Starting your Own Business
by I know a couple people on here have started their own business, and I'm contemplating the same.
What do you think it takes to have the knowledge to start your own business?
Do you think it takes an incredible amount of "people" skills?
Would you start a business in a field with which you were familiar, but didn't have any professional experience?
How did you initially find clients/customers?
AI Summary
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So you want to start a business, how do you start? What do you need? Well first of all you need a building. Secondly you need supply. You need something to sell. Now this could be anything. It could be a thingamajig, or a whoseywhatsey or…[holds up candy bar] a Whatchamacallit. Now, you need to sell those in order to have [holds up another candy bar] a Payday. And…if you see enough of them, you will make [another candy] a 100 Grand….satisfied? [holds up a Snickers].
lol, the office
well i worked with another photographer for her whole wedding seaason before I went out on my own, she taught me a lot
and i really did not have an incredible amount of people skills... actually being in this business has helped me tremendously to get over shyness issues
i would prolly recommend working with or talking to someone else in the business.. maybe looking at some online forums where you can actually talk to other people who are doing the same thing and how they started, etc.
I don't remember how i initially found customers... i think just from having my website and putting the link any wedding website where I could put up a free link and i also advertised on TheKnot right away which helped
As far as business knowledge I am always reading business books and magazines and stuff like that... i really knew nothing when i started, i just had a crazy amount of determination and will!
Hmm... Interesting. Would you say that in your "high season" you find it hard to keep spiritual things in their place? What I mean is, do you find it easy to temper your enthusiasm for your business with your spirituality?
Interesting question because in the busy season, at least last year, i feel like i'm working 80 hour days - this year i'm taking on fewer weddings so i don't run into that crazy pace
However, in my busy seaason I get more service time, i'm more regular in weekday service, and i'm less tired in the evenings on meeting nights because I work from home and i'm home all day - for me, the slow season, winter cold, and working a full-time schedule is actually worse in every way i have very little enthusiasm for anything haha
The only drawback is of course most weddings are on Saturday and usually it's an all day thing so when I have a Saturday wedding I'm not gonna make it out in service - but I'm out 1-3 days during the week and if I want to go with Chris, we go out on Sunday
so of course it depends i guess what kind of business and what kind of hours it involves, but if you do something like catering where you'll be doing weekend events, that might be perfect because it'll free up your week - sure you'll still work - I work every single day during the summer even if i sleep in late or go out in service i'm FOR SURE gonna be working on something business related afterwards - but the satisfaction of doing what you love, and the freedom of making your own schedule (even if it's a hectic one) is worth it, in my opinion
Cool, I was hoping you'd say that. I was concerned my own drive to make a business succeed would kind of take over my life, but I didn't think about the "doing what you like" aspect, which I'm sure would make everything sunnier and more positive in my life generally. This really helps, thanks!
I work for a place that makes textbooks on this subject...
is it www.YourFirstMillion.net?
Ok, I don't want to be really negative here...
I thought about this one for a while before posting. It varies greatly on the person, but people are always saying "it must be great to have your own business - make your own hours! Do what you want!"
Yeah, well, I don't want my own hours. I want 9-5 . Why? Because my wife works 9 - 5, and I want to spend time with her when she's not working. Also, because all my friends work 9 - 5 and meetings at the kingdom hall are designed for people who work 9 - 5. (Granted, this is my opinion - we do have a Sunday afternoon bookstudy).
And you have to consider the repercussions of making your own hours. Say you think "today is a good day to go to the beach!" - well, you don't get paid for taking a personal day. You miss out on making money that you probably need to pay your bills. Sure, you can work really hard and finish your work early - but maybe you could have done that at a regular job too, or just taken that personal day.
And you gotta think about benefits. Every time I consider quitting my job and running my own business, I calculate how much benefits would cost for my family (an extra $500 - $600/month, minimum) and I just can't fathom that. If you have a spouse who has benefits - great.
But other than that ... I highly recommend it ...
i kind of agree. i think i prefer having the structure of a day job, plus my job is pretty laid back anyway which is good. i dont think i'm cut out for running my own business
Benefits are a consideration, but I can hop on Donovan's for not much more per month. It's not the hours I'm concerned about, though, because it would be working from home, and that's actually why Don and I both have laptops, so we can work together in any part of the house and not be "ships passing in the night" even though we're in the same house.
