Preface to the Seventh Edition

I was a little over forty years old when I wrote the first edition of this book. At the time, somebody thought I was well-enough suited to the task of advising eager young (and not so young) aspirants to the landscaping business on how to start and run their own operations. I wasn’t so sure, and I took on the project with mixed feelings of honor and blood-curdling terror. Writing a book isn’t easy, and this one was no exception. I wanted to be certain that I offered the very best advice, and so I made a point of questioning everything I thought I knew from my years of experience running a small, home-based landscaping business. I spent a lot of time talking to fellow professionals, poring over books at the library (this was before the Internet made research a comfy home-based task), and relentlessly checking my facts. When all was said and done and the book went to press, I was pooped. I was also pretty sure I had done right by my future readers.

Then a marvelous thing happened. I began to get emails and letters from readers, thanking me for guiding them toward a successful career. What a heartwarming and unexpected payoff that has been! The flow of gratitude continues, over 20 years later, and my life is regularly enriched by touching, kind words from people who found in How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business the help they needed to embark on a career in this demanding field and build thriving small businesses and satisfying lives.

The day I began writing How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business, so long ago now, I had an instinct that people wanted some-one to act as their guide, a friendly arm around their shoulder as they took on their daunting adventures. I wanted to be that guide, and I feel the same way today. So it is with the deepest gratitude for those who have supported me in this work, and with the deepest affection for new readers who are looking for a little support, that I present you with this revised and expanded edition of the book. I’m with you on your journey, and I look forward to hearing of your successes.

Owen Dell

June 2015

p.s. If you like this book, please tell the world by posting reviews at Amazon and other online retailers. It helps me to go on helping you. Thanks!