I hate that they left. I really like them, very good worker i'll miss seeing them. God's blessing be with them,

You are working your ass off, by yourself, making it happen. You sir are a legend, and you are a prime example of living the American dream. Out there straight getting it! Day in and day out. Full Respect to you brother!

Long day's work - and must have been so rewarding as all planned was done. It looks great and customer satisfaction guaranteed.

Nice guys don't always finish last. You keep being you. May God bless you and your family.

So good to hear that You are now taking the time for Safety John. Especially when You are alone on a Job.

Man once said " Sometimes The Best Way to Move Forward is to Go Back To where You Started" You Do a Good Job ! Your Boy will be helpin you out before you know it ! 👍 Your NOT By yourself ! lot of us are here to Support Ya !!

It is good that you talk about the reality of owning your business and what it takes to make a profit. As a business owner myself I hear it all the time about how much money I made on this deal or that deal, they have no idea how much time, money and effort I put into that job just to make a small profit. I enjoy your videos especially the dirt work ones.

I’m a retired plumber, and like you it’s mainly outside work we did, so your always looking at the weather and if it rained for a week, then you still have to pay your employees. Australia has very generous employee entitlements, 4 weeks paid annual leave, 10 days paid sick leave, 12 paid RDO’s, 7 paid public holidays, 13 weeks paid long service leave after 10 years continued service, and 8 days per year after that. Employers have to pay employees 10.5% of workers wage into superannuation as well. Then insurance on top and taxes it’s a constant need for work just before you break even, it’s a whole lot easier working on your own, only downside is, you can only yell at yourself when something goes wrong. Cheers.

I like work and talking at the same time, so keep doing what you’re doing.

John, You are truly blessed to have had workers like Josh and Willie. If you are happy working alone as I am then just do it. You're amazing operating all of your equipment and you do a splendid job. Stay safe, happy, and healthy. God Bless.

Josh and Willie had a great work ethic that is extremely rare with today's younger generation. But, remember working alone in a business can have it's down side if you get hurt or injured or a family emergency happens that takes you away from your business... Best of luck and God bless you.

Enjoyed the talk about the state of your business. Cool to hear from folks in the business and what they are going through. I'm with you 100% on working alone, love it...

John, keep doing what you do. Never thought for a minute there was some secret feud. If you can hold on a few more years your boys can help on the weekends and when school is out. You look like you're doing just fine by yourself

I really liked your business talk, it is important for people to know what it cost to run a business. I owned my own business for 39 years till the doctors shut me down. I loved it, I made a ton of money at it but when you are self employed in CA and have health issues you can not get medical insurance for your self. So all the money I made was eaten up by heart surgeries and doctor bills. I have no regrets, when I shut down I set up my 2 best employees in business for themselves and they are doing great and it makes me proud.

Awesome video John. I think asking Jesus is the right thing to do. Above all you need to be happy. Please be safe and God bless you.

I will miss the guys. I wish them well. Please take care of yourself. Working by yourself can’t be easy. Love your channel 😊

Worked for a small business owner who had been in business over 20 years tell me one time one of his greatest accomplishments he was most proud of was meeting payroll every week. He said while paying all other bills was important, insuring his employees received the money they were owed was priority one. And if something is on your heart and it helps to talk to the camera, by all means do! You have a lot of time to reflect while doing "seat time" for sure. God Bless! Murfreesboro TN

Your honesty as a person and work is what I , we like about your channel. One of my favorite videos of yours was when you buried the ventrac in the pond. You were calm but worried.

John, A few thoughts... It's good to delve into the other aspects of the business. It answers questions and allows the mind to think further in depth about reasons and acknowledgment. John

So nice Jon to hear you reminisce about your time with Willie and Josh! You guys were a truly well oiled machine on the job site! Seems like you enjoyed the time spent together….good natured harassment! Thanks!!