I'm really just sick of my co-workers and my boss. Not to be a traitor to my gender, but I'm sick of all these stupid women. At least if I have clients who are women, I won't have to deal with them for 7 hours each day and I can choose not to pick up the phone if/when they call.
Donovan and I were talking last night, and he commented about how he's never had a job he wanted to quit until his current job became unbearable in the past few months. I laughed and said I've wanted to quit every one of my jobs because I started to hate them, and he said that's why I need to start my own company. I'm in this cycle of hating jobs every few years, and I'm sick of it.
you're right, it's not 9-5 and you can't leave your work at work
my work is out of my HOUSE so i am never away from it
always checking emails, getting phonecalls from clients at all hours, meeting with clients at all hours...
it is a LOT of work
i cannot emphasize it enough
but to me it is still worth it haha because I can be home.. or out in service or at the beach whenever I want to
it stinks missing out on summer Saturday night hangouts, concerts, etc. but ... it's worth it and I have never regretted starting my own business
but yeah it is HARD WORK do not be deceived haha
people always say that kind of stuff like "ohhh you never work" or "ohh you only work 1 day a week"... NO. Not true in the least bit. Not even CLOSE to being true. It's very hard to explain how much work it is. Its like, Sure I'm out in service right now, or i'm talking to you on the way back from a Zumba class in the middle of the day, or sure i'm text messaging you from the beach.............. but I will be working till midnight tonight. haha
But... it is worth it!
We ran our own store. I ran it for a year before I couldn't take it anymore.
Small business is terrible... unless you see in the not so distant horizon that'd you're going to grow and expand so fast.. with so much money coming in that you can hire more and more people.
Otherwise... it's a pain in the butt.
Make your own hours?
Yea right. It's a 24/7 job. No vacation. No Sick days.
Small business is the PITS!
Unless of course you're doing something like where your talent is the business (artist, photographer,nakedness). Then it's on you and it's not really "small business"
... small business in my mind are coffee shops, mini marts... TERRIBLE IDEA.
Yeah, I wouldn't do a storefront of any kind. I'd do something out of my house, like a personal chef business. That's really what I'm thinking. And my talent for nakedness will come into play with that, so...
Then Excellent. Wise choice.
*faints*
My husband has been running a sucessful drywall business for 3 1/2 years now, and I have to say...there is nothing better. I love that my husband is the boss...because he does have a lot of freedom to take time off...he gets to work from home a lot..(bidding blueprints, billing, phone calls etc.)he uses a lot of subcontractors..(20-30 guys) which is a huge advantage because if he doesn't have enough work for them ,he's not obligated to pay them (or pay benefits) If he has the work, he uses them. The biggest downside is that it's his business name on the line if his guys screw up...and he is the one that gets all the calls..sometimes up to 100/day.
I don't think it interferes with our spiritual routine because it is quite flexible...so if he DOES have to do some work on a saturday/sunday, it can be done after service, etc.
i have to say, one of the biggest things IS being a people person...Austin gets a lot of work and hands out business cards everywhere...and it's by chatting with people..and them saying..oh..i need this done..or a friend does...etc...
He has said a main reason he believes he is sucessful is by being humble...asking more experianced people A LOT of questions...and because he is young, not acting like a know-it-all, and people are definatly more willing to help because he IS so young to have this type of business.
As far as benefits go...that is why I'm working now...i only work 20/hrs per week..and we have full benefits...
However, for the first 1 1/2 years we were married we had benefits through the business...which is discounted..and it's an employee incentive..we will go back to that in a few years..
sorry this was so long!
don't apologize. it was an easy read. just because people have ADD [some are born with it and some have devoloped it], doesn't mean you should grind anything down for consumption. lol
Haha - I agree. I appreciate the insights. :)
This has all been helpful, guys, thanks!
A more pointed question now: Would you ever avail yourself of the services of a caterer/personal chef for fancy dinners with your hottie, parties, or just busy weeks when you want something better and more personalized than take out?
if it was affordable and just a local woman i'd totaly be down for it. my boss does this all the time on the side. people eat at the restaurant and just ask for catered parties at their house. it's insane how much people pay. but it does also depend on what type of area you're going to be living if people have the disposable income to do it. and even though creating crazy interesting food ideas are good, sometimes people are just gonna want something really simple and boring, and that's a bummer.
