BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: beachcomber
Date: 16 Aug 02 - 06:03 PM

Listen my good man, Hwo was it who said "Build a better mousetrap (mmmwhat about pet mice though??) - and the world will beat a path to your door!".. Don't deliver , let them find you !!!

Good luck, whatever.

beachcomber

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 07:52 PM

hEloo Oaklet, i fink banks is a big rip off, i went to that bank on Newland Ave, 8I am not sure what it is called, so i will have to say alllegidly) 9Allegidly), i said to the bank wumon, "will you lend me a few hunded, quid to buy a van? Pleese", she said "have you got, own yoor owm hoose?2, I said no, why yoo asking, she said, if you dontr pay, then we take yoo house. I ask my boss as well, bnut he said 2 Piss off", so i will save up, then get a van and sume leeflits then leave, he is an arsehole asnyway, so i dident reely eckspect him too help me.john Ps I think it was Yorkshire bank, but i am not sure realy, thats why i saiod, allegidly.john

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Oaklet
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 02:04 PM

Pampered, but not shaved, Mr Bond. (There is a terrible kerfuffle going on on the other side). But a great idea Mr Bassic. We should charge jOhn mightily for business consultation services. Pavane, I also saw a fishmonger in Oldbury (Low Town), West Midlands nee Worcestershire in the 70s advertising "cod pieces". The business closed and the building was raized to the ground shortly after they built the new court complex. A Salutory lesson in speling and gramer.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Bassic
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 12:27 PM

An idea that I am sure would meet with Skipjack and Oakleys approval - as a marketing tool I sugest parking your van by the fish market in Hull overnight, allowing the necessary and distinctive aroma to permiate the fabric and fittings. On your round the following morning you would be the Pied Piper for every pampered pussy in the town! "When the Boat Comes in!"

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: pavane
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 11:46 AM

I was just about to make the point, when I saw Alice's post. Mistakes in spelling and grammar do NOT look professional.

There is a pub I went to last week that proclaims, in large letters over the door: 'Fine Irish Whiskey's'.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: GUEST,Alice
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 11:07 AM

He would we know it was jOhn's firm, if his trading style didn't at least contain a few errant nines? Direct Pet9 Supplies, jOhn would let you branch out eventually into other products apart from petfood.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Alice
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 10:57 AM

Make sure everything you have painted on your delivery van and printed on your business cards and brochures is spelled correctly, as in "business" and "people".

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: GUEST,Oakley
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 10:06 AM

The job Centres (or whatever they call them now - probably Insignia) are a good source of information about starting up a small business and how to research and prepare a business plan. The plan has to be a good 'un to attract funding from local employment inititives, or the bank - but we all know what you think of them.

A delivery service involves the expense of a vehicle and insurance before you get any income. And cash-and-carry means exactly that. No credit. Have a chat with 'em, they have access to a great deal of advice.

I forgive you for not delivering across the water. If you did, that varmint Banjo-Flower would insist that you catered for his pack of vegan wolverines and his lizards with irritable bowel syndrome. And this would drive you nuts.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Gary T
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 09:43 AM

Find out where your customers are. I don't know how easy that would be, but there's a difference between folks who say "What a great idea!" and maybe place an order or two, and folks who will be long-term customers. It would be a big plus knowing that there actually is a market for what you offer. It is possible to create a market through good advertising, etc., but that would entail more work and risk.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Mac Tattie
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 04:50 PM

First find out who and where your nearest competetors are. Pet food sales and deliverys, other than in large quantites, won't yeald much by way of return. There may well be far more stockests, than you realise, in your area already. I know of one couple, neer me(Ayrshire), who got poor almost over-night. At least their dog was well fed for more than a year. cheers

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Willie-O
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:55 PM

Forget the name--petpal.com? -- but one of the mega failures in the big e-biz shakeout, stateside, was one that did what you're proposing to do, but based on an online sales/ordering model.

I think your approach, personal small-biz like getting a milk route, has considerable merit, but you might want to look into what happened to that outfit.

W-O

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: DonD
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:23 PM

First I have to express my disappointment: lost in the romance of your present nautical life sailing the Eastern seas, I suddenly realized you wouldn't be so regularly on the 'Cat from Hull if you had really been working the last seven years in a curry SHIP instead of a curry SHOP! The nicest typo in a long time!

As to company names, the cleverness only lasts a few moments to maybe get you off the ground; the concept and the constant service will make it last. Remember that there will be no one to phone in sick to if you get the flu or throw out your back toting those 20K sacks of kitty litter. And vacation time? Forget it --- pets' appetites don't go on holiday. So you'll need back-up, first part-time, then full time, then a second van, expansion regionally, nationally, internationally, -- it'll be 'grow or die' and a dot.com and you know where that leads!

As a veteran of cute company names, I'm particularly proud of two of my failures: "Our Office in New York" was a rented desk in the Empire State Building offering to provide services for visitors on behalf of travel agencies nationwide -- 'Send your clients to the Big Apple with confidence; tell them 'Our Office in New York' is there to help you!' It was fun while it lasted and I still have a T-shirt.

Then there was "The INNformation Center". I had a 64K CPM computer and planned to input every detail on every inn and B&B in the US. I didn't figure how that was going to make me any money, but I still have some cards nd stationery with the clever inn sign logo and some big floppy disks somewhere as souvenirs -- of course there is no machinery in existence anymore that can read them!

