pay more for a "green" service, one that uses electric mowers, mulches the cuttings, etc. Me, I like the exercise.

  2. QUESTION:
    How much should I expect to pay for basic lawn service?
    We have a small house and lot - 1500 sq. ft. home on a quarter acre lot and since we both work and go to school full time and we travel a lot, we're interested in having a lawn service come and do VERY MINIMAL service to our lawn as often as it needs it. How much should I expect to pay just to keep the lawn mowed and edged? I have tried to get estimates, but I can't find a lawn service that will give estimates quickly and I need to know soon! I just want a ball park figure...am I looking at fifty dollars a month or two hundred dollars a month??

    • ANSWER:
      Depending on where you live will determine the cost. Basic law service in the DC metro area for an area about your law size is not going to be more than a month for two visits by the lawn people. This is a pretty high quality job that you would expect, including mowing, trimming the edges, blowing the grass off your walkways and other small basic details that your lawn may call for.

  3. QUESTION:
    my husband is starting a lawn mowing service, what is the going rate for mowing lawns at peoples homes?advice?
    this will be a part-time job. does anyone have any advice or info on starting your own lawn service?

    • ANSWER:
      this is a hard question to answer, reason being i have lived in houses that have less than a half acre to mow, and i have lived where there was 2 acres to mow, now i have 5 acres to mow. you don't want to charge same rate for all three yards, The guy across the road gets his yard mowed, trimmed, branches removed, sidewalks and driveways blown get the works done, it is about an acre to acre and a half he get 150.00 a week.

  4. QUESTION:
    What Customer information is vital on my customer records of my lawn service business?
    I have recently joined as a partner in a lawn service company and I am charged with keeping customer information. This is my first endeavor in a project like this. What information is considered vital, for this business in particular, for tax purposes and customer service purposes. I have a good idea but wanted outside ideas as well. Thank you.

    • ANSWER:
      name address charges and tax. of course. the time and date of the services and always put on the invoice of the present job the date when you serviced thar Consumer last and when they expect service again. and what services were preformed . example mowed front and back lawn, trim ed around walkways and trimmed shrubs ETC.

      but you need information such as , is there a dog in the yard. locked gates ETC. and how many and the location of sprinklers , and obstructions that could damage Equipment.

      the time it took to do the job and the expenses that were iccured to do each job

      and always note if when and what if any problems came up. this is not only accounting . it is called covering your back side.

  5. QUESTION:
    how much should I ask for to do lawn service?
    im 14 and im getting a job doing lawn service this summer. how much should i charge for cutting the grass and should i add extra for weed cutting or other things?

    • ANSWER:
      If your providing the equipment (ie mower/weed eater) then

      1) small -
      2) Med -
      3) Lg and up

      extra for bagging/disposal.Your labor is what you feel comfortable charging.

      My Best


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Starting Business Forum

start me up 3rd business forum for up and running entrepreneurs ...

There are many ways to make a full time income working from home but one of the biggest problems people have is they don't know where to begin. If you are in search for a work at home based business there are many places you can get information on home businesses. One of my favorite place to learn about this subject is forums. In this article we will discuss the benefits of using home business forums for your research before you start a work at home business.

There are a lot of forums on the Internet that you can join for free. If you simply go to any search engine and type in home business + forums, this should give you a starting point for all your research. You can even benefit from some of these forums by just reading different threads before you even join.

These threads are on subjects like: article writing, keyword research, blogging, and etc. You can start learning some of these subjects before you start your home business and get a head start. Remember that you can get all this information for free. Get as much information you can before you start and this will keep you from purchasing things you can get for free.

Another great thing about some of these forums is many of them focus on free ways to market your home business website once you get it up and going. A lot of people in these forums have fallen for scams in the past and pass on quality information to others so they won't fall for the same things. Forums are a group of people where many of the people are in the same boat as you are and is looking for information that would help them market online more effectively.

The administration or veterans in these forums work very hard to give the latest tips, strategies, and techniques to help you become a better online marketer. Even though some forums do charge a monthly fee, the benefits you get from most of these forums are well worth every penny you spend. The greatest benefits you will get besides all the marketing techniques is the money you save from not making the mistakes many people do when they start a home business without any knowledge and dive in head first!

