Small Business Startups & Ideas

[Joe]

Ever done one or would like to do?

What's your biz idea?

And if you already don it, what are your experiences?

No right or wrong answers, anything goes as long as its related to the topic.

 

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[The Prowler]

Ever done one or would like to do?

@Joe Yeah. Do you actually have the ability to read and comprehend what other people write here?

What's your biz idea?

@Joe Are you looking for ideas for yourself?

And if you already don it, what are your experiences?

@Joe Seriously, why not ask something that would only take a week to answer?

No right or wrong answers, anything goes as long as its related to the topic.

@Joe What are you? The Topic Nazi?

 

[Alticus]

I always liked the thought of having my own pawn/antiques shop. I'd meet a lot of interesting people and would see some pretty incredible stuff I imagine.


P.S.

@The Prowler

Stop being a dick.

 

[Joe]

I always liked the thought of having my own pawn/antiques shop. I'd meet a lot of interesting people and would see some pretty incredible stuff I imagine.

Interesting.

I have started a few short lived ventures @Alticus

A few ekd out a small profit. Desktop publishing. Selling on eBay.

A 3rd one, web design, went completely nowhere made a total revenue of '$0'

It's not that hard to start a business really.
All the ones I tried were home based businesses.
But I think if I took another stab at it, I'd try to find a small inexpensive office space this time
Somehow, having a home office next to the kitchen doesn't quite work.

If I did it again, I would just go the low risk route, keeping overhead expenses to a minimum and treating like a hobby business at first to see if it goes somewhere.

I def made mistakes in one of them, the website design business. And it wasn't my calling in life.
I learned from that experience to avoid going too deep or committing to something before knowing it will succeed.
Other thing I learned was never bother registering for the GST unless you reach $30,00 in revenue.

About the easiest type to set up and almost be guaranteed a profit is selling stuff online like on eBay.

Anybody can do it, takes no talent.

If you were really interested in selling antiques, I'd suggest get them appraised, with a certificate and selling online.

There's too much theft these days.

I know the idea of an actual brick and mortar shop seems appealing, but in reality, the headaches are immense.

 

[Alticus]

I admire your drive.

 

[The Prowler]

I always liked the thought of having my own pawn/antiques shop. I'd meet a lot of interesting people and would see some pretty incredible stuff I imagine.

It would be fun.

I had considered looking into running a Not-For-Profit organization that would connect people in need with people who are disposing of functional "stuff" for whatever reason.

If you look in Kijiji around here, there is a section for "Free Stuff" and a lot of it is decent and functional. Around here, there is also always a lot of good furniture and household items that is put on the curb for people to take.

But one problem is that people in need often do not have access to the stuff on Kijiji or the stuff on curbs because they have no suitable transportation.

So that stuff often just ends up going into a landfill. It is a real problem

So the idea would be this: Maintain an ongoing database of qualified people and their wants and needs. As those items became available, the people would be contacted and delivery of the stuff would be arranged. To qualify, people would really just have to register, but if delivery was made to a nice house or it was suspected that some people were getting the stuff to turn around and sell at a profit, they would be flagged and lose their approval.

Because as stuff became available, there may not be anyone in the database who has that particular need, it would make sense to get the stuff and put it up for sale, Hence, the "Used Goods Shop". Anybody could shop there.

So the entire cycle for someone in need would look like this: A single mom registers and says she is in need of a crib. If there is one "in stock" in the shop, she would get it. If not, it would go in the database and when one is acquired, she would be contacted and it would be delivered if she was still in need. People could give a whole list of things they currently need.

Also, I would implement features to track the ages of the children or registered families so when stuff for kids become available, parents of kids around the appropriate age could be contacted to see if they have a use for that stuff.

The "Used Goods Shop" would also accept donations of stuff. The entire organization would accept cash donations and hopefully be able to attain the status of a charity so charitable receipts could be issued.

The organization would also regularly look for stuff on curbs to bring to the store or deliver to those in need in the database.

I am a software developer, so I could implement features in the system as good ideas developed. There are always ideas that come up in business that were not thought of initially and having control over the development of the company software is a massive advantage.

