In February, I decided to end my gardener’s service, writing him a letter of cancellation before the spring season began.
My front yard includes a plot of grass, and without taking measurements I know it’s not a big space.
There’s a gas-powered lawn mower in my basement, but on Saturday I decided to buy a manual mower to get the job done, for exercise, and to do my part in practicing green living.
I assembled the mower, took it outside, and began cutting the lawn. What an ordeal.
In front of neighbors on both sides of my home, I struggled, cut stray pieces with pruning scissors, raked, and mowed some more.
It’s amazing how people who live around you are never in sight until you’re outside, and that’s just what happened.
I seemed to be the afternoon’s entertainment, and being a strong, determined solo business owner, who happens to also be a home owner, I got the job done.
The lawn looks fantastic for a first-time try, just as good as what the gardener accomplished for $80 a month.
My body is extremely fatigued, with shoulders, midsection, and upper legs taking a huge toll, but that’s okay. I know that the second and future cuts will be much easier because of this introduction.
What I experienced is similar to the new projects you face each time there are new prospects to reach, new opportunities to try, new marketing roads of any type to travel. Sometimes it’s done in the privacy of your office, but other times you must face ridicule, hear whispers or snickers, or get advice you don’t request.
You move forward the same way I did that afternoon of my first lawn mowing experience. Read the instruction manual (marketing plan), make sure you’ve tightened all screws (consider the cons as well as the pros), and start pushing the machine forward (take action to complete your mission).
Your actions will tell you when to make adjustments, back up, and smile as you finalize the plan.
Now, go and tend to your marketing plan. It won’t be as even as my newly-cut grass, but with consistency, the peaks will appear more often than the valleys.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Good for you Shirley for going green on the lawn. I did the same thing last year. I just wrote a post on it in fact that I’ll publish at some point this week. Great analogy and illustration for constant marketing as well. Have a good one.
Hi Marty,
Even though the project was tough on my hands and torso, I’m pleased that it’s done and I look forward to the next cutting.
As we know, entrepreneurship can be as tough on our bodies and minds, but we’re built to rise to the challenge.
I look forward to reading your post.
How funny this one was to read. We did it the opposite way; started out cutting the grass but having to wear all sorts of gear because of allergies, then my wife started getting nosebleeds from the pressure of cutting the grass and I finally hired a guy to do it, relieving both of us of the ordeal.
Mitch,
How terrible that both of you went through health problems before getting help, though that’s the other way we entrepreneurs get the job done.
I’m happy to say that the glamour surrounding my lawn cutting has worn off. I worked the manual mower on Saturday, and no one cared to watch.
You can now add “expert grass cutter” alongside my business owner branding.