Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I`m really looking to start up a new business this year as I have a lot of free time during the evenings and weekends (planning to do it part-time for now).   I`m very tech-savvy and can do my own web programming and designing (have done freelance work for awhile).  Some of my interests and hobbies include music, video gaming, sports, cooking and dogs. 

I`m really just trying to figure out what type of business might suit me or of some ideas to get the ball rolling in my head and on my paper.

Any help or initial thoughts or concept would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi Erik, welcome to the community :-)

We hear this question so often, and I think I recall seeing a topic where there was a book out there to help. Perhaps some other folks remember.

The bottom line is to sit down and do some thinking (and imagining) about your life. What do you want out of life? Why are we here? These are philosophic questions, avoided now for so many decades they almost sound silly. But they`re not.

Unless you have a sense of what you want from life, then you`re just drifting along, reacting to events rather than acting on your own.

Another problem in today`s culture is that "business" almost always associates only with money, and making money. Unfortunately, that`s not enough. Nor is it really the meaning of business, when you get right down to it.

A good way to get the old brain moving and think differently about business is to ask yourself, "What would I like to create in the world that people would enjoy?"

It`s quite simple to figure out ways to make money from things we do. It`s NOT so easy to figure out why we want to do something that`s generating money. It`s why so many people ask, "Is that all there is" after they`ve become financially successful.

Music, cooking and dogs all offer a relatively clear way to get into something creative. Video gaming and sports aren`t quite as easy to see. That`s not to say the latter don`t offer many creative ways to have a good time with a business; only that it would take a bit more thought.

So: If you were limited only to 1 sentence, how would you describe what you want from life?

Hm...I got to thinking, reading the question, that it may not be clear what I mean, so here`s my answer:

The key here is that "paying for" stuff subsumes the idea that you`ll bring in money of some sort. But why? What would you DO with that money?

The concept of "whenever I choose" applies to the freedom to act however I see fit, not being limited or constrained by too many obligations and demands. There are many implied pathways to the answer, all of which can be extracted with a bit more discussion.

But to start, 1 sentence should pretty much cover it. :-) What`s yours?

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Thanks for the replies guys.  What I really want is to be able to work on my own schedule, on my own time while obviously making money.  I`d say I have a talent for web design and web development and what I`ve always thought of doing was freelance work.  

So here`s my train of thought:

I would like to provide a low-cost service to small-businesses to help them establish a web identity.  I would hope to provide small businesses ranging from dog-walking business to lawn care to house cleaning, etc with websites to help promote and draw in business. 

I realize that businesses of this nature have very small budgets for any sort of marketing not more than word of mouth.  So I`d like to go in and try and help them develop websites for a minimal upfront cost (yet to be determined).  From there I would also help them setup a domain, provide web hosting (at a monthly cost) and provide web maintenance based on a monthly contracted cost (flat or per service). 

Overall I would be able to make an upfront cost of the initial design, then have monthly recurring income based on web hosting and web maintenance.

What does everyone think of that?  The questions that I`m personally trying to answer are:

1.) Will providing this lower-cost design service provide me with enough income?
2.) Are these types of small businesses interested in developing a website?
3.) Is there a large enough market to have recurring work on a month to month basis?
4.) Is this too much work and not enough money to make it worthwhile?

Thanks for listening and maybe even replying!

The biggest concern in my mind, would be number 2. I don`t believe that the businesses you listed would really be in need of a website. That doesn`t mean you can`t change who you are targeting slightly, to businesses that would be more in need of web design, but not where their business depends on it (since it looks like you are interested in the lower budget clients).

For example, a landscaper really doesn`t need an online presence. An interior designer, on the other hand, would find an online presence useful to provide photos of their work. Their business might not NEED a site, but it would certainly benefit them.


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I think it could be argued that every small business SHOULD have a website to help promote their product, services and work.  Although a landscaper might not NEED a website, would having one provide an extra level of professionalism to their work?  Could they provide client testimonials and work that they`ve done online?  Could they provide their URL on a business card to let potential customers learn more about their business?

That`s the way I think about it.  If you go to any classified ad website you see postings from all of the types of companies I`ve listed above, but very few of them provide a URL to further explain their service.  Wouldn`t they benefit from driving traffic to a professionally done website?

That`s the way I`m viewing it, but I can appreciate your train of thought to.  To many of these businesses, a website may seem an extravagant expense and one that may not be necessary in their minds.

Anyone else care to help me work this one through?

I got an interesting (be it to good to be true) proposal the other day. the service is similar to service master where they connect people wanting things built with people that build things. there are a ton of these type of businesses out there they all have different fee structures and in general from my network aren`t worth the money. anyway the offer was to contact their prospects and if I got any jobs from them to Name my own fee for the job. if I didn`t get the job there was no fee, and it was all on the honor system. I didn`t reply because it just sounds like a scam to me, maybe if they offered an introductory period rather than the zen structure.
I believe many small business owners would like a website, I think many are to intimidated to make one, and won`t hire someone because they feel that leaves them exposed for long term maintenance fees and if it doesn`t improve their sales how do they get out?
I have 2 friends in my network with very successful businesses, turning millions per year and they refuse to get a website, one won`t even deal with email for this very reason.
so somewhere in there is a thought, if you were to decide to do this type of business, somehow get them in cheap or free, then let them out if they don`t get results in a specified time frame.
I don`t know how you would do that and make a profit, but I think if you are going to target small (micro) business you have to take the risk out of the equation. surely once they are over the hump they will see benefits and be willing to pay for improvements and maintenance, for the long term.
I don`t know it seems the field is a bit packed up at the moment as well, I must get 5 emails a week to build me the most awesome high tech website.
Have you figured out a business with the dog angle?

Thanks for the feedback as well.  I`d like to prove it to those micro-businesses without the websites that a website is helpful and it will help bring their business to new heights.

And I also wonder if the market is too packed?  Are there a lot of companies offering micro-businesses websites?  I feel that targeting this niche along with a quality product could succeed, but I can also see how they will be hard to convince to spend money on things.

Some additional advice and guidance would be appreciated.

very saturated and very true - it is the hardest concept to get across to them that it can be frustrating sometimes.  the best weapon you can carry in your arsenal is a full blown testimonial with data supporting the change/increase in business from a small business you have done work for.  try offering your services as very low cost initially, or even free if you can afford to and let them see for themselves what the web can do. then perhaps you can charge for maintenance or ongoing optimization/internet marketing?  you can sign up to be an affiliate of a domain reseller, hosting company etc. so that even the site you make for your clients at a very low cost initially gives you residual income??

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Hi Erik,
I know you believe you answered the question about what you "really want," but actually...you didn`t.

All you did was say the same thing everyone says, "I want money." The problem is to know what you want the money for. That`s the Life Plan.

Yes, you also said you want to work on your own schedule, thereby having free time. To do what? Again the life plan.

For this topic, you`re presumably looking for a business idea; a business to select. But the topic as it actually is proceeding would be better titled, "How do I start a Web services company." :-D

So the question is are you trying to find a business, or do you already know what business you want, and just need to work on a business plan?

Either way, without a life plan, you`re likely going to end up creating just another job. :-)