"Tracey" wrote in message
...
Hi All. I hope you don't mind me asking the following question, but I
really don't know where else to ask. My fiance is planning on leaving his
present employment (he's already a gardener) and setting up by himself,
doing garden maintenance, renovations, clearance, hedge reductions etc.
He
has done quite a bit of research, but doesn't know how much to charge - he
doesn't want to go round under-cutting other established gardeners, but
then
doesn't want to charge too much. We thought perhaps £8-£10 per hour (we
are
in Midlands region), would be a reasonable charge. Any thoughts or advice
on how we could find further help in deciding on costs would be very much
appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Tracey


Hi Tracey

Starting up on your own is a huge minefield in that there are many problems
which until you atart, are not seen. It's rather interesting in that in a
book I wrote quite some time ago called 'The New Business Minefield' I
actually used a gardener who worked for the local council in the Parks
department, as an example on how to start. Still on the computer somewhere
and I have been meaning to get it published.

1) Can he start on his own in the evenings, (bit difficult now that the
evenings are getting shorter) and weekends and built up a customer base
slowly?
2) Contact the local Chamber of Commerce and see if they have any advice or
leaflets on starting a business.
3) Get in touch with your local Technical Colledge and see if they do
courses. I used to lecture on a Business Startup Programme.
4) Make a few enquiries as to what the going rate is and the best way of
this is to ask. If you see a Gardener working on someone's garden and you
are able to talk to them, ask them what they charge per hour for general
grass cutting and tending to borders "As you are thinking of getting someone
in to do yours, do you have a card please?"
5) Many areas have Small Business Clubs, join one. These are cluibs where
business people meet and discuss local topics, and one which I was on the
committee, we would discuss the bad payers!!
6)Advertising. Henry Ford once said "Hald of my advertising budget is
wasted, the trouble is, I don't know which half" so monitor your
advertising. Do very small adverts to start with, use the same format, and
make the advert regular and if you can state your experience in years, then
do so. (Don't forget to add anohter year to the advert as they roll by)
7) Don't get a special bank account. Use an ordinary account, possibly with
a Building Society. Keep ALL of your receipts, even when you go into a cafe
for a cuppa half way through the morning, you 'might' be able to book that
agains expenses, even if it is only 5 minutes from home.
8) Don't go and buy a new van a load of new equipment and have big flashy
signs made. Don't bother with headed paper and business cards, you can do
them yourself on the computer.
9) Talk to an Accountant with regards to Insurance, not an Insurance Agent,
he will be biassed towards his pocket.
10) Holidays. Who pays for your holidays now? Who will pay for them when
self employed? Too much work? Get friendly with a fellow gardener and see if
you can come to an agreement to offload, but be careful, if he is better
than you, you may lose a customer :-((
11) Who will service your customers if you fall ill?
12) STAY ON YOUR OWN, do NOT even contemplate a partnership. Stay small
where YOU are in control

Some to be going on with?

Plenty more where that came from, gained from my own experience as a Sole
Trader, a Partner, and as MD of a Limited Company, and from friends and
collegues who either are or have been in business.

Finally, working for yourself is great.......... when it is working! When
things go wrong you ask yourself, 'Why the hell did I do this?'!!

Mike


--
British Pacific Fleet Reunion Birmingham September 17th - 20th
H.M.S.Collingwood Assoc. Mini Reunion Weekend at Coventry Sept 24th - 27th
Nat. Service (RAF) Assoc. AGM & Reunion Hayling Island 8th - 11th October
www.nsrafa.com

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Tracey" wrote in message
...
Hi All. I hope you don't mind me asking the following question, but I
really don't know where else to ask. My fiance is planning on leaving
his
present employment (he's already a gardener) and setting up by himself,
doing garden maintenance, renovations, clearance, hedge reductions etc.
He
has done quite a bit of research, but doesn't know how much to charge -
he
doesn't want to go round under-cutting other established gardeners, but
then
doesn't want to charge too much. We thought perhaps £8-£10 per hour (we
are
in Midlands region), would be a reasonable charge. Any thoughts or
advice
on how we could find further help in deciding on costs would be very
much
appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Tracey


Hi Tracey

Starting up on your own is a huge minefield in that there are many
problems
which until you atart, are not seen. It's rather interesting in that in a
book I wrote quite some time ago called 'The New Business Minefield' I
actually used a gardener who worked for the local council in the Parks
department, as an example on how to start. Still on the computer somewhere
and I have been meaning to get it published.

