Starting a Business

Hello peeps I would like to throw some ideas your way of what im thinking of at the moment and then let you tell me if im mad and should go see a doc :D

Im getting to that time of life where i fancy a career change and having a go of starting my own business.
I have worked in the aviation world for the last 12 years and am getting tired of nights .

Some of the ideas i have so far are


pest control ( rats , pigeons , mice and wasps)
gardening ( mowing trimming , pruning and weeding )
but other ideas are making filled gardening planters - patio pots, window boxes and hanging baskets.
Also selling veg plants fruit plants .

selling plants i think i would start at farmers markets or car boots maybe even ebay.

so am i mad and do i need to stick to nights as this stuff just wouldnt work?

any ideas , info or help would be great


roadkill

 

[size=large]You give us very little information on which to base our advice. Anyway I would start by getting a market stall one day a week, so that you can start making contacts and have clearer ideas on what you like best or you succeed at best. You can sell on ebay anytime, you do not make special arrangements for that.[/size]

[size=large]I myself would like to go into computer repairs, all being well. [/size]

 

Hi Roadkill,

I am a self employed gardener... I work with my dad who is also self employed. There is certainly work out there, despite the fact that were in an economic crisis, though, personally I have noticed people are less willing to let go of their cash.

Another thing to take into consideration is that more and more people are becoming unemployed, which is leading to many folk turning to the easiest self employed option... gardening, so what work is out there is getting snapped up much more quickly than ever.

Something else to consider is the winter months can be very quiet times and you have to be prepared to work long hours during the finer months to save for quiet months. We do hardlandscaping in addition to garden maintenance, so get a little more work during winter (though this winter has been especially quiet)

Regarding selling plants and planted containers, I have no experience of that (though the idea certainly appeals to me!). I would imagine you have to sell quite a lot of plants to earn a living though?

Finally, I have no idea about pest control... well... apart from my 3 kids . There may be certain licences to obtain before you can advertise as a pest controller? Im unsure, but others may well do.

Best of luck in whatever you decide!

- Luke -

 

I think you might also need an accountant unless you are good with that stuff yourself. Books need to be kept, if you charge VAT again this has to be declared, my husband worked for himself and I used to do all the bookwork but it still had to be sent to a chartered accountant, forms filled in etc., as long as you are prepared for all of this I would say "go for it". :thumb:

Val

 

Gemini, very good point there which I forgot to mention!

 

If it were me, I'd do the filled planters option and sell them on the local boot sale, while still hanging onto my day job until I'd had chance to guage the response.

It will be spring time soon, and everyone will get garden fever. There are a lot of people that want the results without putting in the effort, so they will buy your plants.

The thing with boot sales though, unless its just a trait round here, is that regularly customers tend to ignore new stalls, so the regular sellers get all the trade. What that means is that you'll probably have to suffer a few mornings of boredom and frustration until people start to notice that you've become a regular trader.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

 

Or night job in this case Lets not be nightist now :D

 

Personally, I would give your proposal long and hard thoughts. You are thinking of going self employed at a time when many businesses are already struggling to make ends meet and survive. Some of your ideas could easily be carried out while you still retain your existing job, and the others would mean competing against many others for the same work. A better option for now could be asking for a switch to days, and state perhaps medical/health reasons for this request.

I have been self employed since March 1988 and have run/owned several successful business's. My problem has always been boredom though, and once I have reached a level where all is smooth and successful, I need to move to the next challenge. Currently though, health is my biggest issue, and is something else for you to think about. No sick pay, no holiday pay, no pay due to bad weather, long hours, etc.

You need to weigh it all up and make a list of the pros and cons. Remember also that many self employed people aren't truthful when it comes to stating how much work that they have. Don't let people kid you into thinking that there is an easy amount of work out there, as often there isn't.

 

I do veg & flower plants at car boots & roadside stall. Sell a fair bit in the spring, but then it totally drops off by mid summer, in fact, mid summer is murder.

 

For certain, work will not come begging for you... you most certainly will have to put lots of effort into getting work... but it IS out there... you just have to find it.

We could all do with more contracts! :WINK1:

- Luke -

 

[size=large]Maybe you could even ask an established vegetable seller in the market whether he could take in some of your produces for a percent. (Of course you wouldn't want to offer to him the same potatoes that he has got already)[/size]

 

Keep your job for now...and cut lawns in your spare time to build a client base and go from there. A lad a few doors away did that 2 summers ago now he is busy in all of his spare time and owns around 4 different mowers for bigger smaller jobs He also trims hedges now and has bought a tool for that...and the van to put them all in. He's also slowly becoming the "village handyman" doing work on fencing and such stuff for the Parish council. Last year he added window cleaning to the list too, but even he still has a full time job, but not for much longer I reckon.

Steve...

 

I regards to being a Pest Controller, you have to be fully qualified. There is a lot of legislation that you need to know. I used to be a Pest Controller & got the qualifications & legislation etc through the company I worked for. You need to check what your local authority charge for pest control treatments because some offer certain things for free, which won't help in your business. If they do charge, then obviously you need to beat their price as well as being able to make a profit yourself. Also remember that you are responsible for all the treatments you do & you will need liability insurance. You need to think about your safety as well with PPE, information safety stickers on your vehicle & safety data sheets for your customers. It may also be a good idea to offer yearly contracts to customers who require continuous Pest Control (food industry etc) as these can help keep the money coming in when times are slow. You may also need to get special licenses too.
It may be a better idea to actually to get a job with a Pest Control Company first to get all your qualifications & training etc & then think about going on your own.

What ever you decide, Good Luck!!

 

[size=large]I remember when we called the pest control "for free" in Italy to remove a nest of hornets, they said they required a donations of 50 euros. (To me you do not require a donation, you donate it)[/size]

[size=large]We thought the nest was on the top of a beam light which is at the front of the house, against the wall, since when the light was on in the night, there were a lot of those insects buzzing around it in an angry way.[/size]

[size=large]But then luckily, no nest in sight![/size]

 

We have a man that runs a small garden centre ( more of a small holding )near us that does the market on Sunday and he always seems to sell plenty.
I get most of my stuff off him.
He sells pots shrubs small trees bulbs ready planted tubs and baskets.
Depending on the time of year he will have almost everything you want .
If he hasn't he will try to get it for you.
His prices are very good and his plants are healthy.
He will also help you with advise.
I noticed he does have a large van and many different stands to display his plants etc.
I am self employed so is my husband it can be a bit scary sometimes when the work isn't there.
Obviously it's not regular like being employed.
If I was you I would try the Sunday markets and see how it goes.
There are a lot of hidden extras being self employed.
This government don't make it easy for people who want to work.
To many rules and regulations.
But if it's something you want to do I say go for it.

Ebay & paypal charges can be a bit steep and cut into your profit.
A car boot place will cost about £7 - £10 a day.
A Market stall can cost about £50 a day.

Gardening.
People will always want a gardener.
Will you need public liability insurance to work on people property ?

Pest Control I have no idea about but I'm sure there is a market out there.

Good Luck