P.S.

@The Prowler

Stop being a dick.

Apparently you do not know @Joe like I know @Joe.

He gets respect on the level he deserves.

 

[The Prowler]

Interesting.

I have started a few short lived ventures @Alticus

A few ekd out a small profit. Desktop publishing. Selling on eBay.

A 3rd one, web design, went completely nowhere made a total revenue of '$0'

@Joe Those ventures are not really what I would call "starting a business".

@Joe It sounds like you did not really get past the stage of researching viability of a business model.

It's not that hard to start a business really.
All the ones I tried were home based businesses.
But I think if I took another stab at it, I'd try to find a small inexpensive office space this time
Somehow, having a home office next to the kitchen doesn't quite work.

If I did it again, I would just go the low risk route, keeping overhead expenses to a minimum and treating like a hobby business at first to see if it goes somewhere.

I def made mistakes in one of them, the website design business. And it wasn't my calling in life.
I learned from that experience to avoid going too deep or committing to something before knowing it will succeed.
Other thing I learned was never bother registering for the GST unless you reach $30,00 in revenue.

@Joe Why would you lease office space if you have office space at home?

@Joe Unless it is a type of business where clients will be meeting with you in your office. Then you might need to present yourself with a more professional appearance. But then, you had better be registering for a GST number. Anyone who does not have a GST number does not have a professional appearance. Others will know you do very little business.

@Joe So @Joe, you need to decide if you want a more professional appearance, or not.

About the easiest type to set up and almost be guaranteed a profit is selling stuff online like on eBay.

Anybody can do it, takes no talent.

@Joe This might be something you can handle.

If you were really interested in selling antiques, I'd suggest get them appraised, with a certificate and selling online.

There's too much theft these days.

I know the idea of an actual brick and mortar shop seems appealing, but in reality, the headaches are immense.

@Joe Atticus mentioned meeting "a lot of interesting people". I would assume that means he actually would like to see people face-to-face and interact in-person.

@Joe You mentioned getting antiques appraised. How would one go about getting, say, an antique desk appraised? And what is the cost of the appraisal and getting a certificate issued?

 

[Joe]

@Joe Unless it is a type of business where clients will be meeting with you in your office. Then you might need to present yourself with a more professional appearance. But then, you had better be registering for a GST number. Anyone who does not have a GST number does not have a professional appearance. Others will know you do very little business.

Here fool:



As a general rule, like the man says $30,000 is when you must register for the GST, not because @The Prowler said so.

 

[The Prowler]

Here fool:



As a general rule, like the man says $30,000 is when you must register for the GST, not because @The Prowler said so.

@Joe You did not read and understand what I said.

@Joe I never mentioned anything about when you must register for a GST number/GST exemption.

@Joe Go back are read what I actually said.

@Joe I was referring to how your client/customer base would view your business if you do not have a GST number.

@Joe Your customer/client base would know that you have very little income if you do not have a GST number.

@Joe I was relating that to your earlier statement regarding leasing office space on which you did not elaborate: "Why?!?!?" you would want to lease office space? The single most common reason people would lease office space in a commercial building is to give themselves a more professional appearance. If that would be your reasoning, that professional appearance would be eliminated by not having a GST number.

@Joe Do you have shit for brains? You watch these YouTube videos like a mindless zombie who cannot think for himself.

 

[The Prowler]

So @Joe what is your business idea?

@Joe I remember recently you were talking about getting a good quality video camera.

@Joe And in this thread you were talking about leasing office space.

@Joe Does your business plan involve luring vulnerable people to your office under the false pretense of video recording them performing morally questionable acts while you promise to expose them to your industry contacts of which you actually have none?


So @Joe what is your business idea?


@Joe Or are you at a loss for words as your heart just sank into your stomach while you thought "How does he know?"

 

[Joe]

So @Joe what is your business idea?

@Joe I remember recently you were talking about getting a good quality video camera.

@Joe And in this thread you were talking about leasing office space.

@Joe Does your business plan involve luring vulnerable people to your office under the false pretense of video recording them performing morally questionable acts while you promise to expose them to your industry contacts of which you actually have none?


