This is How I Went From Zero to 6 Figures Cutting Grass

Pre-Step: Goal, metric & the math (no guessing)

Goal: $10,000 gross revenue in 30 days.

Here are realistic scenarios (weekly service = ~4.33 visits/month). Pick the price point you will sell aggressively.

• $40 per mow (weekly) → $173.33/mo per lawn → 58 lawns needed.
• $50 per mow (weekly) → $216.67/mo per lawn → 47 lawns needed.
• $75 per mow (weekly) → $325.00/mo per lawn → 31 lawns needed.
• $100 per mow (weekly) → $433.33/mo per lawn → 24 lawns needed.

(If you sell biweekly instead of weekly you need many more clients — prioritize weekly recurring.) Pricing ranges above align with current industry averages.

Step 1: Bare minimum startup kit & cash to start (buy used, hustle)

Bare minimum cash to start (real, dirt-cheap): $800 – $1,800 (used push mower or basic ride, trimmer, blower, safety, flyers, gas).

Recommended pro starter (buy new/commercial): $5,000 – $8,000 (zero-turn, trimmer, blower, trailer).

Bare minimum shopping list (exact target numbers):

• Used push mower (or cheap walk-behind, Craigslist) — $200–$500
• String trimmer (weed eater) — $50–$120
• Leaf blower — $50–$150
• Basic edger / rake / bagger / spreader — $100–$250
• Gas + oil + small maintenance kit — $50–$100
• Business cards / 1,000 flyers — $60–$150
• Payment processor (Square reader) / CashApp account — $0–$60
• Liability insurance (monthly) & basic business registration buffer — $40–$60/month (insurance typically ~$40–$60/mo).

Why buy used? Lower burn, faster break-even. When cash comes in — upgrade to a commercial mower ($3k–$7k) to multiply daily capacity.

Step 2: Legal & safety: do these quick (day 0)

Do these before you take money:

• Register business name / get an EIN / get local business license if required (small cost $0–$300).
• Buy General Liability insurance (~$30–$60/mo). Get a quick quote and card.
• Get a free PayPal/Square account so you can accept cards on day 1.
• Create basic service agreement / waiver (one page): service, price, payment policy, cancellation. Leave-behind copy for client.

Why: some platforms and customers require proof of insurance and business registration — and it reduces friction when closing deals.

Step 3: Pre-launch assets you must have (between 2–6 hours)

Make these now and tighten them into tools:

• One-page flyer (before/after photo, 1 special offer, phone + short URL) — print 500–1000.
• Door tag / business card that looks pro. Leave behind if not home.
• Google Business Profile claim (fast—do it now). It drives local leads.
• Nextdoor business profile + Facebook page + Instagram business account (same logo/branding).
• Payment systems: Square and Venmo/CashApp for instant same-day cash.
• Scheduling sheet (Google Sheets or simple scheduling app). Put time slots for same-day mows.

Step 4: Day 1 Hustle: Door-to-door blitz (launch day, 6AM–6PM)

This is the money day. You’ll convert cold doors into paying recurring customers if you execute. DO NOT WASTE TIME.

Daily timeline (sample):

• 05:30 — Equipment checklist, gas, uniform, business cards in pocket.
• 06:00 — First stops: neighborhoods with lots of similar homes (short drives). Target 60–100 doors/day.
• 08:30 — First-mow appointments / immediate service (if customer says yes, get them scheduled same day). Take before photos.
• 12:00 — Short break, refill gas, restock flyers. Post morning social proof: before/after photo to IG + Nextdoor.
• 13:00–17:00 — Peak door-knocking / neighborhood sweep. Hand leaflets, leave a “special offer” tag if no one is home.
• 13:00–17:00 — Peak door-knocking / neighborhood sweep. Hand leaflets, leave a “special offer” tag if no one is home.

Targets and metrics (day 1):

• Hit 100 doors. Aim for 4–8 signed recurring customers on day 1 if you price and close aggressively (this is aggressive but possible in dense neighborhoods). Conversion depends on pitch and timing (spring/early season best).

Step 5: Door-to-door script (20–40 seconds) + closing lines

Use a 3-line script. Walk in confident. Short. Money-first.

Opening (20 seconds):

If they ask price/objection:

• Price anchor: “Our standard is $Y per visit; today only first-mow special is $X if you sign now.”
• Scarcity close: “I have two same-day slots at this price — if you want it booked I can take a card now or Venmo — which do you prefer?”

Objection handling (fast):

• “I’ll think about it.” → “Totally — real quick, what’s the number one reason you’d pass? If it’s price I can show a cheaper biweekly option. If it’s time, we’ll do it while you’re at work and send pics.”
• “We already have someone.” → “Cool — if they no-show or price rises, keep my card. Also we’ll beat any local price for the same service quality and we do a ‘first-mow guarantee.’”

Close & money: Always try to book the first mow same day and collect payment or prepay the month. Immediate payment reduces churn.

Tips to increase D2D conversion:

• Wear a clean branded shirt / hat (look professional).
• Have a before/after photo on your phone to show instantly.
• Use urgency (“two same-day slots”).
• Offer referral discount “$10 off for every referral who signs for 4 weeks.”
• Ask for the decision: “Shall I put you down for Tuesday 10AM or Wednesday 2PM?” — don’t say “think about it.”

Step 6: Pricing packages & upsells (sell the ladder)

You want simple, repeatable offers. Sell recurring — then upsell.

Basic ladder (example):

• Starter Mow (small yard): $40 – includes mow + trim + blow paths.
• Standard Weekly: $50–75 per mow (edging + clippings).
• Full Service: $150–$300 / month (mowing + fertilization plan + one monthly clean-up).
• Premium Upsells: seasonal aeration, bed mulching, shrub trimming, leaf cleanup ($100–$600 one-offs).

