Business Ideas

[Brown, Jon Brow]

We have seen a few threads recently where people are saying that they are out of work. In the current economic environment it seems getting that dream job is harder than it has been for some time.

As a recent graduate I am really finding it difficult to get onto the first step of the career ladder. As people with experience are losing their jobs they are applying for the same jobs as graduates. So it is difficult for graduates with little experience to compete in the job market.

Luckily I'm have a relatively sucure job for the moment. I got a full-time contract in the butchers job that I worked part-time as a student. But I don't want to spend my life as a butcher. It seems that the only way to step up the ladder is to set up your own business!

Now I've never really considered myself as an entrepreneur. I'm reasonably good at sales in my current job but I've never had the motivation to go out and sell things in the same way a young Alan Sugar or Richard Branson did. But after watching the last series of The Apprentice and I saw those clowns making over £800 in two days selling other peoples rubbish, I thought to myself 'how hard can it be?'.

Come and tell everyone your igenious business ideas, or advice on how you set up your own business.

:)

(no politics allowed in this thread)

[Mark]

Yes. It's looking like for me that despite having 10 years Linux sysadmin experience that counts for nothing. So I'm looking into starting my own business. Probably doing payoll! - As my wife knows about this.

[schmenke]

We have seen a few threads recently where people are saying that they are out of work. In the current economic environment it seems getting that dream job is harder than it has been for some time.

As a recent graduate I am really finding it difficult to get onto the first step of the career ladder. As people with experience are losing their jobs they are applying for the same jobs as graduates. So it is difficult for graduates with little experience to compete in the job market.

Luckily I'm have a relatively sucure job for the moment. I got a full-time contract in the butchers job that I worked part-time as a student. But I don't want to spend my life as a butcher. ...

Why not?
Sounds like a meaty profession.
And I'm sure you get a fat paycheque.
Although you have to be aware of cuts.

[driveace]

Why not?
Sounds like a meaty profession.
And I'm sure you get a fat paycheque.
Although you have to be aware of cuts.

very smart there schmenke !!!!! Sharpest knife in the drawer then ?

[donKey jote]

pound of flesh :dozey:

[GridGirl]

Yes. It's looking like for me that despite having 10 years Linux sysadmin experience that counts for nothing. So I'm looking into starting my own business. Probably doing payoll! - As my wife knows about this.

Payroll?

[Mark]

Payroll?

Doing payroll I.e. Pay slips etc on behalf of small businesses.

[Daniel]

Jon, one thing that's a bit of a nobrainer is finding something that's massively in demand but in short supply.

For instance, back in 2008 I wasn't able to work due to visa issue and then when I could, finding a job was hard! So at the time Wii fits were massively in demand. You could buy them @£70 and sell them on for up to £110 + shipping. Paypal and Ebay took a large amount of the profit, but I was selling as many as I could get. I found a stock tracker which played a loud foghorn noise when they came into stock, so at 4am or some other inconvenient hour of the morning/night it'd go off and I'd do my thing. The keyboard I have enabled me to program macros into it so I had to press only about 7 buttons to input my email address, password name, cc number, cvc number, address and postcode. So I'd be in, I'd be able to buy product before other people had finished typing in their username and password. I would honestly say that it was more worthwhile for me than working. Of course this sort of thing doesn't last for long and to make lots of money you need to start off with a bit of it or at least have access to a bit of credit.

Whether or not there are any must have products like that at the moment which people are willing to pay a premium for I don't know.......

[CarlMetro]

Taking out a franchise may be a somewhat safer option for many to take, so long as you have a bit of cash for the start up. It's quite surprising at just how many there are and you can generally find something that either utilises your current skillbase or ties in with your interests or hobbies.

For me I took a slightly different route. After almost 16 years in various capacities within construction sales and management I was made redundant. I then spent the next 12 months applying for around 90 jobs, all of them unsucessfully. My crunch point came when I had spent around 12 hours and three seperate interviews, including a trip to Belgium, only to be told I hadn't got the job. It was at that point I decided to do something different.

I looked at a couple of different franchises and then, whilst talking to a former colleague at a BBQ, thought about becoming a driving instructor. I did a bit of research of the different training providers and then took the plunge. I did the study, took the three tests and then signed up for a franchise with BSM. Best move I've ever made, I chose the hours I want to work and have the satisfaction of enjoying what I do too. I could have started up on my own, and that is something I might consider in a couple of years, but I like the convenience of not having to worry about payments and invoicing at the moment. I pay them a weekly fee, they provide me with the car, office support and pupils if and when I want them.

