Recommend me a new business venture
Discussion
Hypothetically speaking, if you had a couple of hundred grand to invest and didn't really like the job you were in, what new business venture would be worth persuing (skills and experience aside)?
Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
WildCards said:
Hypothetically speaking, if you had a couple of hundred grand to invest and didn't really like the job you were in, what new business venture would be worth persuing (skills and experience aside)?
Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
Define upmarket bar, define your fickle market.Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
WildCards said:
Hypothetically speaking, if you had a couple of hundred grand to invest and didn't really like the job you were in, what new business venture would be worth persuing (skills and experience aside)?
Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
Volatile market. Only stable investment is PORN!Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
</trekkie>
rich1231 said:
Define upmarket bar, define your fickle market.
Champagne bars selling premium drinks seem to have really taken off around the country, but that was just an example, are there any other business types that almost any idiot can do well in with the right investment and a bit of hard work?Decent skateparks that aren't scummy and run by idiots.
Anyone that can come up with a park that suits all types of visitors (BMX, skateboard, inline), in a good location accessible by all types of transport and that capitalises on the ever-growing skate industry should make a killing.
I've seen great skateparks fail because the owners couldn't organise an orgy at the FIA headquarters, and I've seen decidedly average parks do well because those running it actually put some effort into it.
If someone could pull all the threads together I'm sure it would do well - people will always skate - skateboarding particularly is continuously growing in popularity over a number of years - and participants will travel long distances regularly to do what they love. And they are quite often at an age where they have disposable income.
(I should add that I say this as someone with no business sense whatsoever, so if you're bankrupt in six months, don't blame me. I just want somewhere good to skate)
Anyone that can come up with a park that suits all types of visitors (BMX, skateboard, inline), in a good location accessible by all types of transport and that capitalises on the ever-growing skate industry should make a killing.
I've seen great skateparks fail because the owners couldn't organise an orgy at the FIA headquarters, and I've seen decidedly average parks do well because those running it actually put some effort into it.
If someone could pull all the threads together I'm sure it would do well - people will always skate - skateboarding particularly is continuously growing in popularity over a number of years - and participants will travel long distances regularly to do what they love. And they are quite often at an age where they have disposable income.
(I should add that I say this as someone with no business sense whatsoever, so if you're bankrupt in six months, don't blame me. I just want somewhere good to skate)
missliv said:
WildCards said:
Hypothetically speaking, if you had a couple of hundred grand to invest and didn't really like the job you were in, what new business venture would be worth persuing (skills and experience aside)?
Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
Volatile market. Only stable investment is PORN!Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
</trekkie>
missliv said:
WildCards said:
Hypothetically speaking, if you had a couple of hundred grand to invest and didn't really like the job you were in, what new business venture would be worth persuing (skills and experience aside)?
Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
Volatile market. Only stable investment is PORN!Seems to me that upmarket bars in decent size towns have been a fairly constant boom for the last few years, thoughts?
</trekkie>
Buy a company, yes.
Like I said before - buy a business you understand inside out - it will improve your chances hugely.
I bought one company for £10k - the seller originally asked £130k but the price fell steadily as he realised what dreadful shape the business was in, until he just wanted to be shot of it. It now generates £50k towards our profit every year - a pretty good return.
I desperately want to find another business like that. What I want to find is a company that is about to collapse / fold / go into administration, so I can tun it round. Most of the companies I see up for sale are selling for the wrong reason, or have crazy expectations etc - and most brokers turn away the real basket cases.
I called one broker to ask what they did with the businesses they turned away, since I might be interested in looking at them - and the dozy cow I spoke to couldn't get rid of me fast enough. I tried to get her to understand that I was offering to buy something she was turning away, and thereby earn her some more commission, but she was clearly too stupid to understand that.
So going back to the original post - I would still urge you to go for a business you understand really well.....
Like I said before - buy a business you understand inside out - it will improve your chances hugely.
I bought one company for £10k - the seller originally asked £130k but the price fell steadily as he realised what dreadful shape the business was in, until he just wanted to be shot of it. It now generates £50k towards our profit every year - a pretty good return.
I desperately want to find another business like that. What I want to find is a company that is about to collapse / fold / go into administration, so I can tun it round. Most of the companies I see up for sale are selling for the wrong reason, or have crazy expectations etc - and most brokers turn away the real basket cases.
I called one broker to ask what they did with the businesses they turned away, since I might be interested in looking at them - and the dozy cow I spoke to couldn't get rid of me fast enough. I tried to get her to understand that I was offering to buy something she was turning away, and thereby earn her some more commission, but she was clearly too stupid to understand that.
So going back to the original post - I would still urge you to go for a business you understand really well.....
zadumbreion said:
I desperately want to find another business like that. What I want to find is a company that is about to collapse / fold / go into administration, so I can tun it round. Most of the companies I see up for sale are selling for the wrong reason, or have crazy expectations etc - and most brokers turn away the real basket cases.
You and everyone else! 
PhillT said:
Decent skateparks that aren't scummy and run by idiots.
Anyone that can come up with a park that suits all types of visitors (BMX, skateboard, inline), in a good location accessible by all types of transport and that capitalises on the ever-growing skate industry should make a killing.
I've seen great skateparks fail because the owners couldn't organise an orgy at the FIA headquarters, and I've seen decidedly average parks do well because those running it actually put some effort into it.
