Newbie needs some guidence.

[brian_uline]

I would like to start a small side buisness up. I'm a programmer (lathes,Mills,Robots) fulltime, but in metal not wood. I woodwork on the weekends and during the week in the evenings. I do have some potential jobs lined up.

The questions that I have are:
1. Should I get LLC immediately?
2. Is there any one selling a PRT 4'x8' or 5'x8' machine soon?
3. How easy is it to find additional work?

I appriciate the help.
Thank You
Brian

[harryball]

1. Make money first. I see people spend money, time and energy fretting over how to properly "start a business" so much that they never get around to looking at the business at hand. Later they either give up or end up in an entirely different business than anticipated and have to start all over.

When you find something that makes money, run with it and get your business together then.

2. Keep watching this board in the stuff forsale section. I've seen some very good deals lately.

3. Look around and find a need, then fill it. Don't create a solution then go looking for the problem. Keep in mind what you enjoy doing, how you like to work, when you like to work etc... Don't take jobs doing thing you don't like or don't fit you. LISTEN. I've found people will tell me what their problems are if you know how to listen.

Case in point: I was talking with a small business owner and he was complaining about how expensive these plyo exercise boxes are, think of elephant steps, you step up on and off of them over and over. He just had to buy a few, expensive, wrong size... I asked "how would you like them to be and what do you consider a fair price?" I built six for him with the ongoing option to build more.

In my case, I create and build bat products for BCI and for our own sales. We are expanding, we found a niche and are filling it. But I always keep my ears open to do more. I think of income in terms of streams. Stream from bat houses, stream from bat address plaques, stream from small custom jobs, stream from cutting parts for a local builder and so on. Eventually the streams form a river.

I'm not in this for big business, I'm in it to enjoy life. I spent my life so far, and that's exactly what I mean, I spent out never to get it back, part of my life in pursuit of money in the high tech industry. I have degrees from Georgia Tech, I have certification after certification from Cisco to Juniper, fiber optics splicer, cable planner, project manager... but I digress.

Grow pumpkins because you want to grow pumpkins, not because you think they may make you a buck or two.

Get the book "Do What You Are", Tieger & Barron-Tieger and read it.

Robert

[brian_uline]

Thank You for the advise. Points well taken. I relly do appreciate your answers. It all helps.

If anyone else has any gudiance I would appriciate hearing from them. Thank you again R. Ball.

Brian

[ed_lang]

Brian,

Robert has hit the nail right on the head with what he has said!

My wife and I kept working on how I would leave a fulltime IT job and go fulltime in the wood shop for two years. In the end, it all came down to while I was working, I could not grow our business. While I was growing our business, I would not have a steady (I thought) imcome. Since leaving in June of this year, there has been steady work and more each week.

It is true that for some folks the way to start a business is the plan and plan and then follow the plan till they learn that the plan will need changing along the way..... Others, and Robert sounds like this type as well as I am, just start with what they have, where they are and move in the direction we are lead. I find that is less stressful and cost less in the long run. One hard lesson to learn for some of us is, you do not have to take every job that presents itself and you do not have to beg for work.

To sum it all up, start moving in some direction and be ready to change direction if needed.

Feel free to contact me offline if you would like to hear more or find out how I started.

I had no CAD experience before the ShopBot, now one year later and lots of questions to lots of folks (all willing to help too) I am able to draw a lot ot things on my own. I still have questions and get help from others. I will never know it all.

Best wishes towards living your dream!

Ed

[brian_uline]

Thank you Ed. I will be in touch with you soon.

Thanks
Brian Uline

[bill.young]

Hey Brian,

You can read a little more about Ed and his adventures in ShopBotting at http://www.shopbottools.com/getting_started.htm