Business Overview:

If you’re ready for a business idea that suits your unique personality and doesn’t risk becoming mundane, why not look into starting a tattoo business? There are several things you’ll want to do before you consider opening a tattoo shop. First, you should certainly be interested in body art and you should also be tattooed yourself (it would be hard to throw yourself into an enterprise like this if you weren’t passionate about it). Then you should learn as much as you can about the art of body tattoos, including the techniques, safety, equipment, aftercare, and laws of the business. If you’ve got these things in the bag, you’ll be ready to learn how to open a tattoo shop of your own. On the business side of this art, you will need a business license and permit, startup capital for a storefront location, insurance, and tattoo artists who you can trust to uphold your business expectations. Your tattooists might come with their own following, but you might have to offer some customer incentives to build your shop’s reputation. Once established, the way to maintain a thriving tattoo business is to keep an impeccably clean shop, provide stellar artwork and customer service, and uphold a fiercely professional atmosphere, even in an alternative business like this one.

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

A business like this often keeps later hours than most, opening in the afternoon and closing near or even after midnight, so you’ll want to ensure you’ve got a trustworthy staff if you’re not in the shop each day and night. After opening or checking in on the store, you’ll want to look over your previous day’s client agreements to make sure all your legal responsibilities are in place, and you’ll want to review your payroll and finance spreadsheet to check that your business is financially secure. If you’re also a tattoo artist, you will want to get to work inking customers and interacting with your staff and clients. This is a fairly relaxed business, and many days will have you chatting with and admiring the tattoos of the people you interact with.

About Your Customers:

Customers of a tattoo shop will be interested in getting tattooed or will be accompanying someone who is, either for the first time or as a veteran tattoo lover. They will likely scan your shop for cleanliness and professionalism, and might also want to browse your handiwork—providing a portfolio of each tattooists work is key to attracting customers. Your customers might have questions or concerns before they get inked, and will expect that anyone on your staff will be able to answer them.

What You Need to Start:

• Business license, permit, and insurance
• A storefront
• Tattoo equipment and sterilization methods
• Tattoo artists
• Legal contracts for your customers

The Good:

• If you love tattoos, this is a business you can feel passionate about.
• If you prefer odd work hours, this alternative business provides that.
• You get to meet interesting people who share your passion.
• The business can be quite lucrative once you establish a solid reputation.
• It’s a business that’s easy to advertise—your customers’ tattoos will often bring in more business than even great marketing will.

The Bad:

• With the alternative hours and customer base, you might encounter some troublemakers (think: underage kids with fake IDs or intoxicated customers looking for a late-night tattoo adventure).
• Again, before you actually earn a reputation as a premiere tattoo shop, you will need to offer incentives and below-cost tattoos in order to build your business.

Resources:

• National Tattoo Association
• Alliance of Professional Tattooists
• Wikipedia on Tattoo Studios

Technorati Tags: how to open a tattoo shop, opening a tattoo shop, starting a tattoo business

Business Overview:

If you’ve ever bought the perfect outfit only to realize you don’t have shoes, jewelry or a purse to match, you know the value of a fashion accessories store. The perfect dress or suit is not complete without proper accessories. Not to mention it is accessories that give you the ability to dress up or dress down the same outfit. If you are a fashion fan and are looking for a fun business idea, you should look into opening your own accessories store. You will need a bit of startup capital since you will need a storefront to showcase your stock of fabulous frills. Look around your favorite shopping center or look for an area that is calling out for accessories such as next door to a dress shop. Once you find a good location, you will need to buy some inventory. You should be able to find some accessories wholesale and may also be able to buy some items in bulk to receive discounts. As you make sales, you will be able to buy more items to display but having a good amount of stock to begin with will help get new customers into your shop. You should also consider how you will market your new business. Word of mouth will probably be your most important tool in getting people through your doors. Spread the word at local boutiques and other stores that could refer their customers to you. You could also take out a few ads in local magazines and in the newspaper. Once you know how you want to set up your store, you will need to hire a small staff to help you. Having a small trustworthy retail staff allows you to take breaks, visit accessory shows, and take vacations when you want to. If you love fashion, having your own accessories store could be the ticket to freedom and business success.

A Day in the Life of a Fashion Accessory Business Owner:

Your day will begin by making sure your store is clean, organized and ready to open. You will make sure your staff is on time and aware of any new inventory. You will spend most of your day talking with customers and helping them to find the items they are looking for. At the end of your day, you will help your staff organize the store and prepare for the next day. You will also need to record the day’s earnings in your finance software.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for a fashion accessory item for themselves or as a gift for someone else.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Storefront
• Inventory (shoes, jewelry, hats, etc.)
• Staff
• Business license and insurance
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• If you’re a fan of fashion, you can do something you love all day.
• You can sell items for much more than you paid for them.
• You will get repeat business if your stock is high quality and your staff is courteous.
• You have the freedom to take time off when you need to.
• Helping someone find just the right item can be very rewarding.

