Advice on starting a little side business
Posted: 07 Dec 2009, 20:03
Hey guys I would like your kind and boundlessly knowledgeable help!
I have been thinking of starting a little side business where I'll be building up systems for customers as well as some basic hardware and software troubleshooting.
What I'd like to find out about is what I'll need to start it and what kind of jobs I could expect. I'll number a few points to be raised:
1)I don't expect too much business, so I don't think I'll need a premises for it. As it is a side business I wouldn't care much if it didn't make any money in a particular month.
2)What do I need to do to be able to buy stock at dealer prices? Judging from the PC shops around here, I would be able to make profit even if I bought most of my stock from e-tailers, but I would very much prefer to gain the extra margin by buying from dealer suppliers. Who are good dealers by the way? I know about Rectron and Axis, who else?
3)Would I need to register as a CC? Is that expensive?
I think I have grown pretty good at suggesting systems based on the person's requirements and budget (if you don't think so, please feel free to put me in my place. No hard feelings! ). I really want to provide a good service and will rely quite a bit on word of mouth for new business. I will place weekly ads in the local newspaper, maybe a few pamphlets as well, and I think I might have a few contacts that would be willing to recommend me to their friends.
What I will offer in my ads are the sourcing of cheap hardware and their installation (I will beat any quote and if I can source from the dealers, then that won't be a problem), the building of systems from the ground up, minor hardware and software fault identifying and fixing (with payment only after it is fixed and with a 30 day warrantee on the problem that was fixed), I will install internet equipment and do setup at much cheaper than Telkom prices, etc (please suggest anything more).
I have done installations before, I have a fairly up to date knowledge of current technology (well as much as is needed to build systems), I have a fairly good understanding (I think) of basic fault identifying and fixing like basic hard drive data recovery, Windows and other software problems etc, I have the wealth of information available on the internet.
So, am I overestimating my abilities? Am I underestimating the demands of the market?
Any advice would be very much appreciated!
I have been thinking of starting a little side business where I'll be building up systems for customers as well as some basic hardware and software troubleshooting.
What I'd like to find out about is what I'll need to start it and what kind of jobs I could expect. I'll number a few points to be raised:
1)I don't expect too much business, so I don't think I'll need a premises for it. As it is a side business I wouldn't care much if it didn't make any money in a particular month.
2)What do I need to do to be able to buy stock at dealer prices? Judging from the PC shops around here, I would be able to make profit even if I bought most of my stock from e-tailers, but I would very much prefer to gain the extra margin by buying from dealer suppliers. Who are good dealers by the way? I know about Rectron and Axis, who else?
3)Would I need to register as a CC? Is that expensive?
I think I have grown pretty good at suggesting systems based on the person's requirements and budget (if you don't think so, please feel free to put me in my place. No hard feelings! ). I really want to provide a good service and will rely quite a bit on word of mouth for new business. I will place weekly ads in the local newspaper, maybe a few pamphlets as well, and I think I might have a few contacts that would be willing to recommend me to their friends.
What I will offer in my ads are the sourcing of cheap hardware and their installation (I will beat any quote and if I can source from the dealers, then that won't be a problem), the building of systems from the ground up, minor hardware and software fault identifying and fixing (with payment only after it is fixed and with a 30 day warrantee on the problem that was fixed), I will install internet equipment and do setup at much cheaper than Telkom prices, etc (please suggest anything more).
I have done installations before, I have a fairly up to date knowledge of current technology (well as much as is needed to build systems), I have a fairly good understanding (I think) of basic fault identifying and fixing like basic hard drive data recovery, Windows and other software problems etc, I have the wealth of information available on the internet.
So, am I overestimating my abilities? Am I underestimating the demands of the market?
Any advice would be very much appreciated!