How long to wait on steady work?

[tree MDS]

I wouldnt know what to do without the tree thing.

If I was to win 20 mil I would probably just re-invest in my biz, really put a hurting on some of these guys.

It would also be nice to drag a couple of my buddys away from their crap jobs.

 

[TreeClimber57]

Many times I have gone through a scenario where I win $20M in the lottery and I think about what I would do. Always, it comes back to the trees, with perhaps a few more vacations thrown in.

Agreed 110%..

I may have some newer equipment, maybe a bit bigger in some areas (larger chipper), etc.. what I would likely do is branch out a bit, and get a bit bigger. Heck I already have employees.. so a couple more would not matter. What it would do is by being a bit bigger.. allow me to hire full time people to do the administration work!! Hire a field manager to look after the crews (yes I would still be there - but if I wanted to take a few days off I could) !!

Now that is what I think I will dream about for a bit.. then come back to reality!

 

[TreeClimber57]

I wouldnt know what to do without the tree thing.

If I was to win 20 mil I would probably just re-invest in my biz, really put a hurting on some of these guys.

It would also be nice to drag a couple of my buddys away from their crap jobs.

I like that !! Good attitude

 

[Grace Tree]

If I won 20 million my neighbors would think I was the gardener that worked at the estate tending the owners plant collection.

If I won 20 million I'd keep doing trees 'till the money was all gone.
Phil

 

[TreeClimber57]

Maybe I will go out and buy a lottery ticket today!! :yoyo:

 

[treemandan]

Well you can't win if ya don't play!

 

[treemandan]

If I won 20 million I'd keep doing trees 'till the money was all gone.
Phil

I hear that!

 

[tree MDS]

Well you can't win if ya don't play!

Funny thing, I've never bought a single lotto ticket - not even a scratch off.

Lord knows I'm in the packie enough!

Maybe I'll start... been thinking about it. gotta be an easier way.

 

[mckeetree]

Some of you guys are just plain nuts. Funny. An old guy in Dallas that had been doing tree work for 40 years told me back around 1985 or so that I didn't fit the bill for a tree man. When I asked him why, he said "Because you don't appear to be a nut. Treemen are all nuts. And you make sense." I just looked at him and said whatever. After doing this for myself for 23 years and dealing with dozens of people in this profession I realize the validity in
the old cats statement.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Some of you guys are just plain nuts. Funny. An old guy in Dallas that had been doing tree work for 40 years told me back around 1985 or so that I didn't fit the bill for a tree man. When I asked him why, he said "Because you don't appear to be a nut. Treemen are all nuts. And you make sense." I just looked at him and said whatever. After doing this for myself for 23 years and dealing with dozens of people in this profession I realize the validity in
the old cats statement.

lol

I wouldnt know what to do without the tree thing.

If I was to win 20 mil I would probably just re-invest in my biz, really put a hurting on some of these guys.

It would also be nice to drag a couple of my buddys away from their crap jobs.

I'm with you on that MDS, I'd hire my pals full time in a second.

"You trim that tree, you go cable that one, that spruce there, limb it up and chunk it down, oh...that monster oak over there, yeah, I'll handle that when the crane shows up."

 

[treemandan]

Some of you guys are just plain nuts. Funny. An old guy in Dallas that had been doing tree work for 40 years told me back around 1985 or so that I didn't fit the bill for a tree man. When I asked him why, he said "Because you don't appear to be a nut. Treemen are all nuts. And you make sense." I just looked at him and said whatever. After doing this for myself for 23 years and dealing with dozens of people in this profession I realize the validity in
the old cats statement.

Now we know.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Ha! If I won 20M the only thing I want to do with trees is be in a hammock tied to two of them.

LOL! I don't believe you, to tell you the truth. You have sap in your veins as most of us in here do. Yeah, you might lay in your hammock for a bit, but eventually your gaze would start focusing on the limbs above you and how this one needs a little pruning, and----hmmmm--I think that one is dead, it may need to come off, and-----I think I'll fire up my 200 and get up there, well, just for a little while, but-------

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Maybe I will go out and buy a lottery ticket today!! :yoyo:

OK, but I want 10%, if you hit it, for motivating you to do so.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Are you giving up? Sunrise?

 

[mckeetree]

LOL! I don't believe you, to tell you the truth. You have sap in your veins as most of us in here do. Yeah, you might lay in your hammock for a bit, but eventually your gaze would start focusing on the limbs above you and how this one needs a little pruning, and----hmmmm--I think that one is dead, it may need to come off, and-----I think I'll fire up my 200 and get up there, well, just for a little while, but-------

Naw, no climbing for me anymore. Way too fat and my back and shoulders are shot now. There was a time though. I'm still decent on the ground if the mood strikes me. I do sales, consultations, soil analysis, appraisals, go out on larger planting jobs, still do a lot of application, that sort of thing. I get the payroll ready every week and the books ready to go to the bookkeeper. Of course I run the safety program and keep up with employee filings. I end up giving out a lot of free info on the phone with people calling wanting to know what kind of bug is this. If I won that 20 Mil though, hey if I cashed in that TWENTY, color me gone. I will get a transfusion to get the sap out or something.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Are you giving up? Sunrise?

Funny you should ask. The phone was ringing off the hook, today. I'm back on the truck, boys. Next week is booked, solid. What a weird hot or cold profession this is.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Funny you should ask. The phone was ringing off the hook, today. I'm back on the truck, boys. Next week is booked, solid. What a weird hot or cold profession this is.

I've got to add, here, that my mailing list is now in the best shape it has ever been in. It took me about a week of almost non-stop data entry to shape it up---something I should have done months ago, but put off. I hate doing mindless work like that, but the slow-down drove me to do it. I suppose the dark cloud does have a silver lining.

When my right-hand man, Dan, gets back from vacation, he will be given the list and I expect him to book us through March.

Just out of curiosity, what programs do you guys use to keep your client data base in good shape? I'm now using Mail List (V 4.0.1.0) by Avanquest. It seems to be a keeper, for now. I like the way I can now sort by zip code. When I'm going to be in a given area, I can now call everyone in that area and see what they may need.

Again, it is always feast or famine in this biz.

 

[ewoolsey]

Part of what I was talking about is how customers perceive you. You are cementing the fact that you are perceived as a "door knocker." Around here that is not too good a tag to have hung around your neck. No matter what you do or think you kinda have that vacuum cleaner salesman stigma attached to you. I think if you are going door to door and doing any good with that you are either cheap as an illegal alien or worse yet cheaper than one. A man watching me type this just commented "All he is really doing is just aggravating the community and making real tree care companies look bad as a profession." I have to agree with that. Plus I think you are about 99% hogwash based on what you have posted since you joined and that is my opinion.

I am not on here much , but it didnt take me long to see who think that they are god on here ,around here it's called making a living, if the guy needs to door knock , it dose'nt bother me, i have though about it if im in the area that need some work done, i am happy if i work 2-3 days a week , who wants to work 5 days a week every week any way, not me. i am not over my head indebt like most , the weather is the only problem now, i have work to do , yes my help would like to work more and i do thank of him , like most there is the slow time's, we all must make the best of it .

 

[mckeetree]

i am happy if i work 2-3 days a week , who wants to work 5 days a week every week any way, not me.

Unreal.

 

[TreeClimber57]

i am happy if i work 2-3 days a week

What do you do the rest of the time.. I love the work.

Now I must admit some time is spent working on the equipment, cleaning it.. changing oil, etc.. but for the most part it and I are in the field working.