The Bad:

• Startup cost is relatively high; it might take some time to turn a profit.
• At first, you will be spending every day at your store to ensure it is run properly.

Resources:

• Fashion Accessory Shippers Association
• National Shoe Retailers Association
• Jewelers of America
• Wikipedia on Fashion Accessories

Technorati Tags: fashion accessories store

Business Overview:

If you love high fashion and low prices and would like to offer that combination to others, you should consider learning how to open a consignment shop. How many times have you given clothes away because they didn’t fit anymore or your tastes had changed? So many people have had the same experience, which is why consignment shops selling gently worn clothes are so popular. When you start thinking about how to open a consignment store, you may wonder where to get your initial inventory. You need to have a fairly full stock before you first open your store, and that’s the first challenge you will face with this business idea. It’s an easy one to overcome, however. You can find inexpensive used clothing at other consignment stores, garage sales, rummage and tag sales, on eBay and at clothing fairs. There are many details to be attended to when figuring out how to start a consignment business so it’s a good idea to have a business plan. This plan will outline who your target market will be, how many employees you will need to hire, if you will buy a franchise, etc. Another detail for you to iron out is what percentage of each sale you will offer to your consignees. If you buy a franchise, these details will be all spelled out for you. If you don’t buy a franchise, you will need to determine these factors for yourself as well as secure items like clothing racks, a cash register and display cases. You can find many of these items at auctions and garage sales. While opening a consignment store will take a bit of work up front, once your stock is in place and you have spread the word, you will have consigners lining up to work with you. The great news is that many of the same people that will bring you clothes to sell will also stay to shop.

A Day in the Life of a Consignment Shop Owner:

You will begin your day by making sure your displays are in order and that items are priced correctly. Then you’ll want to make sure your store is clean and your staff is in place on time. During the day you will be dealing with customers bringing you inventory. You’ll need to negotiate pricing with them and display the clothing appropriately. You will also work with customers wanting to buy clothing. At the end of the day, you’ll go through your inventory to make sure everything is in order. You’ll then want to be sure to record all the day’s transactions in your finance software or to have your bookkeeper do that for you.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking to sell their clothing items in your store (for a percentage of the profit) and individuals looking to buy clothing items in your store.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Storefront
• Clothing
• Clothing racks and hangers
• Cash register
• Sales staff
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Once everything is in place, running a consignment store is relatively simple.
• You get to work with people who are happy to be in your store.
• You’ll have your pick of the some of the finest clothing available—at a fraction of the original retail price.
• Watching people get a good bargain is very rewarding.
• Being your own boss means you have freedom to leave the store when you need to.

The Bad:

• Getting everything in place initially is quite time consuming.
• The hours can be long, especially in the beginning while you’re training your staff.

Resources:

• The Association of Resale Professionals
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Consignment

Technorati Tags: how to open a consignment shop, how to open a consignment store, how to start a consignment business

Business Overview:

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but gemstones of all varieties can bring in such profits that you must consider starting a gemstone dealer business. As an online gemstone dealer, you will locate awesome gems and minerals from places the world over and then find prospective buyers for the gemstones. As the broker of these deals, you will earn your profits when the buyer finds his match—sometimes you’ll even get paid from both sides. One great aspect of a business idea like this is that you can do it from the comfort of your own home. In fact, this online business idea is a little known but lucrative business venture and one that enables you to do all your prospecting from your home office. Another great perk to a business like this is that you can jump in without any startup money; you never actually have to buy or own the gemstones you deal with, you can simply create the buyer-seller relationships and earn your profits. Perhaps the sweetest part of a business like this is the potential. You can earn enough money brokering gemstone sales that you can begin traveling worldwide to buy dirt-cheap gemstones of your own to sell. A business opportunity like this—an international enterprise that you run from your own home—is certainly worth examining more closely to see if it fits your entrepreneurial desires.

A Day in the Life of a Gemstone Dealer Business Owner:

Much of your initial work time will be spent learning the business and learning about gemstones themselves. You will also want to start advertising your service and seeking out potential customers on both sides of the coin—buyer and seller—in order to make your first business exchange. Your business connection will rely heavily on your computer, so you will want to ensure it’s a fast and reliable machine with high-speed internet access. You will also want to consider creating a website or at least you will want to check your email very frequently to establish and maintain your business contacts. When you’ve made a sale and when business takes off, you will need to review your finances regularly. In no time, you might consider making this your full-time business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be internationally-based computer users who are either seeking to sell a gemstone or acquire a gemstone for personal or business use. Your job is to ensure both get what they’re looking for and the transaction is seamless—that’s how you make your money in this business. Often your next potential customer will have heard about you from a satisfied customer.

