Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a business in the transportation industry that offers a useful service to your community, learn how to start a shuttle service. A shuttle service, also called a share taxi, is a mode of transportation that falls between public and private transportation. Shuttles can run on a semi-standard route, like an airport shuttle, or they can be hired to make pick-ups and drop-offs at any location, similar to a taxi service except customers need to make reservations for these services. When looking into how to start a shuttle service business, you’ll see that financing is necessary to pay for upfront expenses such as your shuttle vehicle(s) and driver(s). A solid business plan will not only help you secure funding, it will also help you focus your business and determine whether you will invest in a franchise, who your target market will be, how much you will charge, when you expect to turn a profit, etc. Research what types of permits and licenses are required in your area for starting a shuttle service as a special commercial vehicle license may be necessary for your driver(s) to have. You’ll also need business insurance that covers your vehicle(s), drivers and passengers. Selecting a niche is perhaps the most important aspect to starting this business since the best plans can fall flat without any customers. Study your competition and find the niche that’s not currently being served. There are likely plenty of airport shuttles but there might not be a shuttle service for the elderly. Other groups to target include college students who don’t have vehicles of their own and working parents who need after-school transportation for their children to sports practices and tutoring appointments. Also, consider pursuing contracts with local hotels to provide shuttle service for their customers to areas of interest around town (mall, zoo, museums, etc.). You’ll find that this is one of the most scalable business ideas you can launch because you can start with one van that you drive yourself and add vehicles and drivers as your business grows.

A Day in the Life of a Shuttle Service Business Owner:

Your daily schedule will depend on your business model and the number of vehicles you operate. If you do all the driving, you will likely have some appointments scheduled and will take calls throughout the day for additional pick-ups and drop-offs. If you have a fleet of vans, you will act as a dispatch of sorts, coordinating your drivers and setting appointments. If you hire your vehicles out to hotels or stick around college campuses, you will probably not have set appointments but your vans will be on site and available for customers to hire when they need transportation.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals who need transportation services.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing materials
• Vehicle(s)
• Permits and licenses
• Driver(s)
• Website (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Shuttle services are in high demand especially to those who don’t have transportation of their own (college students, the elderly, tourists, etc.).
• You can start this business with one vehicle and add more as your business grows.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You get to meet lots of interesting people.
• You can hire drivers to work for you while you concentrate on the marketing and management of the business.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• It can take some time to spread the word about your new business and turn a profit.

Resources:

• North American Transportation Association
• Airport Ground Transportation Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs
• Wikipedia on Shuttle Service (Share Taxi)

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Business Overview:

Starting a designated driver business is a smart way to be your own boss while providing a much-needed service to your community. A designated driver is typically the one person in a group who refrains from drinking alcohol and whose responsibility it is to drive everyone home. This is a great plan, in theory, but usually the designated driver ends up being the person in the group who’s had the least to drink—not someone who has completely abstained from drinking alcohol. Obviously that is not safe and there needs to be an alternative to leaving your car at the bar or club and taking an expensive cab ride home. Your designated driver business offers clients the freedom of going out, having a good time and not having to worry about who will drive home. When called, your business will send out two drivers. One will drive the customer and his car home, the other will follow in another car to pick up the other driver at the client’s home. This gets your customer home safely with his car in the driveway ready for the next day. If you are unsure how to set up a designated driver business, there are franchises available to help. A franchise will be more expensive up front but will come with training, marketing, advice on hiring drivers and much more. You can start a non-franchise designated driver business for much less if you prefer. If you print up some business cards and distribute them to area restaurants, bars and clubs, you’ll find you have enough business to fill your nights and weekends. This is a part-time business that will typically be slow during the day so you can focus on other business ideas and marketing. If you run a personal assistant business during the day, adding a designated driver business at night would be the logical next step since you are likely already familiar with your city and could easily navigate to pick-up and drop-off destinations. Consider creating a website and listing your services and pricing so that you can market your business to other businesses like event planners who could recommend your services for weddings, birthday parties, retirement parties, etc. Their clients may even choose to offer designated driving services to all their guests. Offer both individual rates and group rates and have some extra staff on hand for large events since you’ll likely need to drive several people home around the same time. Other than large group events, bartenders and club managers will be your best referral tools, so spread the word to them and they will pass business on to you.

