Did you know that gardening can help reduce a person’s risk for dementia by <\/span>more than a third<\/span><\/a> (36%)?<\/span><\/p>\n Or that it’s one of the best <\/span>ways to get adequate sunlight<\/span><\/a> exposure, which helps to increase your supply of Vitamin D?<\/span><\/p>\n That’s not all. Many other studies show that gardening really does the health <\/span>a lot of wonders<\/span><\/a>. From lowered risks of depression and anxiety to decreased body mass index, gardening can improve your overall quality of life.<\/span><\/p>\n All these benefits–and more–are yours to enjoy when you start your own gardening business. Having your own gardening and landscaping business also gives you a chance to tap into an <\/span>$84-billion industry<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n But like any other for-profit organization, there’s a lot of preparation and planning you need to do. But don’t worry–we’re here to help.<\/span><\/p>\n Check out this ultimate guide to help you get started.<\/span><\/p>\n We’re talking about something that’s both art and science, after all. To run a successful gardening and\/or landscaping service, you need to either have the talent or hone your nature-related skills.<\/span><\/p>\n Don’t worry. Many of these gardening must-haves you can develop through experience (we’ll talk about this later). The important thing to ask yourself is whether you have what it takes to commit to the many responsibilities you’ll have as a business owner.<\/span><\/p>\n This particular industry requires the ability to transform barren lands into masterpieces of landscapes. But equally important is your ability to run a business in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n Let’s start with the artistic side of this profitable venture first.<\/span><\/p>\n First, you need a creative mind to conjure images and plans of how best to turn your clients’ yard into something magazine-worthy. You also need the knack for design. And of course, you need proficiency when it comes to general gardening and planting.<\/span><\/p>\n What about your business skills? Since it’s a business, you need people and financial skills too.<\/span><\/p>\n Personal communication skills, organizational skills, and negotiation skills are three of the top must-haves. You should also brush up on your accounting abilities, even if you plan on hiring a professional.<\/span><\/p>\n Lastly, make sure you can keep your business–and your clients’ flora–flourishing despite any fluctuating weather conditions in the area.<\/span><\/p>\n If you have no experience or expertise in gardening or landscaping, don’t fret. You won’t have a hard time finding experienced landscapers who can help.<\/span><\/p>\n You need to do your homework and research which ones to get your training from. Also, prepare yourself to make some investments, especially in time and money. It will all be worth it once potential clients start ringing you up for service schedules.<\/span><\/p>\n Gardening sounds easier than it actually is, so it’s best you get professional training. There are many areas such programs will cover. But, in general, you’ll learn about the following:<\/span><\/p>\n You can even learn about repairing parking lots and maintaining commercial properties in addition to the above-mentioned. Check <\/span>this website<\/span><\/a> out to find out more about gardening and landscaping programs available.<\/span><\/p>\n There are several types of landscaping gardening business models to choose from. If you plan to start with only yourself or a small group of employees, you may want to stick with routine services. These include weed control and insect control.<\/span><\/p>\n You should also base your decision on the specific market you’re aiming for. Do you want to offer your skills and expertise to residential property owners? Or are you gearing more towards commercial properties?<\/span><\/p>\n In any case, know that lawn mowing and landscape maintenance services are a great place to start. Many property owners also need regular assistance with weeding and fertilizer application. The same goes for pest control application.<\/span><\/p>\n You may need more specialized training, but many property owners now also look for professionals offering sod installation and hydroseeding services.<\/span><\/p>\n In any case, it’s a good idea to start small. As you gain more experience, you can then begin to think about expanding to more specialized areas.<\/span><\/p>\n Depending on which part of the country you’ll start your gardening business in, you may need to obtain gardening and landscaping licensure.<\/span><\/p>\n For instance, <\/span>31 states<\/span><\/a> require all landscape architects to hold a license and obtain continuing education so they can hold on to their license. Of the 31, California is included. However, the state has its own governing agency in the form of the <\/span>California Landscape Architects Technical Committee<\/span><\/a> (LATC).<\/span><\/p>\n Even if your state doesn’t require licensure, it’s best you get accreditation from recognized organizations in the industry. There’s the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation, as an example.<\/span><\/p>\n If you plan to include irrigation-related services in your offers, consider getting accreditation from the Irrigation Association. As for arborist certification, a good idea is to join the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) as an accredited member.<\/span><\/p>\n Why do all these matter if the law doesn’t require them? For the simple reason of assuring potential clients about your professionalism and credibility. When they see that you have the affiliation, accreditation, and licensure, they’ll feel more inclined to choose you over your competitors who don’t.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you’ve decided on the type of gardening and\/or landscaping business, next is the legal organization.<\/span><\/p>\n As a soon-to-be small business owner, taxes are your primary consideration. For this, it’s best that you have a professional and qualified accountant to help you out.<\/span><\/p>\n An accountant can help you determine what type of business you should set up. For instance, most smaller gardening and landscaping companies operate under the Limited Liability Company (LLC) category or as an S corporation.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s important you make this choice wisely since it’ll affect the taxes you need to pay. And don’t forget that an accountant can help you factor in the essentials when it comes to <\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Starting a gardening and\/or landscaping service doesn’t cost as much as other types of services.<\/span><\/p>\n Ideally, though, you should still have about $50,000 saved up. This’ll help you survive throughout the first few months as you build your business and wait for your first customers’ payments.<\/span><\/p>\n That amount also covers the purchase and rental of basic equipment. Mowing machines and weeding tools should sit on top of your must-have list. Hoes, picks, rakes, and shovels are the other basic gardening supplies you should invest in.<\/span><\/p>\n Although technically you can start the business on your own, you should still consider having employees.<\/span><\/p>\n Start with one or two other trained and qualified individuals. Look for the same set of qualities we mentioned above when interviewing prospective applicants.<\/span><\/p>\n Always remember that it’s more cost-effective to retain employees than hire new ones. As the employer, you want to make sure you keep your hard working people <\/span> with what they do.<\/span><\/p>\n In the event you do hire help, make sure you check the requirements for worker’s compensation. Some states require businesses with even a single employee to have this insurance. Even if you don’t have to, offering this to your employee is a great way to retain his\/her loyalty.<\/span><\/p>\n In a market consisting of 99.9% small businesses, you have many other organizations to compete with.<\/span><\/p>\n While not all these are professional gardening and\/or landscaping services, many of them are. And you need to gain an advantage over them for your own business to thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n That said, you want to have a <\/span> before you even open up shop. Equally important as having a physical office is getting your brand on the Internet. But don’t forget the power of traditional advertising means–print ads in particular.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Do You Have a Green Thumb?<\/b><\/h2>\n
2. Get Experience with Lessons and Practical Training<\/b><\/h2>\n
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3. Determine What Area of Gardening\/Landscaping to Specialize In<\/b><\/h2>\n
4. Check for State and Local Licensing Requirements<\/b><\/h2>\n
5. Getting on the Legal Side<\/b><\/h2>\n
6. Set Your Finances Straight<\/b><\/h2>\n
7. Hire the Right People<\/b><\/h2>\n
8. Time to Market Your Expertise<\/b><\/h2>\n