anyone successfully start a business with no equipment or land?

[cody willard]

Started with a 2001 Jeep XJ and paying for roll off containers. A year later I financed a 2011 F150 for $10,000 and bought a $1000 car hauler. That $400 a month truck payment seemed so huge and scary at the time.

Paid the truck off in 1.5 years working 3 days a week as an employee, and 2 days for my self. Then in 2020, went full time for myself, and removed the mental and emotional option of self employment not working out. Bought a Stein ArborTrolly and literally though I have everything I could ever need haha.

Eventually started renting a few spaces at a boat and RV storage facility.

Fast forward 5 years and I am bringing in a phenomenal income (Do not know our home’s utility prices, and don’t have to check the account for weekly groceries) for my wife and 4 kids while taking every Sat-Sun off, and being home every night before dinner.

Still run as a 2 person crew (Full pay roll and comp) working four 10 hour days, with me bidding on Mondays. This setup has been extremely profitable, and low stress with us averaging about 300k a year, with 20% of that being removals.

(However a lot more wear and tear on my young 32 year old body, and my lean setup is not sustainable over the next 30 years)

As of this month, I am currently in the process of selling the business, and taking the equipment to N.Idaho to start over near my wife and I’s family.

I realized my 75% is some people’s 100%, and I know others where those numbers are reversed. All I can say is give it your all, but if you have family, put them first. Get your ISA CA, and then your BCMA. Become your local tree guru, and fill a niche.

Everything I have (besides the chip truck) was bought brand new and financed. Started with a 10k truck, and worked my way up to a 76k+ tax chipper. At one point I was comfortably managing $5000 a month in equipment payments.

I could have grown at the speed of cash, but I would have either had to miss dinner with the kids most nights and work Sundays, or be stuck with 1/2 the equipment and 2x the exhaustion.

Financing everything does make me a slave to the lenders, but dang I have been a hard working and obedient one, while still building up my own pyramids.

 

[Mick Dempsey!]

Impressive.

‘Good hustle’ as sports coaches say!

Echoing your point about weekends.
My nephew is new in the business and I have had to remind him to take at least one full day off a week, even if it’s just drinking with his mates.
You need mental time away from this (or any job) to be effective day in day out.

 

[southsoundtree]

My neighbor mentioned that financiers don't want your equipment if you get behind. They want you to catch up on payments.

If you get behind by trying to get ahead by having no payments, nobody wants to rescue you.




Rough numbers...
On that ganoderma-infected maple removal (6ish) years ago, I bid something like $2400. After looking at the tree a while, I saw that I could likely do it without the crane. Half the crane bill would have been mobilizing and set up (25 minute drive time by passenger auto per Google Maps)..

With the crane In the bid, the bid would have been more. If partway through the job, I realized I addressed wrong, I would have had to foot the crane bill (less than $1200, likely $600-800, as I was not going to charge her only what I guessed the crane would cost).


She paid me $1200 plus tax.

I was pissed, but had no recourse without a signature.

I realized that the main road is quiet except at rush hours, so I could rope a couple limbs away from road that overhung the road. No flaggers necessary.