Guest ARGH Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Independent...in proper lingo... Ok..Been repairing,keycutting,watches,engraving...basically doing the job for a 'large national' firm,for a good part of a decade I dont claim to know everything,unlike some of my collegues, but I can hold my own and would like to think Im a hardworker... So,in a hopefully uncocky way,I can do the jobs,pretty much most of what comes my way.... But ,of late,Im feeling a little...well..a change of situ feels best,Ive the cash available,and have found a few decent solvent towns without a multi services operative shop (errrr....persons like us),and really Im feeling like spreading my wings. Thing is as is typical of working for a 'large national' firm..I have not a clue where to start,who to contact,who to trust (except my own judgment) or where to begin? Just I can do it,if I had a honest guiding hand..... Please help one and all,Im getting really cheesed off and feel like I want to be my own boss....(with maybe a decent boss's salary?? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 First find a shop, next contact the landlord & get it, then buy your machinery & get it installed. Next hand in your notice & open the doors, what could be simpler! for the more intricate questions you may have, you'll have to ask those as the problems arise! Don't be put off by those who "try" to make everything sound complicated, I started when I was 19 & lets face it if a 19 year old with 2.5 years experience can do it anyone can! Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Friend Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 BUT Lee you still get the pixie to do your shoe mending during the night!!!! Go for it the worst that can happen is........ Just before you plunge make sure your contract does not prevent you starting or working within x miles of your employer. Mostly not used these days but just check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Gardner Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 First find a shop, next contact the landlord & get it, then buy your machinery & get it installed. Next hand in your notice & open the doors, what could be simpler! for the more intricate questions you may have, you'll have to ask those as the problems arise! Don't be put off by those who "try" to make everything sound complicated, I started when I was 19 & lets face it if a 19 year old with 2.5 years experience can do it anyone can! Lee go for it mate i was 20 when i went self employed 11 years ago 31 now and 2 full multi service shops and 2 vans on the road if you need any suppliers details or anything just post on here and i am sure you will get plenty of answers. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Find a good accountant, and listen to their advice, same goes for a solicitor and Bank. contact the local chamber of trade, go to the meetings "see all hear all say nowt". Check out the local council for any available funding or free courses. TRUST YOUR OWN JUDGMENT, but admit your mistakes to yourself, i still make 'em but with luck i learn from 'em. what ever your budget is have at least a 15-20% contingency fund. GO FOR IT good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Friend Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Yes I have to say a back up fund is essential, by the time you buy stock and equip and open on monday and no customers, none tuesday, and so on it took me 6 months before the shop broke even on its running costs and 12 months before I could pay myself wages. Good job I was employed as a fireman, mind you had to have a staff member as well difficult to open a shop when you 20 miles away at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Find a good accountant, and listen to their advice, same goes for a solicitor and Bank. contact the local chamber of trade, go to the meetings "see all hear all say nowt". Check out the local council for any available funding or free courses.TRUST YOUR OWN JUDGMENT, but admit your mistakes to yourself, i still make 'em but with luck i learn from 'em. what ever your budget is have at least a 15-20% contingency fund. GO FOR IT good luck Great advice =D> But make sure you contact all the sponsors that can supply the bits and pieces you may need and do a business plan BEFORE you take a lease! Good luck Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k4mrc Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 by Alan » Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:45 pm Find a good accountant, and listen to their advice, same goes for a solicitor and Bank. contact the local chamber of trade, go to the meetings "see all hear all say nowt". Check out the local council for any available funding or free courses. TRUST YOUR OWN JUDGMENT, but admit your mistakes to yourself, i still make 'em but with luck i learn from 'em. what ever your budget is have at least a 15-20% contingency fund. best advice given to me - an accountant does not make you money - he only knows how to save you tax! your the one in the driving seat not him! so make your own mind up after listening to advice, but - dont take it as gospel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakeemz Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 some good advice there 4 u mate ,, these guys speak from experience,, all i can say is you wont learn to swim if u dont jump in the water go 4 it you v got great support on this forum good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny King Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi Great Idea work for yourself all the profit is yours. You will find plenty of help on here. I don't want to put you off the idea but here is a few negative and postive points. 1) You will never work a normal day again. You will work 7 days a week and 12hrs a day to start with. 2) You don't get holiday or sick pay. 3) Remember the money in the till isn't yours. You get what is left after the Tax, Vat, Suppliers, Rent, Rates and Insurance take there bit. 4) Allow a year before you start to earn a wage. 5) Make sure you do as much homework you can on the postion of your shop. Spend as much time as pos walking around outside it. All at different times of the day. Check out the competion and never under estimate them. Ask yourself why would they use me and not them. Price isn't the answer to that one. 6) Get all that right and running you own shop will be the best thing you can do. The feeling when you open the door in morning is great. Also no more bosses telling you what and how todo things. (Except for the wife if you are married ) All the best, If you need any help give me a shout Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ARGH Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Thankyou,thankyou,THANKYOU....so much good advice.... The accounts tale repeats a natter with Dad this morning (self employed for 40 years)....as are the warnings,and they are dire and as Ive seen with others..VERY F*^King true. I realise the effort,no sick pay,no pension..unless...rates,rent,time,materials cost..the 'what to do if you break something that costs a bomb and isnt yours.." type stuff,hygiene,H&S,public liability,insurance,what EXACT services are you gonna offer..Leather goods as well???,shops image (yes Ive been thinking of that..I notice you really have too these days,some local town councils can be really quite strict)...hell..who's gonna take the rubbish away??? ...ARGH ..My...BRAIN!!! Ive been in this odd mood for about 4 months now,and its not going away either....SO I guess somethings gonna have to change... ----------------- So....where's we too now???!? Lets talk figures,it would be downright nosey to ask what you guys make,so I wont...but lets talk how much I'd need to get off the launchpad and into Greenland...strict hard cash!! (dirty sexy filthy..you love it dont you!!..yes ..you do..go on..DANCE!