what would you do with a grand?

[superdooper500]

If you had £1000 to £1500 to start a new business, what would you do? Obviously V1 would be a pretty micro business for that sort of seed capital, but from tiny acorns and all that...

Would you go down the bucket, sponge and elbow grease route (windows, cars etc) with a fair chunk of your grand left in the bank, or would you do something potentially more scalable?

And to make the question more interesting, how would you double that start up capital within 30 days in your new business?

Some interesting back to basics questions for you guys there, especially some of you with big businesses, plenty of staff, multiple revenue streams.

 

[Blood Lust]

If you had £1000 to £1500 to start a new business, what would you do? Obviously V1 would be a pretty micro business for that sort of seed capital, but from tiny acorns and all that...

Would you go down the bucket, sponge and elbow grease route (windows, cars etc) with a fair chunk of your grand left in the bank, or would you do something potentially more scalable?

And to make the question more interesting, how would you double that start up capital within 30 days in your new business?

Some interesting back to basics questions for you guys there, especially some of you with big businesses, plenty of staff, multiple revenue streams.

I could do it on £60 never mind £1000.

I would buy a website creation package from PC World and set myself up a web business offering website creation.

I would then go down Yell.com calling up businesses without websites to sell them my services. I would collect card details over the phone and take payments. Then I would send out paperwork created by myself for them to sign and return.

I'd charge £1000 a go.

 

[superdooper500]

I could do it on £60 never mind £1000.

I would buy a website creation package from PC World and set myself up a web business offering website creation.

I would then go down Yell.com calling up businesses without websites to sell them my services. I would collect card details over the phone and take payments. Then I would send out paperwork created by myself for them to sign and return.

I'd charge £1000 a go.

£60, nice, very resourceful! I guess you'd also need to buy hosting, domain names and what not. Are business owners not a bit more savvy about websites these days, would a PC world website package realistically cut the mustard in 2012?

In fairness, even one sale at £1000 would be over 16 times your initial £60 outlay.

 

[DavidAshdown]

By this time next year Rodney.......!

 

[superdooper500]

By this time next year Rodney.......!

Haha, love a bit of Only Fools and Horses! Consultancy, there you go, that's what you did, I assume it didn't cost you oodles of cash to start up as a consultant

 

[Blood Lust]

£60, nice, very resourceful! I guess you'd also need to buy hosting, domain names and what not. Are business owners not a bit more savvy about websites these days, would a PC world website package realistically cut the mustard in 2012?

In fairness, even one sale at £1000 would be over 16 times your initial £60 outlay.

PC World has software on sale that does the lot for you including a free domain name and 12 months hosting. After which its about £30 a year. They look professional too.

 

[Blood Lust]

Haha, love a bit of Only Fools and Horses! Consultancy, there you go, that's what you did, I assume it didn't cost you oodles of cash to start up as a consultant

Actually a management consultant business would be very cheap to setup. Again all you need is a website and to do some cold calling. Dig out your business law books from uni and write your own contracts.

 

[superdooper500]

PC World has software on sale that does the lot for you including a free domain name and 12 months hosting. After which its about £30 a year. They look professional too.

I stand corrected then!

So no one would go down the route of hard graft/physical labour? Where there is muck there is brass and all that.

I think I'd be truly unoriginal and set up some sort of commercial cleaning enterprise, but maybe try and niche it a bit, instead of office cleaning, maybe truck valeting or something like that.

 

[Blood Lust]

I stand corrected then!

So no one would go down the route of hard graft/physical labour? Where there is muck there is brass and all that.

I think I'd be truly unoriginal and set up some sort of commercial cleaning enterprise, but maybe try and niche it a bit, instead of office cleaning, maybe truck valeting or something like that.

You could setup a recycling business and go knocking on peoples doors offering to dispose of their old mobile phones for free. Each phone contains 50p to £1.00 worth of gold and each household has on average 4 old mobiles.

You could sell the circuit boards on if you can find a gold recycling business to take them. Lithium (stuff in the batteries) is also a valuable metal.

 

[superdooper500]

You could setup a recycling business and go knocking on peoples doors offering to dispose of their old mobile phones for free. Each phone contains 50p to £1.00 worth of gold and each household has on average 4 old mobiles.

You could sell the circuit boards on if you can find a gold recycling business to take them. Lithium (stuff in the batteries) is also a valuable metal.

Haha, like a modern day rag and bone man, nice!

 

[blackberry1]

I reckon the car / truck / van hand washing valet a good one, if you can blag a pitch outside a diy superstore etc could be a nice little earner or any where with a good passing trade on a busy road - just depends on the pitch costs

or buy a grands worth of stuff
bung it on ebay
sell it
buy some more and do it again

 

[Beachcomber]

I think I'd be truly unoriginal and set up some sort of commercial cleaning enterprise, but maybe try and niche it a bit, instead of office cleaning, maybe truck valeting or something like that.

Why not do both?

Clean windows / cars etc by day and build websites by night.

 

[superdooper500]

Why not do both?

Clean windows / cars etc by day and build websites by night.

Nice idea, make that seed money work even harder!

