Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;653738]If you want to make some quick bucks, just put an ad in the newspaper saying, "Computer running slow? Have spyware? $75 flat rate cleanup."

I easily made $1000 the week that ad ran. It's also very non-active work. I just have them bring me the tower, I hook it up in my office, run ComboFix, give it back and collect my $75 for about 5 minutes of actual work.[/quote]
I have to ask why you only ran the add for one week and not on going if it work so well the first time?

Re: start your own business
 

Because it was more calls than I know what to do with. My normal customers are more than enough for a few bucks here and there. Spyware comes in ebbs and flows and it's one of those things someone more enterprising than I am could quit their job just to clean up.

But as computing evolves, spyware goes away for the time being.

I DO enjoy my free time since I have an 8:30-4:30 job every day anyway, it was easily 2-3 extra hours a day when I ran that ad.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;653779]Because it was more calls than I know what to do with. My normal customers are more than enough for a few bucks here and there. Spyware comes in ebbs and flows and it's one of those things someone more enterprising than I am could quit their job just to clean up.

But as computing evolves, spyware goes away for the time being.

I DO enjoy my free time since I have an 8:30-4:30 job every day anyway, it was easily 2-3 extra hours a day when I ran that ad.[/quote]


I suggest you don't ever have kids if you love your free time. Oh to get off at 4:30 and have time to myself...a man can dream.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;653737]i got a truck that could get around schneed. Well maybe through schneed.lol[/quote]

lol!

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=mredskins;653782]I suggest you don't ever have kids if you love your free time. Oh to get off at 4:30 and have time to myself...a man can dream.[/quote]

Yes, my wife and I have this discussion often. We have a lot of friends who just recently had kids and it's the best birth control EVER.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;653791]Yes, my wife and I have this discussion often. We have a lot of friends who just recently had kids and it's the best birth control EVER.[/quote]
If your young enjoy some free time now and then have kids a little latter in life. There is nothing that can replace having a child in my opinion. You also have to remember I was a single parent for 8 years with my now 24 yr. old daughter and now she is out of the house I have a 3yr. old. So about 36 to 40 years of my life will be with a dependent child.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;653779]Because it was more calls than I know what to do with. My normal customers are more than enough for a few bucks here and there. Spyware comes in ebbs and flows and it's one of those things someone more enterprising than I am could quit their job just to clean up.

But as computing evolves, spyware goes away for the time being.

I DO enjoy my free time since I have an 8:30-4:30 job every day anyway, it was easily 2-3 extra hours a day when I ran that ad.[/quote]

My thing is, I could never afford the toys that I get to play with now. To go from an operating budget of $300k to whatever I could afford would be miserably boring. IT on the corporate side has its bad side, but the funding is a huge bonus (at least at my co.)

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;653794]If your young enjoy some free time now and then have kids a little latter in life. There is nothing that can replace having a child in my opinion. You also have to remember I was a single parent for 8 years with my now 24 yr. old daughter and now she is out of the house I have a 3yr. old. So about 36 to 40 years of my life will be with a dependent child.[/quote]

My dad is the same way. He had me first and now he has one that's as young as 11. My wife and I will have the talk at 30 (2 years)...

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;653801]My thing is, I could never afford the toys that I get to play with now. To go from an operating budget of $300k to whatever I could afford would be miserably boring. IT on the corporate side has its bad side, but the funding is a huge bonus (at least at my co.)[/quote]

For sure, that's if someone wanted to start their own business though. I'm perfectly content with my six weeks vacation they give you here (I CANNOT believe that). Our budget was extra tight this year thanks to the economy, so no replacement computers for anyone the past two years..

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;653804]For sure, that's if someone wanted to start their own business though. I'm perfectly content with my six weeks vacation they give you here (I CANNOT believe that). Our budget was extra tight this year thanks to the economy, so no replacement computers for anyone the past two years..[/quote]

We actually get the same amount, it's funny, i've never met anyone else who gets that much. Normally, it's 2-3 weeks at the most. We upgrade machines every 4 years, and we're not due for one of those for another two. Spent mine this year on virtualizing our servers.

