Easy to start Businesses!

[CHEESE2009]

So I was talking with a friend of mine who is currently unemployed, he's trying to find work but I know him too well. He is lazy, not much of a "get out & get it done" guy, more like sleep until I have to get up.

He doesn't have his license so that's a really big issue if he were interested in starting a business. Or is it?


I gave him a few ideas that he didn't agree to, apparently he wants a "real job" though he's incapable of holding one.

My thoughts were;

Driveway/Walkway Salting + Walkway Shoveling.

You wouldn't believe how many people could have used a service like this last year. Most companies don't shovel walkways, or salt.

It would be a simple service, low income, but fun & no stress would be involved.

All he'd need were tools I already own.

A bag of salt is about $4.00, so for every walkway he'd use 1/5th of the bag.

For a driveway he'd use 1/2 of a bag.

In total per customer it'd cost about $2.80

The job (not including walking time) would take a maximum of 10 minutes.

Now if he charges his customers let's say, $15.00 for this service, he'd make $15.00 for 10 minutes of easy labor. I wouldn't complain about walking.

So $15.00 minus the cost of supplies = $12.20 in his pocket.

If he were to get 10 customers around his area, that would be $122.00/per outing.

Maybe he'd find customers & have them write out a check for 5 walkway clearing, walkway/driveway salting jobs... = $610.00/season

So far so good (if your a slacker like my friend).

Eventually he can add extra fees for certain things, maybe a job clearing snow banks the city tractors leave at the end of driveways. Charge $30.00 a shot.

Anyway, that's one idea.

If he had his license, he'd be able to charge $100.00 for walkway shoveling for the entire season per customer, but he doesn't & cannot get to these areas.

//==//==//==//

Also, I would be interested to learn about more easy to start up businesses to generate any source of income & decent profit.

I was interested in opening an Ebay shop and selling all my movie collections, but that wouldn't be steady, but it would be something.


I was also thinking about selling gift baskets locally. I would need a website for that, so right away that's an expense.

I would have polls on what people would be interested to have in their gift baskets. They would be able to choose items from a list, or suggest items.

I would then have them make a payment, maybe person to person = Giving out a business card for them to pass around.

I would then use some of the money I received to buy the items, create a gift basket, make it beautiful.

Then deliver is on the day the customer wants it.

Basically, doing shopping errands for people who just don't have the time. Maybe around Christmas would be profitable.

It would be neat to have an entire service, grocery errands for the elderly, etc.



Anyway, let's say the set price for the gift basket is $70.00, all the customer needs to do is pay you the cost the items he/she wants, you do the shopping & delivering.

[Steve]

Out of all of those ideas, which do you feel you want to explore? Can you do anything with your friend and work together?

[SuperiorPower]

So Scott, have you considered just starting a snow shoveling service yourself? Perhaps you could approach your lawn services clients with the idea that you could shovel their snow? Sounds like you know the game and this may even be a way to make positive contacts for your lawn mowing business for next spring???

Just a thought,
Eli

[CHEESE2009]

So Scott, have you considered just starting a snow shoveling service yourself?


I've done it before, but in order to survive I'd need more customers than I'd be able to handle. Unlike my friend, I have bills to pay & need to keep making money.

I would be interested in starting this service, though it'd take awhile to build a customer base just for what I offer.

I believe the winter lasts around 5 months, so as long as I make over $1000.00/month I should be good.

$1000.00 x 5 months = $5000.00

5000.00 divided by $100.00 per customer = 50 customers

I wonder how this would work out. Hmmm. Gaining customers seems scary, especially if I'm not their hired driveway snow removal company.

Though I could look professional saying "we only focus on walkways/salting because we don't want to sacrifice the quality of our work" or something.



Hmmm.

I think the average tractor driver here makes around $15/hr, & is guaranteed 200 hours of pay.

Though that's only $3000.00

So maybe keeping that in mind.... $3000.00 divided by $100.00/per customer for walkway & salting = 30 customers.


30 customers shouldn't be to impossible to gain, it would be a start for sure.

____

The problem is, I don't believe we will be getting much snow this winter, apparently it's just supposed to get really cold. Might help with the salting, lol.

[Steve]

Could you go around the area with a snow blower and do driveways on the spot when it snows? Then give them business cards and ask if you should come back the next time it snows?

[CHEESE2009]

Could you go around the area with a snow blower and do driveways on the spot when it snows? Then give them business cards and ask if you should come back the next time it snows?

I've done that too.

Snow blowers just aren't efficient enough.

Average cost for snow removal in my area: $220.00

I'd need around 23 customers to make at least $1000.00/month. I would then realize the effort involved in using a snow blower isn't worth it vs another job.

So if a snow storm comes, the average tractor can bang out 23 customers in about 2 hours I assume.

For me, I would bang out 23 customers in more than 23 hours with a snow blower.

Snow blowers are extremely slow, & they suck at turning. They aren't able to make a driveway look prestigious either, a lot of patches will require me to use a shovel.

And worst case scenario, the city tractors plow & pack snow into the driveways, my snow blower (commercial) will be useless.

I would have to be on the ball every day until spring. Making sure I head out as soon as the snow starts, & probably doing my route 3 times every snow fall to ensure the work isn't too difficult or time consuming. I would waste a ton of gas, but doing the route 3 times I mind as well leave the snow blower at home & just shovel.


So overall, a driveway clearing service with anything other than a tractor wouldn't be worth it.

The days would be long & gruesome for pay one would be able make at McDonalds for 1/5th of the stress.


I'll figure something out. I'm always looking around for a bobcat with a blower attachment lol.... Or that trackless tractor. Damn those look nice.

[Steve]

I'd need around 23 customers to make at least $1000.00/month. I would then realize the effort involved in using a snow blower isn't worth it vs another job.

Sometimes initially it just doesn't seem worthwhile when compared to other jobs, but isn't that part of what keeps people out of it?

Most people would look at it and say 'oh hell no.'

But then when you do it, you are building customer relations that can last for a long time to come. These people could then sign up with you for lawn care and other services.

All the while you are building the Breeze brand. (B)

Isn't that what it is all about?

Doesn't it take time to get the brand up and going? Isn't a struggle initially?