You are doing ok!! Crew come and go. People don’t understand that. It’s a job you work at until you know your final career choices. The crew are not in a job that lasts a full lifetime. To have crew as long as you did with them is a testament to how good you worked together!! You know what’s best for you. People are always looking for dirt instead of just the facts. Hahaha, 😂😂. Stay safe, Eh!

LMAO john you had me with the joke in the beginning, the dam joke, definitely a dad joke lol, yeah elite earthworks just got a hydrema, the same thing as dirtbosses off-road truck, they are handy for tight areas, good work, thanks for sharing, keep the dad jokes coming lol, 💪🇺🇲🤙✊👌

Great job Josh please be careful your kin folks need u

Dam project...heh heh...love hearing your thoughts...I know you miss the guys, can see it on your face. You could trust them to do the jobs the way you would do them and that's rare to find that in this day and time. God will lead you where you need to go. Always has, always will ❤

Keep swinging/fighting the good fight Jon! No, folks have no concept of how much $ it takes to own/operate these machines....thank you for being a good example and buckling up (none of us do and should) =))

John it is a lot harder to build your business when you are older just take your time and find someone it is not fair to your family. The thing is as fair as I can see you are great at what you do. If you get sick there is one to help you please think about and just build it up slow. I will pray for and god bless you.

Doing great job buddy!.. if your happy the way your operating, all that matters. Just stay extra safe out there by yourself..💪🏼💪🏼

Gotta translate what you said into its real meaning: For example, “I’m not an expert on ponds. Meaning: “I’ve had to undo the work of many an idiot when I worked on a pond.” I loved the shot of the broken pipe from the siphon system. Looked like it was worth every penny of the $1.98 they spent on it. And I hope your customer comes out of this with a lesson. If you want it done right, get someone who CAN DO IT RIGHT, not someone who says he can do it right. If your customer had hired you to start, think of all the money that could have been saved. I loved your honesty in talking about what happened and the parting of the way with Josh and Willie. I saw it coming and it was right after the JD 130 was wrecked. An accident. Nothing more. But then Micah left. And then you bought the ASV 135 ... and sold the ASV 135. That told me you were overextended financially. Training new help will be easier now that you know how, but it’s the commitment. Young people today aren’t as committed. Just ask Mike, aka Dirt Boss. A really smart guy and a wonderful teacher. What you need to do is find a MBTS or a Mr. Millennial like Dirt Perfect has. Or a guy like Jerry, who’s retired but likes to work part-time for DP to keep his hand in. Talk to DP, talk to Chris Guins. There’s a lot of wisdom and experience there. Take advantage of it. You already have one advantage going in - you have Jodi and the kids. A better support system you couldn’t find. One more thing, choose your equipment with more care. Ever ask yourself why Chris Guins buys Cats and Komatsus? And why neither has a deal with a You Tube influencer? That’s because these machines sell themselves. Think about the next time you’re looking for a machine. Remember, in our business, time is money, even more so when you fly solo.

John I watch your videos because it fascinating to watch what can be created from something that was not up to par. At this time in your life, you are supposed to be by yourself doing projects. Look beyond the Trees and see the Forest.

It's obvious that the connection between you and them is still strong and I know you miss them as well. Their presence did not only do you some good, but us as well too. Watching you all work and horse play around was great🙂!

Enjoy the videos you put out. With rate of inflation we have it’s a smart move working as you are for now.

John I myself work alone althought i do have a couple of fellas i call on to help when needed. I enjoy the working alone, and I make a good living at the mulching and land management aspect of it... Iam not rich by no means but I am comfortable... Keep on doing what you love brother and stay safe

Yes sir, good thoughts, it takes a man to be able to "open up" and speak the truth! Good to see, just gives more insight what makes you "tick",, not a thing wrong with it... I can relate of being gun shy on hiring help.. and training them, only to leave after they decide.. adds MORE on to your plate as you said, insurance, overhead, equipment, fuel..etc etc.. and then having them rely on you to keep finding work, and making sure they have food at home, bills paid.. as long as your healthy, and not killing yourself doing the work... Keep at it!! BUT... also remember, you are not getting younger by the day! Keep the good work going, and thanks to the wife for keeping the videos coming!