It's good to know it's not crazy for people to do. Simple's not always bad - sometimes just one great ingredient makes chicken amazing. Like last night, I roasted asparagus with great olive oil, salt and pepper, and Donovan couldn't get enough of it! The olive oil was so good, it made the dish. But I'd hope no one would request sloppy joes or crap like that. And so many young couples we know always either go out to eat or order in, so I think I'd have a captive audience of couples. Why not have something specially prepared and delivered to yourself?
When offering services like such.. You should check out the affluence and future of certain neighborhoods.
A quick trip to the chamber of commerce or city hall and you should find what you're looking for.
Or...
Follow the Starbucks effect.
Starbucks spends most of its money on research and development. Researching what? The affluence and future growth of a community.
Thats why are so succesful. They make sure where they build , people can afford a 6 dollar coffee.
So start a business in a town that a Starbucks is opening up!!
Haha - I didn't think about the Starbucks connection, but that's interesting. I've been checking out the median incomes in different places to see which would be good. Thanks!
i definatly would for a party...of i'd say 25 or more. but i think this is something many people would be interested in on a smaller scale.
i hate cooking so i'd def hire you a few nights a week, dinner parties etc. did i mention that i hate cooking?? lol
now that i'm thinking: they totally have a place like this in the i.t.c. you go there and they have tons of delicious dinners prepared every night and you just buy how much you need for your family. i don't know how expensive it is or anything but it's still there from when it opened so it must be doing good.
Yeah, there's a place that does it near me too. It's not my revolutionary idea; it'll just be about my menu and service being better than the local place.
possibly
btw one wedding I shot, i talked with the caterer for quite a bit
she said they just very recently did a dinner for a party of 4
the pres of Commerce Bank, his wife, and 2 guests
party of 4
$1000 per person
I really think it's all about marketing and targeting the right place
if you target the people that don't wanna spend more than $50 on dinner.. that's the people you're gonna get, and they are gonna tell their friends about you, and then you'll be doing 365 $50 dinners a year to make ends meet
or you can target the people to whom $4000 on dinner is a drop in the bucket, and you can work once a month
I completely agree. But the problem is, how do I get to the point where I know people like that? How do I market to that audience?
lol yeah, something i'm still trying to figure out haha
getting involved with a good marketing firm helps
advertising in the right places in your area - you gotta spend money to make money - but yeah it takes a lot of work too just to figure out WHERE to spend your advertising money
oy
it's hard work
Find out about charitable events in your area...
or any prestigious event..
You usually can get lists of attendees from those things..
From there... shoot them a letter.
charitable events meaning... people paying 1000 dollar a plate for 3rd nipple syndrome or something
How would I get a list of attendees?
say you're starting a benefit for hurricane katrina victims and want to find people in your area who have the appropriate amount of money
Or I could just drive down the streets with the largest houses and get names off mailboxes...
Please. You have to pay me 49.99$ for those business secrets.
Ooh! What about payment by cookies?
Me and thatdarngirl can bartend the gigs you get. Yah
Haha - "gigs".
are you gonna wear a chefs hat and a nice scarf?
Do chefs wear scarves??? Pix + divx
any time anyone asks for pix + divx, it's funny
when a female asks for it, it's even funniers
i just pictured Arty from the Sopranos. i think a splash of color in the form of scarf on a plain white chef outfit looks good.
Hahaha - ok...
i love the crazy chef coats they have. and plus you can dye them to any color. the hats are mad ghey. but it totally support crazy/cute bandanas
I'm still hesitant about this. As far as I can tell (and thank you to everyone for your experience), the most difficult thing will be marketing in the beginning. So if I decide to go the route of starting my own biz, I think I might take some marketing courses at a local college.
My other thought was (and I think Malibu suggested this a while ago) to find a job at a local bed and breakfast. Then I'd be able to cook, but not work nights, like at any normal restaurant. The only problem is, I hate eggs and everything made with them, so I'm not sure I'd be able to create great egg breakfast dishes. I am reading a "molecular gastronomy" book right now, though, and last night I read the chapter on how to cook the perfect quiche. That's interesting, because it's something that really wows people at breakfast. I have a feeling I'd end up making minimum wage if I started at a B&B, though, since I have no experience. :( But at least it would be completely steady money, versus the prospect of losing money with my own business.
one thing i forgot to mention
the first year of business, i still worked at my fulltime job
after i had secured business for about a year, then I quit
and then i didn't manage my money well enough and i had to get a temp job this winter .. which kind of stinks
but i'm about to quit.. i just took off today to catch up on some work and i'm already reminded how great this is
hmm more accurately
I started my business January 2004, started advertising, etc.
