Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Barzowski.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been a landscaper for 10 years. I started by working for someone else for $8.00 an hour in 2007. I made it up to $10.00 by 2011. I went to school for Horticulture, and I knew I was capable of doing much better than $10.00 an hour. I had a wife and a mortgage and needed to earn more money. I decided I needed to go out on my own to be able to earn a decent living. I started my business with one lawn mower and a weed wacker loaded into the back of my 1997 Blazer. I started out with the houses of 5 friends for weekly lawn service. This was a big risk for my wife and me, but she supported me and I took the chance. I acquired new Customers while I was out cutting these first 5 lawns. Neighbors would see me out there and see the great job that I did and they would ask me to cut their lawns. I ended my first Season with 20 houses. Since then, I’ve acquired approximately 20 new houses every Season. All by word of mouth and by the neighbors of my Customers seeing my work. Because our business was beginning to take off, we Incorporated in 2014. We also became licensed and insured. My wife launched a Facebook Page for us in 2014 and that also helped to increase our business. She also designed and published a website for our business in 2015. We have steadily built At Your Service Landscaping, Inc. into a recognized and trusted business in South Chicago & the South Suburbs. We now have a full-service landscaping company. We do weekly lawn service, bushes, gutters, mulch, sod, decorative brick work, flower beds, custom garden boxes and more. We provide our Customers with high quality landscaping work at affordable prices.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was rough for the first 3 years. I started with practically nothing and we needed to rely on my wife’s salary to pay the bills. I couldn’t afford any employees and needed to do all of the work by myself. I would work 10-12 hours a day sometimes and weekends. We were just getting by in the beginning. It took a few years to build the business up to where it was somewhat profitable. Almost all of the money I earned in the first few years went back into the business. I needed to buy supplies, materials and equipment to meet the demands of our Customers. My 1997 Blazer was taking a beating as well. I was running it into the ground hauling around equipment and supplies and I needed a new truck. After we incorporated in 2014, my wife took on the job of Administrator for the company. She does all of the administrative and accounting work for the company nights and weekends in addition to working her own day job as an Office Manager. It’s rough on her during the Landscaping Season. She puts in a lot of extra hours to make sure our Customers receive their invoices on time and that our accounting is accurate.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about At Your Service Landscaping, Inc. – what should we know?
At Your Service Landscaping, Inc. is a “Full-Service” Landscaping Company. We specialize in Weekly Lawn Service. We take the extra time and effort to carefully cut our lawns in symmetrical lines for maximum curb appeal. We also edge and weed wack every lawn and then clear the driveway and sidewalks for a perfectly clean finish. We also perform gutter cleaning for our Customers twice per year as well as Spring & Fall Clean Ups. We make sure our Customers start and end the Lawn Season with the best-looking lawns. We are known for our top-notch Customer Service. We take pride in our work and we make sure that each and every Customer’s lawn is the best looking on the block. We regularly accommodate our Customers with any requests for sod, mulch, bush trimming and decorative bricks and pavers. What sets us apart from the others is that AYS, Inc. is TIM. It’s my work. I am personally there to complete and supervise all lawns and projects. I have a relationship with all of my Customers and I personally guarantee and stand by all of my work. My Customers love the fact that I am there to make sure they receive the very best job. They take pride in their homes, and they know I take pride in my work.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Perseverance & Pride. It would have been easier to give up the 10 hour days and go back to working for someone else. I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to be my own boss. I was determined to make this business work because I needed to make my own job. I did what I needed to do to build up this business and earn a decent living. I take pride in doing a great job. My work is my signature. When my Customers have the best-looking lawn on the block – people notice. When people take note of a job well done, they are taking note of me as a person and as a professional.
Pricing:
- Weekly Lawn Service: $20 to $40 per week depending on lawn size
- Gutter Cleaning: $20 – $50 per cleaning depending on house size
- Spring & Fall Clean Up: $75 – $150.00 depending on lawn & yard size
- Trimming Bushes: $25 – $100 depending on how many bushes & size
Contact Info:
- Website: http://ayslandscaping.wixsite.com/atyourservice
- Phone: 708-828-2995
- Email: ayslandscapinginc@gmail.com
- Facebook: At Your Service Landscaping, Inc. / https://www.facebook.com/AtYourServiceLandscapingInc/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/at-your-service-landscaping-oak-forest-2
Image Credit:
Hope Larkin – Barzowski
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