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- [00:03]
John Pajak
Someone brought a question up to me and they asked me, they said, hey, for the first few years in business, what do you wish someone had told you? And I thought about this for a bit and I started to think, you know, let me make a list. Because I'll tell you what, if you're in your first year or two of business, this episode is going to be my gift to you. And it's not because I've got life all figured out, because I don't. But I've been where you are. And I've stared at the ceiling wondering how I was going to pay the bills. I've looked at a bank account after working like 80 hours in a week and wondered, where did all the money go? I've underpriced jobs and I've made some very expensive mistakes and I've worried that maybe I just wasn't cut out to own a business. But looking back, I wish somebody would have pulled me aside and said, hey, payjack, let me save you a few years. And that's what this episode is. So if you're just starting your journey, I want you to pull up a chair and let's have a conversation.
- [01:01]
Podcast Announcer
Today's episode is brought to you by Yardbook, the All in one CRM for your lawn care business. And as an exclusive partner of this podcast, you can get started today and begin simplifying your business and maximizing your profits. Sign up now@yardbook.com the link is in. The show notes time now for Profits with Paycheck, an essential podcast for you in the green industry who are looking to unlock the full potential of your business. Hosted by John Pajac, your certified financial coach, the show features in depth discussions with successful entrepreneurs, thought leaders and industry experts, providing practical advice and proven strategies on financial planning, operations, marketing and sales. Profits with PayJack has valuable insights and action steps that you can implement today for creating long term success. Now here's John Pajek Foreign.
- [02:04]
John Pajak
Welcome to Profits with Paycheck, the podcast where we dive into business strategies and financial insights for the green industry. I'm your host John Pajak and today is not going to be about spreadsheets. It's not going to be about profit margins. It's not going to be about pricing formulas. But you know, these are things that we get to in future episodes or if you want, you could look at the the back library that we have and find episodes like that. But today I just really it's going to be one business owner talking to another. Because if you're anything like I was when I started. You don't need another motivational speech. You need someone who's walked ahead of you to tell you what the road looks like. So let's just start out with the first gift I want to give to you. You are not supposed to know everything, okay? And I realized this very quick in my career. I thought that every successful business owner had all the answers, and they don't. They're just a few chapters ahead of you. And you're going to make mistakes. You're going to price jobs wrong, and you're going to buy equipment that you wish you didn't, you didn't. And there's going to be times when you trust people you probably shouldn't have. None of that means that you're failing. It just means that you're learning. So I want you to give yourself permission to be new. I want you to give yourself permission to fail. And I know that sounds contradictory, right? That it's like, why would you. Why would you allow yourself to fail? The reason being is the faster you fail and you get back up, it's like riding a bike, okay? It's best once you, you. You kind of get the gist of things with training wheels on. I'll tell you what, business really never has training wheels. Just real quick. I don't think there are any businesses that have training wheels, but basically keep falling and get back up. Because I'll tell you what, when you do that over and over again, and each time you get, say you're riding along on the bike, think about when you first learned to ride your bike. Maybe dad was running behind, you had his hand on the seat, you know, and then all of a sudden, you finally got that balance, and then you realize dad wasn't holding the seat anymore, and you're doing it on your own. That's what you kind of need to do. You need to fail, okay? I remember when my daughter was learning how to ride her bike, and for the longest time, she was just stuck on the training wheels. And one day I just said, you know what? We got to take these things off. You're relying on them too much. You just keep riding on that one angle. And I'm like, the way that you're riding it, you're never going to learn unless I take it off. And we took off the training wheels, and it was amazing because within the first three tries, you know, we fell a couple times. And then it got to the point where she felt pretty comfortable. I was there with her running right alongside of her, and Then after a while, I just took my hand off it, but I was still running next to her. And she started going on her own. And she didn't realize it until I stopped running and she was on her own. And then she kind of wigged out and fell. But we celebrated that fall and she got back up on it. I helped her get started one more time. And then after that, it was just like, it was so natural. So again, you need to give yourself permission to be new at something and be able to fail, but then recover quickly. So don't be afraid of it. I know we talk about failure and it's, oh, nobody wants to fail. I'm telling you, fail quick, get back up. I wish somebody would have told me that because it would have shortened the span. I could. If I would have failed faster, I would have been in a better position to be better quicker. So that's. That's all I got to say about that. The second thing I wish somebody would have told me was you should not measure your success by your bank account, because there's going to be weeks where you work harder than you've ever worked. And then you wonder why there's barely any money left, because now, that doesn't mean that. That doesn't mean that you're automatically bad at business, okay? It usually means. No one ever taught you how money flows through a business. You get. You have to