A Day in the Life of a Designated Driver Business Owner:

If you have a large event, you will need to coordinate your “stand-by” staff and have them on call for when the party ends. Otherwise, you and your partner will be on call during your set hours (8:00 pm – 2:00 am, for example) and respond to calls throughout the evening. When you’re not making pick-ups, you will go to various bars and clubs distributing business cards to customers and bartenders.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals who have had too much to drink and need to get home safely. Your customers may also be responsible people who throw parties or large events who want to hire you to ensure their guests get home safely after they’ve had a great time at the event.

What You Need to Start:

• Two-person team
• Proper insurance
• Vehicle
• Marketing materials
• Method of accepting credit card payments in your vehicle
• Website (optional)
• Extra staff (optional but necessary if you market your services to large parties and at certain times of year like St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• This business provides an invaluable service.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• It’s rewarding to know you’re keeping intoxicated drivers off the road and getting them home safely.
• The start-up investment for a non-franchise business is low.
• You can easily run this business part-time.

The Bad:

• The hours are late.
• Some customers may be so intoxicated they are difficult to work with.

Resources:

• Designated Drivers Foundation
• Wikipedia on Designated Drivers

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Business Overview:

If selling sweet treats sounds like your dream business, opening a candy store can be your ticket to success while doing what you love every day. Starting a candy store business is the perfect way to take a home hobby like baking and making chocolates to the next level. Since this is will be a pricey investment, it is wise to draw up a business plan before you go too far. Decide what type of store you will open, where your shop will be located and how you will market your business. You could open a candy store with strictly pre-purchased items or you could offer only homemade candies—or a combination of both. You could focus your business on chocolates, hard candies, baked candies, etc. Offering personalized treats for special occasions will help boost your business too. If you’re still unsure of how to start a candy store business, there are plenty of franchises available to help you get started. A franchise will be a more costly route than going it alone but you will get assistance with inventory, marketing, staffing, branding and ongoing support. If you’re looking to sell homemade items, a franchise might be too limiting for your inventory goals. However you decide to set up your business, it’s important that you have a high traffic location and distribute marketing materials around town. If you decide to make and sell your own candies, you could also set up a relationship with local restaurants and coffee shops that would sell your items in their establishments. Leave business cards that will lead their customers to your shop for specialty items. With high quality goods and excellent customer service, you’ll find this is one of the more enjoyable business ideas out there for a candy-loving entrepreneur. In fact, if word spreads quickly, you’ll have to ramp up production to meet the needs of your customers.

A Day in the Life of a Candy Store Business Owner:

Your day will begin well before your store is set to open as you will need to prepare and display your candy for the day. If you buy your candy products you’ll want to check your inventory and make sure the stock is full. If you decide to go the homemade route, you’ll need to be sure you prepare plenty of goodies to sell. Once your store opens you will spend your day helping customers and taking phone order for specialty items. You will also spend some time, perhaps on days you’re closed, marketing your business around town and online.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for delicious candy treats for themselves or for a special occasion.

What You Need to Start:

• Candy store business plan
• Storefront
• Candy preparation area (if you decide to make, not purchase, your candies)
• Candy making equipment (pots, pans, thermometers, etc.)
• Recipes
• Ingredients (chocolate, nuts, sugar, etc.)
• Display cases
• Other items (coffee, sodas, etc.)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• With a good location, a candy store can be very profitable.
• If you enjoy making candy, you get to do what you love every day.
• If you decide to purchase your candies, you will still be very rewarded by seeing people so happy to purchase your goods.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.

The Bad:

• The start-up costs are high.
• It can take some time to turn a profit.

Resources:

• National Confectioners Association
• International Association of Candy Manufacturers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Candy, Nut and Confectionery Stores
• Wikipedia on Candy

Technorati Tags: candy store business plan, how to start a candy store business, opening a candy store, starting a candy store business

Business Overview:

