Zavie, it sounds like your friend has everything he needs for his work, it sounds like he has a lawn care business.
When you get into the dealerships and repair shops, they have to have that equipment for all the different manufacturers that they handle and that adds up in costs.
The Kohler equipment that he has, the price for software with a cable included, then when they start changing cables and when a cable is damaged that is has to be replaced add to the costs, plus then you have to get a computer to use the software in, and that can add another couple of hundred to over a thousand dollars just for the computer starts to get expensive.
Then figure you need all of that for each different manufacturer's product that you sell and service, you've got Briggs, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, just to name a few, there are many other different manufacturers that you need the software and hardware,cables and all to go with, then you have to pay for updating the software all the time, it gets very expensive.
The training and seminars are required for your certifications that the technicians have so they can maintain them and for being able to do warranty work to be an authorized dealership and repair facility and remain a certified technician, plus to stay current with new products and everything else.
The small engine/outdoor power equipment business is becoming an expensive business to be in now days, its making its way up there almost like a car dealership with all the tools, training, insurance, inventory and everything else that goes along with it.
You might have $100,000 in hand tools alone, then start adding in all of your computerized tools that are required on top of your hand tools like wrenches and many specialized tools for what you are working on, it gets very expensive, when you figure you have as much if not more just in your tool box than what a house with the land costs.
That does get some technicians upset when certain people refer to them as "High School Drop-Outs".