Business Archives - Serendipity Mommy

How To Run a Successful Lawn Care Business

December 23, 2020 by Mandy

Opening a lawn care business can be a great way to start your own venture. The initial investment is relatively minimal and, if you live in an area with a lot of lawns, there are numerous customers willing to pay for your work. However, establishing a successful and stable business can take a little more effort. The following tips should help.

1) Get the Equipment You Need To Finish Efficiently

One of the best ways you can enhance your business is by investing in the right equipment. When you have the correct tools for the job, you can finish faster. This means that you can fit in more jobs per day and earn more money. Plus, you will have more satisfied customers.

For example, you may consider a flail mower for tractor hitches, especially if you have a lot of commercial customers. These are great for quickly mowing large areas, especially if they have relatively long grass.

2) Talk With Your Customers Regularly

Communicating with your customers is a great way to get a sense of their needs and current satisfaction. Making your customers happy (and earning repeat business) is the key to a successful lawn care business. Give them a chance to let you know what they think. You can do this through conversation or by sending out a feedback form. Select the strategy that works best for you.

3) Consider Expanding Beyond Lawn Care

It can be helpful to offer more than just lawn care services. For example, you may want to do some additional landscaping. If you find a stump shear for sale, you could remove tree stumps for your customers. Alternatively, you may help with some hardscaping (earthmoving) needs. If you have an eye for flowers and plants, you could also offer some planting services.

4) Ask for Reviews and Referrals

Your current customers are the best way to find new business. If you get a lead through a referral, you will convert it much more readily than just knocking on doors or sending out flyers. Another great strategy is to ask your customers to write reviews and testimonials for your business. This acts as social proof to other potential customers. Direct them to your preferred review platform.

5) Show Off Your Work Online

Updating your website regularly can help to attract customers who are searching for lawn care services in your area. One way to provide regular updates is to write about your work. Take some photos of the lawns you have been working on and share the work (especially for noteworthy jobs) online. Just make sure you have permission from your customers before sharing any photos of their property.

Get Started

These tips will help you to run a successful lawn care business. With a few John Deere tractor attachments and a little hard work, you could be in a strong position to grow your operations. Invest in your business this year and see what you can achieve. This could be a path to a more comfortable and independent future for you and your family.

What to Look For in a Commercial Refrigeration Equipment

December 18, 2020 by Mandy

When it comes to storing your food and preparing the restaurant’s daily menu, the best thing to do is to keep everything cool. A good fridge is one of the most important components of the food service industry.

You may be an operator of a food cart or an owner of a 5-star restaurant, and you need the right refrigeration system to preserve your products. Keeping the food cool will also protect the taste, prevent any waste, and ensure the quality of the product you are serving to your customers.

Because this kind of system is essential, fridges are the focal point of this article. You can know more information about the right system when you visit the Iron Mountain Refrigeration website and get more tips on choosing the one that fits your needs. What you need to know are the following:

Know the Right Size for your Business

The fridge will save you a lot of money because it will reduce food wastes. However, for many, they need to run their appliances all the time, and it’s considered an extra expense through power usage. What you need to do is to get the right size that covers your needs.

If you install a system that’s too big, you may be paying for the empty compartments and hamper everyone’s way if you have a narrow space in the restaurant. If you buy one that is too small, you may not have enough room for all the meat and veggies that you store and risk them going all to waste.

The first step that you need to take is to measure the size of the room. Record the measurements of the room’s width, length, and height. Once you have an idea of the room, you can estimate the size of the fridge that will fit in the area. Know more tips about choosing a refrigerator on this site here.

Find the Right Commercial Units for your Business

If you are in the food service industry, you need two or more refrigeration units if several employees are serving various foods. The reach-in freezers may be handy for meat that needs to go to the fryers and broilers. These are handy and easy to clean, as well.

However, while the reach-in types are used in partnerships with fryers and broilers that produce heat, it’s still best if you keep some distance among them. This way, you can prolong the lifespan of your appliances and lower your energy bills every month. If you can’t separate the heat-producing broilers from your fridge, you may want to get a metal divider that can control the temperature between them.

Your walk-in freezer can be ideal for bulk item storage. You may have extra space, and you can make the most of this type of appliance. Once you have entered a freezer space, you may want to arrange everything in a first-in, first-out policy to prevent wastes. This way, you’ll have more than enough products for unexpectedly busy days.

There are commercial refrigerated preparation tables that you can convert as storage or workstations. These are ideal if you are running a salad or sandwich station. You can stock the tabletop with ingredients and dipping sauces and fill the base with the back-up supplies.

Tips to Save Energy

You may find that your energy bills increase each month because of the oven, grills, coolers, and other appliances to create your entrees on the menu. However, the good news is that you can still save on your energy bills by following these tips.

