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Archive for the ‘Franchise Opportunities’ Category
How to Start a Property Management Company
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
If you are interested in real estate but don’t want to invest large sums in purchasing properties, consider learning how to start a property management company. A property manager is the middleman between a property owner and a tenant. If you don’t know how to become a property manager, there are franchises available to help you get started. A franchise will typically give you access to a proven system and marketing assistance. You also don’t need any experience in the real estate field if you decide to purchase a franchise since it will come with all the training you need. If you are currently a real estate professional and you’re considering starting a property management company, you may have all the experience you need to go it alone. You should begin by obtaining the proper business license and place ads in the newspaper, in phone books and online. Your goal is to make contact with property owners looking to lease or rent out their properties. As the property manager, you will oversee all aspects of the rental agreement so the owner doesn’t have to involve himself in the paperwork, meetings and legalities. For your services you will receive financial compensation in the form of placement fees or for ongoing management of a property. If you manage an office building, for example, you will be paid for each tenant who signs a lease in your building. You will also be paid for overseeing the ongoing maintenance of the offices themselves as well as the outside grounds. When starting a property management business, you’ll need to decide what types of properties you will manage. Specializing in a niche will help you hone your skills and set your business apart from the competition. Generally speaking, you can choose to manage residential properties (homes, apartments, condos) or commercial properties (retail space and offices). You can also choose to hire a team of property managers to work for you, each of whom manages a separate property. As you can see, property management is one of the smartest business ideas available for an entrepreneur due to the low start-up costs and the variety of properties you can choose to manage.
A Day in the Life of a Property Management Business Owner:
As the owner of a property management business, your schedule will vary depending on your properties, tenants and other responsibilities. You may meet with prospective tenants to discuss a property you manage. You may spend time with prospective clients looking for someone to manage their properties. You may also oversee staff to do repairs on the buildings you manage if you choose to not do that work yourself.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be property owners looking for a business that can manage their properties by dealing with tenants and maintaining the properties and the grounds.
What You Need to Start:
- Business plan
- Marketing plan
- Franchise (optional)
- Staff (optional)
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- Property managers will always be in demand.
- Property owners will gladly pay for someone else to manage the day-to-day responsibilities of their properties.
- Little to no experience is needed.
- Franchises are available to help you get started.
- The start-up investment needed is low.
The Bad:
- It can take some time to get your first clients.
- Dealing with tenants can be frustrating and difficult at times.
Resources:
The Time is Right to Start an Energy Consulting Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
Now is a great time to start an energy consulting business, and generate some fantastic profits while helping to protect the future of our planet. It is now widely recognized that we must develop more sustainable and renewable forms of energy and ways of living in order to protect the environment and our planet. As a result, energy consulting has become a multi-billion dollar industry and you can cash in on this booming green industry and contribute to the protection of our world by starting an energy consulting business. With an energy consulting business, you consult with homeowners on how to make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. By doing so you’ll not only be doing your bit for the environment, you’ll also be saving your clients money as a result of lowering their utility bills. To achieve this, you’ll visit and assess your clients’ homes in order to determine wasteful energy usage, and make suggestions on how they can improve the efficiency of their energy use either by making changes to the structure and materials of their home, or by taking such actions as installing solar energy panels. If you’re passionate about the environment, now is an excellent time to start this business as projections indicate that the market for green energy services is set to grow substantially in the years to come. For example, recent research suggests that the home energy industry will grow from $8.1 billion USD to $23.4 billion USD over the next five years. This is due in part to the growth in a global awareness and acceptance of the need for both conservation and for more environmentally friendly forms of energy usage. It is also due to the fact that homeowners are increasingly realizing that going green can save them money, both in the short term and the long term. In addition, governments around the world are increasingly encouraging efficient energy usage, with billions of dollars in tax incentives being offered to entice homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient. You can start to serve this ever-growing green market and generate very respectable profits at a low start-up cost. Business ideas like this one will be more successful if you have proper training. But you can usually complete the energy consulting training you need locally and in a reasonably short period of time. Therefore, if you’ve got the desire and hunger to contribute to the betterment of our world, and you want to build a profitable and successful green business doing it, learning how to become an energy consultant might be the best decision you could make.