Just remember before you start a work at home based business there are many free ways to learn the things you need to start successfully, and one of the best places to start is a home business forum. Even if you are a complete newbie to the home business arena, this should be your first stop toward your financial independence.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Online forums discussing starting your own business?
    Hi!
    Could someone please tell me about the good forums for people who are thinking of starting their own busines or small business forums.
    Thank you.

    • ANSWER:
      I would stay away from the forums and go to a professional business counselor. If you've never been in business before, I would strongly recommend that you talk to a business counselor before you do anything especially spend money. I'd call the local office of SCORE (go to http://www.score.org and input your zip code to find the chapter nearest you), the advice is FREE.

      The counselor at SCORE will most likely advise you to write a business plan which is very good advice because it will force you to dig out all of the start up details and the costs of starting your specific business and force you to also understand all of the aspects of this business including the customers you'll concentrate on (your market ) and how you'll go after them.

      Try this link :
      http://www.ychange.com/small-business-consulting-articles.html
      and read some of the articles especially the ones about a business plan and starting a business.

      Good Luck

  2. QUESTION:
    Does anybody know about a small business forum on the net?
    I have so many questions to ask about starting a home based business on the internet. I think that there is so many scams out there that i am afraid of buying products that don't help you at all. I think that the best way to go is by learning in forums from experienced persons who have their own business.Any honest help is appreciated. Thank You

    • ANSWER:
      I am very experienced with Internet businesses, as I run a couple of Internet businesses, I buy and sell on eBay and I have some customers who have large internet sales businesses.

      Yahoo answers will not let me publish my web address, but if you write me at yahoo mail, I will be happy to give you any information I can about how to be successful on the web and how to keep from being scammed.

      -- Mark

  3. QUESTION:
    What are some good resource sites for starting a small business?
    I am getting ready to start my own business and I am looking for some web sites that are good resources for tips, information, and advice on starting and operating a small business. Sites with user forums or "ask an expert" are of the most interest as are those that focus on the financial management side of starting a business.

    • ANSWER:
      Here you go:

      Steps to Starting a Business -
      http://www.developer-resource.com/starting-a-business.htm

      Other sites you might find helpful are:
      SBA - http://www.sba.gov/
      SCORE - http://www.score.org
      Small Business Resource - http://www.small-business-software.net
      Business Link - http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home

      Goodluck!

  4. QUESTION:
    Business forum?
    I am thinking of starting my own business, I do have an appointment to discuss the laws etc surrounding my new business venture I would like to gain some information online whilst I am waiting for my appointment date. Does anyone know of a good start your own business forum? UK only.

    • ANSWER:
      Hi

      Try the links below (including one to Business Link, where you'll be able to find lots of advice)

      You could also try contacting your local library for more information, as they may be able to offer more specialist business information.

      Hope this helps!

      Enquire Librarian

      Got a question? Ask a Librarian at www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk

  5. QUESTION:
    Where is a good forum to talk about a new home-based business your currently involved with?
    I have just started a home-based business and would like to have people be involved with it just like me. I would like to be on a forum or something to that affect. Please let me know if there is a such thing. Thanks.
    My home business is marketing all sorts of major companies such as Dish Network, AT&T, Lowes, Kohls, etc. It is an amazing opportunity for any lifestyle. I was just looking for a new way to advertise my business on the internet.

    • ANSWER:
      Congrats on starting your own home based business. What are you involved in? I'm not sure what you mean by a "forum" the best thing for your business is "word of mouth" get referrals from people and get out there and advertise that way. More cost effective economically speaking. That's all I had done to make my own home based business successful. Word of mouth is the best advertisement that can be done and referrals. Start out with family and friends then move onto other avenues. Without knowing what your product is, it's difficult to tell you anything else but general things.
      If you email me with what you do and a web site, if it's reputable, I can refer you over to a blog where you can post it.