1) Can he start on his own in the evenings, (bit difficult now that the
evenings are getting shorter) and weekends and built up a customer base
slowly?
2) Contact the local Chamber of Commerce and see if they have any advice
or
leaflets on starting a business.
3) Get in touch with your local Technical Colledge and see if they do
courses. I used to lecture on a Business Startup Programme.
4) Make a few enquiries as to what the going rate is and the best way of
this is to ask. If you see a Gardener working on someone's garden and you
are able to talk to them, ask them what they charge per hour for general
grass cutting and tending to borders "As you are thinking of getting
someone
in to do yours, do you have a card please?"
5) Many areas have Small Business Clubs, join one. These are cluibs where
business people meet and discuss local topics, and one which I was on the
committee, we would discuss the bad payers!!
6)Advertising. Henry Ford once said "Hald of my advertising budget is
wasted, the trouble is, I don't know which half" so monitor your
advertising. Do very small adverts to start with, use the same format, and
make the advert regular and if you can state your experience in years,
then
do so. (Don't forget to add anohter year to the advert as they roll by)
7) Don't get a special bank account. Use an ordinary account, possibly
with
a Building Society. Keep ALL of your receipts, even when you go into a
cafe
for a cuppa half way through the morning, you 'might' be able to book that
agains expenses, even if it is only 5 minutes from home.
8) Don't go and buy a new van a load of new equipment and have big flashy
signs made. Don't bother with headed paper and business cards, you can do
them yourself on the computer.
9) Talk to an Accountant with regards to Insurance, not an Insurance
Agent,
he will be biassed towards his pocket.
10) Holidays. Who pays for your holidays now? Who will pay for them when
self employed? Too much work? Get friendly with a fellow gardener and see
if
you can come to an agreement to offload, but be careful, if he is better
than you, you may lose a customer :-((
11) Who will service your customers if you fall ill?
12) STAY ON YOUR OWN, do NOT even contemplate a partnership. Stay small
where YOU are in control

Some to be going on with?

Plenty more where that came from, gained from my own experience as a Sole
Trader, a Partner, and as MD of a Limited Company, and from friends and
collegues who either are or have been in business.

Finally, working for yourself is great.......... when it is working! When
things go wrong you ask yourself, 'Why the hell did I do this?'!!

Mike


--
British Pacific Fleet Reunion Birmingham September 17th - 20th
H.M.S.Collingwood Assoc. Mini Reunion Weekend at Coventry Sept 24th - 27th
Nat. Service (RAF) Assoc. AGM & Reunion Hayling Island 8th - 11th October
www.nsrafa.com


Thank you, Mike, for your thorough and excellent advice, I'll take a print
out of it and show my fiance when he gets in from work.

He already has six people lined up who would want regular work doing, so
it's a start. Originally he thought it would be best if he took a part-time
job doing whatever and slowly build up the gardening, eventually making this
a full time thing, but he is having more and more requests as the weeks go
by when he tells people he's thinking of going it alone, so we really think
he can make a go of it straight away. I have designed him some business
cards on the computer and will do some leaflets for him too, so we are
keeping costs to a minimum. He is going to use the Chamber of Commerce and
a local business club.

My fiance has worked hard all his life (twenty years or so out there in the
workforce) and is sick and tired of working his butt off with little
appreciation from the fat cat boss and for little pay. The job he's doing
at the moment has him tending to around 260 gardens - he is paid little
over the minimum wage and my fiance and his work-mate did the maths and
worked out they are getting paid around £1.20 per garden!

