Anyone started their own business?

[wannabedamned]

I'll be looking at starting my own business up in a couple of years, depends how much money I have left over as to how long before I can get it up and running.

Doing what?

 

[TRNC]

I will need an upfront source of funding which I am unwilling to personally contribute towards.

You might as well forget that idea then. No bank, financial institution, angel, or any funding source other than possibly a stupidly rich family member will lend you money without both security and a decent ammount coming from your own pocket.


To the op's question, yes...2, well started 1 and bought the other. Both are still running, the oldest is 20 years and still going strong. We are product based rather than service.

 

[lucy_bee]

Doing what?

I need to run the numbers properly but I'm looking at setting up as a professional makeup artist. Whether that be mobile, or getting established in premises remains to be seen.

I have some good contacts in the industry, and around my neck of the woods there's a distinct lack of specialist services, for weddings etc.

 

[AHarvey]

Mobile all the way, especially for things like weddings.

premises just adds extra costs you don't need

 

[Danthus]

But I think I will have to approach things differently that time as I will need an upfront source of funding which I am unwilling to personally contribute towards.

So you do want to use your money, just mine.

IM OOOOOOOT

 

[rexehuk]

I started 3 years ago exporting acid and plastic drums to Mexico. Sales are still going up at a rate of 30% a month.

Not quite worked out why yet.

 

[Danthus]

I started 3 years ago exporting acid and plastic drums to Mexico. Sales are still going up at a rate of 30% a month.

Not quite worked out why yet.

Drugs.

 

[lucy_bee]

Mobile all the way, especially for things like weddings.

premises just adds extra costs you don't need

Yeah that's been the way I've been looking at things, premises is probably something for way in the future depending on how it goes. I can't immediately discount it straight from the off though as I have to keep my options open.

There's a lot of water to go under many bridges until I'm ready to go for it, but it's certainly something I want to do and I'm confident I can make a success of it.

 

[rexehuk]

Drugs.

Some friends want to meet you, tomorrow 11PM at the docks?

 

[Danthus]

Some friends want to meet you, tomorrow 11PM at the docks?

Fetch a copy of the Telegraph and a red rose.

 

[rexehuk]

Fetch a copy of the Telegraph and a red rose.

I'll have people watching... come alone.

Initiation: Penile

Reply: Dysfunction

Followed by 11 flashes of my front lights, then 2 bird calls.

 

[LordSplodge]

Swings and roundabouts: no bosses to ask for time off, no pension matching, relaxed attire and working hours, no guaranteed income, etc.

Great business website(s) but have you though about adding support for 2x images? The current ones look a little fuzzy on Retina/HDPI screens.

As fr the question posed by the OP. no but I have a couple of business ideas I'm working on, just like a lot of people though putting time and effort into it is what separates the true entrepreneurs from the wannabes.

 

[AHarvey]

Yeah that's been the way I've been looking at things, premises is probably something for way in the future depending on how it goes. I can't immediately discount it straight from the off though as I have to keep my options open.

There's a lot of water to go under many bridges until I'm ready to go for it, but it's certainly something I want to do and I'm confident I can make a success of it.

A lot of the MUA's i've used never had their own premises, some do rent an area in a salon and use that though but again, it's a small space and you still pay your own bills etc

 

[Raymond Lin]

I started it kind of by accident a couple of years ago (photography). In theory I could go for it 100% full time now but I am putting more foundations in place - new logo, blog, new computer. Then I would re-evaluate and see where I am.

It would be fun working for myself though but then it is hard not to work 24/7 when there is work to be done.

 

[Bes]

Yes I run a print on demand card company alongside my full time job. I am also trying to launch my homegrown e-commerce platform and some other tools I have developed as standalone products.

 

[Xordium]

One thing I think you can underestimate is often the time it takes to set up a venture. The other thing is what kind of person you are - if you create something like I did then do you really want to be then managing things or do you want to then go on and create something else. Sometimes it pays to not go it alone it really depends on what you are doing.

You might as well forget that idea then. No bank, financial institution, angel, or any funding source other than possibly a stupidly rich family member will lend you money without both security and a decent ammount coming from your own pocket.

So you do want to use your money, just mine.

IM OOOOOOOT

Well considering it is along the same lines as the other now highly successful venture then I'll beg to differ. Will I have complete ownership of it this time then no - which is fine because I don't want that responsibility.

 

[buchtis]

I'd like to hear success/failure stories about people starting their own business just to see how many have actually succeeded.

 

[Bes]

I'd like to hear success/failure stories about people starting their own business just to see how many have actually succeeded.

They're irrelevant - your success/ failure depends on so many things that you won't get anything useful from listening to such stories.

The only thing that matters is having the right product or service, a good way of marketing it (cannot stress this enough - marketing is everything), and working bloody hard. That's it.

 

[lucy_bee]

I started it kind of by accident a couple of years ago (photography). In theory I could go for it 100% full time now but I am putting more foundations in place - new logo, blog, new computer. Then I would re-evaluate and see where I am.

It would be fun working for myself though but then it is hard not to work 24/7 when there is work to be done.

Partnership venture.... I'll put their faces on - you snap them.

Foolproof, guaranteed success

 

[Raymond Lin]

Lol, there is the small problem of finding the bride