If you are looking for an excellent mobile business with plenty of potential, consider starting a leather and vinyl repair business. If you have experience with leather and vinyl repairs, you know that the possibilities are endless as far as items that are in need of repair. All sorts of industries use leather, vinyl and plastic in their goods – furniture, automobiles, restaurants, airplanes, boats, specialty health related items like dental chairs and physicians’ tables are just a few examples. Leather and vinyl items like these are sizeable investments that cannot simply be replaced when they start to show wear and tear. A professional repair technician is an invaluable asset to businesses in industries like those mentioned above as well as for fashion items like leather jackets, boots, handbags, etc. And depending on your area of expertise, you might be able to secure a repair contract for an entire medical building or pre-owned car lot. If you’re not trained in leather and vinyl repair, there are plenty of franchises available to help you get started. A franchise will be more expensive up front but the advantages typically outweigh the cost issue. As a franchise owner, you will receive training, equipment and supplies, ongoing support, marketing assistance and, in some cases, a vehicle. If you’re looking to take your window repair business to the next level, consider a franchise that includes vinyl siding repair. If you own a car detailing business, imagine the boost to your profits if you were also able to offer automobile leather and vinyl repair. As you can see, there are a number of items that need this type of repair so this could be one of the most profitable part-time business ideas out there today. Since you will be in your vehicle during your working hours, large magnetic advertisements will spread the word around town of your new business. A website will be a good marketing tool as well as you can post before and after pictures to show potential clients the quality of your work. Distribute business cards to those in your target market (auto dealers, medical offices, boat owners, etc.) and in no time, you will have enough work to explore the option of hiring a staff and transitioning to full-time repair business.

A Day in the Life of a Leather and Vinyl Repair Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You will perform repairs on site during the day and you will distribute marketing materials anywhere you go. If you have a staff working for you, you will coordinate with them throughout the day while concentrating on marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be auto dealers, office managers, medical professionals or anyone with a leather or vinyl item that is in need of repair.

What You Need to Start:

• Leather and vinyl repair skills
• Repair supplies and equipment
• Vehicle
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• There is no end to the number of items that need this type of repair.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• With excellent repair skills, you can scale this business up to full-time.
• If you contract your services with an office manager or auto dealer, you will have plenty of repeat business.

The Bad:

• Franchise fees are high; you will need to have financing set up.
• It can take some time to build your client list.

Resources:

• United States Hide, Skin and Leather Association
• Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
• Bureau of Labor and Statistics on Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
• Wikipedia on Leather
• Wikipedia on Vinyl

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Business Overview:

If you’re an animal behaviorist ready apply your knowledge and training to help pets and pet owners, it’s time to start an animal behavior consulting business. An animal behavior consultant works with pets and their owners to correct behavior issues that can include aggression, destructive behavior, biting, inappropriate elimination and many other issues. Often, a pet owner will first take his or her pet to the veterinarian to discuss behavior problems. If the pet is otherwise healthy, a pet owner will be referred to an animal behavior consultant who will have the owner fill out a detailed questionnaire and visit the animal in its home. The consultant will then diagnose the problem and formulate a plan for treatment. Treatment can include positive reinforcement, behavior modification techniques and training for the pet owner on how to interact with the pet. Business ideas like this one will be more successful if the business owner is properly certified and trained. If you already have an animal behavior certification, you can start your business right away. If not, there are several routes to take to become certified. The top credential for this field is the board certification in veterinary behavior which is obtained through the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and requires a veterinary degree plus two years of coursework. There are just a handful of people with this certification in the US but if you’re a veterinarian looking to branch out and add behavior specialist to your credentials, this is something to consider. However, if you’re not a DVM but are looking for a way to enter this business, you can become a certified animal behavior consultant by simply demonstrating hands-on behavior consulting and having experience consulting with owners as well as pets. Four specialties are available with this certification: dog, cat, horse and parrot. This certification route is perfect for a dog trainer looking to move into behavior consulting. When you start your consulting business, marketing will really be only expense. You will be traveling to pet owners’ homes to evaluate their individual situations so you don’t need an office and you don’t have any overhead. Consider printing up business cards and flyers and putting your marketing materials in animal adoption agencies (like the ASPCA) and local pet supply stores. Also contact local veterinarians and ask to be placed on their referral list for animal behavior consultants. This is a part-time business that can easily be scaled up to a full-time business with excellent marketing and positive results. You may soon need to recruit other animal behavior consultants to work for you to keep up with the demand for the services your business offers.

A Day in the Life of an Animal Behavior Consulting Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You will visit pets and their owners in their homes and observe their behavior. You will take your notes back to your home office and formulate a treatment plan to correct inappropriate behavior. You will set follow-up appointments with your clients to review their treatment plans and to observe behavior after the treatment plan has been put into action. You will spend some time marketing your business around town by placing flyers in various pet places and contacting local vets.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be pet owners in need of behavior consulting for their animals.