Bottom line: you'll need a good business plan, John, and think of every worst case scenario. To return this to a musical tone with a line most of us have heard: "Don't give up your day job!" Good luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 11:33 AM

"Doggy Diner", John, or "Pussy Pleaser" depending on whether you want to specialize in the canine or feline market.

Trust me, I have a knack for coming up with good business names. I remember another enterprising young chap in Edinburgh who started a business tending burial plots for relatives of the deceased who couldn't look after the plot for one reason or another.

He called his enterprise "Grave Concern". If he had followed my advice and called it "Dead Nice" he would still be in business today ....

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 09:44 AM

Best of luck John, I'm trying to start a little business myself. My only advice is based on the theory that there's a type of person who knows everyone, and to start out it would be a good thing to find a few of those people, even give them a price break. I did some free work starting out and I'm still getting good referals.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 08:48 PM

oaklet-I hope you dont mind me not, going to your'e house , but all the other south of the river peepol might want me to go to their hooses, 9Gary, and banjo flowers etc) and i have to draw a circle somewere, i hope yoo understand.john

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 08:14 PM

oAklet- Im no't going to your'e house because it is to far away, this is just for local peepol.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Oaklet
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 07:24 PM

jOhn, Listen to John in Kansas. How else would you get advice like this without access to a folk and blues forum? The uniform should be authoritive. Maybe a white coat, but not the WW1 German officers uniform with the spiked helmet. When would you deliver to the South Bank? Two cats live in my house and I want to be your first customer. I'll pay you a week next Tuesday fortnight or the following Tuesday fortnight after that 'cause that's when me DEFRA feed susidy cheque clears. If the vet doesn't demand the money first. You will have to manage the cash jOhn. Like a Zealot.

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 04:38 PM

The marketing guys all say keep the name short - and add a byline for the details. Something like "Critter Care: home delivery pet food." Your "John from Hull's Pet Food Delivery Bisiness" would come after the ":".

If you're going to make deliveries to people's homes, I'd suggest a "uniform" so that they can identify you as "the guy that brings Snoopy's food." It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but you should "look the same" every time you show up.

I'd suggest talking to a few of your local veterinarians, since most of them sell "special diet" food to a lot lf their customers. Be aware that they sell it through the vet office because it forces people to visit more often, so don't step on any sensitivities when you visit them - although you might find one or two that would recommend you to their customers.

I'd guess that you will want to consider where you can store a reasonable supply of the most popular stuff, so you don't have to go purchase each order separately.

If you get this sort of thing started, people are going to expect you to help them select "the right stuff" for their babies, so bone up on "pet nutrition" (and sanitation) enough to sound knowledgeable.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 04:10 PM

Pets, A Delivery Service? Say it quickly....

Pet Edibles Takeaway Service?

I'll get me coat.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: hesperis
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 03:54 PM

There are a lot of online resources to help people understand what is needed to start a business. You could also check out your local business development office.

It's always more complicated than you think it is... but some ideas have more profit margin than others. And nothing beats doing what you love, that helps you to do more of other things that you love!

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: GUEST,Garydon
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 01:46 PM

Get a check book for your new business and use the register both lines. 1st line to whom and the amount and the 2nd line for what it was for. Much easier to keep track of expenses. Also keep a piece of paper in it for any and all cash outlays documented in the same fashion. Keep ALL of your reciepts.

Gary® (the bean counter)

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 01:27 PM

Cheers Oaklet, I reckon it's agood idea, as like you said pet food is heavy and it would help old people and disabled people , I could sell dog food, cat food, rabbit food etc and cat litter wich is heavy to carry from the shop, 9Hull has got one of the highest cat populations in the country). I think the advanteges are, i can work daytimes so i can go to more folk sessions, not too difficult to start, I only deed a little van and some leeflits, and get weekends off so i can go away,. Disadvanteges are I got no gauranteed money, and I have to buy my own food 9at work I get free food) and have to give back my cumpany car, maybe I could still work weekends in the take away, i dont know yet.john PS thanks for all your'e advice.john

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Oaklet
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 01:08 PM

I knew a guy who took early retirement from BT and did just that. Got a van, a couple of adverts and before long, and established round, delivering pet food to those who would be otherwise be weighed down whilst doing the weekly shop. He did well of the basis that a lot of the stuff was bulky. I think he may still be doing it in South Redditch. Pm me and I'll send you his details after I have primed him. Go for it jOhn!

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 01:08 PM

(Hey 9John--in Texas that is spelt "bidness"--grin)

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 01:06 PM

How about:

Cater for your Critters

Subject: RE: BS: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: MMario
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 12:53 PM

How about 'companion animal carry-out'?

There are evidently a few resaurants inow in the US that cater to peoples pets - with a few itemxs avaialable for the owners.

And recently I saw a news item about a catering company that delivers meals to pets.

Subject: Starting Your Own Bisiness
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 12:46 PM

I have been working in a curry ship for the last 7 years and getting bored with it, I have got an idea for my own bisiness, it is delivering pet food to poeple.I havent really thought of a nam,e for it yet, but was thinking of"John from Hull's Pet Food Delivery Bisiness" unless somebody can think of anything better, any tips/advice 9dos and donts etc) are welcome.john