Business: Black Willow Lawn Care
Address: Naperville
Phone/website: 888-401-6260; blackwillowlawncare.com
Owner: Sean Sampson, 39, of Naperville
Years in business: 3
What does your business do? “We specialize in mowing residential properties. We service the Naperville area, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield. Predominantly mowing,” Sampson said.
Why did you start this business? “I was inspired by another lawn care company called Augusta Lawn Care. It’s national. (Started by) a young entrepreneur; his name is Mike Andes. I was interested in serving the community. I found him on YouTube. … I worked in lawn care before as a teenager in the Aurora area.”
What did you do before this? “I was doing janitorial work. Working in warehouses. … I wanted to be my own boss. … I love and actually still do janitorial work. And I work as a lube tech at Everclean Car Wash in Wheaton. … Between my three jobs I’m working 90 hours a week. It’s pretty tough.”
How’s the lawn care going? “I had some hiccups at first. The first year, I fractured my right ankle. I fell off an electric pallet jack. I did the best I could to rehabilitate the ankle and was back at work in four to five months.”
Where do you find clients? “I would advertise on Craigslist. Since I’ve built my Google Business Profile with over 10 five-star Google reviews, they are contacting me through my profile.
“I’ve asked customers, ‘How did you hear about us?’ They said they saw the good reviews online and that was a deciding factor. So, I’m not advertising any more on Craigslist. It’s organic now, based on the reviews.”
What happens when you get a new client? “I use a software called Jobber. It allows me to schedule clients, quote clients and it accepts credit cards on file. So much easier. … I’m able to look up an address on Google maps and get a pretty accurate quote. You can see the square footage. You can get a fair estimate.”
What do you charge? “Depending on weekly or bi-weekly, I can usually charge $50 to $65 for a yard.”
Any employees? “I’m the only one. Last year I had 19 clients.”
How often do you mow? “We recommend do it weekly simply because it stresses the grass if you let it grow too high and don’t stay on top of it. It’s always better to cut it each week then let it get out of hand. … Sometimes, you have to cut it twice (in one visit) if you let it get out of hand.”
What mower do you use? “Right now, I’m using an older, walk-behind, commercial grade mower. It’s self-propelled. It’s 33 inches wide. It’s a big guy. … It’s a Ransomes. Very reliable. I’m able to keep it running well.”
Wider means faster? “That is correct. The wider the mower, the faster you’re in and out of there.”
How often do you sharpen the blade? “At least once a week. Being sharper, it is more consistent.”
What mistakes do homeowners make? “They’ll hire a company that’s not insured. I’m insured.”
What about watering? “Make sure you water it regularly, but don’t overwater. Too much water won’t kill the grass, but it will be a pain in the neck for the mower. The ground will be too soft.”
What do you like about your job? “I like to service the community. There’s times where there’s elderly people and I’ll give them the service for free.”
How do you feel after mowing? “You feel like you’re making a difference. It makes you feel good. It’s like medicine. … I want to make sure the lines are perfectly straight. …. Switching the direction (you mow) helps the lawn overall.”
Any negatives? “Customers I do the work for who never answer their phone again or never pay. Not going back there.”
What about competition? “One thing I like to do is to wave to other (lawn care) companies and talk to them. I don’t look at them as competition because there’s so much grass to mow. I can’t possibly mow it all on my own. … A lot of them are standoffish. But when you are kind to them, they let their guard down and are surprised.”
Any future plans? “To grow the business to $200,000 in (annual) revenue and beyond. Hire employees and get out of the field. I want to be in the office managing the business.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “It’s very important to have a website and to start advertising. It’s crucial to have a Google Business Profile because as customers leave reviews, that’s going to generate a buzz around your company.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at metschmsfl@yahoo.com.
