Hi Abraham!
I just typed out a giant reply to this thread at 3am because I couldn’t sleep.
So this is the abridged version #2 of what was once a much longer reply:
I’ve been in the field for 20 years or so in one form or another and I came here because I am toying with the idea of my own gardening company.
From the best possible place: I don’t think you are ready.
Confidence and knowledge in sales is the entire business. You can only get there when you really know your stuff on the horticulture side. High-end clientele can smell bs a mile away. And yes, you need at least fairly high-end clientele. Unless you want to do high-volume (which is much worse imho), you won’t be able to make a living.
You would do well to work for someone else for a few years and lower your expectation of what permaculture is. A truck backs up the same way on a permaculture landscape as it does on a conventional one. You can still be ethical and regenerative while learning from people and working places that may be slightly less so, at least until you’ve built up your skills and your wallet enough. It takes money to start a business, don’t let anyone to you otherwise. Very few people can bootstrap themselves into a living. Especially if you don’t have a lot of prior knowledge or extreme luck. Ever do a big warranty project because you messed up while someone was paying you? I have. It can put you straight into a big hole.
Also, in response to some of the things others said in this thread: putting random organic matter onto the soil is not a good way to go. And composting other people’s waste is terrible advice! That is its own business in and of itself and requires space and equipment.
Please know that I fully support the idea if you do try to do it: I’m not a naysayer. I have just started my own business before and failed because I wasn’t ready and wouldn’t want someone else to do that, too. Especially if your family doesn’t agree! Did I read that part right? That’s a hard stop, too.
Anyway, happy to discuss more if you like. You can also tell me to screw and I won’t be offended.
…I guess version 2 reply wasn’t so short either.