Re: start your own business
 

Pizza place and a bar. If you dont have a good pizza place around where you live do some homework and shop around a find a good pizza recipe. A bar but I could not stand to see the regulars day in and day out. I would almost feel guilty about taking there money everyday.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;653794]If your young enjoy some free time now and then have kids a little latter in life. There is nothing that can replace having a child in my opinion. You also have to remember I was a single parent for 8 years with my now 24 yr. old daughter and now she is out of the house I have a 3yr. old. So about 36 to 40 years of my life will be with a dependent child.[/quote]


I could not imagine having a 21 year old then finding out my wife was prego and having to do it all over again. Then again it is easier then have two youg ones at once.

Do your kids fight over their toys? =)

I had my son at 34 and my wife was 28. Two year olds are so much fun, eyes rolling. Seriously I love him but lots of work.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;653670]Slingin Sammy 33 has a place in Va Beach but I don't think its his primary income. I've been wantin to check it out one day for lunch but it seems anytime I'm in that area I'm in a rush.[/quote]
I've been waiting on you, Beem & Beem's pop, and some of the other guys down here to show up :)

The pizza place is an investment business that has turned into nearly a full-time second job. When the economy is running fine things are good. This recession has definitely slowed my wife and I down in a big way from our plans and timetables for the business. We financed it and had hoped to have it paid in about 3 years, that's not happening now. There's high-margin in the pizza business, so if you have an independent established place, which is what we bought, you can weather the storm. I don't know how the franchises are surviving making $ 5 pizzas & $ 10 loaded pizzas, then paying franchise fees, advertising fees, etc.

If this was our primary income, we would've laid off at least 3-4 more people and picked up hours ourselves to make ends meet through the recession. As it is we just cut some "dead weight" and scaled back some hours. Also, you're tied to the business. Phone rings and someone calls out sick, doesn't show up, decides to smoke a doob out back by the freezer, and you're going in to cover the shift or handle the situation. Want to take a weeks vacation with your family....think again. You can't be there every open hour so you have to find employees that are trustworthy, we're pretty lucky in that regard. You have to deal with landlords, pests, vendors who will stick it to you if you don't watch every invoice.

It's got its ups and downs, in this economy its been more downs than ups. Talking with food vendors and other folks that own restaurants/bars, we're doing comparatively well so we're definitely thankful for that.

I would advise anyone looking to start their own business take first's advice, be prepared to have little-to-no income for two years. Without my "day" job, we'd be in a tough situation.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;653794]If your young enjoy some free time now and then have kids a little latter in life. There is nothing that can replace having a child in my opinion. You also have to remember I was a single parent for 8 years with my now 24 yr. old daughter and now she is out of the house I have a 3yr. old. So about 36 to 40 years of my life will be with a dependent child.[/quote]Or you can go the other way and have your kid out of the house and only be 44. Then it's off to Vegas to gamble away his inheritance LOL

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;653827]I've been waiting on you, Beem & Beem's pop, and some of the other guys down here to show up :)

The pizza place is an investment business that has turned into nearly a full-time second job. When the economy is running fine things are good. This recession has definitely slowed my wife and I down in a big way from our plans and timetables for the business. We financed it and had hoped to have it paid in about 3 years, that's not happening now. There's high-margin in the pizza business, so if you have an independent established place, which is what we bought, you can weather the storm. I don't know how the franchises are surviving making $ 5 pizzas & $ 10 loaded pizzas, then paying franchise fees, advertising fees, etc.

If this was our primary income, we would've laid off at least 3-4 more people and picked up hours ourselves to make ends meet through the recession. As it is we just cut some "dead weight" and scaled back some hours. Also, you're tied to the business. Phone rings and someone calls out sick, doesn't show up, decides to smoke a doob out back by the freezer, and you're going in to cover the shift or handle the situation. Want to take a weeks vacation with your family....think again. You can't be there every open hour so you have to find employees that are trustworthy, we're pretty lucky in that regard. You have to deal with landlords, pests, vendors who will stick it to you if you don't watch every invoice.

It's got its ups and downs, in this economy its been more downs than ups. Talking with food vendors and other folks that own restaurants/bars, we're doing comparatively well so we're definitely thankful for that.