[Daniel]

Taking out a franchise may be a somewhat safer option for many to take, so long as you have a bit of cash for the start up. It's quite surprising at just how many there are and you can generally find something that either utilises your current skillbase or ties in with your interests or hobbies.

For me I took a slightly different route. After almost 16 years in various capacities within construction sales and management I was made redundant. I then spent the next 12 months applying for around 90 jobs, all of them unsucessfully. My crunch point came when I had spent around 12 hours and three seperate interviews, including a trip to Belgium, only to be told I hadn't got the job. It was at that point I decided to do something different.

I looked at a couple of different franchises and then, whilst talking to a former colleague at a BBQ, thought about becoming a driving instructor. I did a bit of research of the different training providers and then took the plunge. I did the study, took the three tests and then signed up for a franchise with BSM. Best move I've ever made, I chose the hours I want to work and have the satisfaction of enjoying what I do too. I could have started up on my own, and that is something I might consider in a couple of years, but I like the convenience of not having to worry about payments and invoicing at the moment. I pay them a weekly fee, they provide me with the car, office support and pupils if and when I want them.

You're not one of my fellow Fiat 500 drivers are you? :p

[CarlMetro]

Yes, but thankfully not for much longer. A truly aweful car. I cannot believe anyone would buy one by choice, but that is perhaps another thread entirely.

[Daniel]

Yes, but thankfully not for much longer. A truly aweful car. I cannot believe anyone would buy one by choice, but that is perhaps another thread entirely.

Fair enough. We like ours, but in terms of a car to teach in (blind spot visibility and space inside) I'm not sure it'd be my choice as blind spot visibility isn't great and you're rubbing arms with the passenger or driver a lot. Anyway, for another thread :)

[555-04Q2]

We have seen a few threads recently where people are saying that they are out of work. In the current economic environment it seems getting that dream job is harder than it has been for some time.

As a recent graduate I am really finding it difficult to get onto the first step of the career ladder. As people with experience are losing their jobs they are applying for the same jobs as graduates. So it is difficult for graduates with little experience to compete in the job market.

Luckily I'm have a relatively sucure job for the moment. I got a full-time contract in the butchers job that I worked part-time as a student. But I don't want to spend my life as a butcher. It seems that the only way to step up the ladder is to set up your own business!

Now I've never really considered myself as an entrepreneur. I'm reasonably good at sales in my current job but I've never had the motivation to go out and sell things in the same way a young Alan Sugar or Richard Branson did. But after watching the last series of The Apprentice and I saw those clowns making over £800 in two days selling other peoples rubbish, I thought to myself 'how hard can it be?'.

Come and tell everyone your igenious business ideas, or advice on how you set up your own business.

:)

(no politics allowed in this thread)

Well Jon, starting a business is easy. Running one that makes a profit and stays open for the first 6-12 months is a lot harder though. I run a large very succesfull business that was started from scratch.

Here are just a few tips that you need to work out before you even think of trying to start your own business.

Business Plan – you have to have a business plan (especially if you want to raise capitol from a potential investor) and set yourself goals that are ambitious, but attainable. At first you will need monthly goals, and if you are successful, set qaurterly and annual goals (remember, goals that are attainable).

Product - decide what you want to sell (goods, services, labour etc) and research all the available products/variations that you can offer. Remember to think about who/what your opposition will be.

Market - you need to make sure there is a sustainable need/market for the product/service that you want to offer. Make sure the market is not already flooded.

Capitol – work out how much you need to start the business. Then work out if you can sustain the business for the first 6 months (most new businesses only start turning a profit after 6 months or so). Raising capitol from family and friends is a bad idea 99% of the time, so if you can, raise your own or negotiate a business plan with your local bank.

Relationships – if you are thinking of opening a business where you and your staff have to interact with customers / potential customers on a daily basis to get their business, remember the golden rule, “people buy from people”. If you forge a good relationship with a potential customer, they will invariably buy from you if your pricing is competitive and your product is up to standard (note that I didn't say cheaper or better).

Pricing – will your product/service be competitive against other established businesses? Not always critical, but basically you can't get away with being too expensive, unless you are selling a Ferrari or something like that! Selling the same loaf of bread for the double the price of the guy next door will definetely sink you!

Why Me – why should someone turn to your business rather than the guy next to you? You need to have an edge that you can punt to them, and it doesn't always have to be that you are cheaper. When they ask the question or look at your product/service, they should see the benefit of dealing with you rather than the guy next to you.

Effort – are you willing to work for 18 hours a day for the first 12 months to get the business established? Are you willing to go without the nice to haves for a while? Would you be able to take failure? Would you be able to get back on your feet again is your venture fails?

