For many years I worked in a stressful office environment. I hated  every minute of it. So I swapped my desk and computer for fresh air, the sun on my back and a healthy stress-free lifestyle. Now, I choose the hours I work and do not have to go cap in hand to my boss, if I need time off for any reason. But that doesn't mean I can afford to be lazy. On the contrary, if I don't work, I don't get paid. In fact, I am working harder than ever before. 

When I first thought about working for myself, I had no idea what work I would be doing. So rather than write a business plan, I simply created a list of everything I liked, disliked, and wanted out of life. I also made a note of my skills, weaknesses, and personality traits. Because I was completely honest with myself, it was very revealing. I didn't like an office environment with all the meaningless chatter and distractions that so often go with it; I have never liked crowds and have always preferred to work alone. I don't like noise and do enjoy the great outdoors. So it came as no surprise when the suggestion of becoming a gardener emerged. But I knew very little about gardening, so I looked at other secondary suggestions I had accumulated, but none of them had the same appeal. 

A few more weeks and a great deal of thought drew me closer to making a final descision about my future. I knew I had a lot to learn and it would not be easy. Finally, I gave myself the go-ahead, and decided to offer a simple garden weeding service. This idea came to mind as I researched gardening as a profession. I decided that I would do the type of work that a lot of other gardeners preferred to leave to someone else. It enabled me to work within my own limited ability, whilst I studied books about gardening and researched online.

The next thing I had to do was decide how much I would charge. I looked at what other gardeners were charging, and the going rate for someone with just the basic skills. Finally, I decided upon a fixed hourly rate. Coming from a career background in Credit Control, I decided to charge per visit, payable on the day, so as to avoid being owed money. I also vowed not to borrow any money to start my business. I really did not want to commence trading on the back foot. My initial overheads were low, as I only needed a few tools to weed my customers' gardens. As my business grew. I gradually purchased more tools. 

Unless you have sufficient savings to live on, it is of paramount importance to have a regular income, to earn a living whilst your business gets up and running. In my case, I had a part-time job, fee clerking for Barristers. This enabled me to build my gardening business on the days I was not in the office, and have enough money to keep me going. Of course, I felt the pinch when I quit my part - time job and became full-time self-employed. I missed the regular wage. But I had more time on my hands to look for new customers., and my business continued to grow. 

 I will always remember my first customer. I found him on social media, which is an invaluable tool for anyone starting their own business. I recall scratching around in the dirt as I removed weeds and grass from his flower borders. It was in the month of  November - perhaps a strange time to  commence a gardening career, but I knew that if I could   work outside during the winter, then becoming a gardener was truly the right choice for me. 

As I did not have a lawn mower, I was unable to cut the grass for my first, or indeed any of my customers in those early days. Although I only offered a simple garden weeding service, I was still asked to do other gardening tasks. But my skills would gradually improve,  and so would my confidence. I learnt very quickly how to tell plants from weeds, also different types of weeds. I also looked for weeds growing out of paths and parts of the garden where plants would tend not to grow. This gave me a very basic but by no means totally accurate guide, as to what should also be removed from flower beds and borders. I quickly adopted a policy - if unsure, leave it where it is. It is better to have missed a few weeds, than to remove a plant by mistake. 

I consider myself very fortunate indeed, to have met so many lovely people who appreciate what I do.  It is a joy to work for such good customers and get paid for doing something that I enjoy. Some of my assignments have involved just one visit, to carry out a specific task. Others have led to regular, often weekly visits. 

Aside from promoting my business on social media, I also had some business cards and leaflets printed. These need not be expensive if ordered online. I deliver the leaflets myself for the following reasons: I know they are delivered and not dumped; I select homes with gardens that need work, avoiding those with neatly manicured lawns and hedges    where it is obvious that the residents or another gardener is already taking care of the property. One of the first leaflets I distributed earned me three customers! The lady I had delivered the leaflet to, called me  and asked me to edge her front lawn. Her neighbour saw my work and asked me to do the same for her. I was also asked to tend the garden of my customer's sister. 

 One of the all important things I did when starting out, was to create my own website. It is not essential to have a website, but it is advisable because it enables us to showcase who we are, and the services we offer. 

There are a number of free websites available online - most are funded by advertising. I pay a modest monthly fee for my website, including hosting and technical support. There are no ads. 

When creating a business website, it is important to have established your branding. My brand is organic gardening, and everything is done by hand. I do not use noisy petrol powered tools or machinery. I do not use chemicals of any kind. This sets me apart from other gardeners and makes me different. My website enables me to convey this to potential customers, as well as telling them something about myself. 

My website tells customers  that I use a quiet hand push lawn mower, and no weed killers or any chemicals that could harm pets or garden wildlife. It also promotes my no noise, no mess, no fuss policy. My customers all prefer my natural approach to gardening, and I could not have advertised all that information of a leaflet or business card. The website address is on my card and leaflets, along with my contact number and hourly rate. The rest is all there on my website.