Need business idea suggestions

C

comquat1

Experienced Member
Joined
17 September 2002
Messages
1,770
Location
MI
Hey all,
I am in sales for a living, and a co-worker and I (who's also in sales) are racking our brains to come up with a starter business idea that we can get going on. Our only problem is we don't have any great ideas. Our goal is to be able to start on the side and work it into something big and be our own bosses essentially if things pan out. I thought, heck, there's alot of smart people on this site that I'm sure plenty were entrepenuers themselves, so I'm asking for your help to give us some ideas. As of right now we've got nothing but drive. We're open to any type with the exception of a franchise, we want to be in control.
Any ideas or places to start research?
 
We're thinking just the fun of starting something from scratch, we're both in sales, so obviously selling something is what we'd like to look into, just what that item(s) is(are) creates the big question.
 
How about selling a service instead of a product? You could run your own commercial cleaning operation with a minimal outlay of cash, hire a cleaning crew, and work on a contract basis. You would be the sales guy, selling the benefits of your services, and hire out the actual work.

Just a suggestion. :D
 
How about selling a service instead of a product? You could run your own commercial cleaning operation with a minimal outlay of cash, hire a cleaning crew, and work on a contract basis. You would be the sales guy, selling the benefits of your services, and hire out the actual work.
Click to expand...

Yeesh! That's funny you say that, because my co-worker's background is managing a company like that and we both sell products for cleaning to them. We've batted that around but it's kind of a conflict of interest to be able to start up a company like that while still doing what we do. Kinda like competing against my customers. Not a good idea really.

I'm just curious what others out there have done who've started their own businesses from scratch.
 
Start producing 1/18<SUP>th</SUP> scale NSX models.
Some of the guys on this web forum seem to be totally addicted to purchasing NSX models, so you'd immediately have a huge cliental willing to throw money at you. :D
 
I'd love to do something aftermarket for cars like other vendors out there, but there seems to be a glut of those, and competition is tough i bet doing that sort of thing.
 
How about compiling pictures of models from Single Samurai, binding them together in a nice high gloss calendar, make the pages non-stick and stain resistant, and sell them through the vendor forum here on Prime? 40,000 thread views can't be wrong!:D

Plan B = make high res wall posters of Smoore's avatar and sell them for $25...I'll take 2! :p (Please make one ceiling sized with appropriate adhesive on the backing to prevent sagging from the pull of gravity towards my king-sized b....oops! Sorry Smoore!

Plan #3 = open up a tire and wheel shop with nsxtasy as your highly paid consultant (shoot, he does it for free now!;) ), specialize in overpriced tires that wear out very quickly and bling bling rims with fat lips, and cater to all of us morons who willingly open our wallets wide to represent! :cool:
 
TucAZNSX said:
I suggest picking something that you love. If you are doing something that you love, it will be much easier to be successful at it.
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TucAZNSX is right, pick something you love. Even if you are not an expert in that industry, if you love it you wont mind the hours to learn about it. I've thought about my own start up business for sometime but I just dont have the finances to tackle it right now. Find a niche in your market. Being the 200th cleaning service in your town is going to be hard to launch. I don't know your area so I don't know what type of business to suggest nor do I know what drives you. I would say look at your market, and try to identify a type of service or product that is really lacking and has a substantial demand. Its hard to do in well developed metro areas but if you live in a small-medium size town it shouldnt be too had to figure something out. Your in sales so you should know your local market well. While your out and about on sales calls try to see what businesses are in your area. Are there any local businesses that are making a killing because they are the only game in town? Also look for businesses that draw customers from a certain geographic area. For example, a coffee shop down here draws business from the north side of town for about an 8 mile radius mainly from high income residentials. If I opened a coffee shop 4 miles down the road closer to those residences would I steal a good portion of there customers? Hell yeah as long as I delivered a good product and service. Im sure you can think of more ideas in your own town.
 
Go to a geography that would be considered more progressive than your own community. Find out what the new 'big' thing is and take that idea back to your hometown. This method is particularly effective if you match the demographics of your area to those in which you are looking for successful ideas.
 
Since you're already in sales, how about getting into Real Estate brokerage?