remember that revenue is not profit, okay? So let's just say you. Whether it's a week or a month, it doesn't matter when you're starting out, you know, say it's a $5,000 week or $5,000 month, right? I don't care. You bring $5,000 into the business, obviously that's not profit, because, you know, you get that money in there and sometimes cash isn't always available cash because you got to pay other stuff. You're either paying, you know, you're paying yourself, you're giving your, you know, paying your wage, right? Or if you have employees, you've got to pay payroll. You have to pay for your equipment, your fuel, your overhead expenses, all the stuff, right? That's why, you know, it's not the top line revenue. That's the goal here. It's the bottom line. Like, what do you actually get to keep at the end of the day? So, you know, there's a lot of people out there that will go to bat and they'll look at you and be like, hey, how much did you make last year? And there a lot of guys will interpret that as like, what was your top line revenue? Oh, I did, you know, $900,000 last year. And then you get the basically pissing contest back and forth. Oh, we did 1.2 million. And you know, you're sitting there going, I did like 300. I did 300,000. I thought I was doing great. These guys are triple what I did. It's not that number. I mean, I would rather have a $300,000 business where I actually made $50,000 in profit. There's an example that I could give you where a guy I was working with did a million in total revenue, but only kept $50,000. Honestly, I would rather have the $300,000 business that kept 50,000 of it. When you start to understand how your business, like if you have a budget in your business, every dollar has a job. Every dollar that comes into your business has a job. And when I finally learned that lesson, it changed everything for me. No longer was I just making money and then wondering where it went. It's like, nope, I forecasted it. I said, listen, we need to make this much money. And this much money goes to all the expenses we have. And when we start making more than that, then we know we are really, really profitable. I'm going to touch on this again a little bit later, but one of the other things I really wish somebody would have pulled me to the side and drilled into me was that working hard is not the goal. Okay? Nobody's going to outwork you as a new business owner, plain and simple. You know, you're gonna wake up before sunrise. You're gonna get home after dark. You're gonna answer calls while you're eating dinner. You're gonna work weekends. But, you know, a lot of times that is part of building something. But it does not mean that that has to be the way forever, okay? Because you. You cannot confuse working harder with making progress. Because eventually your business starts rewarding better decisions more than the longer hours. And that's when things really start to change. Back when I was getting my lawn care business off the ground, I was juggling routes, invoices, and customer notes with paper and prayers. It was chaos. Until I found Yardbook. Yardbook gave me the structure. It helped me track chemicals, route efficiently, invoice faster, and most importantly, it helped me grow a profitable business. If you're tired of duct taping your systems Together, go to yardbook.com and sign up for free. And if you're ready to go premium, use promo code payjack to get your first 30 days on me.
- [10:58]
Podcast Announcer
Spring is right around the corner. Are you ready to grow your lawn and landscaping business this year? If you want to stand out from the competition and attract quality leads, a professional website is the way to go. That's where Green Frog web design comes in. They'll create a beautiful, user friendly website that showcases your services, highlights your best work and helps customers find you fast. Your new website will make a lasting impression and bring in the clients that you want to attract. And here's the best part. Right now you can get started for just $1 for the first month. It's an offer so good even our competition started using it this spring. Grow your business. Head over to greenfrogwebdesign.com today or just click the link in the bio or and let them build the perfect website for your landscaping or lawn care company.
- [11:53]
John Pajak
If you've been thinking about attending Equip Expo this October, don't wait right now. Registration is only $30 and when you use promo code PAYJACK, you're going to get your ticket for just $15. But here's what most people don't realize. Registration jumps to $60 after September 10th and if you wait until the show starts in October, you're going to pay 120 bucks at the gate. Why spend $120 for something you can lock in today for 15 bucks? Equip Expo is the biggest event in the green industry. You're going to get access to three days of exhibits, education, networking, outdoor demos and free parking at the Kentucky Expo center. Head over to equipexpo.com use promo code PAYJACK and I'll see you in Louisville this October.
- [12:38]
Podcast Announcer
Lawn Care and Landscaping Pros Listen up. If you're tired of guessing your way through pricing, marketing, hiring and sales, this is your wake up call. The LCR Summit hits Downtown Louisville October 19th and 20th at the Galthouse the same week as Equip and it's gonna change the way you run your business forever. This is not another sit and listen event. It's two full days of hands on workshops from leaders who've actually built what you're trying to build. Neylor Taliaferro shows you how to generate better leads through smarter marketing. Paul Jamison teaches content that converts. John Pajak breaks down your numbers so you'll stop working for cheap. Eric Triplett, the pond Digger, reveals how he built a multi million dollar business, making more money with less work. Plus, you'll have a surprise guest speaker. Add in live Q and A panels, powerful networking and an exclusive VIP dinner With all the the speakers. When you purchase at the platinum level, grab tickets and info crsummit.com or just tap the link in the podcast description. That's LCR summit dot com. Stop guessing. Start growing. Build the business you've always imagined at the LCR Summit.
