A Little Inspiration/Confidence Needed

[OFORBES]

Hi All,

Bit of a long one I'm afraid, but I am hoping that the Pistonheads Collective and business brilliance might be able to offer up some inspiration to help me on the next step in my life.

Last September I sold out of an IT business after 10 years. In the end my business partner and I had different goals and visions for the business, and ultimately I had lost my passion for it. The COVID/Lockdown situation highlighted large cracks in my relationship with him and after 10 years of 18 hour days in the city I was tired.

After spending a lot of time with my young family during lockdown, I realised that there was more to life and I didn't have the fight left in me to push him to work with me to push the business forward so I decided that it was time for a total change.

Typically I had a big mortgage, big school fees, big financial commitments and big pressure. Whilst I didn't make anywhere near enough out of the sale to retire, I did receive a small amount of money, enough to make a big change to our life and the way we live.

I'm from Surrey and my wife is from the Highlands of Scotland (Aberlour) and the only reason we lived in Surrey was because of my job, so when the deal was complete we made the decision to relocate to the highlands to be near family and have a support network to help with our 3 young boys.

The idea being, that we can sell our house in Surrey, relocate to Scotland, buy a smaller house outright to ultimately give our children a better upbringing, surrounded by friends and family and in a beautiful part of the country. Less financial pressure and more time to spend with my wife and children as they grow up. A very fortunate position to be in considering the circumstances facing the world right now.

We have a buyer on our house in Surrey and are due to complete on the place in Scotland within the next few days (hopefully).

Cars is my passion. I've always been a petrolhead, and my ultimate dream/goal was to make enough money in IT (something that I wasn't passionate about) to retire and then open up my own specialist car dealership. Now, whilst I might be mortgage free, I won't have a huge amount left in the bank when everything washes out and so I am still going to have to earn a living.

I enjoy work and being busy, so a few months ago, I bought a Brian James RT6 Covered Trailer, and under a company that I had set up, began relocating/collecting/delivering classic, sports, super, or simply cherished cars for car dealers local to me who I had previously bought cars from or sold cars to.

Whilst I've not earned enough to cover my outgoings in Surrey, I've earned a little bit of money, its kept me busy for a few days a week and I've enjoyed it. Where I was living in Surrey there are at least 5 prestige dealers within a 10 minute drive of my front door, whereas in Scotland I am an hour away from Aberdeen where the nearest Porsche dealer is for example.

For some reason, my confidence has taken a real hit since selling out, I've always been a glass half full kind of guy, but recently, I've been seriously doubting my abilities and I've been looking at things with the outlook that they will fail. A few have said that I should be proud of what I achieved out of the business, but as I didn't achieve what set out to financially, I can't help but feel like I failed.

I have come from nothing financially, the only thing I have ever been given is £5 in a card from my mother for my 18th birthday. Ive been homeless when I was younger, I've struggled financially although admittedly it was when I was young - I am petrified of struggling again, especially when I have a beautiful family to support. I know I've got a good basis to start from now so I will have less pressure to deliver financially, but I still need to earn a living.

My high-level plan was to do a a bit of car transportation and also trade a few specialist cars that are aligned with my business branding, but I am worried that there won't be enough transportation work and the kind of cars I would be good at trading might sit in stock for months on end (But not depreciate much in value so won't be losing money)

I know that asking this question on a global public forum might not be the best way to help rebuild my confidence as you'll always get someone who will rubbish every idea, but I know that there are some incredibly good people on here with a lot of experience, knowledge and ideas so I am hoping for some inspiration...

So, enough of the waffle. If you were in my position, in the highlands of Scotland, what car related business would you start with lets say £50k?

[mmm-five]

I've always wanted to start a car touring business.

Initially starting out as a 'bring your own' type thing with a choice of routes and some accommodation options, with me leading/guiding; then starting to provide an 'arrive and drive' service where you get to choose from a range of vehicles - sporty, rugged or run-of-the-mill options for various routes/driving styles, with the option for self-touring with provided car/maps/accommodation or fully guided trips.

Maybe even have a residential option where you stay on site (depending on the size/location of your property) for the first/last nights (to assemble everyone and go through instructions).

However, mine would never be a cheap option as I'd like to keep the numbers for a fully-guided service to 3-5 vehicles.

[dazmanultra]

OFORBES said:

For some reason, my confidence has taken a real hit since selling out, I've always been a glass half full kind of guy, but recently, I've been seriously doubting my abilities and I've been looking at things with the outlook that they will fail. A few have said that I should be proud of what I achieved out of the business, but as I didn't achieve what set out to financially, I can't help but feel like I failed.

I think what you're feeling here is natural. Your ego is/was tied up in your job and business - and without that you're feeling somewhat at a loss. Who are you if you're not "OFORBES - you know, the guy that runs that IT business"? You should 100% be proud of what you've achieved. You've done it once and you can almost certainly do it again.

I took about a year off after I left a business I started and sold, it was a strange time and what you're speaking of feeling resonates with me. I enjoyed my time off, but I was really pleased and raring to go to be back building something a year later. Have you had some time off yet?