My Advice – start something up that requires very little capitol outlay, with low sales volumes and high profit margins (if possible). An example: In a 30 day month, it is easier to sell 1 televison for a 1000 pounds with 100 pounds profit per television than it is to sell 100 radios for 10 pounds with 1 pounds profit per radio. Finding 1 customer is a lot easier than finding 100 customers. This is just an example, there are a few exceptions.

Now I know I haven't made it sound too good here and running your own business is not always as fun as it sounds, but it can be very rewarding if you put the effort in and know how to implement your business plan. There are many pros and cons to running your own business as there are working for a boss.

Just research everything first before you go ahead with anything. No army goes into battle without first planning and sizing up the opposition. While you aren't gonna shoot someone (hopefully!), business is a war fought between thousands of other businesses.

[555-04Q2]

Taking out a franchise may be a somewhat safer option for many to take, so long as you have a bit of cash for the start up. It's quite surprising at just how many there are and you can generally find something that either utilises your current skillbase or ties in with your interests or hobbies.

For me I took a slightly different route. After almost 16 years in various capacities within construction sales and management I was made redundant. I then spent the next 12 months applying for around 90 jobs, all of them unsucessfully. My crunch point came when I had spent around 12 hours and three seperate interviews, including a trip to Belgium, only to be told I hadn't got the job. It was at that point I decided to do something different.

I looked at a couple of different franchises and then, whilst talking to a former colleague at a BBQ, thought about becoming a driving instructor. I did a bit of research of the different training providers and then took the plunge. I did the study, took the three tests and then signed up for a franchise with BSM. Best move I've ever made, I chose the hours I want to work and have the satisfaction of enjoying what I do too. I could have started up on my own, and that is something I might consider in a couple of years, but I like the convenience of not having to worry about payments and invoicing at the moment. I pay them a weekly fee, they provide me with the car, office support and pupils if and when I want them.

Franchises offer internal support, a product/service that people normally want/recognise and some security, but, they normally require a large capitol injection and are limited, unless you open several other franchise stores in other areas.

[555-04Q2]

That post is that good, I've just handed my notice in. ;)

Hope you got a business plan :p : ;)

[Daniel]

That post is that good, I've just handed my notice in. ;)

Agreed! That's a damn good post :up:

[CarlMetro]

Franchises offer internal support, a product/service that people normally want/recognise and some security, but, they normally require a large capitol injection and are limited, unless you open several other franchise stores in other areas.

I agree that there is a financial outlay but it can be a lot less than it would be to start from scratch. A friend of mine took out a Snap On franchise a couple of years ago. Yes his initial outlay was somewhere around £30k but for that he got an established area and, business and marketing training, cost price stationary and marketing material and a fully kitted out vehicle. He's never going to make it into the Times 100 but makes a very comfortable living.

My franchise is slightly different. I didn't apy out anything initially. I have to sign a 6 month agreement to hold a franchise and pay them a fixed fee each week. How much I work and therefore earn is up to me, but the franchise fee is paid each week regardless of what I do.

[555-04Q2]

I agree that there is a financial outlay but it can be a lot less than it would be to start from scratch. A friend of mine took out a Snap On franchise a couple of years ago. Yes his initial outlay was somewhere around £30k but for that he got an established area and, business and marketing training, cost price stationary and marketing material and a fully kitted out vehicle. He's never going to make it into the Times 100 but makes a very comfortable living.

My franchise is slightly different. I didn't apy out anything initially. I have to sign a 6 month agreement to hold a franchise and pay them a fixed fee each week. How much I work and therefore earn is up to me, but the franchise fee is paid each week regardless of what I do.

:up:

[Daniel]

I agree that there is a financial outlay but it can be a lot less than it would be to start from scratch. A friend of mine took out a Snap On franchise a couple of years ago. Yes his initial outlay was somewhere around £30k but for that he got an established area and, business and marketing training, cost price stationary and marketing material and a fully kitted out vehicle. He's never going to make it into the Times 100 but makes a very comfortable living.

My franchise is slightly different. I didn't apy out anything initially. I have to sign a 6 month agreement to hold a franchise and pay them a fixed fee each week. How much I work and therefore earn is up to me, but the franchise fee is paid each week regardless of what I do.

Sounds good. What are the hours like? Do most people not want tutoring outside of normal working hours or are you generally working 9-5 ish type hours? I imagine the fact that they give you a car which you could use as your own also gives cost savings.

[CarlMetro]

You decide the hours you want to work. My diary is online and the customer support fill it when necessary. each day is displayed as hourly sections and I can block out any section on any day. So I I want to play golf next Tuesday, for example, I just block out the hours I want no bookings for. I tend to work between 8 & 6 Moday to Friday and usually a few hours on a Saturday but never Sundays. I currently have 31 pupils on the go and between them I'm doing 54 hours training.

