Chit Chat
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Any people with their own business on here?
Any people with their own business on here?
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Replies: 60
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Hank's For That
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My son and I have an allotment, and are real beginners. But have already learnt.....
You really need to be on top of your produce, with some crop or other being available, more or less every month of the year. Cash flow will be a killer if you are not very careful, with potential cash only flowing inwards, when you have a crop to sell. Someone on here, said only take advise from someone with a business (which is sound advice). However, you need to take advise from similar business areas to your own. Your business I suspect will be unlike many others, so special considerations will apply. Unless of course you are a sprout salesman, who only sells his chosen product, once a year. The very best of luck to you in 2017, in your chosen venture. |
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Jaysus lads, its a vegetable patch we are talking abut here. And best of luck with it.
Chit Chat's finest queueing up for advisory and mentoring roles is shirley a little OTT? |
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Come on Ozy, 'tis the season of goodwill to all men and all that, all well intended stuff from the friendliest corner of the forum.
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Hank, I obviously want to wish you success in this, but sometimes you have to be negative to be positive!
Rather than trying to prove that your business will work, you rally have to attempt to prove why it won't work! Exaggerate the negatives so you can see the worst case scenario. Firstly I can't see how you can do this part time, as you need to be available throughout all the different growing seasons. Furthermore you will have to give your customers a reason to buy from you, rather than who they may be using now. They may well require deliveries several times a week, and the first time you can't follow through for whatever reason, you will be dead in the water. Making sure you never fail on quantity will mean that you have to over produce, and then you will need something in place to to sell the surpluses. You will have crop failures along the way, and I just have to wonder how many businesses you will need to supply, to make any kind of a living out of it. I reckon you would be better off having a market stall, a couple of days a week, where it won't matter if, for instance, you have a problem or two with one of your crops. Also you won't have the nuisance of having to be available, at the drop of a hat, to deliver what could be such small quantities, and at a cut throat price, and barely covering your overheads! Gosh, I'm sorry but I waffled on a bit here but cvan you see from that, at least, that you have to look on the black side? Best of luck to you..... |
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Great suggestion Aunty regarding the market stall, dip your toe in and test the temperature before you plunge in headfirst.
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Exactly Angoose.....never mind about all this local produce nonsense etc, and cut out the people who will want your produce at cut throat price.
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Home deliveries of boxes of organic produce to more upmarket areas is worth looking at.
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When considering starting your own small business remember this. You often work on ancillary stuff for which you don't get paid but costs you time. There are no sickies. No holiday pay. Depending on the business no unpaid holiday time. Employing other people can be an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE and may make you scared to answer your phone. Again,depending on the business it can be very stressful. Is it worth that? Some businesses obviously are very lucrative but if you can get a permanent job (especially a government one) you might find life a lot better.
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Give it a go. Don't listen to the negative vibes.
Good Luck ! You deserve it. |
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Another good idea from Ron and will all be covered in the business plan which will include the Marketing Mix and it's Four P's.
Product, Price, Place and Promotion. What am I going to sell, how much will I sell it for, how will I sell it and how will I make people aware of it. Sorry Ron for more buzzword bingo  but these tools are simply a way of ensuring that you consider all aspects in advance. |
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I can forsee a few resignations n principle from the Executive Advisory Bard when it comes to the prickly decision of employing cheap immigrant labour for the picking season.
Best to include an appendix section in the business plan on Employment Practice to avoid any embarrassment at board level down the road. |
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Very good Ozy, very good
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Not sure we're going to be able to rope in Shakespeare to help out though ......
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I forsee a sort of Kibbutz style arrangement whereby the great and the good of Chit Chat descend on Hank's Vegetable patch for the picking season.
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I'd keep business small
decent/wage hours |
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Be wary of slugs
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Good advice, slugs and dung beetles, nasty creatures.
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Good Luck with this Hank, be aware of Restaurants changing their Menus. Try to get them to discuss this with you so you have time to change your produce.
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Hank, here are the true odds of your business becoming a succsess....the exact odds are 1/3. When I say that, depending on what you're getting yourself involved in that odds could vary.
But overall 25% of new businesses go bust within a year. The odds are in your favour. Good luck. |
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But overall 25% of new businesses go bust within a year. ...and the rest the year after  |