A Day in the Life of an Energy Consulting Business Owner:
As an energy consulting business owner, you day will begin with a check of your calendar to see which clients you are booked to meet with. You will then travel to your client’s residence and carry out an audit of their house to assess the efficiency of their energy usage. Having done so, you will compile a report showing your findings and suggestions on how your clients can make improvements. Your report might suggest your clients make changes to the structure and materials of their home or it might suggest they take action such as installing solar energy panels on their roofs. Of course, with this business you could hire energy consultants to work and carry out your energy audits for you, in which case a typical day would be spent marketing your energy consulting business to win new clients and further increase your profits.
About Your Customers:
Your clients will be homeowners who want to lower their energy bills and become more environmentally friendly by improving the efficiency of their energy usage.
What You Need to Start:
- Training in energy consulting
- Marketing (website, flyers, ads, word of mouth, etc.)
- Computer
- Business license
- Financial tracking software
The Good:
- Your business will be contributing to the protection of the environment and the planet.
- You’ll be making your clients happy by saving them money on their energy bills.
- The green energy industry is booming—meaning you can expect both the demand for your services and your profits to continue to grow in the years to come.
- You can start this business at a low cost.
- You can start and run this business from the comfort of your own home (although you will need to travel to your clients’ homes).
The Bad:
- Some of your clients may be resistant to long-term energy solutions such as installing solar energy panels as they can be expensive and clients won’t usually see a quick return on their investment.
- You may find that many prospective clients are still resistant to the need to take environmentally friendly action in their homes.
Resources:
Why You Should Consider Starting a Payroll Service Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
Starting a payroll service business is the perfect opportunity to help businesses operate effectively while working as your own boss from home. Paying staff correctly and on time should be one of the most important priorities for any business owner. Attracting and retaining quality staff is a challenging process, and any failure to pay staff on time and in the correct amount can put a business at risk of losing valuable talent. However, payroll accounting can be complicated and confusing—which can increase the chances of mistakes. In addition, business owners are faced with a wide array of responsibilities as part of the day-to-day running of their businesses, and many find the weekly or monthly task of payroll accounting to be an unwelcome burden. With this business idea, you help to take weight off of business owners’ shoulders by doing their payroll accounting for them. Learning how to start a payroll service can become a very profitable venture for you, as many businesses prefer to outsource certain areas like payroll and customer service due to a lack of personnel. In order to get started you’ll need to have the bookkeeping skills and patience to process payrolls correctly which, due to the complexity of payroll accounting and variances in local and national laws, will require you to have completed training programs on payroll accounting by professional organizations in your country. Thankfully, there are many training programs available for you to take, and most can be completed fairly quickly and at a relatively low cost. Once you have the necessary skills, the start-up costs for this business are very low and you can easily start and run this business from the comfort of your own home. You will need to invest in payroll accounting and processing software, and you will need to market your services effectively to attract clients. Having done so, you should start to see steady profits reasonably quickly. This is because once acquired, so long as you continue to provide an accurate and quality service, the majority of your clients will continue to use you and your payroll accounting for years to come.
A Day in the Life of a Payroll Service Business Owner:
As a payroll service business owner, you will spend a typical day efficiently working to ensure the accurate and timely processing of your clients’ payroll accounts. To do this you’ll use your payroll accounting software, and accurately account for the payment of each member of staff on your client’s payroll. You will then process the payment (or have it processed for a specific date), print out payroll statements, and forward them on to each staff member (and to your client). Of course, you may decide to hire your own staff to process your clients payroll accounts for you. In this case a typical day would be spent marketing your business to attract new clients and further increase your profits.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be businesses that want to outsource their payroll accounting.
What You Need to Start:
- The skills and patience to process payroll correctly
- Training on payroll accounting by a professional organization in your country
- Payroll accounting software
- Computer
- Printer
- Business license
- Marketing (online, flyers, ads, word of mouth, etc.)
- Financial tracking software
The Good:
- You will be taking care of one of the most important areas of your clients’ businesses for them.
- You can gain the skills you need to start this business relatively quickly and inexpensively.
- The start-up costs for this business are low.
- You can start and run this business from the comfort of your own home.
- Most businesses choose to outsource their payroll accounting, so you can potentially make great profits with this business.
The Bad:
- Unless you love numbers, payroll accounting can become somewhat repetitive.
- It may be a while before you start to see good levels of steady profits as building up your client base can take some time.