Appreciate your honesty and openness Jon. Being a business owner has a unique and challenging set of issues. You’re doing a good job and absolutely put in the sweat-equity. You are earning every bit of your success. We all miss “the guys” because they brought humor and playfulness to the job/video. You make the viewers feel like we are “on the job” with you. Thanks for all you do and all the best to Upstate.

I enjoy hearing about all aspects of the business. I'm slowly retiring from one job and doing small land clearing and mulching jobs until I can move into it full time. I have no desire to hire anyone. I see first hand where all the money goes and can agree with what you've said. Watching you guys has given me enough insight to know what to do and what not to do....and I appreciate. It has also made me put in the work deciding what I want to do and limit what I am willing to work on. Thanks for the example you've given.

Great job as always John 👍🏻🇺🇸

Enjoy your work, from County Sligo Ireland 🇮🇪 😎🤠🚲✍

I think there’s a lot of people who need to hear that it takes a lot of hustle and money invested to make money. Lots of people looking to make a quick buck and also good for customers to hear how much money and investment it takes to bring equipment like yours to a job. Just showing up with a pick up, trailer and mini these days can be over a $200k investment, plus insurance, maintenance, taxes etc!

Upstate Brush Control & Excavating 😊

You seem to be thriving in the current situation! Loved the narrative and business talk! Keep it up Jon!

I think the more you work by yourself, the more you will enjoy it. It gives you more freedom I think. I have buddy that helps me on the jobs that I don’t want to do by myself and I do the same for him. And if we don’t have anything to do or don’t feel like doing anything then we don’t do it. Go fishing, go play golf, take off and go to the mountains for a few days lol. As far as help, the guys that have an idea of what needs to be done are already doing it for themselves or somebody else. It’s hard to find a good fit anymore when it comes to help. Or they think they should be making big money just starting. Gotta pay those dues lol. You got it figured out Jon. You’ll be fine ! The (good) guys I had before I had to downsize in 08’ are still good friends of mine. We talk often and they’ve done well for themselves also.

Good Work and Video. You to shut the Dam after You the Overflow to put, exactly and Perfect. The last Work the Shore to build is the next video? Greeting from Austria. 🇦🇹

I liked your comment about the seat belt. I learned from a veteran early on to always buckle up, and I always do. But I think about it even more being out on jobs by myself. We need to keep the odds in our favor. 🙂

It can be a lot of stress having people working for you and having to worry that they get paid all the time. I have been there and done that and if you can do it on your own that is great. It can make life less stress full.

Hey John, my name is Anthony my wife and I had our own underground utility company and my guys used to come up to us all the time, wanting us to teach them how to run the equipment rarely ever had time to teach. They couldn’t understand it was faster for me to do it then it was to train. I had a few guys and my wife that were naturals and did not have to teach them, but for the most part, it is hard to teach someone how to be an operator anybody can ruin a piece of equipment, but there’s a difference between running one and operating one, so don’t feel bad or guilty. Plenty of us out here know how you feel love watching your videos. I’m in South Carolina also retired and often think about just getting out to help. Would love it.

Jon, I pray the Lord will send you 2-3 well trainded young men, who will already be trained and and have the right attitude so your business can thrive once again.

great chats Jon boy! Keep em coming!

I loved story time with John

Great work, great commentary, great day.

I have worked my ass off filling multiple positions for so many years I can totally agree of the whole debate. I did burn myself out rejecting help. Its so damn hard to find people that give a shit and will think by themselves. Harder part is finding one that can read your mind. The people that are capable are already running their own show, you end up with the half assers. I went away from my own gig to working for someone else and have not been stressed out at all. Pissed off at times maybe but I get to leave work at work now.

