I Started a Lawn Care Business: EMPLOYEE HURT ON THE JOB!

If we don't fix it, we will not be successful.

Last month, ICE showed us getting four brand new lawn care businesses started just outside of Darlett, North Carolina.

It's just frustrating.

I have no idea.

My regional manager, Chuck, has been getting the businesses off the ground and helping my general managers get their business started.

Now I get to be mower repair guy as well.

We've been pounding on doors, we've been putting up door hangers, we've been getting new customers.

Boom.

But today, we're going to show the behind the scenes, the good, the bad, and.

And the ugly who sliced his leg open with a pair of hedge trimmers. Downtime is the death of us in this industry.

Things happen that are bad. And today we're going to be going over all the drama.

He's at the emergency room right now. Managing people will be one of the.

Toughest things that you will ever do.

What other equipment would I use?

And some people in the comments are.

Going to be like, you're such a bad manager. You should be doing X, Y and Z. Okay, well, you go start four locations and see how well it goes for you.

I am trying to stay professional and not.

So I'm stealing this from Brian Connor, Augusta, Georgia and North Augusta franchisee. I'm out doing door hangers and estimates you got to use the restroom. We get to use these fantastic things. So let's go in here and kind of check it out and see what we're working with.

Overall, not too bad.

Got a little graffiti on the door. You know, no worries there.

Got some.

You know, nastiness going on.

Smells terrible.

But we're gonna go in here and get it done.

So I got quit. You know, of course the old text message. Eduardo text message and then takes off, says he left his car bard and his uniforms in the back of the dump trailer. So I'm gonna go check that out and see if that is, in fact true. Because typically they don't.

Right.

Like you ask them.

Oh, yeah, yeah, I'll do that. And then they don't.

Right. So.

Bag of groceries. Muchas gracias. Thank you for shopping here. And he left his card, so that's fantastic. So we'll wash these. I. I personally don't reissue these to.

New employees, but I do give.

I do let everybody know what we have available.

This gentleman was only with us for two weeks, so what I will do.

Is I will firstly wash them myself.

I know they're clean. I won't. My wonderful wife, she's a rock star. She. It'll mix and can't mix clothes and colors and all these other shenanigans.

So I won't.

My wonderful wife will. Because I don't do it right, I guess apparently because there's a science to it instead of just pouring things into the washer. But I digress. My apologies. Now we'll go back to hiring.

He wanted, he wanted 60 hours a.

Week, which I could not. You know, I'm not giving that to him. And he was just average, right?

Like, whatever.

And then he said, or you could pay me like 22 or $23 an hour and that would balance out. Well, my, my whole thing with that is like, show me a 22 or $23 an hour resume. Crew worker is not 22 or $23 an hour. There are no landscape companies around here.

That pay their crew members more than.

18 bucks an hour. $18 an hour is the highest that I've seen. We are definitely in the highest. I'd say the high highest, 25%, you.

Know, and for two or three minutes.

I'm like, man, this sucks.

I don't want to hire again. I don't want to do this.

But it's just part of the business, right? Like, it's kind of what we've all become used to over these past couple years of people just not sticking around because they have options to continue to move forward.

A lot more employers looking for employees.

Than there are employees looking for employers. So a lot of jobs out there, not enough people to fill the job. So thankfully, if the guys stay on task and pick it up here or there, you know, an extra mow here, an extra mo there will be just fine. We'll keep moving forward, keep hiring. I'm sure it'll happen again in a couple of weeks.

Want to of these guys.

Statistically speaking, you will lose a guy generally once a month, once every three weeks. So just stay ahead of it. Just keep hiring.

Hey, guys. So we're out here doing some estimates for a GM. Unfortunately, he fell behind. So it is March 14th. Right now he's got about 35 or 40 budgeted hours on the schedule and he's just getting crushed of just field work. Plus he's done 50 estimates, plus the nine that I'm going to do today. So he'll have 59 estimates by March 14th on a brand new location. So I'm going to jump in and give him a hand today and knock out these nine. Mowing the grass and doing the work is honestly secondary. What I am finding is you got to be Able to manage your time, the scheduling, moving things around, communicating with customers, sticking to the schedule that is on the books and just rolling with it. Trying to get cute with things and move things around doesn't work, guys. The most important, important thing I'm finding with managers is the ability to manage your time and budget your hours and your schedule. Fell behind. But again, he's already invoiced $8,000 and it's March 14, so we still have two weeks left. So I, I'm gonna guess this will probably do. He'll hit $12,000 in his first month and we'll do a recap as the month goes and kind of check in on things. But I'm gonna get out of here and just knock out these nine estimates for this guy here.

