So you’re thinking about selling your green industry business? Hold on there, hotshot! Before you make that “terrible” mistake, let’s talk about all the life-fulfilling reasons why you should absolutely, positively, 100% keep running your landscaping, tree care, or pest control company forever and ever.
After all, who wouldn’t want to keep enjoying all these wonderful perks of business ownership?
Here are ten fantastic reasons to never, ever consider selling your business to someone else.
1. You Love Working 80-Hour Weeks (Who Needs Sleep?)
Why would you want to sell when you get to work seven days a week? Tuesday at 10 PM, dealing with a broken mower? That’s living the dream! Saturday morning emergency calls because Mrs. Johnson’s sprinkler system flooded her neighbor’s garden? Pure joy!
And vacations? Who needs them! You get to spend your “time off” worrying about whether your crews showed up on time. Nothing says relaxation like getting phone calls on that faraway beach about equipment breakdowns.
Your family barely remembers what you look like, but hey, that just makes holidays more exciting. “Daddy, why are your hands always dirty?” is basically a term of endearment, right?
2. Equipment Breakdowns Are Character Building
Your mower breaking down on the hottest day of the year isn’t a problem—it’s an unpaid adventure! There’s nothing quite like the thrill of calling every equipment dealer within 100 miles, only to hear “we can get that part next Thursday.”
And the timing? Chef’s kiss Perfect. Equipment never breaks when you’re sitting in the shop on a rainy day. It always waits for your biggest client’s most important event. It’s like your machines have a sixth sense for the worst possible moments.
Plus, who doesn’t love spending thousands of dollars on repairs for equipment that’s older than some of your employees? That 19-year-old truck with 200,000 miles isn’t unreliable—it’s nearly vintage!
3. Mother Nature Is Your Best Business Partner
Weather is so predictable and cooperative! Rain never comes during your busiest week. Droughts never happen right when everyone wants their lawns green. And snow? It always arrives exactly when the weather forecast says it will.
You’ve definitely never had to reschedule the same job five times because of weather. Your clients always understand that you can’t control nature. They never call asking why their lawn service day got moved again, or wonder why you can’t “just work around the rain.”
And seasonal cash flow? What a joy! Who needs steady income when you can play financial Russian roulette every winter?
4. Finding Great Employees Is Easy (Said No One Ever)
The labor market is absolutely booming with reliable workers who show up on time, don’t call in sick on beautiful sunny days, and definitely won’t quit via text message on a Monday morning.
Training new employees is basically a hobby at this point. You love explaining for the 47th time why we don’t scalp the grass or why safety equipment isn’t optional. And background checks? Drug tests? That’s just bonus paperwork you get to do during your infinite spare time.
And your current star employee who you spent months training? He’s definitely NOT going to start his own company and attempt to steal your best clients next spring. That would never happen!
5. Customer Service Is Always Delightful
Clients are so reasonable and understanding. They never call you screaming because your crew accidentally trimmed their prize-winning rose bush. They always pay on time and never dispute invoices for work they specifically requested.
And the reviews! “One star: They left a single grass clipping on my driveway” is basically a love letter. Online reviews are definitely an accurate reflection of your work and not influenced by keyboard cowboys having bad days or unrealistic expectations.
Your favorite client who pays $200 per month never calls with emergency requests worth $20 that “should only take five minutes.” That would be unreasonable!
6. Liability and Insurance Are Super Simple
Liability insurance is cheap and easy! Your rates can’t possibly keep go up every year, right? And claims? Those are just opportunities to explain to insurance companies why that tree branch couldn’t possibly have damaged Mrs. Peterson’s brand new car, even though it was perfectly healthy yesterday.
Worker’s comp is a breeze too. No one ever gets hurt doing physical labor outside all day with power tools and chemicals. And if they do, it’s definitely not your fault, even when it actually is.
7. Competition Keeps Things Interesting
You love when the new guy down the street starts underbidding everyone by 50%. It’s great motivation! Who cares if he’s using his dad’s equipment and living in his mom’s basement? Competition is healthy!
And those big national companies moving into your market? They definitely won’t use their massive marketing budgets and volume pricing to squeeze out local businesses. They’re probably just here to buy beer and make new friends.
Your 20 years of experience and reputation mean nothing when someone offers to cut grass for $15 a lawn. Customers always choose quality over price, right?
8. Technology and Software Are Your Friends
Learning new business software every few years is a blast! QuickBooks updates that change everything? Love them! Routing software that sends your crew to the wrong addresses? Character building!
And don’t get started on GPS tracking for vehicles. Nothing says “I trust my employees” like watching their every move on a computer screen. They definitely appreciate the oversight and never find ways around it. Maybe they’ll get your lunch too at that drive-thru!
Your website that looks like it was built in 2003? That’s retro chic! Who needs modern design and video testimonials when you can have blinking text and auto-playing music? So, are you guys on MySpace or…
9. Regulatory Compliance Is Totally Simple
Keeping up with changing regulations is like a fun puzzle! Pesticide licenses, commercial driver requirements, environmental rules—they never change, and when they do, they always give you plenty of notice.
And inspections? Those surprise visits from regulatory agencies are basically social calls. What does OSHA stand for again? They definitely don’t show up right when you’re swamped with work and haven’t had time to organize your paperwork.
Safety training requirements that change annually? That’s just the government’s way of making sure you stay sharp!
10. Cash Flow Is Never Stressful
Seasonal businesses have the most relaxing financial cycles! Those three months with no revenue while you still pay equipment loans, rent, insurance, and facility costs? That’s just forced savings!
And collecting payments? Homeowners always pay within 30 days. You’ve definitely never had a commercial client owe you $5,000 for three months while you struggle to make payroll. That’s just not how business works!
Banking relationships are simple too. Explaining to loan officers why your income fluctuates wildly by season is always a logical conversation.
Time to Face Reality
Okay, okay. Maybe we got a little carried away with the sarcasm. If you actually nodded along to any of these “wonderful” aspects of business ownership, you might be ready to admit that running a green industry business isn’t always the dream you thought it would be.
The truth is, every single one of these challenges is real. Every green industry business owner has lived through equipment failures, employee drama, weather disasters, and cash flow nightmares. You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not crazy for feeling overwhelmed sometimes.
Maybe it’s time to consider that there might be another option. Maybe someone else could handle all these headaches while you focus on what you actually enjoy about the business—or better yet, enjoy your life outside of work.
SpringGreen has been in the green industry since 1977. We’ve seen these challenges destroy good businesses and great business owners. But we’ve also seen how the right partnership can transform stress into success.
Ready to stop pretending these problems are fun? Maybe it’s time to explore what life could look like without the constant stress of business ownership. Learn more about acquisition opportunities and discover how the SpringGreen Stimulus Plan might be the exit plan you’ve been dreaming of.