[48k]

mmm-five said:

I've always wanted to start a car touring business.

Initially starting out as a 'bring your own' type thing with a choice of routes and some accommodation options, with me leading/guiding; then starting to provide an 'arrive and drive' service where you get to choose from a range of vehicles - sporty, rugged or run-of-the-mill options for various routes/driving styles, with the option for self-touring with provided car/maps/accommodation or fully guided trips.

Maybe even have a residential option where you stay on site (depending on the size/location of your property) for the first/last nights (to assemble everyone and go through instructions).

However, mine would never be a cheap option as I'd like to keep the numbers for a fully-guided service to 3-5 vehicles.

About ten years ago a PHer posted on here about an idea starting a car hire business where people with nice cars gave them to him and he hired them out when they weren't using them. He was garnering feedback on what car to start with - I think it was decided on to be a Boxster. He got the usual "silly idea", "can't be done" etc. Thread went quiet, next thing you know, he's looking at taking on a second car, looking for driving routes to suggest, talking to B+B owners etc. Fast forward ten years and this is the current state of play - https://drivesouthwest.co.uk/

In summary: JFDI . You don't know unless you try.

[malks222]

what about offering a delivery/ drop off service for people doing the north coast 500?

eg: you head down to england pick up someone’s nice porsche/ ferrari/ aston a week or two prior to the trip, transport it up to north of scotland. said owner flies to inverness/ over night train to fort william, you meet them there and they pick up the car- head off for a weekend blasting round the highlands. drop off the car with yourself at airport/ train station and they head back off home. you then drop off car with them in england some point in the future.

i’d imagine there’s people who don’t want the boring 5/6hr drive north or don’t want to put the miles on their car doing boring motorway stuff, but would love a long weekend in the highlands blasting around. won’t be a huge market, but the people wanting to use this service could prob afford to pay a reasonable amount for it!

[Muzzer79]

malks222 said:

what about offering a delivery/ drop off service for people doing the north coast 500?

eg: you head down to england pick up someone’s nice porsche/ ferrari/ aston a week or two prior to the trip, transport it up to north of scotland. said owner flies to inverness/ over night train to fort william, you meet them there and they pick up the car- head off for a weekend blasting round the highlands. drop off the car with yourself at airport/ train station and they head back off home. you then drop off car with them in england some point in the future.

i’d imagine there’s people who don’t want the boring 5/6hr drive north or don’t want to put the miles on their car doing boring motorway stuff, but would love a long weekend in the highlands blasting around. won’t be a huge market, but the people wanting to use this service could prob afford to pay a reasonable amount for it!

Good thinking.

OP - use what's around you. You're in the Highlands, it's popular for tourists, NC500, touring, etc.

The above idea is good. Think about adapting your equipment and offering it for motorbikes too. I imagine a few people would like to ride around Scotland on their bike, but don't want to ride it up there.

A potential tie in could be hiring out bikes for people who are flying in. This is common in places like Vegas, Route 66, etc. Could work in Scotland too.

[anonymous-user]

Exactly what I was going to say, car or bike transport to the NC500.

You could even hire bikes out?

If you’ve got land get some glamping ‘pods’ installed, ‘car friendly’, do the customers a deal whereby they use your transport services and spend the night for ‘just’ £x extra with a good breakfast ready to head to the NC500 start.

Keep your transport cost relatively low (I got quoted £500 for two bikes each from N Wales to Edinburgh), make the cash with the hospitality.

I am assuming you have a few quid and have bought a house with the above capability!

There’s a big car culture in Scotland, I’d be looking to get in with some local owners clubs (Mc, Ferrari, Lambo, etc) and offer transport to / from dealers - I assume the dealers already offer this but there must be some gaps.

ETA; congratulations on being in a situation where you can make this decision, too many people are hung up on the big house, flash car(s), etc, more time with your friends, family and watching your kids grow up is priceless.

[pete_esp]

I relocated from Sussex to Scotland almost 8 years ago now, its a big move to a big change in culture. The difference in what you get for your money up here is transformational though!

As for your business idea, you're close to the NC500, staycations are going to be massive this year so I suggest a camper van hire business, 50k won't get you far but you ought to be able to get a few vans. From looking into this type of holiday for my family I have to say the offerings I found were a bit low quality. If you can get a sharp brand and decent vans you'll be fully booked till the end of September.

That plus trasporting some quality kit to & from the SE ought to at least keep you ticking over (you'll need to crunch the numbers yourself).

Keep us posted on what you decide to do though and best of luck!

[ReverendCounter]

Perhaps this might/possibly be legible for funding re: encouraging tourism?:

OK, looking at driving tourism and the NC500 etc. Would a driving visitor to those parts of scotland make more visits if they could fly in from anywhere in the UK, get picked up at the airport in their own car, and then start their driving break, without a significant journey either end?

What I'm suggesting is a vehicle pick up and storage package - whether the storage is in a shipping container type set up, or decent sized shed, carcoon, not sure.