Resources:
How to Start a Mobile Oil Change Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
If you love working on cars but hate being stuck in an auto shop all day, learn how to start a mobile oil change business and take your skills on the road. The great thing about owning a business that services cars is that people will always own cars and those cars will always need maintenance. An oil change is required on most automobiles several times a year which translates into repeat customers to your business if your service is topnotch. There is plenty of competition in the auto lube and oil change arena, however, so your business needs to set itself apart in order to earn some of the market share of customers. Business ideas that take the service to the customer add a convenience factor that is likely unmatched among the competition. You’ll find that customers will gladly pay more for a service that allows them to go about their day at work or at home while their car is serviced in their parking lot or driveway. Mobile businesses are unlike standard storefront businesses, however, and you should draft a business plan to help focus your efforts. You could choose to purchase a franchise, which would typically come with equipment, training and marketing assistance. If you have plenty of experience working in the auto maintenance industry, you may choose to simply purchase mobile oil change equipment and hit the road. Put large advertisements on your truck and place fliers in auto supply stores around town. Go door to door in your neighborhood spreading the word about your new business and even distribute coupons that offer a discount to the first 50 or so customers. Once a customer experiences the convenience and excellent service of your business, you are likely to see that customer again and again.
A Day in the Life of a Mobile Oil Change Business Owner:
Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. If you are performing the oil changes, you will make your way to each appointment while taking calls from potential customers. If you have a staff that handles the oil changes in the field, you can stay at your home office (or storefront if you prefer) and field phone inquiries while coordinating jobs with your staff.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be individuals in need of convenient oil change services.
What You Need to Start:
- Mobile oil change business plan
- Mobile oil change equipment
- Franchise (optional)
- Truck or van
- Marketing plan and materials
- Staff (optional)
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- The demand for oil changes will always be high.
- Offering mobile services sets you apart from the competition.
- Franchises are available to help you get started.
- This business is easily scalable; you can add vehicles and staff as demand rises.
- You can also offer additional services to boost profits (windshield wiper replacement, etc.)
The Bad:
- The work is hard and repetitive.
- It can take some time to build your client base.
Resources:
How to Start a Repo Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
If you enjoy the thrill of the chase and are looking to start an exciting new business, you should learn how to start a repo business. Anyone can be a repo man (or woman); all you need is the right temperament and some patience. When a consumer defaults on a car loan, for example, the lending institution has the right to repossess that car and sell it in order to cut their losses. Similar to bail bondsmen hiring bounty hunters to track down bail jumpers, creditors hire repo businesses to track down and bring back their property. Any number of items can be repossessed but the most common are automobiles. Depending on your area, you may choose to specialize in repossession of boats, jet skis or other watercraft. It’s important when starting a repo business that you become familiar with your local repo laws. For example, typically repo businesses are not allowed to confront the borrower, create a disturbance or break into a garage in order to gain access to their vehicle. When you research how to become a repo man or woman, you will find that this is one of the most exciting business ideas available to an entrepreneur with a flexible schedule. Learning the best ways to track down items to repossess will take some time and experience, which means you will get better and your business will be more successful as time goes on. The start-up costs for this business include needing a tow truck and some marketing materials before starting to advertise your business. Determine what your rates will be per repo and per hour. Usually a repo business will charge between $200-300 USD per repossession plus an hourly fee of $25-50 USD. Contact local car dealers, banks and other lending institutions and let them know your business is available to track down defaulted items. Once you track down a few items for a customer, you are likely to get plenty of repeat business. You may soon find the need to hire additional repossession professionals to work for you.
A Day in the Life of a Weight Loss Business Owner:
Your hours as a repo business owner will be irregular since most repossessions take place at night or when borrowers are at work. You will take calls throughout the day from current and new customers asking for your business to track down items they need repossessed. When you are not searching for repo items, you will spend your day marketing your business to financial institutions.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be lenders such as auto dealers, banks, credit unions who need items repossessed due to loan default.
What You Need to Start:
- Business license and insurance
- Tow truck
- Familiarity with local repo laws
- Computer with financial software
The Good:
- The start-up costs are low if you already possess a tow truck or if you choose to repossess items such as TVs in which case you don’t need a tow truck.
- You can work as much or as little as you like.
- Franchises are available to get you started.
- You are likely to see repeat business from your clients.