-awais
 
Do the service work no one else wants to do. Sell the contracts and do the work yourself until you build up some clientele. Then hire workers. Don't be afraid to get dirty. Do it while you are young, everything becomes much harder with age. Don't give your youth away to helping an employer build his future, build your own.

I have a friend here in town who has, IMO, the worst business possible to own, sewer cleaning. The business is his own and not a franchise. I was floored when he told me of the hundreds of thousands of dollars he makes a year. The guy smells like $hit, always fifthly, but owns tons of rental units and other businesses he has bought with the funds from cleaning sewers. I asked him why he chose sewer cleaning. He said no one else wants to do it and he can't figure out why when it averages $360.00 dollars per hour, per truck. He has 10 trucks in this town and 10 in each of the four surrounding towns. He is 35 now and will have the business totally self sufficient and paid for, by the time he is 40 he will be retired.
 
steveny said:
Do the service work no one else wants to do. I asked him why he chose sewer cleaning. He said no one else wants to do it
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Remember reading about Adam Smith in Econ 101? He said that in the future, the highest paying job would be that of garbageman, simply because no one wants to do it. The "invisible hand" would therefore cause the wages for that profession to rise in order to attract workers.

Steveny, your friend is a perfect example of this...good for him! I have more respect for him than for a lot of people in my own profession (Wall Street ego strokers).
 
Being in MI have you thought of snow plowing and asphalt maintainence for large shopping centers. Large expense in our budget figures every year.
 
LeftLane said:
Remember reading about Adam Smith in Econ 101? He said that in the future, the highest paying job would be that of garbageman, simply because no one wants to do it. The "invisible hand" would therefore cause the wages for that profession to rise in order to attract workers.
Click to expand...

That is theoretically possible bt in a VERY VERY distant future... since you'll always find people/immigrants coming from very poor places willing to do it for 800$/month until when a wage leveling will take place worldwide. I do not think this will happen during this century.
 
LeftLane said:
specialize in overpriced tires that wear out very quickly and bling bling rims with fat lips, and cater to all of us morons who willingly open our wallets wide to represent! :cool:
Click to expand...


Todd, remind me to ask you about this at Texpo, with my fist that is! :D j/k bro, I agree, I'm a total sucker when it comes to buying goodies for my NSX!
Man, I wish I had the balls to open up my own business. :p
- Z
 
steveny said:
You can always do it the next life around.
One shot, don't waste it.
Click to expand...

Very true. In all reality, I've been thinking about this also, but would like to finish school first so that I atleast have a degree. Whether I use it or not, I still want a degree. ;)
But eventually my own business or a family business is what I would like to own.
Regards,
- Z
 
NSX FoYoAss said:
Todd, remind me to ask you about this at Texpo, with my fist that is! :D j/k bro, I agree, I'm a total sucker when it comes to buying goodies for my NSX!
Man, I wish I had the balls to open up my own business. :p
- Z
Click to expand...

I said "us", not you! :D

Here's the biz you should start....reselling used NSX parts that you bought from someone else on Prime! I can just imagine the inventory you have at home...:eek: Problem is, most of that stuff you have to sell at a loss!

Or you could start a change making company, breaking dollar bills for people to pay tolls, etc. Remember the old SNL skit? "We'll give you 10 dimes, or 4 quarters, or 20 nickels for your dollar bill. How do we make money, you ask? Volume!"

:p
 
I would also say to open a business in something you enjoy. I own an insurance brokerage specializing in employee benefits and I look forward to going to work almost every day. I pretty much get paid to meet people. One thing I would say however is to not do anything part time. If you are going to start a business, research it make sure you will enjoy and then go for it. The best way to have it fail is to do your business part time. It is also unfair to your current employer as you will either do them a diservice, your new venture a diservice or both. It is scary and there were times when I started that I came close to losing my house and I wanted to quit and work for a real paycheck, but I'm glad I stayed with it. I would also suggest that whatever business you go in to you should pick a specialty. I was just reading a great story about this. If you look at who makes the money in any profession it is the specialists. Surgeons make better than family practice doctors, commercial property real estate brokers make better than those that sell whatever they can, in insurance those that specialize in estate planning, executive benefits or employee benefits make better than those that sell over the kitchen table. I hope this helps.
 

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