The idea is that people would visit more often if they can just fly in, knowing their car is already there with fuel in it, tyre pressures, coolant, battery, all checked and ready. So you'd go and pick their cars up, take them home, store them until they wanted to be picked up at the airport. They'd fly in, drop you off, and they would start their driving break immediately rather than after a 5/10hr drive. Alternatively you'd drive their car to the airport in your trailer.

Perhaps you could get some sort of funding seeing as you'd be encouraging tourism - depends entirely whether people would be happy storing their cars and how many visits they'd like to make through from spring>autumn. Some market research should answer the bigger questions I would have thought.

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

malks222 said:

what about offering a delivery/ drop off service for people doing the north coast 500?

eg: you head down to england pick up someone’s nice porsche/ ferrari/ aston a week or two prior to the trip, transport it up to north of scotland. said owner flies to inverness/ over night train to fort william, you meet them there and they pick up the car- head off for a weekend blasting round the highlands. drop off the car with yourself at airport/ train station and they head back off home. you then drop off car with them in england some point in the future.

i’d imagine there’s people who don’t want the boring 5/6hr drive north or don’t want to put the miles on their car doing boring motorway stuff, but would love a long weekend in the highlands blasting around. won’t be a huge market, but the people wanting to use this service could prob afford to pay a reasonable amount for it!

I echo this. I'd like to do a more extensive tour but also try out some of the Whiskeys and I don't want to drink/drive and neither do I want a taxi. If there was a polite and informed guide, who could assist on where to go, the route, where to stay etc. But not get too overly involved in conversation with my family and I, then I'd likely be willing to pay for a guide like that.

[singlecoil]

48k said:

About ten years ago a PHer posted on here about an idea starting a car hire business where people with nice cars gave them to him and he hired them out when they weren't using them. He was garnering feedback on what car to start with - I think it was decided on to be a Boxster. He got the usual "silly idea", "can't be done" etc. Thread went quiet, next thing you know, he's looking at taking on a second car, looking for driving routes to suggest, talking to B+B owners etc. Fast forward ten years and this is the current state of play - https://drivesouthwest.co.uk/

In summary: JFDI . You don't know unless you try.

Their Facebook and Twitter accounts appear not to have been updated for three years. The website is copyright 2021 but that could be automatic.

[cowboyengineer]

singlecoil said:

48k said:

About ten years ago a PHer posted on here about an idea starting a car hire business where people with nice cars gave them to him and he hired them out when they weren't using them. He was garnering feedback on what car to start with - I think it was decided on to be a Boxster. He got the usual "silly idea", "can't be done" etc. Thread went quiet, next thing you know, he's looking at taking on a second car, looking for driving routes to suggest, talking to B+B owners etc. Fast forward ten years and this is the current state of play - https://drivesouthwest.co.uk/

In summary: JFDI . You don't know unless you try.

Their Facebook and Twitter accounts appear not to have been updated for three years. The website is copyright 2021 but that could be automatic.

They went out of business. I don’t want to say much more but I think it’s because they based themselves in Frome with 100 mile on the cars there is nowhere to go.

Now buy some cheaper but decent drivers car and rent then out the nc500, I.e. Renault sport clips or mega rs, Porsche boosters, fiesta st or lotus exiges, drop of and collection to Glasgow airport, stay in your clamping pods

[strain]

Theres plenty of options and you are where I plan to be in a few years (current UX designer but have lost the passion, just working for the cash at the moment)

Can you bridge the gap of IT to cars? There are plenty of ideas for apps websites etc that you can get your passion into your skillset, I've just finished a website for a car business and have another one on and I love the fact the content is cars even though I hate the work if that makes sense.

Are you dead set on the transporting idea? You could

- Become a driving instructor
- Detailing / Wrapping / PPF
- Car salesman / trader?
- Get involved in the NC500 as suggested

I want to launch my own app this year which should help me get some savings, If it takes off then I'll keep that running whilst moving to a part time detailer / trader type setup.

[Undirection]

Not quite the same but after about 30 years of being employed I left to go it alone. fk it was hard, really hard at times. Businesses you work for/in give you support emotionally that you don't realise until one day you're sitting there thinking, where the hell do I start now I am on my own? I'd spent my career in jobs, getting paid, enjoying the benefits etc. Next thing I am sitting at home wondering where to even start.

I still have doubts 6 years later but there's no way I would want to go back either. Sometimes it seems like business owners have a great life but the pros, if successful, always come with a lot of cons, as you probably know. It's been the hardest time of my life from a working viewpoint. My partner is a great support when I think I am wasting my time and going in a wrong direction or hitting the latest brick wall.

I tihnk you've got work out how much you need to live and then see what it would take to earn that. I've seen delivery drivers for cars do some very long drives and start days very very early in the morning. Are you sure you fancy that?

[sam_vfr]

Hi OP

It may be worth looking into something like the below but for cars.

https://www.thehighlandscramble.com/

Im into my bikes and this has always appealed to me. The prices are not crazy and the social aspect of it looks great.