- [13:52]
John Pajak
A big thing. I wish somebody would have told me right off the get. And I learned really quick. I have friends that have been in this industry for a long time too, but they still fall prey to this and it. I just want you to stop comparing which chapter you're in because you're probably in an early chapter. You're in like chapter one or two. And I want you to stop comparing that to others on social media. Because social media has a way of making everyone else's business look perfect. It isn't. Okay? I've dealt with a lot of business owners across the country, not just in one region. I'm talking from sea to shining sea and all the way down from, you know, the Gulf coast, all the way up to Canada, Right, up, down, left, right, up, up, left, the right, left, right, Baba select, start. You know, contra code. Those businesses that look great on online generally are not perfect. Okay? Every owner you admire has stories that they did not post. Okay? They're not trying to be deceitful or anything, but, you know, they're just trying to show the highlight reel. And I'm sure they have equipment breakdowns and customers that they don't talk about that they've lost, you know, they're talking about or, you know, maybe they haven't shared that they're freaking out about payroll that they weren't sure they could make. You know, they don't talk about the sleepless nights. And the difference isn't that they avoided those moments, it's just that they, they kept going and they only showed the highlight reel. Okay, I want you to again, give yourself permission to just say, you know what? I'm looking at people that may be, you know, towards the end of their book in a sense. You know, it would be very difficult to compare my business to your business, which may just be in it's very first chapter. You know, I've, we've been building this since 2015 and we have a very, you know, deep customer list. We have a lot of equipment that we've acquired over the years, things, you know, a lot of supplies. It's just there's so many things that, you know, if you look at what I'm doing right now, you're like, man, I gotta be there. And that's great. That's inspiration. But that doesn't mean that you have to be there right now. Because if you're just still trying to get your first 10 or 20 clients, you can't compare yourself to somebody that's been in business, you know, for a long time and, you know, has, like, almost a thousand clients. It's a totally different story. You know, we haven't even done your origin story yet. You know, you're still working through that. So, again, do yourself a favor. Give yourself permission to grow, to be small, to not, you know, just remember these days, you know, it's like, oh, I started out with one truck, and it wasn't even a truck. I started out in a hatchback or something. You know, I don't know. You hear these stories all the time where guys start out with. From very humble beginnings, and then they turn into, you know, superstars. So just allow yourself to grow and quit comparing yourself to everyone else. I have this, and I'll tell you what, this next one that I want, I really wish that at the time, I had a mentor, especially the very early days of when I was doing Johnny Boy lawn care, which was not a real business. It was a side hustle at best, and it wasn't a very good side hustle. I really wish I had someone there to tell me to protect my reputation versus making, you know, just protect your reputation more than your revenue. Okay, that. That's the. That's the message. Because frankly, money comes and goes, but your reputation, it follows you everywhere. So again, if I were to do it all over again, I remember I was so desperate for money, I would. Oh, yeah, I could do this, I could do that. And I didn't have a very good reputation at the time because I was always late or, you know, I was just so stressed out and trying to do anything I could to make money at the time. This is not with. With my current business. This is the very first one, which was the late. It was early 2000s when that was happening, and it was. It was terrible. You know, I was working for another landscape company. I was trying to do the side hustle on my own. It just was not working out. And a lot of times I disappoint people because I had to finish my work for the landscape company I was working for, and then my side hustle, I would show up when I could, and it wasn't very dependable. The thing is, you got to do what you say you're going to do, and if you make a mistake, own it. If you're running late. Communicate with your clients, you know, and if you can't help someone, just be honest. Because people, they will forgive mistakes, but they rarely forgive dishonesty. And that was a really painful lesson that I learned early on. I remember it was. It was with my grandma. You know, this is before I even worked in landscaping, but it was. I was going to go mower lawn, said, I'll come by on Tuesday to cut the lawn. I kind of blew Grandma off. Didn't think anything was going to really come of it. She was so disappointed because I didn't call her that entire week, let her know what was going on. I didn't have a good excuse. I was just a teenager, and I blew her off. And, you know, that hit really hard. And she was really disappointed in me for a long time, and she would not let me make it up because she said, nope, you proved to me that you can't be trusted. You said you were going to be here. You didn't. You didn't even call. And I'm giving someone else the opportunity to make money by letting them mow my lawn. And that was pretty tough. You know, it was very powerful lesson. I still remember it to this day. I should have just listened to Grandma, you know, but. Anyway, I'm sorry. This is a. This is a very heavy thing that I. I carry with me. I know it doesn't sound very heavy. You're like, you just missed the. You didn't take care of Grandma. What the hell's wrong with you? You know, get over it. Grandma's not around anymore. I lost her in the early 90s. I think it was 1993 when she passed away. And, you know, when you break promises to people and you can't make it up, that type of thing stays with you. You know, on a personal level, maybe you're saying, well, these are complete