Did my first wedding with another photographer in April 2004.
Did my first wedding on my own in August 2004.
Quit my job May 2005 when I had enough weddings booked for a year that I knew it would be okay.
Huh... well this is less encouraging than the other stuff that's been said.
yeah i probably should have said that sooner.. it takes a while to build up a clientelle - at least in my business
it might be different for diffrent businesses
hmm one more thing i should have said
when i was starting out our financial situation was NOT GOOD
if you already have money saved etc. and you're in a good spot financially and you can afford to take a little bit of a paycut maybe for a little while, then it won't be as bad
i basically had to keep my fulltime job until I knew i was secure
just as an fyi, muffy has been doing Pampered Chef, so she goes to people's houses and cooks. maybe you could try that ...
Ehh, I hate those parties. I don't think I'm the kind of person that'd be good at that.
oooo i love the things they do with the cooking stone. good food!!! i got one, thinking i'll become this amazing cook. um yeah its been 3 years and its still in the box.
okay, okay, i think you all need a little schooling in the ways of how to run a business. first of all, There are four kinds of business. Tourism. Food service. Railroads... And sales. And hospitals/manufacturing. And air travel.
aaahh, words of wisdom from the brilliant michael scott.
i already quoted that episode of the office in here!
I think I'm going to shelf this idea for a while. The more Donovan and I thought and prayed about it as a couple, the more I realized that I really want to pioneer for a while again. I don't think I'd be able to run my own business at the same time.
Who says you can't do both!
Go door to door ... offer magazines.. Then sell cookies!!
" Ok since you don't want the magazines.. how about Dosey-Dough cookies?"
Ha - dosey dough is a good name for a cookie company.
It is isn't it.
Cookies so good.. makes you FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A DREAM
or
Cookies so delicious.. FEELS LIKE YOU'RE DREAMING
DOSEY-DOughs... coming to a store near you.
I should be in marketing
What Am I doing here.
LIFE SUCKS
Maybe you should be a motivational speaker.
wellllllll you couuulllddd.... i was able to aux. pio. for a couple months last year, the first time I was able to do that in years. If i was better organized I could do it more often. I'm working on that. You seem to be really organized though you would probably be a lot better at time management, I'm terrible at it.
I'm going to keep my own biz on the back burner as one of those things I'd like to do eventually; but for right now, we're going to be moving (hopefully!), so to keep things simple, I'll just find some part time job and do service as much as I can. Your advice and thoughts in this thread have really helped me, and I'm going to keep it all in mind when the time comes. Thank you!!!
no prob!!
especially if you guys are moving to ct, there'll be tons of ritzy people that want personal chef catered dinner parties.
I still wanna know who your "friend" is...
hahaha but it really was just a friend. in fact he has a girlfriend right now...that isn't me.
pix + divx as proof of your claim. :P
homewrecker
B&D-J=?
Sorry im a little late, but I started my own Pampered Chef business, and really I'm doing it with the support of my mom, my Pampered Chef director, and Im reading a lot of books on the subject (let me know if you want the titles, and if you buy them they are tax-deductible!) I think it depends on what type of busines you are starting whether or not you need "people skills". But I find that by going out in service and giving public talks, I have more "people" skills than the average person. I think we work on that more in the truth. I was not familiar at all in the kitchen but Pampered Chef has honestly taught me how to cook. Initially you find customers through your family and friends and then it spreads out. I am actually thinking about joing NJAWBO (New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners) because the point of it is to network. I went to one meeting last week, without any business cards and I picked up ten and booked one party!!
the NJAWBO is great. my boss goes to their meetings and has hosted a few at the tea room and all the ladies are so nice and outgoing and totally dedicated to helping eachother. like one waitress at our tea room was an artists and going to school to be a teacher and one lady at the meeting just hired her off the bat to be an art teacher. it's so cool!!