What do I need to do to get my own business going?

Phate

Phate

Phate

Caporegime
Joined
1 Nov 2003
Posts
35,691
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
Hello all,

Outside of my main job and the Bar work I was thinking of doing work from home.

Now everyone says "do something your good at"

Well I'm very good at fixing PC's and good with people and used to dealing with very difficult customers.

So, I'm thinking of starting up my own business from home. Doing callouts, from the general consensus I get around town here the local PC repair places are carp.

I know millions of these start and fail but it won't be my main income, so if it fails...oh well at least I tried!

I know what I need to research. But as far as registering my own business and all that what needs to be done? :)

Many Thanks,
Jake
 
Don't do it really don't.

Having to remove crap people have got from dodgy porn sites, and not just viruses etc, but crap they have actually installed from them :rolleyes: just makes you want to try and fit the keyboard through their eye socket
 
Tefal said:
Don't do it really don't.

Having to remove crap people have got from dodgy porn sites, and not just viruses etc, but crap they have actually installed from them :rolleyes: just makes you want to try and fit the keyboard through their eye socket
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I did it for 18 months. I know fully well what I'm getting myself into mate :)
 
With such a small thing, don't you just inform inland revenue then in april you get sent a self assement form. Fill it out and send it in.

Use fixed costs or easy to understand flat rates.
 
well i disagree..... if you have what it takes you can be your own boss and build yourself a better life :)

GO FOR IT DUDE AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU :)
 
Janesy B said:
I wouldn't bother, unless you have an new and original idea it's a waste of time starting your own business.
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it's only a part time thing, next to no set up costs. A few screwdrivers, multimeter, some software and a few spare components to fault find. Could make a nice bit of extra money on the side.
 
Depends how much you earn. If its under the tax/NI limit you don't need to do anything really.
 
AcidHell2 said:
With such a small thing, don't you just inform inland revenue then in april you get sent a self assement form. Fill it out and send it in.
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What is the limit?

Use fixed costs or easy to understand flat rates.
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Aye, I'm going to draw up prices tonight. Like I said I used to do this for 18 months and the only reason I quit was because I wanted more cash as a main job and hated my boss :p

AcidHell2 said:
it's only a part time thing, next to no set up costs. A few screwdrivers, multimeter, some software and a few spare components to fault find. Could make a nice bit of extra money on the side.
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Exactly. It'll cost about a grand to setup. Parents have said if I do the research and get solid figures they'll lend me it.

Burned_Alive said:
With two other jobs, surely you arent going to have the time to make this work?
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Indeed. At the minute I work Mon - Fri during the day for my main job. My bar work is Friday night, Saturday daytime and Sunday daytime. So it leaves me Mon - Thurs evenings to do this. I won't take on more than I can chew and I also have the advantage of being able to work when I want - so I'll still be able to go out and do whatever :)


One question is how do I legally cover myself?

I can think of one instance in my last place where a guy claimed to have lost data (we didn't delete it or anything) and was threatening to sue us for it. We made people sign a data disclaimer so they can't do anything but if I write one do I need to get it legally bound or approved or anything? or can I just write one and get them to sign it and if anything happens say "bad luck" ?

Cheers :)
 
Go for it m8.

I have a full time career as a firefighter, but I was kinda in the same boat as you about 12 months ago.

I'm not bad at troubleshooting PC problems and I had been getting a steady stream of folk coming to me via word of mouth to do "cash in hand" jobs for them.

I also thought "Maybe I could do this part time but properly" , as in register with the Taxman etc.

So I did. :cool:

I've kinda moved on from run of the mill PC repairs now, I'm concentrating more on web design and development at this point and I have been simply gobsmacked at the amount of work that has come in over the last year or so. So much so that it's got to the stage where it takes up pretty much all of my spare time/days off from firefighting!!.

Get yourself a good accountant though, I find that although my talents are considerable as far as web design goes, my paperwork and book keeping skills are absolutely awful!!!. :D

Best of luck with it m8.
 
Phate, its doomed to fail. Seriously some of the questions you are asking on here show you have zero business nous and thus will fail. Much of what you are asking is common sense. You've either got what it takes to make it in business or you've not.

And you've not. Harsh but true.

I mean a grand setup costs for PC fixit? Seriously? It's hardly that capital intensive is it?
 
[TW]Fox;12263929 said:
Phate, its doomed to fail. Seriously some of the questions you are asking on here show you have zero business nous and thus will fail. Much of what you are asking is common sense. You've either got what it takes to make it in business or you've not.

And you've not. Harsh but true.

I mean a grand setup costs for PC fixit? Seriously? It's hardly that capital intensive is it?
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If anything a grand is worth a punt, to be honest try to get good word of mouth from customers and all sorts of idiots will come knocking. and nothing is doomed to fail, just look at all the rubbish you see on the high street that people are more than happy to pay cash for.
 
[TW]Fox;12263929 said:
Phate, its doomed to fail. Seriously some of the questions you are asking on here show you have zero business nous and thus will fail. Much of what you are asking is common sense. You've either got what it takes to make it in business or you've not.

And you've not. Harsh but true.

I mean a grand setup costs for PC fixit? Seriously? It's hardly that capital intensive is it?
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I agree.

Anyone who has to come to an online forum to ask how to set up a business, clearly has no idea, and needs to do their own research before even thinking about it.
 
[TW]Fox;12263929 said:
Phate, its doomed to fail. Seriously some of the questions you are asking on here show you have zero business nous and thus will fail. Much of what you are asking is common sense. You've either got what it takes to make it in business or you've not.

And you've not. Harsh but true.

I mean a grand setup costs for PC fixit? Seriously? It's hardly that capital intensive is it?
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Well you know what Fox.

We all start somewhere ;)

Just because I've never learnt about the "obvious" stuff which common sense should teach does not mean I cannot do this.

It's attitudes like that which get no where.

Now if your not going to add anything constructive like answering the questions of the thread don't bother replying.

Ta
 
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