      Hope this helps.
      Tiffany


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Lawn Maintenance Landscaping

Rio Grande Valley, TX - Lawn Maintenance - Landscaping - Adams Total ...

The importance of organic gardening and farming has become increasingly popular. People have become more health conscious and do not want to expose their bodies or the environment to chemicals and pesticides. These toxins cause numerous health problems and pollute the land. The importance and value of organic fertilizers cannot be understated. Garden, lawn care and lawn maintenance are best served by using natural organic products and fertilizers.

What makes organic fertilizers different from chemical fertilizers is that the materials are a by-product of vegetables, animals or minerals. The decomposing matter from these sources, break down naturally and will provide nutrients and minerals to the soil. When considering lawn maintenance it is necessary to make sure that the lawn or garden gets the all of the nutrients that it needs for healthy growth. Although nutrients are available in regular soil, fertilizers can provide and ensure that plants have a balanced and sustainable access to the nutrients. Proper lawn care includes providing for the health of the lawn and garden.

One of the benefits of organic fertilizer is that the nutrients are released more slowly than in chemical fertilizers. This slower process allows the plants to process the fertilizer in a more natural way and will not result in over fertilizing which could damage the plants. Another benefit of organic fertilizer in your landscaping and lawn care is that it will actually help to improve the soil itself. It will help the soil to retain moisture. The organic substances can break up clay in the soil. The soil drainage and air circulation of the soil can also be improved. When the soil has the structure and nutrients that it needs, lawn care will be easier.

When considering what sort of organic fertilizer to use, there are a variety of choices. You can ask your lawn care provider if they use organic fertilizers. Having a compost pile is also a great way to get rid of food waste and still contribute to your lawn care and the environment. Other choices could be blood mean or bone meal. In Toronto, mowing is associated with a healthy lawn. Lawn maintenance, landscaping and lawn care are a priority and finding the best fertilizer is key. Natural organic fertilizer is the best choice for the healthy lawn and garden. It is an important valuable option that will help the soil and the environment be healthy and produce the best plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    What are the Fastest ways to get residential accounts for landscaping and lawn Maintenance?
    What are the Fastest ways to get residential accounts for landscaping and lawn Maintenance?

    • ANSWER:
      For residential accounts you must resort to the old fashion way of going out on foot and dropping off personal flyers, etc. I would recomment no hard sell or oversell techniques, and to accept the fact that only a small percentage of people will call back and provide a business opportunity for you. But with those small numbers, if you provide good service, word of mouth brings more customers. This is something that one must expect to develop over time, beginning with a reputation that is attractive to your customer base. I think it's a good idea. The job itself is healthy for you and I admire those who do that. It's the kind of work that give you plenty of opportunity for providing little, unexpensive extras in service, especially for the elderly or disabled.

  2. QUESTION:
    I'm interested in starting a landscaping/ Lawn maintenance business, my question is how do I estimate a job?
    I'm located in Staten Island NYC

    • ANSWER:
      For a landscape estimating class in school we had to buy Labor & Equipment Rates For Landscape Contractors by Charles Vander Kooi. We also had to buy Landscape Estimating and Contract Administration by Stephen Angley, Edward Horsey, and David Roberts. These books are very helpful when trying to estimate projects. As you figure out how long it actually takes to do things you will know how to give a more accurate estimate. An education in horticulture is also very helpful.

  3. QUESTION:
    Landscaping, lawn maintenance & tree service?
    im starting a company this month i want to have some strong messages that will attract my coustomer attention and will wount to hire me. im thinking of living business cards on peoples doors and running advertice on the internet and i also gona do my own web side. any idea will be great how to do better other thank you very much.

    • ANSWER:
      Your best source of advertisement is by word of mouth-customers telling other potential customers. But, until you have the customer base, one of the best advertisements is signage on your truck. It shows that you are serious about your business and you are not a "fly by nighter". Next, print some business cards. Hand these out to everyone you meet! Another thing you can do is take before and after pictures of your work projects. This will be proof to your future customers of what you can do. I hope this helps and good luck to you!!