strangers, and I don't have to uphold my word to them. Well, I'll tell you what, it's been since 1993, 1992, I think, is when that happened. I didn't really get another summer with my grandmother to make it up to her, so there was no making up. So, like, again, this is something that nobody told me about. And I had to learn the very hard way to keep my word. And, boy, I'll tell you, that's been a lesson, well over 30 years now of I learned my lesson. I regret. I have regrets about it. And it's one of those long, deep, long things that if I could go back, that would. I know it sounds so trivial, but I would have made sure I was there for Grandma. She was always there for me. And I know it's different. Maybe you think, oh, it's just, you know, that's different. That's family and everything. But, you know, I want to treat people like I. Like I want to be treated. And if somebody didn't follow through with what they said they were going to do, it's hard for me to trust them again. And in business, a lot of times, that's all there is. It's trust. So, anyway, moving on, I know that that one's. That one seemed a bit heavy there, but again, powerful, powerful lesson for me that has lived with me for my whole life, and I wanted to share that with you. And one of the last lessons that I want to talk about today, and I wish somebody would have. I wish myself now would. Could go back in time and meet my young self. And I would literally say, learn your numbers. Learn them way earlier than I did because the reason the early 2000s was so bad for me was because I didn't understand my numbers. My first side gig is, you know, Johnny Boy Lawn Care failed because I didn't understand numbers. And that's, again, this one thing I wish somebody would have really drilled into my head. Understand what it costs to run your business. Not because accountants like spreadsheets, okay? Not because, you know, you, oh, I got to do my tax. It has nothing to do with that. There is confidence that comes from knowing your numbers. When you know your costs, you can stop guessing, you stop hoping, you stop. You stop wondering, and you can make decisions with confidence. And that alone would have saved my very first business because instead of just guessing and slapping a number on something and hoping that it was enough, now I know, down to the penny of what it costs to operate my business. My techs love the fact that I know how much it costs to operate because they not only get a very good wage, but they also get bonuses because I know if they do their job like they should, they should be rewarded for the good work that they do. And I allow enough, you know, meat on the bone to make sure that I. The business takes, is. Is taken care of in turn. They're, you know, there's a. There's a lot of not just profit, but enough money in the business so that we're going to be here for many, many seasons, because that's a huge thing. The first thing that happened to me was not understanding what it costs to operate my business day to day. And I barely I didn't even make it the first full season. I had to get out of it. I was like, luckily, I was in a position to where it was like I could get out of this cheap. I didn't have tons and tons of money wrapped up in equipment and everything I was able to. Matter of fact, I basically sold everything that I had. Everything that was. That I had bought, used, I was able to sell. And that's actually what kind of got me out of hot water, was I was in business and then I wasn't, and then I sold everything I had and I kind of. I didn't quite break even, but I got out of the position that I was in. So, again, I can't emphasize this enough. Learn your numbers early. That way you can make sure you're going to be around for a long time. So I just want to ask. Can I leave you with one last thing? I know that's a bit of a rhetorical question, but I just want to say don't rush the process, okay? The business owner you're trying to become is being built by the challenges that you're facing right now. And one day, someone who's just starting out is going to ask you how you did it. And when that happens, don't just tell them about the wins. Tell them about the mistakes. Tell them about your doubts. You know, let them know about the lessons that you've learned through blood, sweat, tears, and years, okay? Because that's the conversation every new business owner needs. And if this episode saves just one person from making a huge, expensive, crazy mistake that might put them out of business, then this conversation was worth having. So I want you to know you're okay. You know, just follow the advice I've just given you. I really want you to succeed. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. You could hit me up@profitswithpayjackmail.com that's the best way to get a hold of me. If you're a listener and, you know, just. Just talk, you know, let's have a conversation, man, so you're not alone. I just want you to know that a lot, you know, being a business owner, a lot of times it's really lonely. And I want you to know that it doesn't have to be. There's people that are out here. I'm one of them. I want you to be successful. So it just takes a couple conversations. Hey, I'm for it. So anyway, I hope you have a great day. I want you to keep pushing through. God bless and we'll catch you on the next one. Thank you once again for listening. If you've enjoyed the show, please leave a review and share it with fellow business owners. Your support means the world to me and helps keep the show going strong. I want to give a special special shout out to our friends at Yardbook. Their continued support has been instrumental in bringing this podcast to you week after week. If you haven't checked them out yet, visit yardbook.com and see how they can give you the tools to streamline and manage your lawn care business. Also, don't forget to explore the resources and upcoming events that I've collected just for you in the show Notes. These are curated to help you stay ahead in your business with the latest tips, tools and networking opportunities. Whether it's a new tool, an insightful article or an event you don't want to miss, I've got you covered. Until next time, keep pushing through and God bless. Sam.