- The repo business is exciting.
The Bad:
- The hours are irregular.
- You must be careful when confronted by a borrower.
Resources:
Starting a Jet Ski & Boating Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
If you live near the water and you’re looking for a way to tap into the lucrative world of watercraft sales, consider starting a jet ski & boating business. Where there is a body of water, there are boats and plenty of people looking to purchase boats. There are probably also a few boat shops in your area so it’s important to evaluate your competition in order to set your business apart. A boating dealership can be one of the most profitable business ideas available if you position your store correctly and match your products with your customers. Consider the economic status of the area before deciding what types of watercraft you will sell. Also consider what types of boats are most popular in your area. If you live on a lake that’s used primarily for fishing, you should sell fishing boats in all sizes and at a variety of price points. However, if you live near the ocean where the most popular boat is a luxury yacht, your inventory will be much different. If you don’t have prior boating or sales experience, you should look into purchasing a franchise business. A franchise will come with training and support that will help you get started in this industry. Regardless of what type of boats you carry, you should also carry a variety of jet skis (also called personal watercraft). Jet skis are popular on every lake and off the coast of every ocean and they offer water lovers a more affordable option for getting on the water. In addition to sales, you could also offer boat and jet ski rental as well as boat and jet ski repairs as a way to bring in more customers. If you are not qualified to do the repairs yourself, you should hire an expert boat repair specialist to work for you. As the storeowner, you need to be free to help customers, deal with distributors and manage the daily administration of your business. If you offer unique products and excellent customer service, your boat and jet ski dealership will soon be the go-to store for anyone in your area.
A Day in the Life of a Jet Ski and Boating Business Owner:
Your day will begin by opening your store and welcoming customers. You will spend your day helping customers with questions about their boating needs and hopefully making some sales. You or your staff will handle repair orders and you will coordinate repairs with your repair personnel. You will likely spend some time on the phone with manufacturers and distributors arranging delivery of new items for you to sell.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be individuals looking to purchase or rent boats and jet skis.
What You Need to Start:
- Boating and jet ski business plan
- Storefront
- Franchise (optional)
- Marketing plan
- Inventory of watercraft
- Repair personnel
- Sales and administrative staff
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- In areas near water, boating is big business.
- You can increase sales by offering repairs as well.
- You can hire a staff to do most of the work for you.
- Franchises are available to help you get started.
The Bad:
- The start-up investment is high.
- Depending on the climate you live in, boating can be a seasonal business.
Resources:
How to Open a Yogurt Shop
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
Learning how to open a yogurt shop is a terrific way to take advantage of the latest health craze while also offering customers a delicious treat. Traditionally, frozen yogurt is considered healthier than ice cream because it is lower in fat and calories. The latest trend, however, is to offer yogurt that contains live cultures which have benefits far beyond simply being healthier. Live cultures, also called probiotics, are healthy bacteria that are necessary for the health of the large intestine. Probiotics can also improve lactose intolerance, boost immunity and help the body absorb vitamins. As you can see, learning how to start a yogurt shop is one of the most health-conscious business ideas available today. Be sure to draw up a solid business plan to help you focus your efforts and decide if you want to purchase a franchise business. A franchise will come with just about everything you need to get started including marketing assistance, furniture, supplies and relationships with distributors. If you’re interested in starting a yogurt shop with your own recipes and want to put your own spin on frozen yogurt, a franchise might be too limiting for you. In either case, you will need to have a storefront with a lot of foot traffic or auto traffic. Putting a small shop in an outdoor mall nestled between boutiques and coffee shops will bring plenty of foot traffic through your doors. If there is room, put some tables outside so passersby can see your customers enjoying their yogurt. Having a store on a busy street will attract hungry drivers; you could even offer a drive-thru to keep your customers on the go. When you are ready to open your doors, consider having a grand opening event with large signs, balloons and free samples. Distribute fliers around town and ask neighboring businesses to tell their customers about the great new shop around the corner. If your products are delicious and unique, word of mouth will be your best advertisement.
A Day in the Life of a Yogurt Shop Owner:
Your day will begin before your shop opens. You will need to stock your yogurt cases with the day’s specials and make sure your menu is correct. If you offer other items like coffee and soda, you’ll need to get the coffee going and make sure the ice machine is full. If you have a staff working for you, you can concentrate on customer satisfaction and ensure the smooth running of your shop.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be individuals who enjoy frozen yogurt for a sweet treat or due to the health benefits it offers.