  4. QUESTION:
    How do I land large corporate lawn maintenance accounts being a smaller landscape company?
    I own a small lawn and landscape company. I would like to get into commercial maintenance. I would like to know how I being a small company can start expanding my business and start bidding larger accounts for landscaping and lawncare as well as snow plowing and removal

    • ANSWER:
      You'll have to start reading the newspaper for ads requesting bids. Also you might want to do the old fashioned pavement pounding by going to companies and setting up appts to hand out cards and quotes in case they are ready for a new company or unhappy with their old one.

  5. QUESTION:
    How important is it to have 1 lawn maintenance company doing your lawn and your neighbors at the same time?
    Would you keep a lawn maintenance company that you are not really happy with; but they do all your neighbors yards too?
    Is it a big deal to have all the yards mowed on the same day?

    If you recieved advertising from a full service landscape maintenance company wanting you and your neighbors to switch over to thier service; with the intentions of doing yours and all the neighbors on the same day...... would you follow up and give it a chance to work?

    • ANSWER:
      A crap job is a crap job no matter when it's done. The only reason to have the lawn guys do it all at one time is so the lawns are all the same height, and look really nice and uniform. If the lawn guys do a crap job, the lawns won't look really nice, they'll look weedy, with trees that aren't trimmed right, and bushes that are all over the place.

      These clowns have only three things going for them that are worth considering:
      1: They do mow all the lawns at the same time, which can look nice.

      2: You know what to expect, consistently, from them.

      3: The whole neighborhood knows and trusts them.

      If you get a new company, you might even be able to have them come on the same day, so #1 is no big deal. It's 2 and 3 that are the main issue. Around here, fliers for new lawn companies are a dozen a day, but how many of them are really as good as the flier says? Moreover, how many of them are legitimate businesses, and not a group of scammers hoping to scope the houses out, and maybe get some keys so they can break in? Most, I'm sure are legitimate, but if you don't know anything about the new company, maybe you should do some research before you have them over for a consultation.

      Of course, it's always good to talk with the neighbors as well, and if you can get a couple of them together with you on this, you might be saving the company enough gas money that they can afford to cut you a discount.

      Find out what the neighbors think about the current lawn guys, and do a little research into the new ones. Any decent company can set you up with a satisfied customer so you can find out how they work, and how the homeowners feel about them. A really good company won't have to, because you'll know someone who uses them.

      Also, if you are part of a homeowner's association, or if you rent in a community, it may not be up to you to decide who mows the lawn, so be sure you're not stepping on any toes, and if you have a specific problem with the current lawn guys, there'll be someone to hear you out on a suggestion like this.


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Care For Your Lawn

How to Care for Your Lawn in Your Landscaping Design

Unique garden dAcor materials are all you need to provide your lawn and garden the perfect finishing touch it needs. You can work your butt off to achieve that distinct landscaping. You can select the finest plants available and hire the best lawn care personnel available. You can spend countless hours fertilizing, pruning, and watering, and your lawn and garden can still appear to be missing something. If you want to jazz up and inject quirkiness to your lawn and garden with the least amount of effort, then garden dAcor materials are right for you. Here are five unique garden dAcor materials you might want to consider placing in your lawn and garden:

Birdbaths

Your lawn is a beautiful place for you to do some bird-watching, and thus, no lawn and garden is ever complete without a birdbath. Birdbaths serve a dual purpose; they offer refreshing water for the birds to drink, and they bring out the beauty of your lawn and garden as well. Select a birdbath that fits the theme and complements the style of your lawn and garden to bring out the best possible results.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    What are some tips for taking care of your lawn?
    I'd like to know peoples opinions on taking care of your lawn. Things like how often to water and fertilize, what's the best time of day to water, how long to water, what to do about bugs and fungus, and one of my worst problems worms. I have to many worms. I know they're supposed to be good for your lawn because they aerate it, but my lawn looks like a land mine field. Mounds of dirt everywhere.

    • ANSWER:
      Not the answer you want to hear...Let your lawn die and start over with something that is more environmentally friendly (native plants often require less water and no chemicals). Be green!