So @Joe what is your business idea?


@Joe Or are you at a loss for words as your heart just sank into your stomach while you thought "How does he know?"

actually @The Prowler, I don't have a clear idea right now What the business will be yet.

Just the idea that I'd like to do something post retirement, eh? Possibly just a side hustle.

Oh BTW, it's easy for people to get carried away with a business idea, implement it, and then lose a lot of money.

I've known at least 4 people who either lost all their savings or else their business ideas flopped, went nowhere, and they lost their investor's money.Like $50-100,000. So sometimes, it's better than a business idea never gets off the ground...or it's just done as a small scale proptype to see if it has any potential for success.

Some people spends thousand or their life savings on something which eventually goes bust.
Such as peole who sink in all their money in developing game apps for comoputers.
And yet others hardly try, wing it and end up making millions.

I think that's how the inventors of the Guiness Book World of Records did it.
It was just a hobby or side business idea which happened to take off
But they had no intention of it becoming the success that it did.
In other words, they were barely trying and yet they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

 

[The Prowler]

actually @The Prowler, I don't have a clear idea right now What the business will be yet.

Just the idea that I'd like to do something post retirement, eh? Possibly just a side hustle.

@Joe So you do not have an idea of the type of business you want to run, but you have already decided that you want to lease office space:

But I think if I took another stab at it, I'd try to find a small inexpensive office space this time

@Joe You cannot make decisions this way. You have to start at the beginning with a viable idea, then formulate a general plan, then consider the smaller details like whether to lease office space or not.

@Joe Making these kinds of decision out-of-order this way is a clear indication that you do not have a good mind for running a business.

@Joe You need to get back to Step 1. @Joe There is no sense in you asking someone like me what my ideas are for me because you and I have different skill sets. I can give you a whole list of viable businesses that make sense for me because I have a long list of desirable skills and talents.

@Joe What skills do you bring to the table? @Joe What was the focus of your education and how well did you perform? @Joe What is your work experience? @Joe What tools and equipment do you own that might be useful?

@Joe Are you limited to doing something that anyone can do and takes no talent?

@Joe What would your focus be in running a small business?

@Joe To make profit?

@Joe To fill your time with something that you find fun and interesting?

@Joe To meet a variety of other people?

@Joe Are you looking for ideas for yourself?

@Joe I asked that question in my first post in this thread. @Joe It would help keep a conversation flowing if you answered simple questions like that.

@Joe I still do not know the point of this thread.

@Joe If you just want to know about other people's experiences in running businesses, then say so.

 

[Alticus]

@Joe So you do not have an idea of the type of business you want to run, but you have already decided that you want to lease office space:



@Joe You cannot make decisions this way. You have to start at the beginning with a viable idea, then formulate a general plan, then consider the smaller details like whether to lease office space or not.

@Joe Making these kinds of decision out-of-order this way is a clear indication that you do not have a good mind for running a business.

@Joe You need to get back to Step 1. @Joe There is no sense in you asking someone like me what my ideas are for me because you and I have different skill sets. I can give you a whole list of viable businesses that make sense for me because I have a long list of desirable skills and talents.

@Joe What skills do you bring to the table? @Joe What was the focus of your education and how well did you perform? @Joe What is your work experience? @Joe What tools and equipment do you own that might be useful?

@Joe Are you limited to doing something that anyone can do and takes no talent?

@Joe What would your focus be in running a small business?

@Joe To make profit?

@Joe To fill your time with something that you find fun and interesting?

@Joe To meet a variety of other people?



@Joe I asked that question in my first post in this thread. @Joe It would help keep a conversation flowing if you answered simple questions like that.

@Joe I still do not know the point of this thread.

@Joe If you just want to know about other people's experiences in running businesses, then say so.

You know, one tag would suffice Prowler.

 

[Joe]

Actually @The Prowler I don't mind your persistent needling in this case.

Better ta ask the hard questions now rather than later.

I'm sure if a person's asking for a loan from a bank (which I have no intention of doing) the questions would be be far worse. More like someone coming down on them like the Spanish Inquistion.

