Latest / The Side Hustle Career Podcast with Fexingo: Second Income, Freelancing While Employed / The Landscaper Who Turned Lawn Care Into a Six-Figure Side Hustle
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, we've covered a lot of side hustles over the years — tech consulting, medical writing, accent coaching. But I was thinking today: we haven't really done a service-based, blue-collar gig yet. Something that uses the tools you already own. Luna: You mean like a tradesperson? I love that. We've had a lot of white-collar hustles, but what about a landscaper who plows snow in winter? That's a classic. Lucas: Exactly. So let's talk about a specific case: a landscaper in the Northeast, full-time job with a landscaping company, but he also runs his own snow removal side hustle. Last winter, he pulled in around a hundred and ten thousand dollars in revenue from commercial contracts alone. Luna: A hundred and ten grand? That's serious money. But I'm guessing the profit margin is not the same as a pure digital product. Lucas: Right, the margins are thinner when you've got equipment costs, fuel, salt, and insurance. But he told me his net was around sixty thousand dollars in just three months of snow events. And the equipment? He already had a truck and a plow attachment from his landscaping gig, so he just needed to buy a salt spreader and some extra lighting. Luna: So the barrier to entry is really about whether you already have the gear. A lot of landscapers do, which is why it's a natural fit. Lucas: Yeah, and that's the key. You're not starting from zero. This guy, his name is Mike, he runs a one-man operation. He targets small commercial lots — strip malls, office parks, bank branches — places that need to be open after a storm but don't need a full crew. Luna: And how does he get those clients? Is it just knocking on doors? Lucas: Mostly, but he's smart about it. He sends out proposals in August and September, before the first snowflake. He offers a seasonal contract — a flat fee for unlimited plowing, up to a certain number of inches. That way, the client pays one price, and he knows his revenue upfront. Luna: That's a good model. A flat fee means predictable cash flow, even if it's a mild winter. But what happens if there's a huge blizzard? Does he get overwhelmed? Lucas: That's the risk. He's got a threshold — if a storm drops more than eight inches, he charges extra, and he has a backup guy he can call. But he's very careful not to take on more properties than he can handle. He'd rather lose a potential contract than ruin his reputation by showing up late. Luna: Reputation is everything in a local service business. One bad review and you're done. So how does he price? Is it per square foot or per event? Lucas: He prices by lot size and frequency. A typical small lot, say fifty thousand square feet, might be two thousand dollars for the season. He has about forty-five commercial clients, so the math works out to about ninety thousand in seasonal contracts, plus extra for overages. Add in a few residential driveways and that's how he hits a hundred and ten. Luna: Two grand a season for a strip mall — that sounds reasonable for the convenience of not having to hire their own crew. So what's the biggest challenge? I'm guessing the hours. Lucas: Absolutely. Snow doesn't wait for your day job. Mike would often plow from two a.m. to six a.m., then go to his regular landscaping shift at seven. He said the key is optimizing your route — cluster your clients geographically so you're not zigzagging across town. Luna: That's the kind of operational detail that makes or breaks a side hustle. And it's not just about plowing; you also have to handle salt and ice management. That's where the liability can get tricky. Lucas: Right, he's got a one-point-five-million-dollar liability policy, which costs him about three thousand a year. But that's a tax write-off. And he sets up a separate LLC, so his personal assets are protected if a client slips and falls. That's a big deal. Luna: So the total startup cost for him was maybe five thousand dollars? That's pretty low for a six-figure side hustle. But I'm curious — what about the downtime? A mild winter could kill you. Lucas: That's the risk you take. Last winter was actually above average for snowfall in his region, so he did well. But he has a clause in his contract — if total snowfall falls below a certain threshold, he offers a partial refund. That builds trust and also protects him from disputes. Luna: Smart. It's almost like a subscription model with a usage guarantee. So what advice would he give to someone thinking about getting into this? Lucas: He says start small. Don't buy a brand new plow truck if you don't have to. Rent or lease one first, or partner with a friend who has one. And don't just target residential homes — you'll spend too much time moving between driveways. Go for commercial lots where you can do a bigger area in one pass. Luna: That's the key insight — unit economics. A driveway might pay you fifty bucks, but a parking lot pays you two grand for the same amount of time. So the real question is, how do you find those commercial contracts? Is it just cold calling? Lucas: He says it's a mix. He starts with his existing landscaping clients, because he already has a relationship. Then he walks into local businesses and asks to speak with the property manager. He brings a one-page proposal with a map of the lot and his pricing. It's that simple. Luna: It sounds like the barrier is really just the willingness to hustle in the cold and dark. But you know, I think that's something a lot of people could consider. And it's not just for landscapers — anyone with a truck and a plow attachment could do it. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what I love about this example. It's a reminder that side hustles don't have to be online. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones that use your existing skills and assets. You just have to be willing to work the hours nobody else wants. Luna: And that's a theme we've seen all along — the most successful side hustlers find a niche where they can offer something valuable, and they're not afraid to put in the effort. Mike is a perfect example. Lucas: Yeah. And speaking of putting in the effort, I want to circle back to something we touched on earlier. You know, if you're getting value from this show, the best way to keep it going is to support us directly. A couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these episodes ad-free. You can do that at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it makes a real difference. We're a small independent podcast, and every little bit helps us keep doing this deep dive into interesting side hustles. Lucas: So, back to Mike. He's already thinking about next winter. He's considering adding a second crew and maybe expanding into commercial landscaping for the summer months, so he can go full-time with his own business. That's the dream, right? Luna: Absolutely. From a side hustle to a full-time business. And that's the trajectory we love to see. So if you're listening and you've been thinking about a service-based side hustle, maybe this is your sign. Lucas: Exactly. It's not about the money alone — it's about building something that can grow. Mike started with one plow and a dream, and now he's looking at a six-figure business. That's the side hustle story we love.