 

[superdooper500]

I reckon the car / truck / van hand washing valet a good one, if you can blag a pitch outside a diy superstore etc could be a nice little earner or any where with a good passing trade on a busy road - just depends on the pitch costs

or buy a grands worth of stuff
bung it on ebay
sell it
buy some more and do it again

Do you not find that those static car wash sites are all 'dominated' by eastern european gangs? I think for it to work/kneecaps to remain intact, you'd have to go mobile and get contracts to fulfil.

 

[blackberry1]

Funny you should say that i did think that as i was typing the response as our local one as a east european feel to it.

but i would if i had a grand buy some stuff and sell it on ebay

 

[Gaskell]

Do you not find that those static car wash sites are all 'dominated' by eastern european gangs? I think for it to work/kneecaps to remain intact, you'd have to go mobile and get contracts to fulfil.

So, you have to consider getting knee-capped by Eastern Europeans now when starting a new venture in car washing?


Truck washing maybe a good niche, but you'd need a powerful pressure washer/steam cleaner. That would cost you a lot more than a grand just for that. Unless you hire one, I think they are around £400 per/week

 

[superdooper500]

So, you have to consider getting knee-capped by Eastern Europeans now when starting a new venture in car washing?


Truck washing maybe a good niche, but you'd need a powerful pressure washer/steam cleaner. That would cost you a lot more than a grand just for that. Unless you hire one, I think they are around £400 per/week

Well round my way the static car wash business is all sewn up, I guess its a cash business with ready access to cheap, hard working labour and a ready stream of people with dirty cars!

I guess its all about being creative, scouring the second hand market maybe and see what you can find. I appreciate a £99 karcher pressure washer out of B&Q probably wouldn't be the best tool to use on an industrial scale, but I'm sure there is a happy middle ground.

 

[10032012]

You could setup a recycling business and go knocking on peoples doors offering to dispose of their old mobile phones for free. Each phone contains 50p to £1.00 worth of gold and each household has on average 4 old mobiles.

You could sell the circuit boards on if you can find a gold recycling business to take them. Lithium (stuff in the batteries) is also a valuable metal.

because there aren't any big market leaders doing this and promising £££ in return...

 

[Blood Lust]

because there aren't any big market leaders doing this and promising £££ in return...

Yes, you can send electronics scrap to some larger companies who retreive the precious metals.

But on a smaller scale no one goes around asking people for their old mobiles and people tend to have a few in their houses. Its an untapped market.

 

[Beachcomber]

Do you not find that those static car wash sites are all 'dominated' by eastern european gangs? I think for it to work/kneecaps to remain intact, you'd have to go mobile and get contracts to fulfil.

Look at taking a basic idea and adding extra aspects to it.

Take window / car cleaning - on top of this (off the top of my head) fascia / gutter cleaning / clearing, gutter repairs (dead easy) car valeting, running to / picking up from MOT or garage, car cleaning at the workplace as well as at home, pressure washing patio's / driveways / decking (& re-treating with wood preservative) etc, etc.

With a little time you can find lots and lots of extra services you can offer using the kit you already have.

 

[10032012]

Yes, you can send electronics scrap to some larger companies who retreive the precious metals.

But on a smaller scale no one goes around asking people for their old mobiles and people tend to have a few in their houses. Its an untapped market.

yeah, but would you have reservations about someone who goes door-to-door wanting mobile phones?

Consumers see door-to-door as desperate last-chance opportunists.

 

[S-Marketing]

What a cracking thread for a saturday evening. It does make me worry a little for the future of business in this country though. If i didnt know better i'd think half the posts were a joke.

 

[Matt1959]

Huh? And you called me a cynic

 

[CSS1]

IMO buying and selling on eBay is a bad idea, tried it before. Bought a load of new stock from an auction and still have half of it left.

eBay is hard to deal with at the best of the time, they have a habit of restricting your selling and can push your listings to the bottom of search in a heart beat.

I am considering a part time venture which will involve investing around £1,000, I am going down the rental route.

 

[businessfunding]

I'm all in favour of low-cost start-ups - it's a refreshing change from the endless trail of wannabees who think the barrier between them and Mark Zuckerburg is a wealthy investor.

Despite the naivety of some ideas at least there is positive thinking.

Above all, the idea must come before the money, there is often a way to achieve it without cash

 

[S-Marketing]

Huh? And you called me a cynic

The Mrs just had me watching XFactor. I think it has left me doubting the point of humanity a little.

 

[crphillips]

If I had a grand and was starting at 16 years old again I'd probably start cleaning windows or something along those lines. Especially now they're all using these crappy pole cleaning systems. I'd get out with a set of ladders, a mop and a squeegee and take all of the work away from the folk using crappy poles.

 

[Talay]

I reckon the car / truck / van hand washing valet a good one, if you can blag a pitch outside a diy superstore etc could be a nice little earner or any where with a good passing trade on a busy road - just depends on the pitch costs

or buy a grands worth of stuff
bung it on ebay
sell it
buy some more and do it again

You'll be lucky !