The car tends to stay on the drive when I'm not working as it's too small to go out in with the family but when it's replaced in a few weeks it might be OK. A new car every 32 weeks, fully maintained, insured, taxed and a replacement within 4 hours if mine goes wrong is the good points, the fact that it's got BSM livery all over it and you have to make sure that you're driving 'nicely' all the time is not so good. I know of one instructor who 'flicked the bird' at a woman who cut him up and had his franchise suspended for doing so.

[driveace]

when you have had 50 years as a Driving Instructor Carl Metro,all working for myself,and employing others too.BSM,(Now the AA),will lease your car that you pay nearly £200 per week for,from Fiat,or your Corsa from GM at a lease price that you would not believe(Maybe £100 per month).Its done so that these car giants can get into the car sales charts,and have a ready supply of 9 to 12 month old cars coming onto the market all the time.They then lease it to you,with new clients IF you cannot generate enough new pupils yourself.You must be one of the busiest BSM instructors on the go,as most instructors who are on the BSM books will not be doing anything like that in hours,and i know lots of instructors.I am a grade 6 instructor,and have the earliest DSA ADI number on the register at 1167.
Best of luck with it BUT ,work for yourself SOON and cut out as much outgoings as possible,Buy your own car ,and two years use at least,my present car (part time now) is ten years old,has done 250,000 miles ,and I charge more that anybody else I know !!

[Daniel]

The car tends to stay on the drive when I'm not working as it's too small to go out in with the family but when it's replaced in a few weeks it might be OK. A new car every 32 weeks, fully maintained, insured, taxed and a replacement within 4 hours if mine goes wrong is the good points, the fact that it's got BSM livery all over it and you have to make sure that you're driving 'nicely' all the time is not so good. I know of one instructor who 'flicked the bird' at a woman who cut him up and had his franchise suspended for doing so.

Fair enough really. When I used to work for the county council I drove a stickered up van sometimes and of course you drove nicely.

[Mark]

I had thought this "learn to be a driving instructor" thing was a bit of a scam as the only real way to make money is to train other driving instructors?!

[Daniel]

I had thought this "learn to be a driving instructor" thing was a bit of a scam as the only real way to make money is to train other driving instructors?!

How did you think all the driving instructors made money? :mark:

[CarlMetro]

I had thought this "learn to be a driving instructor" thing was a bit of a scam as the only real way to make money is to train other driving instructors?!

Not everyone passes the tests. Wouldn't touch Red with a barge pole but BSM seem to care a bit more than some. As for making money? I'm doing quite nicely thank you very much :D

[CarlMetro]

when you have had 50 years as a Driving Instructor Carl Metro,all working for myself,and employing others too.BSM,(Now the AA),will lease your car that you pay nearly £200 per week for,from Fiat,or your Corsa from GM at a lease price that you would not believe(Maybe £100 per month).Its done so that these car giants can get into the car sales charts,and have a ready supply of 9 to 12 month old cars coming onto the market all the time.They then lease it to you,with new clients IF you cannot generate enough new pupils yourself.You must be one of the busiest BSM instructors on the go,as most instructors who are on the BSM books will not be doing anything like that in hours,and i know lots of instructors.I am a grade 6 instructor,and have the earliest DSA ADI number on the register at 1167.
Best of luck with it BUT ,work for yourself SOON and cut out as much outgoings as possible,Buy your own car ,and two years use at least,my present car (part time now) is ten years old,has done 250,000 miles ,and I charge more that anybody else I know !!

I hear where you're coming from and it is my intention to be on my own eventually but, at the moment, I like the convenience of it all being done for me and not all of my pupils came through BSM. The work is out there if you are prepared to do a bit of leg work to find it.

[driveace]

[quote="Mark"]I had thought this "learn to be a driving instructor" thing was a bit of a scam as the only real way to make money is to train other driving instructors?!

The BIG thing here is to become a DSA Approved Driving Instructor,you have to take an Exam that consists of A) A 100 Question Theory Test,with Hazard Perception
B) A Personal Practical Driving Test
Which with some reading and thought,most reasonable drivers can get through without these "Driving Instructor " Trainers
THEN C) An Instruction Ability test,Now this is where you need a specialist to help,as this has only about a 15%pass rate.BUT these "Trainers",that helped you with the first two parts ,have now GONE!!,had your £4000,and now they vanish ,as this is the difficult part,so bear in mind ,thousands apply 100s get through to the register.Not as easy to make money at as the BIG boys tell you either !Not many will have £30000 ,per year out of it !!