I would advise anyone looking to start their own business take first's advice, be prepared to have little-to-no income for two years. Without my "day" job, we'd be in a tough situation.[/quote]

I'd like to stop by for lunch one Monday-Friday to have lunch but I'm only in that area a few times a month. Are you ever there around lunch time?

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=mredskins;653819]I could not imagine having a 21 year old then finding out my wife was prego and having to do it all over again. Then again it is easier then have two youg ones at once.

Do your kids fight over their toys? =)

I had my son at 34 and my wife was 28. Two year olds are so much fun, eyes rolling. Seriously I love him but lots of work.[/quote]
I was 22 when my first daughter was born and seperated by the time she was 2. She moved in with me at age 3 and pretty much all but a few years while growing up. My current (and last) wife is 8 yrs younger and it took us 5 yrs. for her to get prego. With so much time between the two its like starting over from scratch.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;653840]I'd like to stop by for lunch one Monday-Friday to have lunch but I'm only in that area a few times a month. Are you ever there around lunch time?[/quote]My office is only about 15 min. away just shoot me a PM when you want to stop by.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;653848]My office is only about 15 min. away just shoot me a PM when you want to stop by.[/quote]
I will do that in the next week or so.

Re: start your own business
 

I co-started a media company a few years ago and I learned two key lessons

1. Good friends don't necessarily make good business partners
2. Bad business can ruin good friendships

In spite of that though, I was able to get the company to the point that we were having serious discussions with a similar company to merge and I would stay in a managerial/ownership role. But as those talks lingered ESPN came calling and I took that opportunity...a couple of years later that company was bought by ESPN for a few million dollars. Yay me...sigh

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=SmootSmack;653948]I co-started a media company a few years ago and I learned two key lessons

1. Good friends don't necessarily make good business partners
2. Bad business can ruin good friendships

In spite of that though, I was able to get the company to the point that we were having serious discussions with a similar company to merge and I would stay in a managerial/ownership role. But as those talks lingered ESPN came calling and I took that opportunity...a couple of years later that company was bought by ESPN for a few million dollars. Yay me...sigh[/quote]
Working with friends / family can be very tough . Hope you end up making big bucks SS , you do a great job on this site ! If I start a business one day , it would probably be a gym or martial arts studio . Good luck to those of you on here that have ... or are starting a business !

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=SmootSmack;653948]I co-started a media company a few years ago and I learned two key lessons

1. Good friends don't necessarily make good business partners
2. Bad business can ruin good friendships

In spite of that though, I was able to get the company to the point that we were having serious discussions with a similar company to merge and I would stay in a managerial/ownership role. But as those talks lingered ESPN came calling and I took that opportunity...a couple of years later that company was bought by ESPN for a few million dollars. Yay me...sigh[/quote]

I tried a small biz venture with a friend a few years ago and it fizzled out before it could strain our friendship too badly. I will definitely think twice before going that route again.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=GMScud;653700]The restaurant industry is really tough. My boss and his brother started a bar/grill right after college and it failed. Set them back a few years financially. Fortunately now we are both working for a fantastic restaurant group that is killing it right now, but it's established - nearly 12 years in the DC area.

I love the industry, but I don't know if I would want to open up my own restaurant/bar. Getting any small business started is a 7 day a week job for a long time till you're fully on your feet. Plus the failure rate is so high. I would do it if I was one of a handful of investors and I didn't have all of my eggs in the basket so to speak. Plus the concept would have to be unique and powerful. In a town so diluted with restaurants and bars like DC, you've got to stand out or you're done.

I actually almost started a car detailing business a few years back, but decided against it. For now. It's still something I may venture into a few years down the road. I have some great ideas for it I think.[/quote]

I almost think the key may be to try to be a big fish in a little pond, rather than opening a place in a saturated area. My parents ran a successful small town bar/restaurant and my Grandparents on both sides did as well.

Re: start your own business
 

That's the best way to do it. The town I live in is small and basically it's a college town with both Washington and Lee and VMI. What I hate about living here is that the people coming into town (most retirees from the north) open up the most idiotic business ventures ever and they all fold within two years because their fortune they made in NYC dried up.