Well, guys, this is sp Spring rush. Just finished my route for the day. It is almost 3 o'.

Clock.

We got about two hours left in the day. So I'm gonna go drop off the smelling truck at the shop. I'm gonna go grab the landscaping truck and we're gonna go help Matthew on some projects because he is getting slammed right now. Chuck had to do nine estimates for him the other day. While he's got a backlog of work, he needs to bring on a guy. It's madness.

Here we go.

This is for Brian Connor.

We're gonna do a porta potty check.

Before I get in here and get all shivering.

Oh, let's see.

Look at that. That's gonna be fantastic. Oh, yeah. Gonna love those. Stand from a distance.

Well, unfortunately, I got a phone call from one of our general managers who sliced his leg open with a pair of hedge trimmers. So he's on a bush trimming cleanup project. Sliced his leg open. He's at the emergency room right now as we speak getting stitches.

So I am driving to the site, swing by in urgent care, checking on him, going to get the dump trailer, loading it up with all the tools because it's just laying in the client's yard, taking it to the storage unit all. Meanwhile, I'm gonna do a coaching call here in 14 minutes from the car from the well truck because I had to pick up dump trailer and all the tools.

Yeah, man.

So I did on the GM trimming bushes. Cut his leg, bumped it off his knee, right on his kneecap, kind of like off a little bit to the side, I guess. Like, apparently there's muscle over top of your kneecap in that area, apparently. But he, yeah, got stitches. So he is off work the remainder of the week. So I gotta figure that out. I figure out how to finish the project, how to do the Mohs, how to do estimates in Cornelius and Morrisville and coaching calls.

It's going to be an enjoyable few days. Make it work, learn how to budget the time and manage everything. But most importantly, nothing's serious past the point of just stitches, right? They gave him some antibiotics to fight infection, obviously, hedge trimmers, trimming bushes, all that kind of shenanigans. So, you know, they worry about that kind of stuff. So they are going to give him medicine and all that stuff. But overall he was able to walk out of there. So that's a positive thing. Health is number one. That's the most important thing. Should be back to work on Monday. We'll figure out the next two days. I mean, he's doing 10, $11,000 a month in revenue. So it's a full schedule for one guy. And he's growing, so he's in the process of hiring. So.

Awesome.

So not only am I a regional manager, franchise business consultant, general manager of Morrisville since like the middle of February. We'll probably do 45,000 this month. Now I get to be mower repair guy as well. So you guys have all experienced this wonderful belt broke, snapped right in the middle of a yard, of course. So now with this being snapped in half, now I'm going to try to repair. So they've got these fancy directions, right? Like there's this nice diagram. When you open up with if any of you guys have rights, got this little diagram, undo this bolt and do this. And you know, the mechanic at the mower shop said, oh, it's easy, Chuck, don't worry about it. So I'm gonna try to figure out how to do this. As you guys know, downtime is the death of us in this industry. So yes, we have to have employees, but if your equipment isn't working, then.

This is what it is. Now we've got a mower just sitting.

Here and the guys are all push mowing everything. Our average yard is probably 12 to 15,000 square feet. And that's a lot to push about. So I'm gonna try to figure this out and put this together. So wish me luck. Trying to play mechanics and you don't have a clue what you're doing. Always works out well, right?

I have no idea. No clue. This is probably everybody's gonna laugh.

I'm not a mechanic.

Whatever. I'm comfortable in my skin.

Back at Hoover's. Gotta get some, some pieces for this for the edger. And gonna get the mower all maintenanced up. When they're new, you need. Need to get the oil changed and such. So spend some money.

I just need to move this pulley to put this belt on. And I know there's a trick, right? Like, I'm not that naive to figure to think that.