Offer first-mow discount: “First mow 30% off” or “First month 20% off if pay upfront.” Getting money up front lets you scale fast.

Pricing guidance is within published market ranges — charge what your market supports. Aim to sell the mid-tier ($50–$75) for fast scale.

Step 7: Delivering the work (operations that keep customers)

Standard operating procedure for every job (do this every time):

• Take a before photo on arrival → timestamp.
• Follow checklist: mow pattern, edges, trim, blow walkways, bag if agreed, rake if needed.
• Final inspection, take after photo, show client if possible, collect signature/approval.
• Invoice and collect payment immediately (digital or card). Issue receipt.
• Log in scheduling sheet: next appointment + notes.

Quality + speed = retention + referrals. Always measure time per job and refine routes to minimize drive time.

Step 8: Social + local ads that scale (do these within day 2–7)

Do two marketing things the week after launch and scale them fast:

1. Nextdoor + local Facebook ads for hyper-local neighborhoods. Spend $100–$300 to test. Nextdoor and Facebook help capture homeowners immediately.
2. Google Local Service Ads / Google Business — set up and verify. LSA drives high-intent leads but requires verification; start this on day 1.

Content plan:

• Post before/after photos as Reels / Shorts — these convert. Use the door-knock “today’s special” content.

Budget: start with $200–$500 on paid ads targeted to the ZIP codes you’re knocking. Measure cost-per-lead and scale the winners.

Step 9: When & how to hire (scale like a boss)

Hire when:

• You consistently hit >30–50 weekly recurring lawns and are turning down leads OR you’re spending >40 hours/week doing work. One crew can handle a LOT of weekly lawns if they’re clustered.

Pay and roles:

• Entry crew member typical pay: $13–$20/hr depending on market. BLS & market sites show landscaper wages ~ $14–$23/hr range. Factor payroll taxes.
• Hire one trainer/crew leader first (pay slightly higher) — teach them your SOP; then hire 1–2 laborers.

Simple hire model:

• Pay hourly for labor, owner keeps revenue until you hit break-even on wages. Or offer per-job subcontract ($20–$40 per lawn) to move faster without payroll headaches first.

Train them on your SOP. Use “ride-along” training for 1–3 days, then split territories.

Step 10: Cashflow & profit realities (keep it raw)

Industry normal profit margins: net 5–20% for many lawn/landscape businesses depending on costs and scale — reinvest early to grow faster.

Example quick P&L assumption (for reference):

• Gross: $10,000/mo
• Labor (1 full-time hire + yourself variable): $3,000–$4,000
• Fuel / maintenance / supplies: $400–$600
• Insurance: $40–$60
• Ads / marketing: $300–$800
• Net (before owner pay / taxes): ~$2,000–$5,000 depending on how lean you run it.

Net margin depends on how quickly you hire and how you price. Reinvest for faster growth.

Step 11 — 30-day tactical calendar (exact daily playbook)

Use this calendar as the spine — execute all items, no excuses.

Days 0–1 (Prep & launch)

• Claim Google Business Profile, set up Square/PayPal, get insurance quote, print flyers, load phone with photos & script.

Days 1–7 (Door-knock sprint)

• 6–8 hours/day knocking, 100+ doors/day in dense neighborhoods. Focus on converting weekly recurring contracts and same-day mows. Collect payment up front or same-day. Post social proof every day.

Days 8–14 (Dominate neighborhood)

• Run two neighborhood campaigns (Nextdoor + Facebook $150 each area). Keep door-knocking parallel. Start scheduling recurring routes based on geography.

Days 15–21 (Systemize & hire)

• If 30+ recurring lawns: hire 1 crew member/contractor. Train them to your SOP. Create routing sheets and start 5-day/week routes.

Days 22–30 (Scale and lock it)

• Ramp ads for scaled neighborhoods, launch referral program, hire second crew if leads backlog. Lock paying recurring customers (prepay monthly for 5% discount).

Daily micro KPI: Doors knocked, calls made, jobs booked, $ collected, 1 new Google review. Track them.

Step 12 — Scripts, templates & short checklists (grab-and-go)

Door script (short): see Step 5.

Text follow-up template (after knocking):

“Hey [Name] — [Your name] from GreenRun. Thanks for your time — I’ve got you down for [time]. We’ll send before/after photos. Cash/Card accepted. Questions: [phone].”

Quick job checklist:

• Mower check / oil / tire / gas
• Before photo ✓
• Mow, edge, trim, clean walkways ✓
• After photo, invoice & collect ✓
• Schedule next visit ✓

Final tactical pointers — hustle rules (no fluff)

• Sell recurring or prepay — one-off jobs don’t scale. Push weekly/biweekly contracts.
• Route density is king. Cluster clients to cut drive time and multiply capacity. One zero-turn crew in a tight area can do dozens of weekly lawns per week.
• Photos & reviews are weapons. After/Before photos, 5-star Google reviews, and Nextdoor recommendations convert cold leads fast.
• Standardize price & SOP. Make your team do the exact same high-quality mow every time — fewer complaints, more referrals.

Key sources (most important claims)

• Typical equipment & startup ranges: FieldRoutes (equipment ranges) & LawnStarter (bundles & commercial costs).
• Price per visit & realistic pricing ranges (what homeowners pay): Angi & LawnStarter.
• How many lawns / speed & D2D sales advice: LawnSite + LawnCareMillionaire (door-knock timing & tactics).
• Profit margins & pricing strategy guidance: Jobber & Service Autopilot.
• Insurance & legal basics (costs & need for business registration/insurance): Insureon / NextInsurance / Jobber.