Start a new company..... go

[Kaz Hayashi]

I've had several thoughts about starting a company, getting excited at the prospect, planning how i would pitch it to investors, checking out specific import tax, how i could get it to market and instantly laughing at myself in mirror with a tiny tear.

 

Ideas have included anything from:

- Self employed music therapist (my background).

- Finding a new niche thing tell the world about on youtube, but there doesnt seem to be anything new to talk about. On top of that i'm neither photogenic and i'm from the north east, both massive disadvantages, in general. Id also possibly hate myself for doing it.

- Make music bespoke for wrestling companies. This was a go'er for a bit, but wrestling companies who want your music are usually skint, so that dropped off.

- Custom action figures, really time consuming and its more of a theraputic hobby that you might get a few quid for, not quite something to give notice at work for, however the idea of handing in a tiny notice, held in the hand of a custom action figure of my boss, who would have a spot on face so theres no question who it is, but making his mid riff incredibly unproportionate and with a shit hair cut....yeah, that'll show them.

 

I either have good ideas that I can realistally start up but wont make sufficient money from, or really shit ideas with no concept of reality but sound cool as fuck.

 

Then i saw this and thought how the hell can that be a business??

 

https://potatoparcel.com

 

So i'm going to dust myself down, have a really hard think, pull my socks up and work out how to become incredibly rich through basic business.

 

Have any of you started a business, or have had semi serious ideas, other than while watching dragons den?

[Monkee]

I started a business around 3 years ago. My dad and I went into business together as a hobby. Off the cuff he suggested setting up an online shop but left the actual up to me.

 

Originally I wanted to do a plus size clothing shop similar to Torrid in the US that sells branded music/film/TV clothing for the larger lady. I love that website but there's nothing like it here so I spend a fortune on import tax when I buy stuff. I actually got to speak to one of the big honchos at their HQ in the US about licensing and stuff. They were really interested in maybe franchising but then we got to UK licensing and that's when things came to a hault because I would need to license the brands myself here in order to then sell their branded products. That is VERY expensive so I had to aim smaller.

 

Instead, I got in contact with the studios themselves to find out who their official lincensees were in the UK. I was then able to source official products in bulk. I went about setting up the website, buying the products, setting myself up as self employed, got a business bank account and a PO Box number. I really wanted to be like Truffle Shuffle and modelled my business on them.

 

I never expected to make millions or anything like that but it's been massively hard going especially considering it's just a hobby and I don't have the time (or money) to give it what's needed. I did my self assessment today and, because of my full-time job, even though the business made a loss last year I still have to pay more tax than my actually incomings.

 

It sucks big time but I'm going to have to shut it down in the New Year. It was a fun thing to do with my dad but I'I paying about £40 a month for nothing and the stock is just taking up space on my parents' spare bedroom. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it either considering a 50% sale didn't even drum up that much interest.

 

Anyway, if you have the time and capital for a proper go at it then go for it. I wish I had both but not right now unfortunately.

[drkopen]

Monkee have you looked at FB at least they have plenty of traffic and will free a room up in your house.

 

Kaz although you probably won't make a million there is probably a market for customs. Get the wrestlers onside (give them a cut) tape some unboxing videos with them on youtube.

[Monkee]

I've done Facebook and Twitter ads and, while I get traffic, it doesn't convert to sales. I'm having more luck with my designs on Redbubble right now.

[drkopen]

Buggar autocorrect changed my post to FB I meant FBA (fulfilment by Amazon).

 

Are you capturing emails addresses or doing any retargeting?

[Dead Mike]

I've done it this year (with my mate/business partner). Opened a beer shop & micro-pub, it's been brutal tbh given I've still got the day job too. 70hr weeks & only be in the house to sleep a lot of the time. It got a bit better but then had a staff member just walk out (the fat little cunt) so back to the grind. I've had 4 consecutive days off work in total this year & feel like I've aged 5 years.

 

Better to have a crack & fail than not try at all though.

 

[Arch Stanton]

That looks amazing Dead Mike! Love that set-up. I'd love to do that.

[Dead Mike]

Cheers, aside from the hours it's been good. We're only on a 2yr lease so have got a decent 'get out' if it all goes tits up.

[Your Fight Site]

had a staff member just walk out (the fat little cunt)

 

I hope there isn’t a tribunal.

[Guy Bifkin]

Looks fantastic Mike - where are you based? I'd genuinely love to do something like that minus all the long hours and stuff.

 

Me and a friend had an idea for a burial service whereby we would plant fruit or vegetables above your loved one's corpse and supply you with a yearly hamper of jams and chutneys grown from their decomposing remains. 

[Dead Mike]

Looks fantastic Mike - where are you based? I'd genuinely love to do something like that minus all the long hours and stuff.

 

Me and a friend had an idea for a burial service whereby we would plant fruit or vegetables above your loved one's corpse and supply you with a yearly hamper of jams and chutneys grown from their decomposing remains. 

 

Nantwich in Cheshire.

 

I remember reading something about a burial service where the corpse was wrapped in biodegradable material & a tree of the families was planted above it. That way you got a tree instead of, or as well as a tombstone which I thought was a nice idea.

[Guy Bifkin]

In the unlikely event I'm ever in that neck of the woods I'll pop in for a pint or three. 

[Gus Mears]

We were able to put Grandpa's ashes in a new orchard in his home town. His transformation from irate Jewish businessman to apple tree has been remarkable.

[Kaz Hayashi]

Mike, thats great man, cracking looking set up. Basically my ideal. My dad has worked in the sales rep/brew trade for 22 years and for fun as a kid i helped lay pythons/lines and the like, hence why i love my beer. One of my ideas which i will never embark upon was to set up a Japanese craft import ssrvice. Set up a weekend beer festival, joined with a japanese culture festival (manga/games/robots etc).

They have an astonishingly good craft market that has yet to hit our shores, they have one of the biggest beer consumption markets in the world and i cant help but think its one of the last tapped markets to bring to market.

Then reality hit and i realised... there must be a reason as all sounds too good to be true.

 

DRKOPEN - Have actually been down that route pal. Custom endorsements (phots/vids) from Steve Corino, Zack Ryder, Terry Funk, Doug Williams, Wrath, Lanny Poffo to name a few, the most amusing being one from new jack, to which he said "silly white boy, looks more like norman smiley"

 

 

does it really new jack?.. ding

[Kaz Hayashi]

by the way monk, thats sad to hear. I checked your site out a while ago when you posted a link and i wondered at the time if the prints were licensed. Amazing that they are, shame to hear thats the reason for it coming to an end mate.