Raking leaves or raking in the money ?

As I was speaking to a neighbor in the fall, she was raking her yard and preparing the yard for the winter. This included raking the lawn with extra effort on picking up sticks and other debris.

Since Mrs. M. is over 65 yrs old I asked her about hiring someone to take care of the yard for her.

She said was not going to pay someone $225 to rake the yard. The yard is approx 3/4 of an acre.

I estimate about 10 hrs of work. At $150 for the job I could hire someone to rake the lawn and still make so profit for myself.

Two profit centers:

1) Gross sales $150 - $100 labor = $50 profit.

Find 4 other jobs similar in the neighbor/nearby & repeat step 1, 5 x $50= $250.

$250 profit one days work. Supplies needed 5 rakes, hefty garbage bags & a lot of lemonade.

Focus: Dont quote a job unless you have had practice. The neighbor is a well maintained neighborhood and the lawn was already cut. By mentioning she ''was not paying $225 to have the lawn raked" meant she has already concerned hiring someone.

Carl Slicer

Hungry to Survive

Waitering.

My grandmother, known as Hana, was an inspiration in my life. A self starter, Hana always depended on herself. At a very young age her father was killled in a car crash. Her family was made up of her brother & her mother. No life insurance was every mention as a means to support them so my great grandmother took it upon her own to continue to raise her two children. Circa since 1920s'. In East Hartford, Conn.

Many of my comments will come from family expierences. And I have a lot of gratitude to give them.

Waitering. I recall Hana travelling alot. Since my mother attended about 10 schools in various states as a child. Waitressing was something she could do upon pulling into town.

#1) Meals: Working with food meant meals were part of your allowance. Eat your lunch and maybe take food home to your family too.

#2) Tips: Earning tips while working is key to why most people waitress. Hana would say "Cash in your pocket at the end of the night." Now some places let you keep your tips & others will make you pool your tips. Either way it a great source.

#3) Contacts: (Scene from an old black & white movie in Hollywood) The waitress says "We'll I am really studying to become an actress." Do the math. If you get in front 100 people a day you have a captive audience to create impressions or develop contacts for your needs.

I will pursue what makes one waiter bettter from the next one.

Carl Slicer