Minirotty

I am thinking of doing just that but not imediatly giving up my current employment.

Who gave you the best advice and guidance with things such as buisness plans and marketing strats etc?

I have been on a few goverment websites and found a few good links to information but get a bit bogged down in it all tbh.

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

what line of business?

Minirotty

Substance misuse education / training for large buisnesses with multiple employees.

edited because of below reply, and why deleted?

RS2000CUSTOM

The last bloke on here who said he was setting up a business got his thread deleted so carefull how anyone replies to this

Saaamon

iTrader: (2)

Do you think there is a market for this service you wish to offer? I'm not in your line of work but struggling to see many companies that would be willing to pay for this. I'm a part owner of our family business, we started up a cleaning business ten years ago and now employ 35+ people and have 50 contracts, some small and some very large.

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

i think the first thing you need to do is find out if there is a market for this type of thing

i must admit i know nothing about drugs or the line of work you are in, so i'm not going to pretend to

by the sounds of it you want to offer a consultancy type service? if so then you need to be targeting medium/big companies. perhaps speak to HR departments in these companies, i'm sure they must take provisions for this sort of thing.

i would get some government facts and figures (about misuse of drugs) and maybe do an introduction letter to you and your services and send them to companies. It may even be worth your while advising such companies of how to communicate this to there employees, e.g anonymously and act as the mediator between the employee and the company. blah blah blah, you get the idea

there will lots of advise on the internet, but i know people like natwest offer a small business advisor (some info here http://www.natwest.com/business/busi...d/default.ashx )

never written a business plan so cant help there, but there will be some templates you can follow to help

Harris.

Yeah that WAS me . i started trading monday this week . The first thing i did was loads of homework on running costs /overheads , the most important thing is cashflow each month (in my game anyway) as its a courier company . Get yourself a business plan drawn up and go see a accountant , he will give you the best advice . So far this week my work load has gone through the roof and im just about clearing it all



Good luck

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

just found this, maybe helpful http://www.teneric.co.uk/

Minirotty

Yer, I spoken with five companies so far all be it they were larger than your own with on average 100+ employees and all have issues with substance misuse in there work place and are willing in principle to sign up if I ever make the buisness concrete as they can only at present find services in this field that offer ceminars etc

It's not the buisness idea I would like help with it's the putting it into a structured package.

The customer base is there just looking for the support avenues available with setting up things like buisness plans.

Basicly is there support available for people with no idea of buisness plans etc

Minirotty

Thanks bud.

Minirotty

why deleted?

glad your doing well though

Saaamon

iTrader: (2)

We had no business plan or advisor's, just picked up the mop and bucket from under the stairs placed and advert in the paper and was very lucky that it turned out well.

A friend of mine set up a transport business 12months ago, runs 3 luton vans and takes 10k gross pm. That was all from a little advert on ebay offering washing machine delievery etc.

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

fair play to you; not saying it cant be done

but i'd imagine there is alot more legislation, red tape etc with regards to drugs then there is with transport & cleaning

Minirotty

I also have a friend who runs a cleaning buisness but got passed on from his mother thats why I havent asked him.

He is currently having issues with regards to his employees not being trained correctly and also insurance cover for all the employees. Every buisness at present seems to have a shit load of red tape and regs that are needed.

Saaamon

iTrader: (2)

Its hard for me to comment to much because i don't understand your field but is it not possible to find out how other companies offering a similar service, operate and base it on that?

Failing that just make it up as you go along, its how alot of people have got whether they are.

Saaamon

iTrader: (2)

We have also have issues with employees and training, all part and parcel of the job. You'll have your own set of porblems every business does.

As long as you can think on your feet and deal with a problem quick you'll be fine.

Harris.

Because i added the website

markk

iTrader: (2)

Being in business is a very hard thing to do, everyone thinks your loaded when you have your own company, the inland revenue just as much as the next person, there are too many government bodies these days for a small business to survive legally imo even more so if you need premises.
the government are too hard on taxing businesses and everyone wants a piece of you for it, you name its for a business and its more expensive no matter what you buy/need.

tread very carefully, the first few years will be the hardest, the first year will make or break you, after that you may get sick to death of all the work you have to do at home when not at work/in working hours. being self employed can become very monotonous if your not careful.

vaughant

iTrader: (1)

Markk,how true you are.I've been doing it for just over a year and that's enough for me.I'm not deliberatley trying to put u off but it sounds to me to be something that once you've had a lecture on substance abuse I can't ever see why you'd need one again and in this day and age people and companies are only looking to save money,it's getting harder and harder to sack people nowadays and so i'd imagine substance abuse would be a good copout for employers if there's someone their not happy with.I used to work in a car plant where absolutley loads of boys did drugs/alcohol of some description just to get thru shift sometimes but we all knew the culprits and most foremen/ managers turned a blind eye.I left over a year ago yet spoke to my mate today who says it's changed beyond belief as everyone there is shit scared of losing their jobs and even the diehards are really towing the line as the job Market is so poor right now.I'm currently in the bodywork trade and it's fucking dire,people just won't part with their cash.were doing a superb job and have little to no comebacks at all,I made zero cash in first 6 months but the council put our business rates up 60%,shocking.everyone wants a piece of pie,other business owners in the estate are wankers,one came over the unit the other day asking why we had the radio on and were we paying the music licence fee.I laughed at him and two days later I get a phone call to ask if were using a radio as it's illegal!!!Think long and hard about everything that you'll need as you are paying for it all,toilet paper,pens,tea,coffee aside from the obvious leccy gas car rates rent it's a massive commitment and while I'm not saying you won't succeed think very carefully,is your product sustainable?how easy will it be to ACTUALLY get the bookings?Will you be able to cut costs to an absolute minimum?are you,like me,a bit too easy going cos if you are your staff will smell it and take the piss,guaranteed.try it out and be realistic down to the penny how much you'll really make on a gig,take into account travelling time,accommodation,food everything.I'd say if your in a stable job then think VERY carefully.