Anyone started their own business?

[Tican]

I run a music promotions/live gigs business, still in the first year.

It's been a major challenge. Venues being difficult imposing additional costs and/or T&C, tour managers being hard to work with etc.

We have our first all day event next weekend, so we shall see how that goes

It's not quite profitable yet, as all money gets recycled back into the business and goes on marketing and bands for gigs.

 

[esK`]

Started my own IT support company 7 years ago, still going strong now

 

[platinum87]

If you have money and problems you can contact me and part with both.

 

[ThatAsianGuy]

I sell myself to the public, very good money, long hours and sleepless nights..... that new PC aint gonna pay for itself

 

[PardonTheWait]

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.

Are you quite certain you didn't mean New Mexico?

 

[DELETED_108974]

Well you haven't made it clear why you're asking which is why you've mostly only received troll posts.

Maybe you should make it clear what you really want to know as it's pretty obvious that people have started their own businesses before.

My original post states some of the things I'd like to know like the start up costs for the business, is business booming etc.

But the real purpose of the thread is to discuss what it is like starting your own business, I thought that was a given. This being a General Discussion forum and everything

 

[mothermachine]

Depends what you term as successful, really... making a profit or making a large profit? Or breaking even maybe? I think everyone's goals will be different, especially in the current climate.

I started my business just as the recession hit and I've (obviously) not known what it's like to run it during boom or even during an uptake. So my original goal was to break even until we're out of it then try to be profitable. But I've actually managed to be profitable throughout. Not hugely but enough to get me by and partially support my family.

It's a tough thing starting and running a business. Costs are often huge, legal side of things can be complicated. Being self-employed totally changes the game when it comes to pensions and mortgages and things like that, long-term. But if it all works out somehow then it's massively satisfying and you really feel like you're building something up as an investment for the future.

I'm an architectural visualiser by the way.

 

[wannabedamned]

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.

I have a friend who does this and she makes a killing. Will you do things like hair extensions and nails? As those are the main areas she makes her money. Fake tanning too

 

[The Asgard]

I started my own business in 2007 developing software. Initially sole trader and then went limited in 2008. I developed a product called ProcessVue, http://www.processvue.com which is sold all around the world to big companies Total, Eon, Drax, BNG, EDF .... We compete with companies like Honeywell.

Its been a hard slog with 20 hr day, 7 day weeks for years. This was also at a time where I had twins and a young boy, now 6.

Starting a business is not easy and it's an ongoing thing. Lots of rewards but also lots of negative things.

Think carefully before taking the plunge especially if you have a good job.

 

[Jock]

Running my own business doing 3D Visualisations after the Architects I worked for went into administration. Had always wanted to but with a family and a regular income didnt have the balls to do it. Luckilly for me when the architects went under it gave me a nice amount of money and meant if it didnt work, i'd be no worse off. Been up and running for over a year now and pretty busy having just landed a large NHS project.

 

[DELETED_108974]

Some really nice ideas/experiences in the thread guys thanks for sharing My reason for starting the thread as already mentioned is to see what it's been like for those that have took the plunge and done it!

Got sick of my call centre life and left last month to join a start up but the start up position fell through, etc. So starting a business has always been a dream but I definitely lack the knowledge & skillset to do it currently.

 

[Russinating]

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.

Could you clarify on the '2x images'?

 

[Admiral Huddy]

I admire anyone who embarks on such a journey and makes sacrifices along the way.

I'm quite a low to medium risk person so when i tried a few years back i wasn't really prepared to take the leap of faith when it was needed even though the business was was doing fairly well on a part time basis.

 

[UncleRuckus]

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

I get paid to hurt people, except I keep getting beaten up.

 

[lucy_bee]

I have a friend who does this and she makes a killing. Will you do things like hair extensions and nails? As those are the main areas she makes her money. Fake tanning too

Yeah that's the idea, nails and hair extensions are the simpler, less time-consuming things that tend to attract a more premium price. Fake tan is something I cannot stand, never will any of that stuff come anywhere near my body but I'd be a lunatic to not consider it as a service as there's a whole army of people who use it.

I've been jotting down ideas and numbers for a while now and I'd like to offer the above services as standalone or mix and match, then do an all-in-one service for special occasions like weddings, prom nights etc.

Being mobile would be a good idea too for those boys who like to occasionally be girls, there's a huge invisible market out there that has few people tapping into.

 

[LordSplodge]

Could you clarify on the '2x images'?

You essentially have one normal image and one high-resolution (as in 2x each dimension) and a bit of JavaScript/CSS that delivers the correct one to HDPI screens like the iPad 3 and MacBook Pro with Retina Display* and this stops a user on that device seeing a lower resolution image up-scaled (and this a little blurry).

See: http://benfrain.com/how-to-serve-high-resolution-website-images-for-retina-displays-new-ipadiphone4/ and if I had a website that was heavivly based on images i'd do this. Mine of mostly text and iOS and OS X takes care of rendering high-resolution text automatically.


* Not sure if there are any Windows based HDPI screens in the wild yet...

 

[Clipsey]

Myself and my wife set up our business back in January, starting looking for the perfect space, dealt with months of negotiations, finally started our build out process in late August and are due to open our own 24-hour fitness facility next month!
We are ahead of target for presale sign ups so far
Very exciting for us!

 

[Edrof]

As a writer I'm a sole trader. In fact, just filling some Tax Office forms now. Go me.