Don’t dream the whole summer away – start planning for your future

I know it’s hard to believe from the weather, but the summer holidays are finally here, and I hope you are enjoying some well-earned downtime if you can. You absolutely should take this time to kick back and enjoy yourself, but maybe also take advantage of this breathing space to take stock.

In between bouts of relaxing in the garden or on the beach – or, at least, dreaming about doing those things while you organise a bunch of off-school kids! – why not take a moment to think about your future? Where do you see yourself by this time next year?

I’m not saying you should fill up all your spare time this summer with thinking about work, but starting to get the ball rolling now could be exactly what you need to set yourself up further down the line. 2024 may seem like a lifetime away at the moment, but don’t forget that life-changing plans, such as going into business for yourself, take time – even with a franchise model to fast track you along.

Maybe we’ve already had a chat, or maybe you’re just starting to look into the Lawnkeeper franchise, but here is a breakdown of all the steps involved in launching your own lawn care business with them, and how long they take:

Step 1 – Learning everything you can about the opportunity – Approx 2 weeks

Investing in a franchise is a big decision, one which will change your life – for the better, of course. You’ll want to take your time and read through the Lawnkeeper website and look at their prospectus. I can also send you a great deal of information and answer any initial questions.

When you’re ready to learn more, we can schedule a call to talk about it in more depth, learn about how the franchise works, what’s expected from you, and what you can expect from the franchisor. We can also start looking at territories. You’ll probably want some time after this to reflect and do your own research before deciding to dive deeper into the opportunity.

Step 2 – Speaking to franchisees – 2 – 4 weeks

By now, you will have a pretty good handle on how things work at Lawnkeeper, and you’ll be keen to speak to some existing franchisees to see how it’s worked out for them. You’ll also have the option of going out with one of them for half a day so you can see what exactly is involved.

For all the right reasons, Lawnkeeper franchisees are pretty busy people, so it might take a little while for them to fit you into their schedule.

Step 3 – Making a decision – varies

This is the most important step, and how long it takes is entirely up to you. We will always be here to help answer any questions, and will never put you under any pressure.

Once you decide this is the franchise for you, I will set up a call between you, myself, and Sam Langrick from Lawnkeeper. We can look at securing your territory, drafting a business plan and drawing up a franchise agreement.

Step 4 – Funding – 4-6 weeks

While you can do this at the same time as Step 3, applying for the Government Start-up Loan can take 4-6 weeks, so make sure you plan ahead. You’ll probably also want to take this time to carry out your final due diligence checks, and seek out any independent financial and legal advice.

If you need any help with this, please do ask and I can point you in the right direction.

Step 5 – Sourcing a vehicle – approx. 2 -3 months

This can take some time, and it’s not something you want to rush or scrimp on. You and your van have a long and rewarding road ahead! However, you can’t start your business until you have a branded van to fill with your equipment, so make sure you factor in a couple of months to get this sorted, especially if you need to shop around for the best deal.

We’ve done all we can to streamline this whole process for you, but assuming everything runs smoothly, we’re still talking about 4-6 months minimum from first contact to starting work. Believe me, it will be well worth it, it’s just a question of preparation. After this, you can expect to attend training and get your new business getting started fairly quickly.

Which is why you should act now…

Incredibly, 5 months from now is Christmas (sorry for the reminder!) which means, if you want to start a new business in early 2024, you need to get the ball rolling pretty soon. You’ll certainly want to make sure you are up and running in plenty of time for early Spring.

So, if you think Lawnkeeper is the business for you, or even if you just want to take some time over the summer to learn some more, schedule a call with me using the button below to get the process started. Obviously, there’s still no obligation to take things any further, but at least you’ll be making sure you won’t miss out.

I look forward to hearing from you.