      "The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly a third of all residential water is used for landscaping." (Why do the lawns in the U.S. need city treated water, cleaned? What a waste of energy and resources!)

  2. QUESTION:
    Do you take care of your lawn? If you do what type of lawn care products do you use?
    At irondale high school our class is doing a project the lexus eco challenge. Our topic for our group is lawn care products. we would appreciate it if you would take time to answer our questions :)

    • ANSWER:
      Irondale as in New Brighton?
      Haha, just curious... xD

      Sorry... I don't really have an answer. xD

  3. QUESTION:
    What is your biggest gripe about your lawn care company?
    For those who use a lawn or landscape company for maintenance; what is your biggest gripe about them?

    • ANSWER:
      They break the sprinkler heads off on our rental property and dont fix them or let us know so they can be repaired and the grass dies. Also, they dont speak English so we cant communicate effectively with them.

  4. QUESTION:
    How much do you pay for your lawn care? How often do they come?
    I own a Lawn care service in Georgia and was asking ranges of prices for various work

    The Grass Man LLC
    wayne_cash2002@yahoo.com

    • ANSWER:
      It depends on the economy of the area that you will be doing your work. I used to charge on average, .00 per month per landscape, which averaged around 3,000 sq. ft. of turf area. I would spend about 1 hr. per visit once a week, mowing, edging, and blowing off the walks, porches, and driveway area. This came out to 4 hrs. total time on each property, which comes out to a .00 per hour charge rate. If they wanted me to spray for weeds in the beds or turf area, I would add on an additional charge to the monthly bill, of .00 per gallon of diluted chemical used(usually Roundup and Trimec) in that months time. I would keep track of this for each property so as to make sure I had record of the amount used. During the winter months, when the mowing had stopped, this monthly charge of .00 would include pruning of shrubs and some trees, but I would only spend that 1 hr. doing what I could in that time frame (by doing this you can have job security through the winter). And if it snowed, I would go to all my customers landscapes and remove snow from their walks and driveway, but only for an hr or so. You can usually accomplish this in an hour if you get on your horses. This keeps the customer very happy to have their walks clear from slippery conditions, especially the elderly homeowners. So, I pretty much would keep busy all year round with this work ethic. Try it out, and you can adjust the price according to the income of your particular area. You may charge less or you may charge more. Always have an invoice made up to give to the customer at the end of the month with any added expenses, so as not to "surprise" them with a larger bill than what they thought. Hope this answers your question.

      **Billy Ray**

  5. QUESTION:
    How do you take care for your lawn?
    Fertilizers, ant killing, etc.

    • ANSWER:
      Scott's turfbuilder - best layed in the late Fall. Don't mow too often, the grass will burn up in the heat. healthy, taller grass will crowd out weeds and make nice green lawn when you do mow. keep about 3-4 inches tall. For the ants, they will never die! I have big ant problem and even the exterminator sprayed and they are happy and healthy all over the place.


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Start Your Own Business Free

plates Free Software Downloads and Reviews

Starting your new business is the first step to your huge decision in changing your life. Every person that starts a business no matter how big or small, they all have one thing in common they come across very difficult challenges. Some of the people have good sense in building or selling things but how about the actual business side of the business. Hey, we are not all accountants and number people. Providing a good business plan will increase your chances of success and making everything easier and will give you a estimate on sales. This is the first mistake that every entrepreneur makes; they don't have a good solid foundation on their business plan.

When starting a business figure out if you can start it from your home or especially garage, extra bedroom or dorm room, it really doesn't matter where the point is that you need to keep your start up cost as low as possible. Your money will grow with you not with someone else, so if you can start your businesses in your home do it. Keep in mind that you can write off part of your home as business expense. Speak to your tax professional to get more information about it. This is another way of saving you money when tax season comes, it will save you money.

Another trick to starting with low cost is having your family and friends help you, this will benefit you the most. For the best results a good way of separating the good entrepreneurs from bad entrepreneurs is how well your skills on your business finances are. This is solely the only thing true reasons you went to business in the first place. Develop good knowledge of business finances and how they work, the most important assets in your business is cash. I always like to tell people one phrase aCash Is Kinga.