What You Need to Start:
- Yogurt shop business plan
- Marketing plan and materials
- Storefront
- Franchise (optional)
- Refrigerator/freezer cases
- Serving items (cups, bowls, spoons, etc.)
- Yogurt (either from a distributor or you can make your own)
- Toppings and mixes (fruit, granola, etc.)
- Other menu items (coffee, soda, etc.)
- Tables and chairs
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- Yogurt shops are very popular these days due to health benefits yogurt offers.
- A yogurt shop is a fun, casual work environment.
- Franchises are available to help you get started.
- You can hire a staff to do most of the work for you.
The Bad:
- The start-up investment is high.
- Your products need to be unique to set yourself apart from competitors.
Resources:
How to Open a Maternity & Children’s Consignment Shop
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
Learn how to open a maternity & children’s consignment shop and help expectant mothers and new moms find the clothes, toys and accessories they’re looking for. Buying clothing can get expensive especially when you need a new size every few weeks. That’s the reality for pregnant women when shopping for maternity wear. And expectant mothers need an entirely new wardrobe in various sizes that will get them through nine months of work, play, sleep and exercise. Likewise, mothers of growing children can appreciate how quickly their kids outgrow an article of clothing and it’s back to the store for a bigger size. This is why consignment shops are such great business ideas and why you should look into opening one that caters to pregnant women and moms. After a baby is born, the mother soon returns to her pre-pregnancy size and her maternity wardrobe goes into a box where it sits and gathers dust. Meanwhile a newly pregnant woman is facing months of buying new clothes that she will only need for a short time. Why not have a place that benefits both of these women and makes you a profit as well? Unlike a resale store that purchases items up front from the seller, selling maternity clothing on consignment means a woman would give you her maternity wear and when you sell it, you would pay her a portion of the profit. Same concept for children’s clothing – moms would bring in clothes their kids had outgrown, you would sell it and give them a portion of the sale. Consignment is a great way for people to get items out of their homes and make some money on the side. Owning a consignment shop means that you don’t have to buy anything to sell and everything you do sell will earn you a profit. And there are many other items other than clothing that you can sell at your consignment shop. Toys and baby gear like bouncers, high chairs, car seats, etc. are items that typically take up space in parents’ homes and they are glad to sell them when their kids outgrow them. Market your business in local parenting magazines and in the newspaper. Put fliers up in grocery stores, libraries, parks, fitness centers and anywhere you know expectant moms and new moms gather. Contact any moms you know and ask if they will bring you some of their old items to stock your store and attract customers. Have a clear consignment policy drawn up so you can easily explain how the system works and when your consignors can expect to be paid. Designer maternity clothing and kids’ clothes are expensive. Giving customers the opportunity to buy gently used items at a major discount will bring your business major profits.
A Day in the Life of a Maternity & Child Consignment Shop Owner:
You will spend the majority of your day helping customers find items they are looking for. You will also accept items from consignors (either by appointment or you can accept walk-ins) and you will process these items and get them on the floor for sale. You will contact consignors when their items sell and arrange payment to them. At the end of the day you’ll want to attend to your finances and close up your shop.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be individuals looking for high quality, gently used maternity and children’s clothing, baby gear and accessories. You will also work with individuals wanting to sell their items on consignment.
What You Need to Start:
- Business plan
- Storefront
- Starter inventory of items (yours or from friends)
- Marketing plan and materials
- Staff (optional)
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- There will always be a market for discounted maternity wear and children’s items.
- Since you don’t have to purchase the items up front, your sales are all profit (some of which goes to the owner of the items).
- Franchises are available to help you get started.
- You are likely to see repeat customers who buy items and then bring them back to sell on consignment later.
- You don’t need any training or experience to start a consignment shop.
The Bad:
- The start-up investment is relatively high.
- You will need to build your inventory before you can expect to sell any items.