OK, basically my community is made up of college kids and retirees, and just recently opened are three new banks, a freaking SMOOTHIE stand and a dog bakery. How many of those do you think are going to work out? I'll let you guess, only the banks are still standing right now.

Basically, just give the students or retirees what they want... booze.

If someone were to come in here and open up an actual sport's bar that doesn't get taken over by the town white trash and have student specials, trivia, kind of like a Buffalo Wild Wings, they would easily make a profit within the first two years.

Re: start your own business
 

Its amazing how little ground work people do before they try to open a business. Just this past Monday I insured a couple opening up a new business. When I asked them what they expected for their annual gross receipts they got this dumb look on their face. Thay had no clue what to expect for gross receipts and thats what makes the business run. So now they have $30,000 invested, signed a three year lease, and they have no clue what to expect for their gross receipts. Go figure.

Re: start your own business
 

What was the business?

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;654162]Its amazing how little ground work people do before they try to open a business. Just this past Monday I insured a couple opening up a new business. When I asked them what they expected for their annual gross receipts they got this dumb look on their face. Thay had no clue what to expect for gross receipts and thats what makes the business run. So now they have $30,000 invested, signed a three year lease, and they have no clue what to expect for their gross receipts. Go figure.[/quote]

Yeah I've heard and seen similar horror stories. Basically if you don't do your homework you are bound to fail. I remember this little ice cream shop in my area, great ice cream, horrible location in a strip mall behind this huge clock tower. You could tell that just based on the location it was doomed. 6 months later it closed.

Re: start your own business
 

Yeah brother the resturant biz is tuff. My family and I bought a established steak house back in 99. When we bought it they were doing about 750k a yr. Our first full year there we almost doubled that, but I was there from 10 am til 12 midnight those first 365 days, ouch! Then I would take 1 day off a week which became a 1/2 day because it seemed like every day I was off I was getting a phone call about something. The food biz can be great money makers, but having the time to enjoy the money, time with your family, and all the headaches involved convinced me it wasnt worth it. If I was a single man Id probaly still be there. I stayed there til 03 and went back to what I had done for 15 years in the previous family business, Pest Control. Its been a little over 5 years since I started and it can be a very good source of income, but right now its just keeping the lights on thanks to the economy, but I think this year for me will get back to what one of the signs hanging in my office says, 'Killing is my business, and business is Good!'

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;654169]What was the business?[/quote]

Music Store and they also give leasons.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=SkinEmAll;654201]Yeah brother the resturant biz is tuff. My family and I bought a established steak house back in 99. When we bought it they were doing about 750k a yr. Our first full year there we almost doubled that, but I was there from 10 am til 12 midnight those first 365 days, ouch! Then I would take 1 day off a week which became a 1/2 day because it seemed like every day I was off I was getting a phone call about something. The food biz can be great money makers, but having the time to enjoy the money, time with your family, and all the headaches involved convinced me it wasnt worth it. If I was a single man Id probaly still be there. I stayed there til 03 and went back to what I had done for 15 years in the previous family business, Pest Control. Its been a little over 5 years since I started and it can be a very good source of income, but right now its just keeping the lights on thanks to the economy, [B]but I think this year for me will get back to what one of the signs hanging in my office says, 'Killing is my business, and business is Good!'[/B][/quote]

That reminds me of Trample

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=Mattyk;654185]Yeah I've heard and seen similar horror stories. Basically if you don't do your homework you are bound to fail. I remember this little ice cream shop in my area, great ice cream, horrible location in a strip mall behind this huge clock tower. You could tell that just based on the location it was doomed. 6 months later it closed.[/quote]
A store opened up called "Great Mistakes" they sold items that had small flaws in them. I passed the store one day and their sign read like this.

Great Mistakes

Going out of business sale

I got a good laugh out of that.

Re: start your own business
 

[QUOTE="firstdown"]
A store opened up called "Great Mistakes" they sold items that had small flaws in them. I passed the store one day and their sign read like this.

Great Mistakes

Going out of business sale

I got a good laugh out of that.[/QUOTE]

That's priceless


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;654233]Music Store and they also give leasons.[/quote]

And let me guess, no research on demographics or anything like that. It's just a, "This is a great idea. Let's roll with it..."?

