Mike AndesFounder, Augusta Lawn Care and Homeworks · Founder of Homeworks and Augusta Lawn Care

I said to FIRE HER... She CONFRONTED ME!

30 Dec 2024 · 1 min

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0:41

A short YouTube field-visit led by Mike Andes (founder of Augusta Lawn Care) in New Orleans visiting Trinity Tree Care. The participants discuss small-business distress: the owner reports burnout and briefly quitting, no profit despite roughly $350,000 in revenue last year, recent purchases financed by debt (a $120,000 piece of equipment), plans to spend another ~$250,000, and concerns about an underperforming salesperson whose cost exceeds their revenue contribution. The video centers on diagnosing operational and financial problems and questioning staffing and investment choices.

Questions this video answers

Over 150 locations around the world.

New Orleans (Trinity Tree Care).

Three years.

$350,000 last year.

$120,000 (financed, "all on debt").

My name is Mike Andes. I'm the founder of Augusta Lawn Care. We have over 150 locations around the world. Today we're in New Orleans with Trinity Tree Care.
I've been in business for three years.
What am I doing?
September, I got burnt out.
What am I to do?
I just kind of quit.
We're traveling across the country, trying to visit with small businesses that are struggling and failing.
Last year was a year that I wanted to quit.
You care about people, but, like, we need the business to be successful.
It's just not.
Working for the business.
First off, there's no profit.
The same amount I put out, I did 350,000 last year is the same amount we made. Should I go get a regular job?
Secondly, they just signed up for $120,000, piece of equipment, all on debt.
I'm about to spend another quarter million dollars. Truth is, yeah, I can't afford it.
And third, the salesperson that they do have, I'm 51, but I'm good at sales. I know business. You can't afford me. It actually costs more for their wages than the total revenue that they've brought to the business.
Why do we still have a salesperson?
Let's see if we can turn things around.