Resources:
How to Start a Drug Testing Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
Business Overview:
If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding business that will bring great benefits to employers, you should learn how to start a drug testing business. Drug use in the workplace results in a higher frequency of on-the-job injuries and consequently higher workman’s compensation premiums and medical bills. It also causes higher rates of absenteeism and theft as well as a loss of productivity. These days employers cannot afford to keep someone on staff who is not extremely productive, punctual and safe. It is becoming standard practice for employers to perform background checks and drug screening on all new employees. They may also choose to perform random drug testing on current employees. It is for these reasons that a drug testing business is one of the most popular business ideas out there. If you do not have prior experience with drug testing methods, techniques and equipment, you will need to be properly trained. Purchasing a franchise is an excellent way to get this training and become a certified drug tester. Franchise fees for this type of business are actually much lower than for other businesses, making it more affordable to start your own turnkey drug testing business. Other than training, a franchise owner will receive marketing assistance, leads and ongoing support. However, it is possible to start this business without owning a franchise. You’ll want to market your business to area office managers and human resources representatives. Explain that you and your staff will come to the client’s office to perform the drug testing so it will be convenient for the employees. If you also choose to offer private drug testing for families, consider partnering with local family counselors who can direct parents to your business if they suspect their kids have a drug problem. Another market you could target is the school athletic system. High school and college administrators need to ensure their athletes are drug-free in order to be eligible to play sports. Unfortunately, drugs continue to be a problem in our society and a business that conducts affordable, confidential and convenient drug testing is needed now more than ever.
A Day in the Life of a Drug Testing Business Owner:
Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You and your staff will gather your equipment and testing supplies and meet your clients at their offices, homes or schools. You will collect samples from employees or other individuals and travel back to your office to do the testing. Once you have the results, you will contact the client. You will also take calls throughout the day and schedule testing appointments with employers and families.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be employers and human resource managers needing drug testing for their employees, families needing drug testing for their children and possibly school administrators needing drug testing for student athletes.
What You Need to Start:
- Training (certification preferred)
- Testing supplies
- Office (or area to perform the testing)
- Vehicle (to travel to clients’ locations)
- Staff (optional)
- Computer with finance software
The Good:
- Drug testing is becoming more popular and more necessary in the workplace.
- Franchises are available to help you get started.
- Franchise fees are relatively low.
- It’s rewarding to know you’re providing a useful service.
- You are likely to get repeat business from employers when they hire new employees or perform random drug screenings.
The Bad:
- You will need to be trained to do the drug testing properly.
- You must be highly organized in order to keep your samples from getting mixed up.
Resources:
How to Start a Seamless Gutter Business
Looking for Capital to Start Your Business?
Are you wondering how to obtain small business financing so that you can turn your dream business into a reality? Would you like to know the best ways to obtain small business loans? Or maybe you want to know more about angel investors or venture capitalists. We highly encourage you to read our review of three solid resources that can help you with your new business financing in our article, Small Business Financing: How to Obtain the Capital You Need to Start Your Business.
If you’re looking for a business that will add value to homes and make cleaning gutters a task of the past, learn how to start a seamless gutter business. As you know, rain gutters gather rainwater and let it drain down to the ground. However, rain isn’t the only thing that goes into gutters. Leaves fall into gutters making them clog and making them a real mess to clean. A seamless gutter essentially covers the gutter with a curved piece of metal that allows the rainwater to flow down into the gutter and down to the ground while leaves simply slide right off. There are some seamless gutter products available at home improvement stores but if you’re anxious to get your gutter business started quickly and with a near guarantee of success, you should look into purchasing a franchise. A franchise will be more expensive but it will supply your business with guttering materials, installation equipment, marketing assistance and much more. Installing seamless gutters is the perfect addition to the list of services a handyman might offer or a roofing business. Since this is not a one-person operation, you will need to hire a staff to help you or to do the work for you completely. Look for individuals with home improvement experience. Purchase insurance to cover injury to your workers and damage to roofs so you are not financially burdened in case of an accident. Market your business at local home and garden expos as well as by placing flyers in home improvement stores. Contact area roofing companies and try to contract your business services with theirs. No one likes cleaning gutters, which makes this one of the most attractive business ideas available. Not only does it protect gutters and increase property values, it takes one huge item off of homeowners’ to-do lists.
A Day in the Life of a Seamless Gutter Business Owner:
Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You and/or your crew will install your product on your customers’ homes throughout the day. You will take calls during the day requesting more information about your product and you will set appointments.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will typically be homeowners looking for a solution to full, clogged and messy gutters.
What You Need to Start:
The Good:
The Bad:
Resources:
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