What You Need to Start:

• Animal behavior consultant certification (or you can hire a certified consultant)
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The start-up investment for this business is minimal.
• Pet owners will always need help getting their animals to behave.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent consulting services.
• It’s rewarding to watch your skills result in a happy relationship between pets and owners.
• You can easily run this business part-time.

The Bad:

• It will be difficult to have a successful business if you (or your staff) are not certified as an animal behavior consultant.
• Some animals and their owners will be more difficult to work with and you must properly set expectations for the success of your behavior modification techniques.

Resources:

• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
• Animal Behavior Society
• Wikipedia on Ethology (animal behavior)

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Business Overview:

Open a pool maintenance business and use your knowledge and experience to help pool and spa owners keep their investments clean and refreshing. Pools and spas take a lot of attention to keep them in pristine condition. And it takes an expert with plenty of experience to guide pool owners in their quest for a blue and sparkling pool. If you have worked in a pool store or as a cleaning technician for a pool company, owning your own pool maintenance business is the next logical step. You will need to have expertise with both above-ground pools and in-ground pools. Particularly in the summer months, offering pool consulting services is one of the best business ideas you can find. There are so many different types of pool chemicals available and the layperson simply doesn’t have the expertise to know how much of what to put in the pool. There are home testing kits and charts and a pool owner can make an educated guess as to what chemicals to add and when, but having a go-to person who they trust causes many pool owners to gladly pay for this service. You won’t need a storefront for your maintenance business since you—or your staff—will be traveling to your clients’ pools to do chemical correction, cleaning and other pool maintenance. Put large advertisements on your truck or van and let them do the marketing for you as you drive around town. Find out which pool stores in town do not offer water testing and contract your services with them so that their clients are referred to you for chemical services and cleaning. If you choose to buy chemicals in bulk, you will need a storage facility that is separate from your house (garage, off-site storage locker, etc.) in case of a spill. You could also choose to buy chemicals as you need them from a pool store. Depending on the climate you live in, the pool business could be seasonal. In the warmest climates, pools are open and in need of regular maintenance all winter but in cooler climates, pool owners close their pools during the winter. Consider adding pool closing and pool opening to your list of services so you can earn extra profits during the cooler months.

A Day in the Life of a Pool Store Business Owner:

You will spend your day during the busy time of year traveling to your clients’ homes to check chemicals and clean pools—unless you’ve hired staff to do this work for you. You will also spend some time marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be pool and spa owners in need of expert pool care and chemical consultations.

What You Need to Start:

• Experience with pool chemicals (or a trained staff)
• Truck or van
• Water testing equipment
• Chemicals
• Storage facility for chemicals (or you could just buy them as you need them)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Pool maintenance services are essential for pool owners.
• Pool owners will gladly pay for experienced professionals to care for their pools.
• The start-up costs are relatively low.
• Your customers will likely hire your business to perform regular maintenance/cleaning which means a steady income.
• You can boost your profits by offering additional services like pool closing and opening.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build your client base.
• This business can be seasonal depending on your area’s climate.

Resources:

• Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
• Independent Pool and Spa Service Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Maintenance and Repair Workers
• Wikipedia on Swimming Pools

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Business Overview:

Swimming pools are big business and if you have experience in sales or pool service, it would be a wise business decision to open a pool store. You don’t even need to live in a warm climate to operate a successful pool business. Heated pools and spas are popular in cooler climates and there’s always the option of indoor pools to keep swimmers out of the elements. Since a pool store is a large investment, it’s a good idea to draft a solid business plan to keep you on track. Determine what type of pool store you will operate, what other items you will stock and what services you will offer. The largest part of your business will be pool sales and installations so it’s important that you have a working knowledge of in-ground pools and what is needed to install them. You can contract the actual installation with a third party construction company but your business will need to consult with the customer about what type of pool they want, how much land is needed, what type of filtration equipment they will need, etc. Other than pools, you can also sell spas and even display a few in your store if you have space. Outdoor furniture is also a nice addition to your inventory and it gives customers the option of buying everything they need for their outdoor entertaining area at your store. Your pool store should also stock maintenance items like skimming nets, skimmer baskets, vacuums and poles and you need to have a relationship with the major pool parts distributors so you can order larger items like sand filters and vinyl liners. A third area of your business will be pool chemicals. Pool owners will come to your store for water analysis and to purchase chlorine and various other corrective chemicals. In cooler climates, pool owners tend to close their outdoor pools for the winter so your business should also offer pool closing and opening services if your customers need it. In warmer climates pools stay open year-round which means a steady stream of customers even in the winter months. Homeowners are not your only target market; you will also sell to apartment managers, athletic facilities, parks and schools. Anyone who wants to install a pool or needs chemicals and supplies for their pool will need to come to your store. Particularly if you live in a warm climate, a pool store is one of the best business ideas you can start since pool owners simply cannot go it alone.