I truly believe he can make this work, we realise there is a risk involved
when setting up on your own, but I think sometimes in life it's worth taking
a risk! He's a damned hard worker, is organised, thorough and never has
days off sick, so I'm sure if anyone can make it work he can. Fingers
crossed anyway!!!

Thanks again for your advice, it's much appreciated!

Tracey

Thank you, Mike, for your thorough and excellent advice, I'll take a print
out of it and show my fiance when he gets in from work.

If there is something which comes to mind and is not covered by the examples
and advice I shoved out, come back to me and I will see what I can do.


He already has six people lined up who would want regular work doing, so
it's a start. Originally he thought it would be best if he took a
part-time
job doing whatever and slowly build up the gardening, eventually making
this
a full time thing, but he is having more and more requests as the weeks go
by when he tells people he's thinking of going it alone, so we really
think
he can make a go of it straight away.

He has made a very good start in talking to people and telling them what he
wants to do. If he, and you ;-) carry on doing this, then advertising in the
press, Yellow Pages (Very expensive and a waste of time for what he wants to
do), local radio etc will not be needed. (Local Radio adverts are a waste of
time too, but I can explain why later)

I have designed him some business
cards on the computer and will do some leaflets for him too, so we are
keeping costs to a minimum.

There is no need, in what he wants to do, to spend any money on printing as
you have a computer. I do have Business Cards, BUT, that is because the
company I arrange the reunions with 'is' a big business and where I am
'representing them' as opposed to it being my business, then the 'Corporate
Image' follows through. For you, a computer leaflet will do. (And here is
another tip, when he has a customer, when he finishes for the
day/job/whatever it is, ask them if they are happy with his work and if yes,
hand them half a dozen leaflets for friends and neighbours. Better to have 2
customers alongside each other, than 1 here and the other over the other
side of town. Isle of Wight in my case:-))


He is going to use the Chamber of Commerce and
a local business club.

Good. If he gets the chance and is invited to do so, tell him to join the
committee of any business club or Chamber of Commerce. THAT alone generates
work!! and gets him well known :-))


My fiance has worked hard all his life (twenty years or so out there in
the
workforce) and is sick and tired of working his butt off with little
appreciation from the fat cat boss and for little pay. The job he's doing
at the moment has him tending to around 260 gardens - he is paid little
over the minimum wage and my fiance and his work-mate did the maths and
worked out they are getting paid around £1.20 per garden!

Something you and he must take into consideration, is travelling time. If he
leaves home at 8.00, gets to his first job at 8.20. Does 3 hours work and
then has another distance to travel between the next couple of jobs, then
his working time @ £X /hour, when spread over the working, or 'out of home'
hours, can be 1/3£X/hour, which if not careful, can be less than he is on
now. Travelling time is a killer and MUST be taken into consideration.
"£40.00 and you have only been here an hour???!!"


I truly believe he can make this work, we realise there is a risk involved
when setting up on your own, but I think sometimes in life it's worth
taking
a risk! He's a damned hard worker, is organised, thorough and never has
days off sick, so I'm sure if anyone can make it work he can. Fingers
crossed anyway!!!

A chap I worked for said to me 'Mike, when a customer shouts 'JUMP', I jump,
and on the way up I ask 'How High Sir?' Basically the Customer is King and
is very important to you. The customer can be an absolute barstard, but you
mustn't show it has got to you ;-))

Getting money in, and on time is an important factor. Easy when you know how
;-) I was lucky in that one of the Business Clubs I belonged to had a super
system :-))


Thanks again for your advice, it's much appreciated!