Start with the Right Appliance – It may be time to replace your equipment, and if so, it’s important to look for models that are certified by the energy board in your area. For example, there are certifications granted by ENERGY STAR in the US that lets you save more than $10,000/year.

Maintenance is Crucial – If there’s no budget for buying a new piece of refrigerator today, you can always reduce your expenses by doing maintenance on the existing models. You need to ensure that the doors of the freezer are completely closed, and there are no leaky gaskets. Replace the missing knobs on the appliances and take time to get professional service for them that can translate into huge savings.

The Basics of Home-Based Business Ownership

November 7, 2020 by Mandy

The move from a well-equipped office with co-workers and copiers to a home-based office can be tricky. However, there are elements that you need to start and run your home-based business effectively. From zoning to advertising, here are the basic things you need to take care of to run a successful home-based business:

1. Have a schedule

Working from the comfort of your home has a powerful allure- but so is the temptation to spend a little more time with your friends and family or taking a long nap during the day. Setting up a working schedule is essential for your workday; it gives you structure and motivation.

2. Have a dedicated office area

It will be hard to run a successful business from your kitchen counter. Running any business requires a well-equipped office. If you have a spare room, you could turn it into your home office. If you don’t have an extra room, try setting up a divider in your bedroom to craft an office area. The goal is to have a dedicated office area with little human traffic to reduce distractions.

3. Take care of all the paperwork

It’s essential to take care of all vital paperwork and local permits before starting a business. Handle all legal business issues from the start; this will help you avoid penalties or back payments for ignoring the rules. Hire a small business attorney to help you handle all the legal aspects of running your business. For instance, Cory Briggs is a San Diego attorney specializing in small business law. He and similar lawyers across the country help people handle the legal side of their home-based businesses.

4. Develop a business plan

Come up with a clearly-set business plan that showcases your short-term and long-term goals. Ask yourself, “Where do I want my business to be in 6 months, two years, and five years?” Most new business owners consider a business plan only essential when looking for investors. While you will need a business plan when looking for investors, it is also a map to show you where you are going. It is the roadmap to your success.

5. Set up your business online

Today, using the internet is the best way for any home-based business to reach potential customers. Even if your business is not an online-based service, consider setting up a website, having social media pages, and posting content related to what you are selling. These pages can function as the online portfolio for your business.

6. Familiarize yourself with tax laws

Starting your own business means you’re about to enter a whole new world of taxes. Take some time to discuss your tax options with an accountant who can advise you on your tax situation. This will help you avoid being frazzled and overwhelmed on tax day.

7. Always be professional

The most significant advantage of having a home-based office is perhaps the choice of working in your sleepwear. Be careful; your customers should not tell that you just trundled out of bed. Uphold a professional demeanor and regular office hours when interacting with your customers both on email or phone.

Conclusion

Many start-up businesses often fail because their owners got discouraged or did not have a well-outlined plan. Other times it’s due to negligence. Running a business needs determination and grit. Don’t just give up after encountering the first disappointing bump. Ensure you do everything possible to make your business a success.

Ways to Support Your Remote Workers

October 28, 2020 by Mandy

Whether you’ve been managing a remote team for years or you recently switched to a virtual workforce amid the pandemic, keeping your employees happy is a must. If not for their talents and expertise, accomplishing company goals would be a lot more challenging. Though they work for a salary and benefits, going above and beyond lets them know that you appreciate their dedication and loyalty.

From improved morale to increased productivity, the advantages of showing gratitude to your remote teams goes a long way. Continue reading for a list of practical and affordable ways to get this done.

Flexible Hours

Though remote positions allow employees to work from home, creating a balance between their personal and professional lives is challenging. Flexible hours would enable them to choose a time of day where they can be most productive. You can create varying shifts or offer your team the option to set their own hours each week. Not only does this show that you understand their need for balance, but offering flexible hours also won’t add to your operational expenses.

Adequate Tools

The harder it is for an employee to complete their job, the more stressful the workplace becomes. As a stressed-out employee will produce lower quality results, it is ideal for employers to provide the right tools to make tasks more manageable. Talk with your remote teams to find out what types of resources they need to perform their best. Whether it’s better hardware or software, providing them with these tools is a win-win for everyone.

Small Gifts

Small and affordable gifts are an effective way to show support and appreciation to your employees. It sends the message that you think of them as more than a worker. You can send chocolate gifts like an assortment of gourmet treats with a card for their birthday. Flowers are ideal when an employee is sick or lost a loved one. Gift cards are a great way to award your best performers. Food baskets and free turkeys or hams are also ideal for the holidays. You can often find great deals on bulk orders that can be shipped directly to your employees.

