15 BUSINESS STARTUPS
Follow your road to riches with a small business of your own. We’ve rounded up 15 easy-start enterprises you can begin today.
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Personalized Enterprise:
Everyone loves products that are personalized. Here’s a unique one: you
serve as a distributor for
PhotoThrow®,
working part or full time
marketing their personalized throws. The throws feature
pictures/artwork/photos of your clients on the throws, which are
completely washable.
You can work from home, host parties, do flea markets, craft fairs or
even set up a kiosk in a shopping mall. How about fundraisers for your
local schools, hospitals or other charities? The ways you can generate
income are limited only by your imagination.
Visit the website at:
Photothrow4.com to learn how the process works. According to the
site: “A photo is sent to us. We then scan that photo using our own
custom designed computer software. It is then converted into a language
our automated European knitting machines understand. The final results
are absolutely amazing. That’s right...you guessed it...we knit...just
as if we were producing a quality bulky knit sweater...except instead we
knit a beautiful personalized throw of that very special photo you sent
to us. These throws are knit with 100% Amilux, a soft cotton-like fiber.
The final results will bring a cozy, warm glow of satisfaction.
PhotoThrow® is the single most unique personalized gift product you will
ever see. PhotoThrows have never been done before, and have been wildly
successful since first introduced.”
*You don’t
need any prior experience.
*You don’t have to do any product sales presentations.
*You don’t have to bother with shipping or returns.
*You don’t have to carry inventory.
*You don’t have to buy anything else.
To Become a Distributor, just click here
Be your own boss, in a business you own for a startup cost of $299. Log
on to the website to learn more or contact the company headquarters:
PhotoThrow, Inc., 280 Midland Avenue Bldg K., Saddle Brook, NJ 07663.
The phone numbers are: 800/524-0914 or 201/794-8400 and the fax is
201/794-8458.
There is no
time like the present to start your own business. You don’t have to jump
into it on a full-time basis; you could keep your current job—and
benefits—and launch your business on a part-time or weekends-only basis.
Why do it?
Because if the business is launched properly, you could hit the bigtime.
Get set for success; don’t anticipate anything bad, and start
researching your options.
Before we
get into our roundup of possibilities, we’d like to outline some of the
basics of running a business from your kitchen table, garage, attic or
spare bedroom. Use these basic tips to help you start your own business.
Select a
business you will enjoy:
Find something you love to do and then figure out how to get paid to do
it.
Create
an inventory of your hobbies, talents and interests:
What types of businesses could you start that relate to your
interests? An individual who loves parties and music might want to
consider starting a mobile DJ service.
Check
out zoning rules:
You will not be able to set up a restaurant at home or a dry
cleaning business or a commercial parking lot right on your front lawn.
To find out about local zoning laws, call your town office and county
clerk’s office.
Register
your company:
Take a trip down to your county clerk’s office and register your
name. You will receive a Business Index number and can then use that
Business Index number to open a business checking account.
Give
your business a professional image:
Most of your customers might never see your home office, so impress
them with your professionalism. Get a separate phone line, fax machine;
an answering machine or voice mail and you are in business!
Check
out your insurance coverage:
Examine your insurance policy.
Generating business:
Print up a flier, send out a press kit to local newspapers.
Investigate advertising; offer to give a speech at a local club; send
out discount coupons; attend trade shows; These methods will help you
generate business and customers.
Accounting for success:
it’s a good idea to get a grip on basic accounting principles and
bookkeeping skills.
As you get set to launch your own small business, consider the following:
- How
do I know if I have a good idea for a business?
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has put together 3 criteria for a successful business. You should be able to answer “yes” to at least one of the following:
Does the product/service business serve a presently unserved need?
Does the product/service serve an existing market in which demand exceeds supply?
Can the product/service successfully compete with existing businesses catering to the same market niche?
-
Should I write a business plan?
A business plan helps one to organize all aspects of running the venture. It will help you answer all of the questions you need to in order to start your business with confidence.
The business plan should contain: a summary of what your business is; a brief outline on how you plan to sell this product or service; an overview on who your customer is; a budget; a financing plan; a strategy for getting publicity and generating interest in your product or service.
- Will
I need a lot of money?
The start-up capital you’ll need will vary depending on what type of business you are starting. However, you should: figure out what it costs to make your product or offer your service, and then set a price. Once a price is set, determine how many units/clients you’ll need each month to survive. Your monthly income should, of course, be greater than your expenses.
If your business is seasonal—firewood delivery, for example—figure out how much you need to make during your high season to sustain you through the dry months.
- How
will I know if my business is successful?
Success is rated in many ways. Picasso said that if one could see no line of demarcation between work and play, they had achieved success. Some measure success in terms of money, others in freedom and flexibility. It’s up to you. •