The company partnering Tesco is flogging car wash franchises off for £45k or thereabouts plus huge rent and "insurance". Total rip off to be sure.

 

[Talay]

I'm all in favour of low-cost start-ups - it's a refreshing change from the endless trail of wannabees who think the barrier between them and Mark Zuckerburg is a wealthy investor.

Despite the naivety of some ideas at least there is positive thinking.

Above all, the idea must come before the money, there is often a way to achieve it without cash

I agree.

I might invest £50 or so taking someone who has been around the block a few times out for a pint and ask them to look over a portfolio of potential business ideas to get their soundings.

I had all these ideas during the teenage years and little money but I didn't have the sounding board of someone who could point out the flaws which only years of experience can shed light on.

 

[Blood Lust]

I agree.

I might invest £50 or so taking someone who has been around the block a few times out for a pint and ask them to look over a portfolio of potential business ideas to get their soundings.

I had all these ideas during the teenage years and little money but I didn't have the sounding board of someone who could point out the flaws which only years of experience can shed light on.

As a general rule if the business already exists it works.

 

[billycan]

Do you not find that those static car wash sites are all 'dominated' by eastern european gangs? I think for it to work/kneecaps to remain intact, you'd have to go mobile and get contracts to fulfil.

So reassuring to know that the 'open market' has such universal benefits. How bigoted we were in the past to keep it all to ourselves!

 

[10032012]

I'm all in favour of low-cost start-ups - it's a refreshing change from the endless trail of wannabees who think the barrier between them and Mark Zuckerburg is a wealthy investor.

Despite the naivety of some ideas at least there is positive thinking.

Above all, the idea must come before the money, there is often a way to achieve it without cash

I wish people wouldn't keep using the Zuckerberg reference. OK, he is rich and did well but facebook was hardly revolutionary at any stage. He was also like 1 of 5 (or so) founders. Allegations of stolen IP from day-1 and ever since. Hardly a business tycoon or legend.

 

[iconic]

If I had a grand and was starting at 16 years old again I'd probably start cleaning windows or something along those lines. Especially now they're all using these crappy pole cleaning systems. I'd get out with a set of ladders, a mop and a squeegee and take all of the work away from the folk using crappy poles.

You dont know much about the pole systems and window cleaning do you?

 

[DavidAshdown]

I wish people wouldn't keep using the Zuckerberg reference. OK, he is rich and did well but facebook was hardly revolutionary at any stage. He was also like 1 of 5 (or so) founders. Allegations of stolen IP from day-1 and ever since. Hardly a business tycoon or legend.

No but a lot of folk think they can easily be the next him.

 

[altwebdesign]

If i had a spare £1000 i'd buy some shares in lloydstsb and leave them there for a good few years.

I dont think i'd start another business besides web design

 

[Talay]

As a general rule if the business already exists it works.

Not so. There are tens of thousands of delusional people who believe they have a business when all they really have is a hobby and if they were to work out their net bottom line, they would be in the red and not the black as they think.

Some stuff just sounds right but other ideas need a more knowledgeable mentor.

Now That's What I Call Music 1 came out in 1983 but some years before I was narked off at not being able to buy the tracks I wanted, altogether on one tape. Add in frustration of ZX Spectrum (1982) games on tape and no legal compilations there and I came up with an idea.

Instead of Woolworths having their machine play any one of the top 20 tapes, why not make it copy the selected songs onto a compilation tape and sell that ?

OK, as a grown up I realise there are a thousand issues to overcome but as a youngster, armed only with an idea, virtually no capital and no means of bringing it to market, I could have benefited from someone who had already been around the block.

 

[Pap_sak]

If you kind find a decent pitch...portable gas braai (barbeque) some nice sausage (borewors works well!) couple of condiments and of you go...

Candyfoss machine, just need a power outlet HUGE mark up.

If investing ETF's are great (if they in the UK)

 

[superdooper500]

If you kind find a decent pitch...portable gas braai (barbeque) some nice sausage (borewors works well!) couple of condiments and of you go...

Candyfoss machine, just need a power outlet HUGE mark up.

If investing ETF's are great (if they in the UK)

Nice plan, a quick look on ebay tells me there are a few good deals to be had on mobile catering equipment etc, so its definitely possible.

 

[Tech4Homes]

I guess it depends if you're looking to make a quick buck or if you look at it as a start and want the hard work to build something bigger and more long term...

You can start an e-store selling just about anything you can think of for less than £100 (I did, but for that money don't expect to make sales very quickly) you'll need a lot of hard work and eventually need more money to get things off the ground.

Knowing what to sell and where to get it on a dropship basis helps keeps costs down though, my store is an extension of my day job, currently run in my spare time, and eventually I hope the online store covers overheads and my wages well enough so that I can combine the two and make the real money off the installation work. I'm looking at it long term, hopefully it'll be a success and I'll make a new career out of it.

One thing I'm fast learning though is that you will always have loads of competition, doesn't mean you should give up and try something else, you just need a USP. Find the USP and you'll find the sales.

£1500 + e-store + USP + hard work = Success (hopefully!)

Don't worry I won't start writing "Recipe to success" e-books just yet