One-on-One Meetings

Group meetings are ideal for providing updates, developing strategies, addressing needs, and cultivating stronger teams. However, if you’re going to be an effective leader, you must dig deeper to produce an authentic relationship with each employee. One-on-one meetings create a space for you to get to know your employees personally and professionally. Try scheduling regular meetings to discuss concerns, evaluate career goals and personal interests. You can use this information to improve their experience in the workplace.

Public Acknowledgement

Acknowledging your appreciation to your remote workers to the public is an efficient way to boost morale. It lets others know that you’re proud of your team, which can garner new high-quality candidates and loyal customers. You can create an employee of the month program to acknowledge good performance with a post on your company website, a certificate, or a plague.

Another way to publicly show appreciation for your team is to post it on your social media page. You can create a general post where you acknowledge the entire team or give individual employees the spotlight periodically. Your virtual shoutout, along with the many praises they’ll receive from your followers, is more than enough to make them feel good.

Without your team, your business would not be where it is today. Beyond paying employees decent salaries and offering competitive benefits, you should go the extra mile to show how much you care. As showing your appreciation for a remote team is slightly different from in-house staff, the ideas listed above provide an effective solution. When your team feels valued and appreciated, they’re more inclined to perform their best – which is the ingredient to a successful business.

Amanda Jo Organic Bunny Shares 5 Ways The Beauty Industry Is Becoming More Eco-Friendly

October 12, 2020 by Mandy

Introduction

Did you know that the $500 Billion-Dollar Personal Care and Beauty Industry relies on Plastic for all its packaging needs?
Are you aware that every single day you are putting 200 different types of chemicals on your body, knowingly or unknowingly?
Have you tried to look at greener, cleaner beauty, skincare, and makeup alternatives that are eco-friendly?

It is no secret that beauty contributes to being one of the biggest polluters in the world. According to a report, the industry produces more than 120 billion packaging units every year. This number is steadily and dangerously rising as we speak.

According to experts, eight out of ten beauty products produced worldwide comes in plastic. Meaning that even when you will use the product in a month, the same container will be on earth for a thousand years!

However, with stricter regulations, aware consumers, and the rising number of greener brands, the centuries-old beauty industry is trying hard to become cleaner and greener.

In this article, we speak to leading beauty expert, Amanda Jo of Organic Bunny and ask her to share five ways, the industry is changing for the better.

List of 5 Ways the Beauty Industry is becoming more Eco-friendly

Recycled Packaging is on the Rise-

Aware consumers as well as brands looking to make a small difference are using recycling to help the environment. Many consumers are using old bottles and containers in creative and innovative ways by making plants, storing things, or using them as artwork.

Brands, on the other hand, are also looking to use recycled packaging to help save the environment. Many brands are also offering incentives to people who are willing to recycle. However, there is still a long way to go to overcome flashy packaging.

Banning Microbead Plastics-

One of the healthiest developments, which have taken place in the past few years, have been banning microbeads. These small plastic globules were uses in a variety of products ranging from bath salts and scrubs to face washes. Microplastics are dangerous for the environment.

Scientists have pointed out that the plastics do not dissolve and are released into the water. When any marine animal ingests it, it creates a sort of an air bubble and impairs their breathing, leading to their death. However, the same has not been banned in third world countries.

The emergenceof Cleaner and Greener Brands-

While all the environmental polluting usual suspects continue to enjoy sales and support, there are several smaller entries promoting a greener world. Amanda Jo states that the last three years have seen a proliferation of eco-friendly brands creating sustainable products.

The attempt at helping the environment does not stop with zero chemical use in products. It also means that the packaging is done by using recycled material. This is definitely a step, which has been taken in the right direction.

Focussing on Alternative Sourcesof Power-

The beauty and cosmetic industry employ more than one million people globally. You can imagine the factory area, which would be required to run massive operations. This means that coal-powered electricity is being used to the detriment of our environment.

Some brands are falling on alternative sources of clean energy like wind and water to power their factories and operations. While the number of brands using clean energy sources is less, they are steadily gaining more acceptance.

Abandoning Palm Oil as an ingredient-

Palm oil is one of the base ingredients in cosmetics. It is used to also create other chemical ingredients like sulfates by reacting with sulphuric acid. There are thousands of products and brands, which use palm oil.

However, the increase in demand for palm oil means rapid deforestation. Palm trees are cut irresponsibly, and palm oil is extracted by the exploitation of the locals in Asian and African countries. All this has a major environmental impact on the planet.

The Final Word

Amanda Jo states that if we start to use chemical-free products on our body, it is not only good for us, but also for the environment. With government authorities stepping up pressure on beauty brands to become ethical, only time will tell whether they are going to become truly eco-friendly in their approach.