Not working out for me.

Now, the problem is I'm fat. And when you're fat, you can't fit in these spots.

Right?

That's what's awesome about this.

Not a big guy tell you that right now. Tight spaces, man.

We're gonna see if this works or not. Everybody.

I think we're good. I think we're good. I think it took 26 minutes to swap a belt out. I'm sure you pros out there, all you guys in the YouTube world and Augusta and all you fancy pants dude stinks. Whatever. 10 minutes, 5 minutes, whatever. I don't really care. We're good.

Time to go. Work big mine.

I'm a little frustrated.

Work with all these GMs.

You give them all these directives and you just expect them to be followed.

Right? Like, and not hard. Make a spare key.

Over a month ago. Is that done?

Nope.

Open up the container.

I'm doing the field work for this individual today. No key in the container.

Why?

It's on the key ring at his house.

Okay. Where's the mixed fuel jug in the truck?

At his house.

He was injured, so he was at the hospital. I told him, hey, just go home tonight.

Get some rest.

Go.

Just go straight home.

So now I come to drop off his trailer, go finish a project. In between calls, I have a meeting with another gm. It's just frustrating. Managing people will be one of the.

Toughest things that people ever like you will ever do.

Great individual, but drop the ball this instance. So now I've got to go to this meeting, then drive 35 minutes away to get a key to drive back. It's 11 now. The meeting's at noon. By the time that's done, it'll be one. By the time I get back, it'll.

Be 2:30 before I start mowing grass.

And there's 17 yards, 18 yards.

No way I'm getting them done today. Obviously. He's like, well, I wasn't sure if.

You'Re going to use my equipment or not.

What other equipment would I use? Like what? What other equipment would I use? Mooresville has three crews out mowing today. Every other location is out mowing today. What equipment would I use?

I'm just frustrated.

I Am.

I am trying to stay professional and not.

But like.

I don't even know what to say.

You know, it's like one of those things like what, what. What do you do? Complain and whine.

Which.

Which I'm doing. Pouting, which I'm doing right now. But here's the thing. All I can do is not just go to work, do what you can. Like I'm frustrated. I'm going to take my five minutes and sulk and be angry and disappointed and all of these things and then move on. I mean, that's all I can do. So I'm ahead to this meeting, give my full attention to that and then off I go. I'm going to grab this key again. There's no mixed fuel, which means now I have to stop and find non ethanol around here. Cuz we don't have any.

Here we go.

The day in the life.

Thumbs up. I'm going to work, everybody.

We're going to mow some grass.

I really do appreciate being a part of Augusta though.

It's.

It's been really awesome being able to help each other out, being close here, other locations that are starting and going through the same thing. I know the Cornelius GM has kind of been having a tough time. Sorry. We're here looking at some materials. Need to make sure that this is the right stuff. And so we're gonna order a bunch of this. But yeah, you know, there was an injury with the team and so luckily we were able to hop out the regional. Chuck was. He was able to do a bunch of work. You know, I went and did a little bit. So it was nice being able to help him out and knowing that. That if something happened to me that my location could run for a little while too without me there. It's just. It's nice having the community and then having the. The whole Augusta Group just talk to everybody across the country and see what's going on and see what's working. It's definitely helping out for as far as marketing and finding customers and acquiring them.

Out mowing some grass clearly right there, you can see it gummy. So myself a little quote action. Customer driving by. Stop. She goes, hey, yard looks great. Can I get a quote? Absolutely. She goes, I need one bad. It's a little overgrown.

It's overgrown.

But that's all right. We'll get her a quote. We'll get her squared away. It's always a good thing when you're out working and somebody says, good work. You guys look good.

Can I get a quote?

So Keep after it.

Just got to the shop. It's 6:30. We had to go help out the Cornelius location. It's been a long day. Had to let a guy go, some chaos. Had to help out another shop. But you know what this is? This is what Augusta Nation is about. We help our boys in yellow, making sure they're getting stuff done. We got a pretty light load tomorrow too. So we'll probably, probably knock out some Moe's for Cornelius again. Alright. I'm gonna not jackknife this trailer.