Been there and I know the thrill :-))

Good luck. (That comes into it a lot and I can help you be in the right
place in the right time :-))


Tracey

Keep us informed

Mike

advertising in the
press, Yellow Pages (Very expensive and a waste of time for what he wants to
do)

I thought yellow pages would be expensive too, but no! For a one line
ad it is free and the same with white pages too. For any more space
they charge an arm and a leg. The free ad is just
Name-Address-Phonenumber so I mutated my business name into "Anna
Kettle Parget and Lime"

Anna
~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

I thought yellow pages would be expensive too, but no! For a one line
ad it is free and the same with white pages too. For any more space
they charge an arm and a leg. The free ad is just
Name-Address-Phonenumber so I mutated my business name into "Anna
Kettle Parget and Lime"


:-(( Forgot about the free line, but that is only for Business Lines if I
recall correctly. I would very strongly recommend that he uses the phone
from home on the home line only to start with. Would BT give 'so' much extra
for a Business Line?

Mike

:-(( Forgot about the free line, but that is only for Business Lines if I
recall correctly. I would very strongly recommend that he uses the phone
from home on the home line only to start with. Would BT give 'so' much extra
for a Business Line?

Mine is a home line and they accepted that

Anna
~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

Mine is a home line and they accepted that

Anna
~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642


Wonderful :-))

Bit more useful information I can file away, thanks for the info.

Mike

"Anna Kettle" wrote in message
...
advertising in the
press, Yellow Pages (Very expensive and a waste of time for what he wants
to
do)

I thought yellow pages would be expensive too, but no! For a one line
ad it is free and the same with white pages too. For any more space
they charge an arm and a leg. The free ad is just
Name-Address-Phonenumber so I mutated my business name into "Anna
Kettle Parget and Lime"


Knowing what pargetting is when it's at home, I would assume this to be some
sort of a legal firm :-)
Thank you for adding a word to my vocabulary today!

--
Cat(h)
The world swirls...

"Cat" wrote in message
...


"Anna Kettle" wrote in message
...
advertising in the
press, Yellow Pages (Very expensive and a waste of time for what he
wants
to
do)

I thought yellow pages would be expensive too, but no! For a one line
ad it is free and the same with white pages too. For any more space
they charge an arm and a leg. The free ad is just
Name-Address-Phonenumber so I mutated my business name into "Anna
Kettle Parget and Lime"


Knowing what pargetting is when it's at home, I would
^^^^^^^^^^
(snip)

Of course, this should read "not knowing"...

--
Cat(h)
The world swirls...

"Cat" wrote
Name-Address-Phonenumber so I mutated my business name into "Anna
Kettle Parget and Lime"


Knowing what pargetting is when it's at home, I would
^^^^^^^^^^
(snip)

Of course, this should read "not knowing"...

Bet you do now...
http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk...hall02big.html

Knowing what pargetting is when it's at home, I would
^^^^^^^^^^
(snip)

Of course, this should read "not knowing"...

Glad to be able to edificate you ;-) and your explanation too cos I
had visions of an obscure legal property term wot I'd not come across.


Anna
~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

"Mike" wrote in message
...

If there is something which comes to mind and is not covered by the
examples
and advice I shoved out, come back to me and I will see what I can do.

He has made a very good start in talking to people and telling them what
he
wants to do. If he, and you ;-) carry on doing this, then advertising in
the
press, Yellow Pages (Very expensive and a waste of time for what he wants
to
do), local radio etc will not be needed. (Local Radio adverts are a waste
of
time too, but I can explain why later)

I have designed him some business
cards on the computer and will do some leaflets for him too, so we are
keeping costs to a minimum.

There is no need, in what he wants to do, to spend any money on printing
as
you have a computer. I do have Business Cards, BUT, that is because the
company I arrange the reunions with 'is' a big business and where I am
'representing them' as opposed to it being my business, then the
'Corporate
Image' follows through. For you, a computer leaflet will do. (And here is
another tip, when he has a customer, when he finishes for the
day/job/whatever it is, ask them if they are happy with his work and if
yes,
hand them half a dozen leaflets for friends and neighbours. Better to have
2
customers alongside each other, than 1 here and the other over the other
side of town. Isle of Wight in my case:-))


He is going to use the Chamber of Commerce and
a local business club.