Don't create a mistake a lot of beginners create and that is not having some knowledge of accounting. Yes, it is boring and takes a lot of time, but we all have to remember that we are in business to make money that's the bottom line. There's a lot of accounting programs out there so far I believe that easiest and user friendly is Quick Books. Quick Books will help you start that business easy and fast, I highly recommend this route. Make life easier for you and concentrate about making money.

Keep in mind that it will be a good idea for you to take some good accounting courses, you will just need a beginners course nothing hard. This is for your understanding and making sure that you can manage your business more efficiently. You will understand numbers better and numbers don't lie, there will be more knowledge available to you and know where are your strengths and weaknesses. This comes as a high priority when you are trying to expand the business, describing how the business is going to pay for the expansion.

When starting the business your cash flow is important to keep on top of this. Your entrepreneurial venture is going to be backed up with hard cash or investor cash. Any investor including you is going to value their investment on two things, management and accounting basics. Here is where your business plan comes to play. Make a projected sale over five years, this projects sales should include how much money is spent and made over five years. Ask yourself how I am going to accomplish all the sales we need to accomplish the five year projected sales. Analyze this report and bring it to realistic goals.

Choosing the correct ideas on starting your business is your start to a successful business. A business will perform a lot better with an realistic plan you can execute and adjust as you go. This is another way to monitor all the fun things about your business performance. The better your plan, the better you will do in business. Never ever think negative about your business; you must always think big and positive to strive beyond your limits.

Over and over I hear people ask me aWhen is the right time?a The best time to start your business is now. Actions are the best move in your life; nothing will change unless you do something about it.

www.UsMoneySpot.com

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    What free internet site to start your own internet business and lots of traffic? Thanks?
    Which internet site is free to start your own business and is easy to fill out.Has lots of traffic. Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Seriously if you want to start a business selling stuff without spending any money at all your best bet may be Ebay and some of the other auction sites. Depending on your niche there may also be an auction or classified site that is very specific to the market you want to target so some searching is in order.

      Richard

  2. QUESTION:
    how to start your own free business online at a young age?
    and for the people that answered this question last time i was talking about the person from big brother hi jackhe started a buisness at 13 and i want to no how to do it

    • ANSWER:
      I would suggest going to the library. I know it's old fashioned, but several of the suggestions above are bordering on "scams" for the uninitiated and boy... at 13 you'll be uninitiated! I know I was when I tried to import Noodles and Lighters at your age from Hong Kong to England to sell to my mates at school and the local newsagent... turned out that 50 lighters on an airplane was both dangerous and illegal and importing food is also illegal.

      So - you DO need an idea... but you also need a bank account. Actually... until you turnover £60,000 a year, you do not even need a VAT number (assuming you are in the UK) but you WILL need to pay tax on your profits, and that will mean having to file accounts and THAT means that you need to keep exceptional book-keeping records.

      In short - go to the library and look up "how to write a business plan" books. Advice online is dangerous right now, as it comes from many different countries - all with different laws - and everyone is trying to make money out of you.

      Decision 1 is whether you want to be a sole trader or a limited company. The first is easiest... but if you mess up bad, you'll lose everything you own (and actually, you parents might lose everything as they are legally responsible for your debts). A limited company in the UK is cheap to set up, but there are a huge number of legal issues that you need to comply with.

  3. QUESTION:
    working with your qualification as an employee or start seeking for own free business?
    what is the differences between working in your own bussiness which might be no resembled your qualificatins or prefere working as an employee in a company with same qualification that you have?

    • ANSWER:
      In a service there is no risk but in own business you have to calculate every penny in every minutes.

  4. QUESTION:
    Are there wed sites you can start your own business up on for free? Thanks?

    • ANSWER:
      www.ecrater.com
      www.bonanzle.com
      www.atomicmall.com
      www.buyitsellit.com

  5. QUESTION:
    I'm looking for some free info on starting your own clerical business?
    Information regarding how to start your own clerical business free or a shoestring budget.