I've know some people who sunk thousands into business ventures that flopped.
It was like...$50,000, $100,000 of their or somebody else's money.

So of course the reaction of the fallout from these ventues is a painful groan from onlookers and a massive facepalm

It's actually painful to just watch them fail, since in most cases people were rooting for them.

Admittedly at this point, it's just an idea.

But if I were to go ahead with it, I'd put a max initial investment of $10,000? But hopefully not too much more than that. May $15,000 at most? Cap it at that so it ever has a chance to become a runaway out of conrol locomotive. So if the idea didn't take off, it wouldn't be like some of those unfortunate souls I've known who've lost everything in failed business ventures.

Anyways, here are some sobering statistics about small business survival rates:

 

[The Prowler]

You know, one tag would suffice Prowler.

Yeah, I know.

@Joe

 

[The Prowler]

Admittedly at this point, it's just an idea.

@Joe At this point, it sounds like you do not have an idea.

 

[Joe]

@Joe At this point, it sounds like you do not have an idea.

Yeah I think you're right. it's just a hazy idea at te moment

I've pruchased some software I think I could use in the business.

Like corelDRAW & some computer hardware and softwares.

At very worst, even if the business doesn't go ahead, I'll have some tangible assets to use as a hobby.

At very least, whatever I spend the money on are assets I get to keep it in the end.

Not like some people I knew who spent $100,000 on advertising, marketing, rent and the businesses went bust.

That's just money out the door that they will never be able to recover and they have nothing to show for it.

 

[The Prowler]

Not like some people I knew who spent $100,000 on advertising, marketing, rent and the businesses went bust.

That's just money out the door that they will never be able to recover and they have nothing to show for it.

@Joe You keep mentioning that some people have lost money on a business....

I've known at least 4 people who either lost all their savings or else their business ideas flopped, went nowhere, and they lost their investor's money.Like $50-100,000.

Some people spends thousand or their life savings on something which eventually goes bust.

I've know some people who sunk thousands into business ventures that flopped.
It was like...$50,000, $100,000 of their or somebody else's money.

So if the idea didn't take off, it wouldn't be like some of those unfortunate souls I've known who've lost everything in failed business ventures.

Not like some people I knew who spent $100,000 on advertising, marketing, rent and the businesses went bust.

That's just money out the door that they will never be able to recover and they have nothing to show for it.

@Joe What is the reason that you keep repeating yourself?

 

[Swamp-Duck]

Why don’t you sell frozen tomato purée so trannies can shove them up their arse and have a period.

 

[Joe]

@Joe You keep mentioning that some people have lost money on a business....

@Joe What is the reason that you keep repeating yourself?

I know.

But it is a fair question Prowler

Y'know @The Prowler, I suppose I do because it has to do with a family member who blew all my Dad's money on a failed venture & i remember is reaction too.

I remember my Dad saying out of frustration, "Y'know that goddam inventure/business venture whent nowhere! I spent $50,000 on it. How am I gonna get that money back?"

Even tho I think my Dad had severe doubts about it, he did it out of obligation and family ties.

So I never wanna do that to anyone.

I never forgot the lok on my Dad's face.

So it's almost like these moments of epiphany that left an impression on me.

It was the failure of this individuals which felt like one big facepalm.

I just don't wanna ever be like that Prowler.

so it's a personal issue and a memory I'll never forget

If I make mistakes, it'll be on my own dime not a relative, friend or other.

 

[The Prowler]

Why don’t you sell frozen tomato purée so trannies can shove them up their arse and have a period.

@Joe lives in the perfect place for that business.

@Joe cannot go on a bus or into a grocery store without a man dressed as a woman winking at him and giving him strong sexual energy.

 

[The Prowler]

I know.

But it is a fair question Prowler

@Joe That is why I asked it.

Y'know @The Prowler, I suppose I do because it has to do with a family member who blew all my Dad's money on a failed venture & i remember is reaction too.

I remember my Dad saying out of frustration, "Y'know that goddam inventure/business venture whent nowhere! I spent $50,000 on it. How am I gonna get that money back?"