Hi Jon! I'm glad to hear you talk about Josh, Willie and Micah. I really hope they are all doing well. You said that it was a mutual decision for them to leave. That was enough for me, and I never asked about them. I do worry about you being alone on some of these jobs. So remember, Safety First. It would be nice if you had an experienced part timer for help when you need it. Remember, Dirt Perfect has ONLY part time employees, Kleeman, Matt, and the King of the Dozer Jerry. Let'sdig18 has a former employee who helps him out on weekends. A lot of the time, they both work on their own. It CAN be done, and you are proving it. I can see that you're really enjoying working alone, and I hope it lasts. But, you should always keep your eyes and ears open if there's a "Jerry" in your area. You will be even happier. Good luck to you!!!

Hey John. Good hearing you talk about the business. I started my business alone six years ago, and got into mulching and land clearing about four years ago. I hired a guy just before getting the mulcher, and it was pretty great at the time. He left on good terms after about 18 months. I initially thought I'd try to hire someone else, but finally decided it wasn't worth the hassle. I've been on my own for the past two years. I have a couple guys I can call on when I need a hand, but most of it is just me. It suits me for now. Glad to hear you're doing well.

Keep up your thoughts on business and such. Good to see a God honoring family business like this. I started in 2019 in northeast NC and its been hit and miss with keeping busy. Right now is really slow to the point I'm not sure it's worth it. You are in a good area business wise. Keep up the top quality work.

I'am sure that pond owner is thrill with what you did it look like a million buck. As for help what you said is so true you got to worry about the help family maybe taken on jobs you may not be thrill with but you have to, employee are depending on they friday check, so working alone does have some advantage.😎

Anytime you want to share wisdom, stories, funny, whatever it is, feel free to man. There's tons of us out there wishing we could get a 10th of the jobs you have, and there's even more who are completely clueless about how to even start.

Belton? Wow, watch out for the massive traffic jam in Honea Path! 😂

...lookin' good, keep safe...

Loving the content, one of my favorite pages to follow.

The conversation half way threw is cool, just talk about what it takes to run a business pros-cons, thanks

This pond dam looks good. I know it is more work when you do it alone, but guess what? If something does not go as planned, just learn from it and do it differently next time.

Dirt Boss would be a good collaboration candidate. Back on site!

It's not easy owning and running a business as a lot of people think what about when clients do not pay you. All the bills and wages still have to be paid. Cheers John love the videos

"Dam Project" #dadjokes Lol.. Also, I like to hear about the "behind the scene" business stuff. I think it's important for people to know how much it costs for buy, maintain, and run these kinds of heavy equipment AND a business on top of that.

Seems to be more and more people working alone or with minimum amounts of employees. We were talking about it today at work. Most people now are untrainable if they even show up. We don’t even have people show up to put in a application anymore.

Hey Jon, I miss (Josh, Mika, Willie and part time Dwight) those guys 😞! You all were like family 🙂! See if you can offer them a few extra incentives and bring them back later!

Looking good so far John, 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻👌🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🙋🏼‍♂️

I appreciate hearing you talk about the nitty gritty of running a business. It isn't always rainbows and butterflies. It's nice to hear you share your journey in more ways than just the work you put in.

We’re from New York and our brother (brother in law) lives “upstate” near Albany…we got a laugh in the beginning of this video when you said “not New York “…thanks for the chuckle!

Most people don't want to see the other side of the business. The spending part. You can and should make a lot of money because it costs a lot of money to run and maintain equipment.

I think the conversation is great John. I’m here in the SC Upstate too, and I quit my “real job” a couple years ago and started a little tractor based business. I’ve run through all the same thoughts. For me, I want to stay small, stay out of debt, and keep a part-time pace. A lot of my reasoning is all the stuff you talked about. Growth is good, but the more equipment and/or people you add, the more work you have to keep bringing in so they can be assets and not drains. It’s a ton of pressure. For a lot of people it’s a good call to avoid a lot of that.

