# Starting from Scratch, what should I start with to have the right equipment and steps



## josh79 (Jan 10, 2011)

Happy New Year to All,
What equipment should i start with and what steps should I take to properly have a successful buisness. Marketing, gear, trucks, personnel, can anyone map it out for me, thankyou for ya'llls time. 
Josh


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## capetrees (Jan 10, 2011)

This could get ugly. opcorn:

Some in here could be very good help and others downright nasty. 

Good luck


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## ddhlakebound (Jan 10, 2011)

josh79 said:


> Happy New Year to All,
> What equipment should i start with and what steps should I take to properly have a successful buisness. Marketing, gear, trucks, personnel, can anyone map it out for me, thankyou for ya'llls time.
> Josh



What, gettin an ice storm next week and the lotto didn't pan out?


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 10, 2011)

Maybe you should tell us your story and why you left for awhile and also your experience. 
Jeff


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## Mikecutstrees (Jan 10, 2011)

How much work do you have now? Buy only what you can afford....

Mike


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## ctrees4$ (Jan 10, 2011)

Knowledge.....Thats the first piece you need and you can't buy it,you earn it....that takes a few years.Try asking again 2014


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## bulldoglover (Jan 10, 2011)

Keep that overhead LOW, start slow and do not over extend your wallet. Not to sound like on of those guys, but... If you need to ask what equipment you need, you probably should get some training. When it comes time to get started, before you hit that tree you should have biz insurance.


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 10, 2011)

ctrees4$ said:


> Knowledge.....Thats the first piece you need and you can't buy it,you earn it....that takes a few years.Try asking again 2014


 
I guess I should have added that this is a 'Bite your tongue' because I know it is hard to do and thought in this thread we could lay off a little and still have the same result rather than stinking up a different thread. Hey, if not , No problem, 
Jeff


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 10, 2011)

I know there is a lot of talent out there and smarts out there and I think if they had a place to go, ((Like we do!!!!)), without being harassed, they would stick around and after we die, we will be 'Hero's'! 
Jeff


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## ctrees4$ (Jan 11, 2011)

josh79 said:


> Happy New Year to All,
> What equipment should i start with and what steps should I take to properly have a successful buisness. Marketing, gear, trucks, personnel, can anyone map it out for me, thankyou for ya'llls time.
> Josh


 
This post hasn't got any info on what he knows or has to start a tree business so I begin with the basics to see how "HE" will reply. That makes it easier to point Josh in the right direction.


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## josh79 (Jan 11, 2011)

*Thanks for the feedback*

After reading these, my impression is that I should go be a groundie for a couple of years and then go it on my own.


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## Traefaelderen (Jan 11, 2011)

Head up Josh!
Jep, be a groundie for a while. Learn from the old rats. Learn the climbing part, and top some trees by supervision from the experiended guys. I think the will be happy to teach, if u are interestet to listen and to learn and of course work hard.

And don´t forget the economic part of having your own company, takes a lot of time in the beginning.

Good luck.....................


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## RVALUE (Jan 11, 2011)

I had a fellow (friend) tell me he was getting into the tree business. He didn't have a chainsaw yet. He was so inept, he couldn't keep a bicycle running.

He wanted to 'borrow until he could buy' my bucket truck. 


I let him have it. I MEAN I gave him all my mind. (His wife told me I was too hard on him, then two month's later divorced him.)


Sorry for the hi jacking. But it _might_ apply.


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## jefflovstrom (Jan 11, 2011)

You would be be the Boss and Owner. I think most tree guys respect a boss or owner that has walked in their shoes.
Jeff


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## ctrees4$ (Jan 11, 2011)

josh79 said:


> After reading these, my impression is that I should go be a groundie for a couple of years and then go it on my own.


 
Thats a great start and the more people you work with the more you learn...try to gather different techniques from each person.There are many ways to do the same job and some will work better than others.After 2 years you will know what you need to buy and do....or you will know that being an arborist isn't your cup of tea. Good luck bro!:chainsawguy:


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## FanOFatherNash (Jan 12, 2011)

1.The Fundamentals of General Tree Work by Jerry (G.F.) Beranek (Book)

2.The Complete Book of Knots - Geoffrey Budworth

3.The Tree Climbers Companion - by Jeff Jepson

4.Stump Grinder

5. Bucket Truck

6. ChainSaw


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## justme23005 (Jan 13, 2011)

Don't listen to those guys... training is over rated... just buy a really big, cool looking saw and lots of insurance and learn as you go.. scars are cool...


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## treemandan (Jan 13, 2011)

Just give me a little more time , I should have the drafts written up soon. You can go over them and see if they suit you.


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## treemandan (Jan 13, 2011)

justme23005 said:


> Don't listen to those guys... training is over rated... just buy a really big, cool looking saw and lots of insurance and learn as you go.. scars are cool...


 
probably the best real advice.


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## Greener (Jan 14, 2011)

josh79 said:


> Happy New Year to All,
> What equipment should i start with and what steps should I take to properly have a successful buisness. Marketing, gear, trucks, personnel, can anyone map it out for me, thankyou for ya'llls time.
> Josh



Josh, I got the same responses when I first started climbing and running a saw. No one wanted to coach or give input. So I was on my own. I ended up climbing and trimming all the branches of three 70 ft first at my home with no ropes, no rigs and just a bow saw. My tree buddies still discourage me after many years of work and no accidents. 

