I started mowing lawns at 15 because I didn’t want to make $4/hr working at Dairy Queen or Sonic. I mowed yards through high school and was making more money than many of my teachers.
My dad is a successful artist… growing up I never saw him go to an office and as a result never thought I needed to work for someone else. Through mowing lawns I got the taste for being my own boss and making good money.
My freshman year of college I got out of the lawn care business… I was burned out (late 2004 I got back in the business).
Since that time I’ve founded and been part of multiple companies. Several in the service industry and several in the software industry. The businesses I’m part of now and have been part of in the past experience annual earnings ranging from 5 Million to the low 8 figures per year.
Business is really good but I’ve made plenty of ‘learning’ mistakes along the way. Daily I learn something new.
I love marketing, applying technology to systems and building companies. I’d go broke before I went to work for someone else to build their company.
Today I own two companies. One is a lawn maintenance company that has over 6000 full service residential and commercial clients. Through another, Service Autopilot, we coach savvy business owners on how to build fast growing companies that can run without their daily involvement.
Service Autopilot is also the most comprehensive lawn care software solution in the lawn & landscape industry. We currently have 15000 users and invoice several billion in revenue per year on behalf of our members. It’s the exact same solution that runs my lawn care company and made it possible to grow quickly.
I live just north of Dallas TX. I’m married with two boys. When my schedule permits I prefer to spend my time auto-racing, snow boarding or traveling.
I also enjoy sharing what I’ve learned. Hence… LawnCareMillionaire.com. A completely FREE site for guys like you and me working to build lawn care companies.
5 Replies to “Who Is Jonathan Pototschnik?”
Jonathan,
Thanks so much for the positive attitude that you have. I am so looking forward to digging in to your website and learning all that I can! I’m really impressed!
Thanks again,
Calvin Sharp
Beaumont, TX
Hey Jonathan,
I would like to talk to you about some specific questions concerning the lawn business. I am a sophomore in college, and have been running a 50 lawn (mainly residential) business. I started three years ago and doubled the business last year. My profit margins are high, and I net about 40k a season. I want some insight as to how to continue to grow, who to hire, when to hire, what equipment to buy, and what other services i should offer. I really want to get the business up to 200 lawns within the next 4 years. Any advice would be great,
Thanks,
Andrew
Thankyou for being a good steward of knowledge in the service industry. Your heart to be a blessing to many is blessed. This is all new to me, and I need a wise man to advise me. Looking forward to effectively utilize this information , God bless you. Thank you again , Anselm Salins. RosedaleMd
Hi Jonathan, what a blessing it is to have you out there supporting others. God bless you and your family. My family is starting up a fig tree business. We just started this year. We have over 100 different varieties of rare fig trees, and are currently growing approximately 2000 fig trees for sale. I always loved Landscaping, and we are seriously considering incorporating a Landscape division along with our fig tree start up business. One of my concerns, is that I don’t have any experience with running a Landscape business. I actually didn’t have any experience with growing fig trees, but since I am so passionate with Landscaping, etc., it came very easy. I am planning on attending a Landscape vocational school for some quick knowledge. Please let me know if I shouldn’t jump into this type of a business without any experience.
Thank you for your support and guidance.
SALLEEFIGS
Hello Jonathan I’ve been listening to some of the videos that you and your brother Andrew have put out concerning the landscape industry I have them on my mp3 player been listening since August of last year. I’m a small business solo owner operator, I have about 40 every week customers for mowing and about 15 every other week customers I do grounds maintenance plantings mulching no hardscapes. I have been contacted by a gentleman Sean Adams I don’t know if you heard of him lawn care success is his business online to help other landscapers grow their companies sean has some programs that he wants me to purchase and books but I’m looking to possibly look deeper into your service autopilot program I am looking to grow my business back into a company. A few years ago I had two employees and it was nothing but headaches so for last 5 years I’ve been trying to go it alone i have been buying new or better equipment in intervals to help me get the job done quicker and easier but I still find it hard to do everything from billing to estimates to all the work it does take up quite a bit of time but I still have a good schedule to be around for my wife and to spend time with her. I’m approaching 40 years old this June and feel that I have made a success as an entreprenuer but I have a mountain more to grow and improve i heard your April 2014 pod cast with Andrew and from what you were saying you have accomplished is motivating but I feel embarrassed comparatively. any advice based on my situation currently would be appreciated and where to start next I feel overwhelming . In order to help you answer that I am looking to move in about a year or so from New York Hudson Valley area an hour north of New York City to the Outer Banks North Carolina looking to escape winters. so I will be looking to grow a little here where I am now and then try to sell all my accounts this is my last season for snow plowing I did it for 21 years and it’s really not for me I would rather increase my knowledge in horticulture and make extra money in my business by planting and gardening for hire end customers your thoughts please.