Many 13 to 15 year old kids experience their first business mowing lawns for neighbors or family members.
 It's a great place to learn about "people" in the neighborhood.
 Looking back to those years, I was getting up at 4 am to carry newspapers to 250 neighbors along with a helper and business partner.
Whatever you do, BIG or small, your first introduction to "customers" is an extremely valuable lesson in your business future.
 People are different, each one of us has issues of some kind, it can be about money, service expectations, beliefs about life and more.
Even on a small scale, your formative years in early childhood are critical to your future success as a business owner.
 People are "quirky" and often fool us about who they really are.
 Many of our opinions and reactions are reflections of our early exposures.
 How Mom or Dad acted or responded when spending money; interactions with the grocery clerk, the cashier, the "poke" boy, the Deli counter server or security at the door.
Carrying newspapers, selling "you name it" to your neighbors, mowing grass, dog sitting, baby sitting, passing out flyers, front yard lemonade stands, selling watermelons, corn and tomatoes from your garden, etc.
are all part of the American scene to make money.
What you're selling doesn't really matter, it's more the how, the interactions with your buyers.
 Some people will almost automatically try to renegotiate your price, asking "can you do better than that, give us a better price"?  Nothing dishonest here, truth is, usually they get a "better" price.
Then you always have the "nice guy" who gives you a tip for good service Vs the tight fisted scrooge wanting to "dicker" with you.
 You have to deal with both buyers and come away with everyone satisfied with the end results.
 Sellers have to decide, yes or no.
There's nothing wrong with the basic mowing job.
 Many firemen and others earn a full-time income working long hours a few days each week then work in their own business which allows them to build multiple streams of income "on the side".
Someday, maybe we'll have a fair taxing system and eliminate the loopwholes but until then most folks are looking for the "easy" money, avoiding the tax bite.
 The honest business owner gets shortchanged but usually overcomes with more add-on services.
Your risk is pretty basic too, everybody has grass to mow and your business will continue long-term as the population ages and more Sr.
Citizens are unable to care for their lawns.
 Most will turn to hiring someone to mow the lawn for them and pay for the service.
Everywhere you look there's a pick-up truck with a trailer hooked to the rear.
 Few of us care who owns the "rigg" if they can do a good job mowing the lawn and do it cheap.
You don't have to ONLY mow the lawn.
 Lawn care means aerating, fertilizing, irrigation systems, night lighting, Christmas decorating, planting flowers, hardscapes and more are all part of the lawn care business.
Think outside the "box" and increase your business.
 Some of you may choose to buy more equipment, trucks, everything under your control.
 Others may choose to simply MOW the grass and SUB-CONTRACT the other pieces at little or no cost.
 You may make a little less money BUT your risk is far less, fewer employees, if any.
 THINK, evaluate the difference.