    • ANSWER:
      Go to http://www.score.org/ to find the nearest SCORE chapter. Contact them to arrange for a free one on one meeting with a SCORE counselor.

      SCORE is a nonprofit organization. They provide a public service by offering small business advice and training. .

      SCORE's 10,500 volunteers have more than 600 business skills. Volunteers share their wisdom and lessons learned in business. The volunteers are working/retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders


Shortlink

How To Starting Your Own Business

Start Your Own Business Uk - QwickStep Answers Search Engine

Starting your new business is the first step to your huge decision in changing your life. Every person that starts a business no matter how big or small, they all have one thing in common they come across very difficult challenges. Some of the people have good sense in building or selling things but how about the actual business side of the business. Hey, we are not all accountants and number people. Providing a good business plan will increase your chances of success and making everything easier and will give you a estimate on sales. This is the first mistake that every entrepreneur makes; they don't have a good solid foundation on their business plan.

When starting a business figure out if you can start it from your home or especially garage, extra bedroom or dorm room, it really doesn't matter where the point is that you need to keep your start up cost as low as possible. Your money will grow with you not with someone else, so if you can start your businesses in your home do it. Keep in mind that you can write off part of your home as business expense. Speak to your tax professional to get more information about it. This is another way of saving you money when tax season comes, it will save you money.

Another trick to starting with low cost is having your family and friends help you, this will benefit you the most. For the best results a good way of separating the good entrepreneurs from bad entrepreneurs is how well your skills on your business finances are. This is solely the only thing true reasons you went to business in the first place. Develop good knowledge of business finances and how they work, the most important assets in your business is cash. I always like to tell people one phrase aCash Is Kinga.

Don't create a mistake a lot of beginners create and that is not having some knowledge of accounting. Yes, it is boring and takes a lot of time, but we all have to remember that we are in business to make money that's the bottom line. There's a lot of accounting programs out there so far I believe that easiest and user friendly is Quick Books. Quick Books will help you start that business easy and fast, I highly recommend this route. Make life easier for you and concentrate about making money.

Keep in mind that it will be a good idea for you to take some good accounting courses, you will just need a beginners course nothing hard. This is for your understanding and making sure that you can manage your business more efficiently. You will understand numbers better and numbers don't lie, there will be more knowledge available to you and know where are your strengths and weaknesses. This comes as a high priority when you are trying to expand the business, describing how the business is going to pay for the expansion.

When starting the business your cash flow is important to keep on top of this. Your entrepreneurial venture is going to be backed up with hard cash or investor cash. Any investor including you is going to value their investment on two things, management and accounting basics. Here is where your business plan comes to play. Make a projected sale over five years, this projects sales should include how much money is spent and made over five years. Ask yourself how I am going to accomplish all the sales we need to accomplish the five year projected sales. Analyze this report and bring it to realistic goals.

Choosing the correct ideas on starting your business is your start to a successful business. A business will perform a lot better with an realistic plan you can execute and adjust as you go. This is another way to monitor all the fun things about your business performance. The better your plan, the better you will do in business. Never ever think negative about your business; you must always think big and positive to strive beyond your limits.

Over and over I hear people ask me aWhen is the right time?a The best time to start your business is now. Actions are the best move in your life; nothing will change unless you do something about it.

www.UsMoneySpot.com

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    What are the legal concerns in starting your own business and in the actual operation?
    Hi!

    I'd just like to ask, what type of business do you guys operate? Have you had any legal concerns or problems in starting your own business? How about during the actual operation?

    Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      I've worked for and started numerous businesses. The legal side is always an important aspect both at the start and during operations.

      At the start: You need to decide what type of company you want to be for instance: ltd, ltd partnership, partnership etc.

      That will set a frame on your company. For instance a ltd company is a legal entity on its own.

      Moreover if you are going to sell things you might require licenses depending on where and what you sell. Same applies for services (Again depending on what it is that you want to do). If you are going to do some exporting/importing you will be involved with taxes on imports or exports. If you start making money you will need to pay taxes (if you earn enough money, depending on your country), then you will need to apply for VAT, then if you get workers you have to get them contracts and pay salaries and taxes (At this stage it is best to get a lawyer as a consultant.)

