How to Open & Operate a Financially

If you enjoy working with people and working outdoors, operating a small nursery, landscaping, or lawn service may be the perfect business for you. In fact, many operators combine all three of these elements to make an ideal year-round business. This complete manual will arm you with everything you need to get started and run with your new business, including: business forms, contracts, and worksheets and checklists for planning, opening, and running day-to-day operations. You will learn dozens of other valuable, timesaving tools of the trade that no business should be without.

Introduction	p. 9
Choosing The Outdoor Business That Is Right For You	p. 15
Characteristics of a Successful Business	p. 17
Know Yourself Before You Start a Business	p. 23
Franchise or From the Ground Up?	p. 25
Starting from scratch	p. 30
Outdoor Opportunities	p. 37
The Nitty Gritty Work of Landscaping	p. 39
Doing a Good Job Is Not Enough	p. 42
Outdoor Maintenance	p. 43
The Nursery Business	p. 47
Green is "In"	p. 47
How to Make "Beautiful Work" Profitable	p. 52
Business Operations	p. 57
Planning for Success	p. 59
Getting Started	p. 59
Business Planning	p. 60
Becoming a Small Business	p. 65
Parts of Your Business Plan	p. 69
Insurance	p. 79
Branding Your Business	p. 89
Creating an Effective Brand	p. 92
Funding Your Business	p. 99
Financing Options	p. 100
Professional Advisors	p. 103
Money Management	p. 105
Controlling Costs	p. 107
Estimates, Bids, and Contracts	p. 129
Contracts with Vendors	p. 129
Contracts for Customers	p. 131
Planning for Profitability	p. 135
Bidding for Commercial Jobs	p. 137
Negotiating Prices	p. 140
Billing and Collection	p. 142
Secrets of Job Estimating	p. 144
Bn The Office	p. 161
Locating Your Office	p. 163
Home or Facility, Pros and Cons	p. 163
Buying Office Equipment and Supplies	p. 187
Setting Up Your Office	p. 167
Computers and Software	p. 174
Hiring Office Help	p. 187
In The Field	p. 193
Buying Professional Equipment and Supplies	p. 195
Outdoor Equipment	p. 195
What Does All of This Cost?	p. 204
Essential Maintenance	p. 205
Outdoor Supplies	p. 207
Hiring Outdoor Workers	p. 219
Interviews	p. 222
New Employee Paperwork	p. 227
Immigration Concerns	p. 227
Drug Testing	p. 230
Training	p. 230
Payroll and Benefits	p. 234
Subcontracting and Partnering/Referral	p. 235
Additional Schooling	p. 242
Your Customers	p. 245
Finding Customers- or Helping Them Find You	p. 247
Inexpensive Marketing Methods	p. 247
Conducting Appointments	p. 260
Cross-selling Your Services	p. 262
To Focus or Expand	p. 271
Appendix Bibliography and Additional Resources	p. 277
Immigration and Job Form Information	p. 278
Bonding	p. 280
Business community resources	p. 280
Drug Testing	p. 280
Gardening	p. 280
Government sites and forms	p. 281
Landscaping	p. 281
Marketing	p. 281
Pest control	p. 282
Small business help	p. 282
Software	p. 282
Supplies	p. 283
Web site Design	p. 283
Index	p. 285
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Landscaping, Nursery, or Lawn Service Business

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