A Day in the Life of a Pool Store Business Owner:

Your day will begin by opening up your store. You will spend the day helping customers find what they need in the way of supplies, accessories and chemicals. You will consult with potential customers interested in buying a spa or installing a pool and you will check in on any pool installations that are ongoing. You will order parts from your distributors and check to see if any new items have become available.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be pool owners and those looking to install a pool or purchase a spa.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Storefront
• Pool installation services (can contract with third party)
• Maintenance items (vacuums, replacement parts, skimmer baskets, etc.)
• Accessories (floats, thermometers, toys, etc.)
• Chemicals
• Water testing equipment/personnel
• Staff
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The pool business is casual, fun and exciting.
• It’s rewarding to help people get the sparkling pools they desire.
• In warmer climates, pool services are necessary year-round.
• You can sell items like spas and pool furniture to boost profits.
• Selling pool installations is big business and can earn your company big profits.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• It could take some time to turn a profit.

Resources:

• Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
• Independent Pool and Spa Service Association
• Swimming Pool and Allied Trade Association (UK)
• Wikipedia on Swimming Pools

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Business Overview:

If you’re an experienced limousine driver or just looking for a good business opportunity, you should learn how to start a limousine business. If you already have training in limo driving, going out on your own and being your own boss is the natural next step. You can continue to do the driving yourself or you could hire other drivers to drive for you. Knowing the ins and outs of the limo business from auto mechanics to customer service and taking reservations will go a long way in making this business idea a success. Starting a limousine business will take a large investment so you’ll need to line up financing to help you purchase your car(s). This means you’ll need to have a solid business plan to present to your lenders. Have a good idea of what your target market will be and how you will advertise. A business plan will help you determine how long it will be until you turn a profit which is important information to have. If you do not have any experience driving a limousine but you recognize the profit potential of a business like this, you can hire professional drivers. This would free up your time to concentrate on marketing your business. Consider contracting your services with area businesses who need executives transported to and from the airport and to various meetings and events around town. Also contact hotel concierges and try to get on their list of limo companies they call when a customer requests limousine service. You should also find the event planners in your area and let them know your service is available for weddings and other events they may be hired to produce. It’s important that when you start a limousine business, your drivers (whether that’s yourself or your staff) are properly licensed. Limousines are larger than regular cars and that typically requires having a special license in order to properly operate them. Building your business will take some time but with a solid business plan, great drivers and excellent customer service, you will benefit from repeat and referral business.

A Day in the Life of a Limousine Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any appointments on your schedule. You or your drivers will pick up customers at their homes, hotels or offices and drive them where they need to go. You will take calls throughout the day and set appointments. You will spend some time contacting area businesses marketing your limo service.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals or groups needing transport via limousine. You may contract your services with area hotels and businesses.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Financing
• Limousine(s)
• Driver(s)
• Licenses
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• You get to meet many interesting people.
• You don’t have to work in an office.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent limousine services.
• You can hire drivers to do the work for you.

The Bad:

• Start-up costs are high.
• This is a luxury service that may not be as popular during difficult economic times.