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny King Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi, Sorry I hope I didn't give you a brain overload. With start up cots depend onLocation i.e. High Street or shopping center or out of town parade? Also what services you want to offer? Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ARGH Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Try....Middle/Upperclass external town of a larger county town,in a commuter/agricultural area...pref Ive seen a location on the main drag,thats on a corner..Good affluent population,Grammer/private school/rich farming types...and active/retired services (think sandhurst brass....not the 'men'). Any other info and I blow the locale...but nearest MSO is about 6 miles away in said larger town (of which there are several).... Its not a major city center..or a massive high street..but it is a place where they like and support 'local'...Politically its dyed blue to a colour almost purple. -------What do I want to offer???------ Shoe repairs,Key cutting,Engraving....my good lady likes the idea of selling leather goods,belts,bags,etc....(of which my knowledge is limited on the latter)...Watch repairs,bit of sharpening on the side (strange to say but again the mrs 'really' knows how to do this to an,alarmingly,almost surgical level) selling trophies,the usual pewter/Steel engravables. Basically what I know now...for safetys financial sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh-Candoit (ENG) Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 You are targeting the right areas and have the right motives. you have the experience of high pressure workload and customer service. Take these skills with you as they are invaluable, what works for a multiple can work even better for an independant if used to its best advantage. Ther is no limit to the help and advice that you will get on this forum, the members are in all fields and have expertise at all levels. Just as you have technicians to call upon now as an employee, you will have access to many great minds within this forum, some of the contries top technicians are on this forum along with the representatives of all the suppiers to each and every service that you would care to provide. It works like this..you ask the question and let the battle commence as to who can give the best advice... you take the aswer that suits you best. There have been others with the same problems and unless the posts have been deleted perhaps Lee could point you towards those posts with some very good advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ARGH Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Totally,pretty much,jacked this idea in.....There is no hope,everything is either saturated,or too small a place for me to start up.... The place I'd thought I'd struck gold in...looked ace..felt right...so I REALLY wandered the streets,and 20 mins pass,Ive grin a mile wide and then.... BANG.....bugger..repairer..and keys...and an engraver... Not great,just typically what I was aiming for,so I started some research,and taking aint that great in that town.... ------------------------------------------------ So I feel utterly adrift,it seems hopeless,I have to admit I dont have what seems to be enough financially (from the advice Ive been quoted) and I cant find anywhere.... Sorry,just feel shitty and down.....Takings are crap right now,I hope someone's doing well.....Im not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Don't give up mate, keep looking something will turn up. You have the enthusiasm and the skills. I don't know how wide you have cast your net but try a little futher. There must be somwhere. Never give up!! Are you willing to move location to achieve your goals? Cheer up have a beer! Bloody hell I feel miserable now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petercoulson Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 getting a shop in a good location will always be the hardest part but it is also the most crucial part so no point giving up, the opportunity will arise one day. may involve actually buying an existing shop who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Friend Posted July 15, 2009 Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 Is the town not big enough for another quality shop offering other services, I dunno much about SRI but what about photoprinting and framing, watch repairs - have you thought about a radical move to a completely new area. Life has a habit of kicking you in the nuts, (ask me how I know sometime) its a way of making you look longer and harder at the situation, thats why I'm divorced once and waiting for the second \:D/ =D> and now live in Bury St Edmunds and not Benidorm and I'm now installing access control not opening locks and working 24/7. Happy yep more than I have been for 10 years - so sharp intake of breath and talk to her who must be always right and see where you can go next. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodave Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Hi I don't want to put you off the idea but here is a few negative and postive points.. 4) Allow a year before you start to earn a wage Danny but the plus side of not earning any wages at the start is that if you get a good position then your shop is worth a minimum of a 100k after a couple of years which just means you get paid at the end. Totally,pretty much,jacked this idea in.....There is no hope,everything is either saturated,or too small a place for me to start up.... its taken me 7 months to find a good location, dealing with landlords that think a multiple is a safer bet is hard work and does pee you off, but now is the right time as all the multiples are skint and not taking as many risks. you can always go to work for your boss and earn 500 quid a week or you can be your own boss and earn double that and then sell your shop on at the end why make the rich richer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discodave Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 argh if you want a good location then reading or basingstoke will get you at least 3k a week more with the right machinery there are no independents here just birch and timmos. reading is the best place cos shoecare are in a real bad position and then there are 2 timpson shops who are absolutely ripping the customers off, my mate went in to get a plaque engraved and the shop quoted £10 for the plaque and then a £1 a letter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOCKED-IN Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 HI Mate Have a look around see if there is any schemes going i.e. start up trusts or enterprise loans I‘m sure the government has some start up initiatives Have a look around for second hand / reconditioned machines which will do for the first year I know Keith at standard often knows where there are some The saving can cover 6 months running costs And lastly Don’t listen to ALL the sales men that say you need 100 of this and that in this area when you can start with 20 and next day order more as you use them I did and ended up with thousands of stuff that never sold and when you get started move your counter forward so it does not look empty at first and as it fills up with stock move it back -simple logic to look fullly stocked And lastly gofor it Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers&keys Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 If you need some fixtures and fittings I have some bespoke counters/engraving workstation & window display fittings that I had made by a shop fitting company (18 months ago) in exellent condition for sale if you are interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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