Another problem here. You know, you go to help somebody out, they're injured, right. All I can't straighten my leg. Okay, great. Just drive the truck home.

You know, say if you were at.

The er, all that want to help person out.

Get to the shop, try to switch out the edger blade. Can't. Where are the tools? Well, the socket sets in the. In the truck. Why is the socket set in the truck and not at the shop? Why is the spare key or the only key, the mowing truck in the landscape truck? Like. Like it. It doesn't make sense. Keep your spaces organized, everybody. That is, that is like my biggest tip right now is keep your spaces organized. Organization will put you so far ahead in life. Not just work, but in life. When you are disorganized, it just breeds chaos. Keep everything organized.

This is why you can't be solo. I'm gonna be honest with you. You join Augusta so that you can grow. Yes, you start out solo, but you gotta plow through being solo as quick as possible. We've got a GM that's down and out, right? Stitches in his leg, hit himself with a hedge trimmer. I'm out mowing. I can't do my normal stuff. Like I'm having to try to fit it in, which I'm making do. But it takes away from your ultimate goal, right? So as the business owner, what you have to do is try to plow through this beginning as quickly as possible to get you an employee. And if something were to happen, worst case scenario, they can go out alone.

And they can get the work done.

Not to mention, man, my allergies are just destroying me. My eyes are burning, snotting everywhere. I got snot all over my sleeves. It's great. Lovely.

So just did a team meeting, GM team meeting. After doing a few individuals over this.

Past week, like one on ones and.

I don't think they're getting it.

First thing is our close ratios. So we don't have any locations except for one of the seven that are booked out more than two weeks and our highest close ratio is Mount Vernon of 48%. Everybody needs to get their close ratio up. There's not a single location that has too much work that our close ratio is not higher than what it is. It does not matter if you are in profitability mode. It does not matter if you are in growth mode and you're trying to grow. Everybody has room in their schedule and has extra people. There is no reason why our close ratio is not high. I'm going to run through some of these numbers and they're just, they're not, they're not good enough, right Estimate follow.

Ups is a very simple, simple, simple. And I can't emphasize enough simple process. You call, you text message, you email.

41%, 37%, 27%, 30%, 23%, 34%. None of us are booked out except for one location more than two weeks. We need to follow a text message, follow up phone calls, follow up emails. We cannot just rely on command center to do our follow ups.

It's wonderful because command center will do it for us. They do it after one day, three days and then on day five, they call. But some people just don't understand. Like they don't understand the lingo, right? Like they don't understand our lingo that they get from a lawn care professional. They might not understand what is the people are in different parts of the country. It's weed eating, it's weed whacking, it's weed eating, it's trimming. Like it's all these different things. They call it all different things, right? So why is it that we can't make follow ups and close deals?

Some people just want to be talked to. They don't want an automation. They want more. They want to hey, what, what does this mean? How can I pay my deposit? How does this. Like they have a simple question. They need a simple.

We need to get more jobs booked on the schedule for every location across the board. There's not a single location, corporately speaking, that has so much work that we just can't keep up and can't do it period. Like we need to fix it. If we don't fix it, we will not be successful.

The next thing I want to address is the amount of lead flow. So we have a brand new location that is almost done. More estimates than everybody, including you guys in Bellingham. That to me again, unacceptable. Why is a new location having more estimates than our three biggest heaviest hitters?

Right? They're new GMs. So it's a matter of getting them squared away. It's a learning curve.

I understand.

It's. It's go time. Like there's no, there just isn't. We're just not there. We're not where we need to be and we need to continue progressing forward. So we'll see how we shaped up. I'm pushing them a little bit and it's easy to tell who's doing it and who's not doing it. It's very simple to just kind of keep pushing and see where we're at. So just keeping progress, keeping jobs on it. We'll just keep moving along.

Next time we're going to be doing the actual numbers and the revenues and the profits from these locations after their first month in business. Now if you enjoyed today's episode, just you wait. Coast in June 2023 I'm going to moving across the country and starting my own Augusta Long carry location from scratch. I'm going to do it in 30 days. Subscribe to the channel and in the comments below. Let me know what you would like to see me do in my first 30 days in business.