@Joe It sounds like your father made a decision to invest a relatively small amount of money into a business and it did not go well, and then he did not accept responsibility for making the decision.

Even tho I think my Dad had severe doubts about it, he did it out of obligation and family ties.

@Joe Nobody has an obligation to invest their money in any business venture.

So I never wanna do that to anyone.

@Joe Then do not borrow money. No need to talk about it again and again.

I never forgot the lok on my Dad's face.

So it's almost like these moments of epiphany that left an impression on me.

@Joe Your dad might have been a nice person, or not. But this story certainly makes him look like a bit of a retard.

It was the failure of this individuals which felt like one big facepalm.

@Joe Yeah, your dad made a stupid decision to invest money into a risky business venture without understanding the risks.

@Joe Pretty sad when a son has to facepalm about something his father did. @Joe You must have lost a lot of respect for the old man when he pulled that boneheaded move, eh?

I just don't wanna ever be like that Prowler.

so it's a personal issue and a memory I'll never forget

If I make mistakes, it'll be on my own dime not a relative, friend or other.

@Joe Whatever. You already said that earlier in your post.

@Joe You do not even have an idea for a business. @Joe So you have no idea what your investments needs are. @Joe So it is too early to talk about the possibility of needing outside investors.

@Joe And you already said that you were only talking about a "side hustle" type business with low investment.

@Joe So why are you even dwelling on a stupid business investment that your father made years ago?

 

[Breakfall]

Ever done one or would like to do?

What's your biz idea?

And if you already don it, what are your experiences?

No right or wrong answers, anything goes as long as its related to the topic.

Ive had various small businesses since my early 20’s…my advice…do your research and get stuck in!

 

[DDT]

Ever done one or would like to do?

What's your biz idea?

And if you already don it, what are your experiences?

No right or wrong answers, anything goes as long as its related to the topic.

My experience is that any successful business requires a combination of luck, timing, and hard work.

I'll give you two examples of this in practice here: A high school dropout noticed a piece of shit pickup truck hauling junk at a McDonald's drive-through in Vancouver. He realized he could probably haul junk also for some extra cash, to help pay for his college tuition (which he also later dropped out from too). It certainly worked out for him, as the business is now known as 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

Another example is Jim's Mowing. Again, we have a dude that just wanted to make a few bucks on the side mowing lawns. It worked out for him also.

I use these examples because almost anyone can mow a lawn or haul away junk. There seems to be a combination of factors that allow one person to succeed over many others, and not just 'hard work'.

Sometimes it's entertaining to think that the clown below became a multi-millionaire by selling fucking rags... The world works in mysterious ways it seems.

 

[Breakfall]

* A good marketable name is important.
* A good grasp of interpersonal skills between the client, employees and general public.
* Export opportunities
* 5/5 reviews

If you have a shit attitude…don’t even bother…go work for someone and sort out your fucking poor work ethic and attitude.

 

[Joe]

Sometimes it's entertaining to think that the clown below became a multi-millionaire by selling fucking rags... The world works in mysterious ways it seems.

Fer some reason he looks like sleazeball & a pervert @DDT

LOL

 

[The Prowler]

Fer some reason he looks like sleazeball & a pervert @DDT

LOL

@Joe Why are you always so negative?

@Joe The Shamwow Guy is still promoting quality products that are enhancing many people's lives.

@Joe What do you think the difference is between someone like him, who pursues his dreams, and someone like you, who does not even have a basic business plan?

 

[Alticus]

I once bought a Shamwow for the old man on Father's Day.

 

[DDT]

Fer some reason he looks like sleazeball & a pervert @DDT

LOL

I'm pretty sure he is in 'real life'.

In a capitalistic system like we have here in the West, a certain type of personality is often required to succeed with their business plans. The meek very rarely succeed on their own. Those without confidence very rarely succeed on their own. Conducting business can be a dirty thing, because if you're not hustling at your best, someone else will. And by 'hustling', I mean exploiting the system for as much as it can be exploited. What many of us believe to be the 'rules' become mere 'suggestions' in the business world.

As such, the majority of people will always work for someone else. It is the nature of the beast.