Is It Hard To Start A Tree Surgery Business

So You Want To Know Is It Hard To Start A Tree Surgery Business?

Well, yes,  job done!. No seriously starting any business is nothing but hard work, long days, low income, high risk. See ya later… Still here? Anyone who has skill and determination can make a business work. It takes patients, lots of it.

I started my business at 18, paid for my own courses and everything. Which is why i say get some experience and learn on someone else’s time if its an option. Everybody needs help in one form or another, don’t be scared to ask.

Be loyal to your work force and learn to remove weak links fast.

Why do you want to start a tree surgery business?

Well if like me you love trees, outdoors and chainsaws, your off to a great start. The tree surgery industry is booming, why because machinery and equipment combined with new methods has removed some of the back breaking work out of it. Tho don’t be fooled, there are still backs breaking in this industry. Its highly dangerous, very manly but i’m thankful to say there are some great females running business and working along side us men.

How long will it take to succeed in building A successful tree surgery business?

How long is your harness rope? Seriously, that’s an infinite response question. It depends on how hard the owner works, how many hours, how much money they can invest, can they secure good quality, reliable staff. That is just the tip of the ice berg. I would loosely say expect 1-3 years of zero profit, 3-5 years maybe a small profit, 5-10 years and you should by now be making a reasonable wage and enjoy good cash flow with profit per end of year. After that, are you still there? There are many tests along the way that will make you question your faith in keeping it going. My advice is persist, i too had my doubts, luckily i followed my belief in my ability to make it happen. Now T.H Tree Services is a well reputed Essex based company, that was nothing short of graft.

Dont worry about your competitors, they don’t pay the bills

You can get all tied up worrying about what your competitors are doing, stop right there. What a waste of your valuable time. Know who your competition is but don’t blind your self with what they are doing. We all have unique paths and goals. We are all individuals, what works for them wont work for you.

Always keep an eye on changes to the industry, new equipment, methods etc. If you competitors have good ideas, learn from them, try not to copy them, they will always be in front of some one copying from two steps behind.

Respect your competitors and appreciate their success, learn from it. Negative thoughts breed negative actions. Be positive and focused on your business first and foremost.

Does image matter If I Am already A great tree surgeon?

You should already know this, tut, tut!. Would you buy a crap looking car? Me neither, how do you know its any good?. Image provides the first impression your customer uses to make a decision on you before you even waffle out your sales patter. It does not guarantee quality but it is the first shot in securing business. A lot of tree companies fail immensely with their image. Dont be a victim, be a logo. Apple built an amazing brand, recognised by a tiny apple symbol. That symbol represents their superior quality, not just how they are identified. We have trade marked our logo and names for the same reason, we offer a superior service by which our customer recognise our brand for that quality. Your competitors may try to pass off as you, protect your name. Image matters!.

Keeping the Faith in my new tree surgery business

The idea of a new business that can provide a handsome income is every entrepreneurs dream. It does how ever demand certain costs you must bear in order to achieve it. This is the bit where a lot of budding entrepreneurs fail. As mentioned in the video, family and friends will suffer in your endeavour to achieve your goal, working 7 days a week 10+ hours per day can test the strongest of us. This part becomes personal, you must decide if the juice is worth the squeeze. I do recommend, never put your family second, a strong lesson in life i personally learnt. Unfortunately for me, i have one speed, one path and blind determination. Tho thankfully i have learned to delegate and prioritise family, not as much as i should but we are always learning to become better than yesterday.

Once you reach a level of success in your tree surgery business what next?

Its all about balance, only you can know what to do here. Your personal circumstances will determine your best path to the future. As i mentioned, family first, its cost is zero, its reward to you is priceless and money can never buy time. I am not the millionaire id like to be because i now choose to balance my life with my boys. They are my million!. If i continued on the blind path toward what was my original goal, i would win nothing.

Over a decade your life will change, adapt and always be prepared to change. As i type i realise i have adapted my original message, ironic. My idea on success is no longer the appearance of my company or the money in its accounts. Old habits change slowly. My greatest advice today would be, focus, be determined but know where the line is drawn.

Can you become a millionaire tree surgeon?

No, an individual tree surgeon will always be limited by the amount of work they can produce per day which wont make a million, not for a few decades anyway. Average salaries are around 25-35k per year. Can a tree surgeon become a millionaire running a tree surgery business? Yes i think so, depending on many factors, its certainly possible. At least 3-5 companies near me turn over a million+ per year. Factor in a decade or two and you could say they are millionaires in assets and money perhaps. However in this present day industry i would think its still a tall order to do from scratch. I would advise you to set your goals a little more realistic, hitting that million per year is possible, but at what cost?.

Dont forget success costs money, 40% tax, VAT threshold, higher accountancy fees, book keeping etc.

Oops should of put the video first, now you might of actually read some of this blog:

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Success comes in many forms, they all boil down to what makes you happy, Good luck and i wish you the best success with your tree surgery business or career in tree surgery.

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