Resources:

• National Limousine Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs
• Wikipedia on Limousines

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Business Overview:

If you take pride in creating the perfect sandwich and you’re considering starting your own business, you should learn how to open a sub shop. Sandwich shops are popular for the lunch crowd as well as other meals of the day. If you find the right location and make delicious food, you’ll be busy before you know it. Since this is not a cheap investment, it’s important that you have a business plan in place. Having this plan will help you determine if you want to purchase a sub shop franchise or if you want to go it alone. They both have advantages. A franchise will be pricier but it will come with name recognition, branding, decorations, uniforms, marketing and a food supplier. Starting a sandwich shop without a franchise means you’ll have to make more decisions up front but you will have the freedom to create your menu and change it at any time. You can set your own prices, set up your store however you like and make your own business hours. If you already have food service experience, whether in the restaurant business or even street vending, you will have an advantage over someone with no food experience. However, you have to know how to start a sub shop from the business perspective as well. Having a great menu in place and a well thought out business plan can help to ensure the success of this business idea. Once you have the business framework in place, you need to find the right location. Get the health inspector’s approval before buying or leasing the space and get started on any renovations that will be necessary to make it a dining establishment (stainless steel sinks, walk-in refrigerator, etc.). When your space is ready and you have your menu set, you need to plan your grand opening. You should probably wait to hire a staff until you see how busy you will be. A sandwich shop can usually be run by just a couple of people until word spreads. Post flyers about your grand opening around town and distribute coupons to get your first customers in the doors. Once they try your amazing and unique sandwiches, they will tell their friends and you’ll have to hire a full staff to handle the demand.

A Day in the Life of a Sub Shop Business Owner:

Your day will begin early as you will need to chop veggies and arrange meats and cheeses so they are easily accessible during busy mealtimes. Throughout the day you will prepare sandwiches and help your customers have a pleasurable experience. On days your shop is closed, you will distribute flyers and coupons around town and tell everyone you know about your new business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be hungry sandwich lovers looking for a new and exciting place to get a delicious sandwich.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan and materials (flyers, take-home menus, coupons, etc.)
• Storefront with tables and chairs
• Sandwich items (bread, meat, cheese, vegetables)
• Other food items (chips, soups, etc.)
• Beverages
• Service items (plates, baskets, cups, napkins, etc.)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• A good sandwich shop is always very popular.
• Sandwiches appeal to health conscious eaters.
• Franchises are available to get you started.
• A casual sub shop is a fun and exciting work environment.
• You get to spend your days making delicious food and making people happy.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• It can take some time for your marketing to produce customers.

Resources:

• National Restaurant Association
• Bureau of Labor and Statistics on Food Service Managers
• Wikipedia on Submarine Sandwiches

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Business Overview:

Learning how to become a personal chef is a great way to put your skills to use while helping your clients to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you are a trained chef, your options are plentiful when you graduate from culinary school. You could go to work as a chef in a restaurant, open your own restaurant or, if you prefer a smaller kitchen and a closer relationship with your clients, you could become a personal chef. Starting a personal chef business does not require a lot of start-up capital and you can do it part-time. A personal chef typically prepares meals for clients in their home kitchens then stores the meals in containers so the clients can heat and eat them at a later date. Personal chefs may visit their clients once a week and prepare a week’s worth of meals or they may be asked to visit everyday and prepare fresh meals. How much you charge will be determined by the level of service you provide your clients. You could choose to only offer weekly visits or be available as much as your clients are willing to pay for you to visit their homes. As a personal chef, you also may be asked to cater parties and events for your clients. When you begin to research how to start a personal chef business, you may find that selecting a niche will set your business apart from others in your area. Specializing in vegetarian, vegan or organic meals will give your clients an option they may not have with other personal chef businesses. Other areas to concentrate on include gluten-free meals, special diets for diabetics or those with certain food allergies. You’ll find that this is one of the most rewarding business ideas available to a trained chef looking to help others maintain a healthy lifestyle.

A Day in the Life of a Personal Chef Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You will stop by the grocery store on the way to your client’s house and prepare meals for them. You may have other chefs working for you in which case you will review their appointments and ensure they arrive on time and prepare the appropriate recipes. You will spend some time marketing your business by posting flyers in area grocery stores, health food stores, weight-loss centers, fitness centers, etc.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals or families who need the help of a personal chef to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle. Or they may not have time to prepare appropriate meals for themselves and their families.

What You Need to Start:

• Personal chef business plan
• Chef training
• Marketing materials
• Staff (optional)
• Transportation
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• It’s rewarding to use your skills to help others become healthier.
• Start-up costs are low.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• You can charge top dollar for delicious food that meets your clients’ dietary requirements.
• Your clients will likely need your services on a regular basis, which brings in a regular income.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build up your client base.
• Some clients may be difficult to work with.

Resources:

• American Persona and Private Chef Institute and Association
• United States Personal Chef Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Cooks, Private Household
• Wikipedia on Personal Chefs

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