      During: You need to have access to a lawyer at all times, especially if you deal with retail or services where you work with a lot of people. Because people WILL want to sue you (Both clients and workers), and you need to know what you can and cant do legally. There are countless things that you can run into here. If you want a lawyer cheap, there are companies that offer consultancy instead of getting your own personal lawyer.

      Hope this helps.

  2. QUESTION:
    What questions should you ask yourself if you are thinking about starting your own business? How would you ans
    2. What is a business plan? Why do you need one to start your own business?
    3. Why is it important to know accounting when starting your own business?

    • ANSWER:
      There are pleanty of resources online and offline to help you start your own business and write a business plan.

      Online:

      SBA Articles About Business Planning

      http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/writeabusinessplan/index.html

      Free Online Business Plan Program and Start-Up Articles

      http://www.diybizplan.com

      They also have an overview of the process of starting a busienss and articles on the registration process with links to additional resources here:

      Starting a Business Overview
      http://www.diybizplan.com/default.php?act=11&catid=74&id=83

      Business Registration Overview
      http://www.diybizplan.com/default.php?act=11&catid=74&id=68

      Business Legal Structure - Single Owner
      http://www.diybizplan.com/default.php?act=11&catid=74&id=69

      Financing Your Buisness
      http://www.diybizplan.com/default.php?act=3&catid=75

      More articles on Starting a Business

      http://www.startupbiz.com

      Offine:

      Check with your local

      SCORE Office - voluneteers who mentor entrepreneurs

      http://www.score.org

      SBDC Office - Help with Business Planning, Financial Projections and Identifying Loan / Financing Resources

      http://www.sba.gov/sbdc/sbdcnear.html

      I hope this helps

      dwadholm

  3. QUESTION:
    How do you go about starting your own business when you don't have the finances?.?
    I don't have that rich uncle or any money just floating around but I really want to start my own business. I know with both my experience and my hubby's experience in this field we would persue it would be a total success. How do I start? You do I talk to? Can you get a loan to start up a business and still make your current obligations(mortgages,car payment etc.)? Thanks in Advance!

    • ANSWER:
      This may sound lame but go to the local Small Business Administration (SBA).

      If you can put together a convincing business plan, with researched industry information to back it up, they are in the business of getting you money.

      There are consultants who specialize in putting together SBA applications. They may charge a little but they are worth a lot.

      It's worth the effort to find out. Good luck!

  4. QUESTION:
    What is the steps of starting your own cleaning business?
    Need to know the correct procedure of how to develop your own business. What forms do I need to fill out? Which insurance do I need to be bonded? How much insurance should I take out when getting insurance and bonded for your business?

    • ANSWER:
      Hi!
      I clean small offices and love it. You're smart to plan before you go out and get customers. You don't say whether it's residential of commercial cleaning your starting, but it doesn't matter too much. Because some cities require a permit (most don't) check with your city or county clerk's office to see. It won't be very expensive and usually lasts a couple of years.
      You should get liability insurance. I recommend starting with the lowest amount available and increasing as you grow. The price varies a lot so call every insurance agency and get a quote. Plus these places might become a good referral source.
      You need contracts, bid forms, estimate charts and more. That's why I made a Squidoo lens and blog that will give you information, resources and lots of tips! The links are in My Profile!

  5. QUESTION:
    What do you need to consider when starting your own business ie tax, registering as self-employed etc?
    I am thinking of starting my own business as a local handyman after being made redundant earlier this year rather than going onto job seekers allowance. Do I need to register as being self employed and if so how? Also how do I start paying tax etc. Is there anything else I need to consider (apart from insurance)? Where can i get information about this before I set this up?

    • ANSWER:
      You need to register with HMRC as soon as you start. You do this through the helpline or website www/hmrc.gov.uk.
      You need to keep accurate records and produce annual accounts which are included in your sefl assessment which is issued each April. Tax is payable in Jan and July in the year following the year the profits were earned.
      A c hat with an accountant will save you money.