There is a lot of macho-ness in this business but let me give it to you straight. 1) Find someone who knows a lot about the business (both technically and financially). Personally, I would work under seasoned pros while studying on your own. If you have the time and money, it is best to get an arborist certification. 2) Make sure you invest in the right equipment (Wesspur.com and Sherrilltree.com). Don't go cheap on your gear, if you plan to climb, buy a set at one time. 3) Don't take any job that is bigger than your confidence. Start with small jobs if working on your own. 4) make sure you design your business plan (decision to go it alone or work on a team) matches the local market/demand for services. If you don't have to be a boss or business owner right away, it is definitely best to work on the ground and see how other guys do the more skilled work. Good luck and have fun.


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## TimberMcPherson (Jan 14, 2011)

Dont buy any gear, get books, go work for 2 companies (so at least if ones useless you will realise by working for another) and learn your butt off. 

Its far to expensive to learn from your own mistakes, you might not come out the other end intact. 

If you dont have the knowledge or skills to do the job correctly, any gear will be a waste of money and you may create a damaging reputation that could take decades to shake.


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## Greener (Jan 15, 2011)

TimberMcPherson said:


> Dont buy any gear, get books, go work for 2 companies (so at least if ones useless you will realise by working for another) and learn your butt off.
> 
> Its far to expensive to learn from your own mistakes, you might not come out the other end intact.
> 
> If you dont have the knowledge or skills to do the job correctly, any gear will be a waste of money and you may create a damaging reputation that could take decades to shake.



TimberMcPherson, that is great advice and you make a good point. My brother once dropped a tree on a power line. Luckily that was his reputation and not mine.


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## capetrees (Jan 15, 2011)

As you can see josh79, there are some that will help with great advise and some that are too good to help you. Keep in mind, nobody in here was born with all the facts and knowledge in their heads. They learned it somewhere and experience is the biggest helper. Book smarts are one thing but experience is another. 

The last two/three posts are probably the best advise so far. Depending on what you want to do, trimming or large tree removal, keep your equipment sized accordingly. Too big is a waste and too small will limit you. 

Good luck.


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## MillerTreeMN (Jan 28, 2011)

9 years ago, when i was 19 i had a 3/4 ton pickup, bought a husky chainsaw with a 24" bar, and a used stump grinder. i started doing stumps, and the occasional tree job. then as i got bigger tree jobs, i would hire to have someone help me with the cleanup, other friends with dump trucks etc. 

then i bought a dump trailer, so i could clean up bigger jobs on my own, and a 1-ton pickup. 

i could always hire a bucket or climber if i couldnt take it down myself. 

if the job was too big, i turned it down. 

i started getting alot of bigger jobs. 

then i bought a new stumper. 

then a tractor, and bigger dump trailer. now i just bought a clam truck. 

i didnt take it seriously when i was 19-22. but when i bought my house at 23/24, i really started taking work seriously 

word of mouth and internet will be your best advertising- phone book is a waste of money. 

also, at the end of the season i send out post cards to customers saying thanks for their business. that way, they are reminded of me and the trees in their yard, and if they lost my business card, now they have my # again. 

when you clean up after jobs- make sure the yard looks better than it did before you got there. you can do the most dangerous job in the world, but if you leave a mess, they'll remember you as the company that left a mess, not the company who did a tough job safely. i have a bunch of reviews placed by customers on my business, and they comment on how clean the yard was when we were done, and how fast i returned their calls and scheduled the job. i often get told i was the first to return the phone call, and the people appreciate that.


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## TreeAce (Jan 31, 2011)

jefflovstrom said:


> You would be be the Boss and Owner. I think most tree guys respect a boss or owner that has walked in their shoes.
> Jeff


 
I can say from experince that it is/was true for me. Some years ago I worked for a guy who got into tree work because he watched an actual tree man make 800 in about 3 hours. He was a mechanic (and a good one at that) but he quit his job wrenchen and convinced his wife to use her inheritance to start up a tree biz. I went to work for him cuz he paid me well. While I was there the biz did well, I have heard that since I left it has gone down hill fast. I believe it, Not cuz I am so great but because he is such an idiot. Guess I am just rambling...u had to be there. Point is that he thinks he is gonna start off just runnin a tree company when he isnt even an actual tree man. Doesnt know enough. One good thing I got out of it was that it proved to me that if this jack a.sz can keep his above water in biz even alittle bit then I should be able to do ok at it.


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## Jeffsaw (Feb 1, 2011)

josh79 said:


> Happy New Year to All,
> What equipment should i start with and what steps should I take to properly have a successful buisness. Marketing, gear, trucks, personnel, can anyone map it out for me, thankyou for ya'llls time.
> Josh


 If you don't have any experience in the tree service business, you should work for someone for a while and get some. I did not and wish I had.
If you do have some experience, take a small business course and/or how to write a business plan course. It is interesting to find out all of the places your money will go.
Start out with what you can afford as far as equipment goes. Best of luck.


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## RVALUE (Feb 1, 2011)

Interesting read: 


http://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/PDFfiles/Beranek.pdf


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## CRThomas (Jun 5, 2011)

*Info*

I can't help but I work with a tree man and I clean up after he's go for the wood and I wouldn't cut a tree in the middle of the desert. I truly respect that man he say people want to be his partner he say no way. Parts is not a partner ship ours is a agreement. And we stick to it. We were at a cafe drinking coffee a fellow ask him for some of a tree he cut down and cut up he told the fellow when the tree hits the ground it's his and I no long can say sorry. One job he done it took me a week to clean it up but I got around 90 ton of firewood ready to split. I save him a 1000.00 dollars in clean up because he just has the stuff to put trees on the ground and I got the stuff to move it with. So if you putting trees on the ground to clean up your mess. You can under bid some fellow that has to clean up his job. While I was cleaning up that job. He done 4 more jobs.ater


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