Good. If he gets the chance and is invited to do so, tell him to join the
committee of any business club or Chamber of Commerce. THAT alone
generates
work!! and gets him well known :-))


My fiance has worked hard all his life (twenty years or so out there in
the
workforce) and is sick and tired of working his butt off with little
appreciation from the fat cat boss and for little pay. The job he's
doing
at the moment has him tending to around 260 gardens - he is paid little
over the minimum wage and my fiance and his work-mate did the maths and
worked out they are getting paid around £1.20 per garden!

Something you and he must take into consideration, is travelling time. If
he
leaves home at 8.00, gets to his first job at 8.20. Does 3 hours work and
then has another distance to travel between the next couple of jobs, then
his working time @ £X /hour, when spread over the working, or 'out of
home'
hours, can be 1/3£X/hour, which if not careful, can be less than he is on
now. Travelling time is a killer and MUST be taken into consideration.
"£40.00 and you have only been here an hour???!!"


I truly believe he can make this work, we realise there is a risk
involved
when setting up on your own, but I think sometimes in life it's worth
taking
a risk! He's a damned hard worker, is organised, thorough and never has
days off sick, so I'm sure if anyone can make it work he can. Fingers
crossed anyway!!!

A chap I worked for said to me 'Mike, when a customer shouts 'JUMP', I
jump,
and on the way up I ask 'How High Sir?' Basically the Customer is King and
is very important to you. The customer can be an absolute barstard, but
you
mustn't show it has got to you ;-))

Getting money in, and on time is an important factor. Easy when you know
how
;-) I was lucky in that one of the Business Clubs I belonged to had a
super
system :-))


Thanks again for your advice, it's much appreciated!

Been there and I know the thrill :-))

Good luck. (That comes into it a lot and I can help you be in the right
place in the right time :-))


Tracey

Keep us informed

Mike


Again, thank you, Mike!

Tracey

"Tracey" wrote in news:2pm8f8FmmkevU1@uni-
berlin.de:

There is no need, in what he wants to do, to spend any money on printing
as
you have a computer. I do have Business Cards, BUT, that is because the
company I arrange the reunions with 'is' a big business and where I am
'representing them' as opposed to it being my business, then the
'Corporate
Image' follows through. For you, a computer leaflet will do.

Only from a laser printer. Inkjet printed business cards/ leaflets
quickly fade, run when wet, and generally become indecipherable.

Yesterday I decided to get a carpet shampooed and got down a relevant small
business flier from my noticeboard, to find I could no longer read the
phone number. And it was only a few months old: sun on the noticeboard had
done for it.

I'm guessing a card belonging to a gardener might sometimes need a certain
damp-resistance too: even sweaty fingers will smudge an inkjet print.


Victoria

"Victoria Clare" wrote in message
.218...
"Tracey" wrote in news:2pm8f8FmmkevU1@uni-
berlin.de:

There is no need, in what he wants to do, to spend any money on
printing
as
you have a computer. I do have Business Cards, BUT, that is because the
company I arrange the reunions with 'is' a big business and where I am
'representing them' as opposed to it being my business, then the
'Corporate
Image' follows through. For you, a computer leaflet will do.

Only from a laser printer. Inkjet printed business cards/ leaflets
quickly fade, run when wet, and generally become indecipherable.

Yesterday I decided to get a carpet shampooed and got down a relevant
small
business flier from my noticeboard, to find I could no longer read the
phone number. And it was only a few months old: sun on the noticeboard
had
done for it.

I'm guessing a card belonging to a gardener might sometimes need a certain
damp-resistance too: even sweaty fingers will smudge an inkjet print.


Susceptibility to damp is relatively easily fixed by laminating the cards,
which also makes them much more durable.

"BAC" wrote in
:

I'm guessing a card belonging to a gardener might sometimes need a
certain damp-resistance too: even sweaty fingers will smudge an
inkjet print.


Susceptibility to damp is relatively easily fixed by laminating the
cards, which also makes them much more durable.

Indeed - but that makes them more expensive than getting them printed
properly in the first place.

Victoria