A grading bucket for the excavator would be nice. I know they’re expensive. With about 30 years as a contractor, my concern for you is your physical health. Trust me something will happen and without dependable help you will effectively be shut down. The body has only got a set number of climbing up and down off a piece of equipment . I admire your tenacity and understand fully the respond having employees. Just my opinion.

Got that looking nice John 👌

The only constant in life is change. To everything there is a season. I am curious what the guys went to pursue. The seemed like good guys. What are they doing now?

Nice going Jon

Good stuff!

If you haven't talked to your friends in the YT world who go through the same things, you should. Working alone reduces cost, but increases time. Training is always a two-edged sword. It can save you time, but it can waste your time. Such are the pitfalls of business.

I’m in upstate sc also and man I feel you 100% where you are at with the business. And love these types of videos! Keep them coming. Holler at me if you ever need some help with anything. Looper’s excavating and land services

Looking good John 👍🏻

Glad to see you doing more dirt work John. There is not near as much money in mulching as people think.

An arrangement similar to what Mike @Dirt Perfect has might be of some benefit in the future. A few good friends that can be there if you need them but that have their own jobs careers what have you. Like he says "I'm my only full time employee." No matter what comes in the future I wish you the best of luck with it.

John you do a Very Good JOB Keep UP the good work

Great convo

Hi John, I agree people don't think about everything that goes into owning a business especially a business that requires very expensive equipment. I've bought a new E50, used 2000 F350, and a used gooseneck trailer for the excavator. It's costing me almost $150,000. And this is just for me. If I had a business, then add all of the admin expenses on top of that. $$$$$ As for the videos, I like your videos. Keep making them.

Praying God sends you the right person.

I'm not a businessperson but, I see two options for people like you, Dirt Perfect, LetsDig18... You either try to build up a big company, which means switching the equipment seat for an office chair or you do what you are doing and find someone who can help you as needed or maybe find some retired or semi-retired experienced operator that can work full time.

Hey John.👍🏻

I always enjoy hearing the backstories and your thoughts about business

You are awesome at your job and with your videos, I really appreciate watching them

Howdy upstate

Haha Jon. I live in upstate NY. Andrew Camarata does the brush control n these parts. 😂😂

Love your videos . The guys were great employees. You could tell by the way they worked and cared about the job. Be nice if you could work with your own boys someday if they were interested. Nice that your wife helps out also. Keep up the great work.

I have always enjoyed your channel. You are a good, honest and hard working man. I enjoyed your talking about josh, willie and mica. Your personality and attitude draw me as well as i am sure many others to your channel. Keep it up! Never doubt your decisions. You know what you are doing and you will hire again when and if it is necessary. God bless!

Ten years from now you should have at least one of your boys working with you John, I miss the guys but hope they got what they wanted to move forward for themselves! You’re doing well on your own brother! Take care! 👌🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 I’m glad you voiced everything to everyone that was asking! I don’t ask because things just happen and we deal with them John, plain and simple brother! Keep up the good work my friend! Thanks for sharing John and sending prayers to you and your family, stay safe brother! Kirk from Louisiana, I always enjoy your channel! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

You have to do whatever makes you happy. I am sure it will workout great for you. In a few years you will have your kids to start working for you if that is what they want to do.. 😀

You guys did a great team ,very efficient. Thanks for the insight of the business. Take care

As for the filled in hole settling problem, I like to crown the dirt up instead of leveling. This allows it to settle in nicely.

I enjoyed watching your videos and it is only natural to wonder about Josh and Wille and their status in life, after all these years. Keep your faith in God and always follow him. God bless in whatever direction you are led to go

Looking good!!!!!

You have a great channel John, videos are great quality and interesting. Happy to hear your thoughts and you will make the the right decisions re your business.

A lot of people don't realize how much it takes to work every day. Like fuel parts and your wages.