Re: start your own business
 

Back in the day I used to play paintball almost every weekend and I always thought it would be really cool to own a field. Ideally I'd have a place with both indoor and outdoor courses so that I could have business all year round.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;654382]And let me guess, no research on demographics or anything like that. It's just a, "This is a great idea. Let's roll with it..."?[/quote]
Not sure what they did before opening the business. They have or had a grass cutting business and next thing I know they are in the music business.

Re: start your own business
 

The more I study for certifications, the more I realize that good prep materials really lack. They write these 800 page books full of fluff that you have to sort through to get to the things you actually need to know. I'd LOVE to see a line of books aimed at people that basically know what they're doing, but need to pass the test. So you look at what subjects are on the test, cover those subjects without frills, and move on. For the Cert I'm studying for now (Security+), the book Im reading could easily be condensed to 100-150 pages instead of 800.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;653827]I've been waiting on you, [B]Beem & Beem's pop, and some of the other guys down here to show up :)[/B]

The pizza place is an investment business that has turned into nearly a full-time second job. When the economy is running fine things are good. This recession has definitely slowed my wife and I down in a big way from our plans and timetables for the business. We financed it and had hoped to have it paid in about 3 years, that's not happening now. There's high-margin in the pizza business, so if you have an independent established place, which is what we bought, you can weather the storm. I don't know how the franchises are surviving making $ 5 pizzas & $ 10 loaded pizzas, then paying franchise fees, advertising fees, etc.

If this was our primary income, we would've laid off at least 3-4 more people and picked up hours ourselves to make ends meet through the recession. As it is we just cut some "dead weight" and scaled back some hours. Also, you're tied to the business. Phone rings and someone calls out sick, doesn't show up, decides to smoke a doob out back by the freezer, and you're going in to cover the shift or handle the situation. Want to take a weeks vacation with your family....think again. You can't be there every open hour so you have to find employees that are trustworthy, we're pretty lucky in that regard. You have to deal with landlords, pests, vendors who will stick it to you if you don't watch every invoice.

It's got its ups and downs, in this economy its been more downs than ups. Talking with food vendors and other folks that own restaurants/bars, we're doing comparatively well so we're definitely thankful for that.

I would advise anyone looking to start their own business take first's advice, be prepared to have little-to-no income for two years. Without my "day" job, we'd be in a tough situation.[/quote]


I know. Sorry man.

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=ArtMonkDrillz;654391]Back in the day I used to play paintball almost every weekend and I always thought it would be really cool to own a field. Ideally I'd have a place with both indoor and outdoor courses so that I could have business all year round.[/quote]
Done the paint ball thing about 10 time and I actually like playing outside in the winter. Your moving around alot and with a few layers on you stay nice in warm and it also helps pad the hit from the paint balls. If you had the land the overhead would not be very much.

Re: start your own business
 

If I had to make a living I have no clue what kind of shop I would open maybe a meat/deli shop with my brother and dad. We butcher and process different meats all the time. For example we just this past summer we butchered 1 cow, 1 pig and 35 chickens. So we know our way around meat and making sausage.

If I wanted to start a store and was financially stable I would start a comic book/sports card shop...

Re: start your own business
 

[quote=firstdown;654509]Done the paint ball thing about 10 time and I actually like playing outside in the winter. Your moving around alot and with a few layers on you stay nice in warm and it also helps pad the hit from the paint balls. If you had the land the overhead would not be very much.[/quote]The biggest problem with playing the in the winter is maintaining the guns. We used to always have problems with our CO2 tanks or the guns jamming up when it was really cold out. Either that, or the paintballs wouldn't break when they hit you and that hurts like a bitch.

As for the cost, it always seemed to me like it was the type of business that wouldn't run too high on overhead. Like you said, if you have the land you're off to a good start. I've seen equipment packages on line where you can get almost everything you need at a bulk rate. I bet you'd make a killing renting the guns out and on the mark-up on the paintballs.

Re: start your own business
 

those facebook and myspace websites have made a ton of money.

someone should start a website based off that format but for pets.

dogspace.com; petspace.com; dogbook.com; petbook.com

so people could create accounts for their dogs, post pictures and all that other jazz. people love their dogs.