Business Model for Single Operator (PHC Heavy)

[Basswood]

curious if anyone has a business model I have had on my mind for some time. I like the company I work for A LOT, especially having the colleagues I do. But feeling unsure about my current role and its future as it’s very travel heavy. I don’t want to be an absent parent in particular when that time comes.

Do any of you have a model where you are/were the sole operator/owner for a PHC focused business? My thought was to focus on that, and consulting (I have TRAQ, plan on RCA) to continue work through the winter and have some diversity. Services would be both liquid and non liquid (thinking air spade work, soil remediation and maybe some pruning.) I don’t want the headache of starting a full scale tree care service and finding employees and all the equipment involved. As much I love climbing and that type of work I want to find something simpler.

 

[Rooted.Tree.Solutions]

I just launched my business in March with that model. TCIA just highlighted Tree First Aboriculture located near Detroit, MI Who has a track record with that model. Here’s a link to the article:

Tree care doesn't require big trucks and big chippers — Tree First

A glimpse into a tree preservation company's setup

www.treefirst.org

 

[Basswood]

I just launched my business in March with that model. TCIA just highlighted Tree First Aboriculture located near Detroit, MI Who has a track record with that model. Here’s a link to the article:

Tree care doesn't require big trucks and big chippers — Tree First

A glimpse into a tree preservation company's setup

www.treefirst.org

How is it going so far for you? Any difficulty with a limited pallet of services like this?

One thing I noticed is a lot of tree care companies offer PHC around here but very few do it well.

 

[Rooted.Tree.Solutions]

One thing I noticed is a lot of tree care companies offer PHC around here but very few do it well.

That is spot on. There is really only 1 or 2 companies in my area who do PHC well. The struggle is that the market for clients willing to spend money on PHC is very small. I’m focusing pretty hard on larger commercial clients as opposed to residential. I still do all the “Typical” tree work and subcontract all the heavy lifting, I just manage the work.

 

[Basswood]

Yeah there’s definitely a large market for PHC in my area, residential and commercial. I just don’t see many companies that it’s their sole focus, it’s always attached with a tree service. Lots of market for tick and mosquito treatments, although I’d like to avoid those and really focus on IPM and targeted stuff.

 

[ghostice]

I just launched my business in March with that model. TCIA just highlighted Tree First Aboriculture located near Detroit, MI Who has a track record with that model. Here’s a link to the article:

Really interesting article thanks - one thing I've found with a "wee chipper" is everybody wants the chips - haven't had one job where they don't disappear for flower beds etc. Combine that with a "Free Wood" sign for rounds (with a phone contact number) and I don't haul much anymore really. Even watched rounds disappear by one guy on a bicycle of all things . . . .

 

[ATH]

Consider contacting some good quality tree care companies who do NOT have a PHC program and talk with them about two-way referrals. You aren't trying to take work from them, they aren't trying to take work from you...and you both are trying to take the work that would otherwise go to an "all in one" outfit. Also talk with other mowing and "landscape" companies. Work with local Extension folks...offer to do programs for them. Be in touch with local garden centers and tell them their staff can always call you with questions when they cannot help a customer (some that will be the garden center selling that customer a product....but it will also be the garden center "saying call Basswood".

If you want to do some pruning, consider focusing on things like young trees (contact municipalities about contracting for them) or small specialty trees like Japanese maple, for example.

I'm in a much smaller market than anything anywhere close to Long Island, and there is a market here. We do maybe half PHC and half pruning with spring and fall plantings mixed in. I haven't been great at selling the air excavation work, but there are plenty of opportunities for it. We do some - just not as much as we should! I know of 2 other companies in northern Ohio who do almost only air excavation work on trees.

It would be slow during the winter...that's where having some structural pruning on young trees to do can help. You can do that with very minimal equipment - even a truck and dump trailer if you have a place to dump brush. From there, a good pair of Felcos, Silky Tsurugi (300mm, straight blade, medium teeth), pole pruner, maybe a pole saw, and maybe a ladder. At some other recommendations here, I also bought a Fiskars Pruning Stick to add to the young tree pruning tools, and its as advertised.

 

[evo]

I kinda specialize in fine pruning, diagnosis, and airspade work.
I do have a hairbrained idea of a 550 or equivalent flatbed with a PTO compressor. Mount a dump insert 90 degrees, for compost and chipping onto. A mini skid deck behind the dump insert all pulling a small chipper:
I have no interest in spraying, so haven’t thought about that. However I figure I’d make the dump insert super easy to mount/dismount with the mini. I’d think you could figure out a way to put a skid tank on the flatbed, or at least trailer one.

 

[Basswood]

I like the idea of a flat bed with compressor mounted a lot! Haven’t thought about the small dump insert as well, great idea.

 

[Basswood]

Consider contacting some good quality tree care companies who do NOT have a PHC program and talk with them about two-way referrals. You aren't trying to take work from them, they aren't trying to take work from you...and you both are trying to take the work that would otherwise go to an "all in one" outfit. Also talk with other mowing and "landscape" companies. Work with local Extension folks...offer to do programs for them. Be in touch with local garden centers and tell them their staff can always call you with questions when they cannot help a customer (some that will be the garden center selling that customer a product....but it will also be the garden center "saying call Basswood".

If you want to do some pruning, consider focusing on things like young trees (contact municipalities about contracting for them) or small specialty trees like Japanese maple, for example.

I'm in a much smaller market than anything anywhere close to Long Island, and there is a market here. We do maybe half PHC and half pruning with spring and fall plantings mixed in. I haven't been great at selling the air excavation work, but there are plenty of opportunities for it. We do some - just not as much as we should! I know of 2 other companies in northern Ohio who do almost only air excavation work on trees.

It would be slow during the winter...that's where having some structural pruning on young trees to do can help. You can do that with very minimal equipment - even a truck and dump trailer if you have a place to dump brush. From there, a good pair of Felcos, Silky Tsurugi (300mm, straight blade, medium teeth), pole pruner, maybe a pole saw, and maybe a ladder. At some other recommendations here, I also bought a Fiskars Pruning Stick to add to the young tree pruning tools, and its as advertised.

I appreciate this! Great idea around pitching to municipalities. Do you find those projects eat up a lot of time that may be conflicting with timing treatments for other clients?

 

[ATH]

I find the municipal folks to be somewhat flexible. The biggest issue is they may need to spend the rest of a budget for the year so it needs to be done in a month. Often I'll tell them "this is great winter work for our schedule and it's good because we can see the structure of the tree better.

 

[ATH]

PTO compressor is interesting....I've thought about mounting my old IR 185cfm on a flatbed instead of a trailer. Or even mounting on a trailer with dump bed as well

 

[ATH]

I just launched my business in March with that model. TCIA just highlighted Tree First Aboriculture located near Detroit, MI Who has a track record with that model. Here’s a link to the article:

Tree care doesn't require big trucks and big chippers — Tree First

A glimpse into a tree preservation company's setup

www.treefirst.org

Finally had time to read that article...
Interesting idea leaving chips on site. I'm not sure I could talk people into that as often as they do.

We haul brush in a dump trailer. Maybe once every couple of years will rent a chipper. Once was clearing a small hillside in a residential area from honeysuckle. Everywhere else we are doing HS work, we just cut and leave. Knew that wasn't an option, so I proposed blowing chips back onto the hillside. The last time we rented the chipper was when the client specifically asked for the chips for their own use...that cost them more than us hauling brush would have cost. But we do have a good place to drop the brush for $25 per load - which isn't available everywhere.

 

[Basswood]

Unfortunately leaving material behind is an extremely rare case around here. Even chips for mulch.