If someone could pull all the threads together I'm sure it would do well - people will always skate - skateboarding particularly is continuously growing in popularity over a number of years - and participants will travel long distances regularly to do what they love. And they are quite often at an age where they have disposable income.
(I should add that I say this as someone with no business sense whatsoever, so if you're bankrupt in six months, don't blame me. I just want somewhere good to skate)
There is a reason that you don't see lots of good skating venues, specifically it's called 'making money'. The demographic who skateboard (I imagine) are typically the 'pocket money' brigade. I have no idea what you could charge someone for access to a skating park for a day. Let me assume £5. Now I guess there is a maximum number of people who could skate at any one point in time, I'm guessing 10? Let's assume people are skating for, I don't know, 25% of the time that they're there. This means a maximum of 40 people per day. Lets now be really generous and double that to 80 people. This equates to £400 per day. Now if that level of interest is to be achieved for, say, 200 days per year it will genenerate £80,000 per annum. In order to attract skaters will require advertising - I would imagine that would eat up 30% of your turnover (circa £20k). Then you need to buy insurance - and that won't be cheap, believe me - probably another £20k? So already your costs are half your income. Then you have to employ someone, which will cost about £20k - so now your profit is just £20k pa. On top of all this you have to buy/rent the land. As such, I can guarantee a life of loss making. So, in my opinion, the proposal is utterly flawed!!! Anyone that can come up with a park that suits all types of visitors (BMX, skateboard, inline), in a good location accessible by all types of transport and that capitalises on the ever-growing skate industry should make a killing.
I've seen great skateparks fail because the owners couldn't organise an orgy at the FIA headquarters, and I've seen decidedly average parks do well because those running it actually put some effort into it.
If someone could pull all the threads together I'm sure it would do well - people will always skate - skateboarding particularly is continuously growing in popularity over a number of years - and participants will travel long distances regularly to do what they love. And they are quite often at an age where they have disposable income.
(I should add that I say this as someone with no business sense whatsoever, so if you're bankrupt in six months, don't blame me. I just want somewhere good to skate)
There's a company locally that buys/installs solar panels and wind turbines. There are 4 employees, they turnover around £300k IIRC. Last two years they made a loss, £10-15k profits beforehand.
The blokes are a complete bunch of numpties with no marketing skills whatsoever, they all look like they've slept in a cardboard box for the last 2 years and have zero interpersonal skills/ability.
Personally, if I had the cash, i'd set up a similar company doing what they're doing and make a killing.
What they do only needs 1 member of staff at most, but the director is such a turd, he employs a full time book-keeper to do what he should be doing, and of the others, only one knows what he's doing.
He won't listen though, and as two of them are his mates, he sticks with them. In principle, there's a sound business there dying to get out. Also, he turned down a military contract because it didn't agree with him morally
His stock levels are massive, and he can't shift the old stuff (the technology moves quite quickly) so he's cocked up there too.
Breaks my heart, i'd pinch the only decent employee.
The blokes are a complete bunch of numpties with no marketing skills whatsoever, they all look like they've slept in a cardboard box for the last 2 years and have zero interpersonal skills/ability.
Personally, if I had the cash, i'd set up a similar company doing what they're doing and make a killing.
What they do only needs 1 member of staff at most, but the director is such a turd, he employs a full time book-keeper to do what he should be doing, and of the others, only one knows what he's doing.
He won't listen though, and as two of them are his mates, he sticks with them. In principle, there's a sound business there dying to get out. Also, he turned down a military contract because it didn't agree with him morally
His stock levels are massive, and he can't shift the old stuff (the technology moves quite quickly) so he's cocked up there too.Breaks my heart, i'd pinch the only decent employee.
thewave said:
There's a company locally that buys/installs solar panels and wind turbines. There are 4 employees, they turnover around £300k IIRC. Last two years they made a loss, £10-15k profits beforehand.
The blokes are a complete bunch of numpties with no marketing skills whatsoever, they all look like they've slept in a cardboard box for the last 2 years and have zero interpersonal skills/ability.
Personally, if I had the cash, i'd set up a similar company doing what they're doing and make a killing.
What they do only needs 1 member of staff at most, but the director is such a turd, he employs a full time book-keeper to do what he should be doing, and of the others, only one knows what he's doing.
He won't listen though, and as two of them are his mates, he sticks with them. In principle, there's a sound business there dying to get out. Also, he turned down a military contract because it didn't agree with him morally His stock levels are massive, and he can't shift the old stuff (the technology moves quite quickly) so he's cocked up there too.
Breaks my heart, i'd pinch the only decent employee.
There are lots of business out there like this. Good concept but badly run or owned by the wrong type of person. As the economy tightens they will go to the wall or be bought out by people with half a clue (and some with no clue).The blokes are a complete bunch of numpties with no marketing skills whatsoever, they all look like they've slept in a cardboard box for the last 2 years and have zero interpersonal skills/ability.
Personally, if I had the cash, i'd set up a similar company doing what they're doing and make a killing.
What they do only needs 1 member of staff at most, but the director is such a turd, he employs a full time book-keeper to do what he should be doing, and of the others, only one knows what he's doing.
He won't listen though, and as two of them are his mates, he sticks with them. In principle, there's a sound business there dying to get out. Also, he turned down a military contract because it didn't agree with him morally
His stock levels are massive, and he can't shift the old stuff (the technology moves quite quickly) so he's cocked up there too.Breaks my heart, i'd pinch the only decent employee.
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