Fun businesses to set up?

Scrutinize

Scrutinize

Scrutinize

Soldato
Joined
4 Apr 2003
Posts
8,121
Contemplating setting up a small business for the family to get involved with.

Doesn't need to make massive profits and it needs to be something fun. Obviously needs to cover it's operating costs and I want to limit capital investment so that rules out things like the soft play cafes or stock intensive retail.

We live near a number of tourist intensive areas. Was thinking along the lines of a traditional sweet/ice cream shop as they require minimal unit footprint. Would love to go along the lines of a toy/model shop but it's almost impossible to get them profitable on on paper, let alone in operation.

Any other ideas, fun and family friendly?
 
Your kids are going to hate you.
Exploitation begins at home. - Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
 
Scrutinize said:
Doesn't need to make massive profits and it needs to be something fun.
Click to expand...

What does that even mean? Is it something that will replace your day job?! Most businesses fail within a very short term, even when the goal IS to make money (and usually, specific amounts as a minimum).

Scrap the business idea and take your kids to Legoland.
 
wingman said:
Scrap the business idea and take your kids to Legoland.
Click to expand...

This will probably work out cheaper in the long run too!

If you're set on doing something to teach the kids, how about scavenging old furniture/bits and bobs from boot sales/freecycle and turning them for a profit elsewhere? Friend of mine does this with wooden chairs/tables etc. more for fun than anything.

Take tatty old bit of furniture for free/cheap
Make it look even more tatty
Sell to weird hipster types
...
Profit
 
Scrutinize has the right idea,

he sees a pool of cheap/free labor and intends to utilize it,

i'm with Efour on this :)


look at your local area, and you can either compete with businesses that are popular and steal a percentage of their trade and try to compete with them in an in demand market or you can look for a gap in the local market to exploit, although be aware if your successful someone else will see that and want a slice of the action.
 
wingman said:
What does that even mean? Is it something that will replace your day job?! Most businesses fail within a very short term, even when the goal IS to make money (and usually, specific amounts as a minimum).

Scrap the business idea and take your kids to Legoland.
Click to expand...

Re-profits, minimum 6-10k+ pa.

Won't replace my main job, my wife would run it day to day. Family friendly so our kids can get involved if they want and something aimed at families/accessible for any age group.

Bouncy castle hire is a great suggestion but is surprisingly difficult/expensive to set up and make work unless tagged on to another business.
 
My girlfriend buys second hand clothes and sells them on eBay, she turns over a reasonable amount of money doing this but it takes up a bit of time.
 
Scrutinize said:
Re-profits, minimum 6-10k+ pa.

Won't replace my main job, my wife would run it day to day. Family friendly so our kids can get involved if they want and something aimed at families/accessible for any age group.

Bouncy castle hire is a great suggestion but is surprisingly difficult/expensive to set up and make work unless tagged on to another business.
Click to expand...

As someone who grew up in a family business I wouldn't exactly describe it as "fun". :p (valuable experience though)

If your wife is going to be doing the day to day probably best work out something which she will be enthused about.
 
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