qprev_HBB Manual 2.qxd - Small Business BC

4How Will You Operate?Murray’s Lawn and LandscapingServiceby Genevieve Gardner“I don’t compete with nature – I learn from it andI work with it,” has been Murray David’s mottosince he started his lawn and gardenmaintenance business after retiring from a 28-year naval career.Start-up costs for a lawn and garden business arerelatively low – Murray estimates $5,000 to$10,000 for anyone entering the business – andhe was able to adapt various pieces of gardeningequipment he already owned.Murray makes time to explore the garden with aclient – every week if that’s desired –- and tokeep them informed of what he has done on eachvisit. “One very distinctive feature of mygardens,” he says with obvious pride, “is athrowback to the Navy – everything must bemanicured, trimmed and precise.”Murray also looks after a number of apartmentbuildings and condominiums, though quite oftenhe finds dealing with management companiesmore complicated than dealing with individuals.“It’s important to make sure that you identifywhether the company is administered at the local,provincial, or national level,” he advises,“especially if you are tracking an unpaidinvoice.”In his truck he carries licenses, coursecertificates and an impressive photo album ofbefore-and-after pictures of his best gardenassignments. Business cards and a cellular phonefor accessibility round out his mobile office.Computer records are kept on all his clients’gardens, including dates of mixture applicationsand what bio-safe products have been applied.He willingly prints out this information forclients on request. Charging by the hour, hebases his calculations on a scale of knowledge,number of clients and machinery costs. As hisknowledge expands, he plans to raise his ratesaccordingly.In future, Murray hopes to expand to acomplement of three: someone for moss baskets,himself doing a bit of everything, and anotherperson to do contract yard work with him. “Iwould like to someone. It would be good to sharewhat I’ve learned.”Assessing Your SituationThe expression “business operations” refers tothe activities and systems involved in organizinga business on a daily basis. These aresummarized in the operations section of abusiness plan, which covers:• Location (aspects not directly related tomarketing)• Premises and facilities• Equipment and methods• Materials, supplies and sources• Key personnel and staff• Professional services and resources• Management and training54solutions for small business home-based business