What You Need to Start:

• A computer with high-speed internet access
• Business insurance
• A website (if desired)
• A primer on gemstone types and on the business itself

The Good:

• You can work entirely from your home.
• The initial startup investment can minimal.
• You can make a global name for your business.

The Bad:

• Learning the business might take time.
• Your first sale might not happen immediately.

Resources:

• International Colored Gemstone Association
• American Gem Trade Association
• Gemological Institute of America
• Wikipedia on Gemstones

Technorati Tags: gemstone dealer business

Business Overview:

If you love the look of body piercings and the idea of running an alternative business, think about the possibilities of opening your own body piercing shop. It’s important to realize that this type of business comes with a slightly different set of rules than a retail store. For example, in order to succeed in a business like this, you will need to know the ins and outs of body piercing in all its many forms. You will need to understand how to clean and sterilize your equipment properly to keep your customers—and your business—safe. You will also need to have the proper legal forms available to ensure your business is protected. Beyond that, you will want to have an assortment of body jewelry available for your clients to choose from, and you will likely want to have talented and professional piercers working for you. A business idea like this has a sort of personality, and you will want to ensure the people involved in it are like-minded individuals who make your customers happy with their art. If you enjoy piercings and body art in general, and you follow the rules of good business, you will likely find yourself in a profitable career of which you can feel proud.

A Day in the Life of a Body Piercing Business Owner:

When you run a body piercing shop, your typical day would begin later than a usual retail store; you may not choose to open your doors before noon or even later. The first task will be to look over your shop and ensure the inventory of body jewelry, medical supplies, and equipment is full and well-cared for. Next you will want to make sure your shop is immaculately clean; this can be your ticket to a thriving business. Finally, you will want to review your expenses and profits, as well as your payroll, to make the best financial decisions for your business. After that, you or your employees will fulfill the piercing needs of the day’s customers.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be those individuals who are interested in having part or parts of their body pierced. There will be the usual requests like ears, noses, and belly buttons, and likely some exotic requests like cheeks, knuckles, and necks. It will be up to you and your employees to provide the services with utmost care, safety, and professionalism.

What You Need to Start:

• A business license
• Business insurance
• A retail storefront
• Knowledge of and skill with body piercing
• Medical-grade equipment
• A computer with printer for contracts
• Body jewelry

The Good:

• This business will likely be your passion; you can take great pride in your art.
• The shop atmosphere is usually casual and laid-back.
• You can meet interesting and like-minded people.
• The business can be quite lucrative.
• You can be the sole piercer or hire employees to work for you.

The Bad:

• Shops like these usually stay open until midnight—sometimes later.
• If you don’t pay strict attention to customer identification, you might find you’ve pierced an underage person. Adherence to local laws is of utmost importance.

Resources:

• Association of Professional Piercers
• British Body Piercing Association
• Wikipedia on Body Piercing

Technorati Tags: body piercing shop

Business Overview:

If you have a passion for purses and want to find a way to turn your shopping hobby into a business, you should consider starting a home purse party business. The home party business is easy and fun and purses are the perfect items to attract fellow accessory aficionados. When you look into how to start a purse party business, you’re likely to find a lot of information but how do you know what information is going to help you? What you need are some tips from experienced purse party hostesses about what works and what doesn’t for a purse party. You might not realize all that goes into this type of business. It’s very important that you get your purses from a reputable source. You don’t want to be selling any counterfeit purses, only the real thing! You need to invite people to your party, make your party fun and comfortable and show your potential customers all the fun items available for purchase. You will also spend some time recruiting hostesses to work for you. Eventually this type of business idea will run on its own and all you will need to do is manage those under you and keep track of the finances. The best thing about starting a purse party business is you don’t need any sales experience or business training. All you need is an interest in purses and the ability to gather some people to hear about your business. If you make your parties fun and offer quality products, people will beg you for an invitation!

A Day in the Life of a Purse Party Business Owner:

If you have a purse party that day, you will need to get the food, drinks and other party supplies needed and set up everything an hour or so before the party is scheduled to begin. You’ll then want to gather your inventory and display it attractively. Make sure your party venue (likely your house or the house of a friend) is clean and well maintained. If you have party hostesses working for you, you’ll help them set up for their parties and make sure they have the inventory they need. If you do not have any parties that day, you could spend some time following up with former party attendees to gauge their interest in becoming party hostesses and working under your supervision. You’ll want to explain the benefits such as free or discounted merchandise based on sales. Finally, you’ll want to take a look at your finances to ensure all your orders have been paid for and sent out.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be people who are looking for purses for themselves or for friends as gifts.

What You Need to Start:

• Purse inventory (or catalogs to show what’s available)
• Order forms
• Party supplies
• Business cards
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• This is a fun business.
• You get to spend time with people in a party atmosphere.
• Quality products at good prices will sell in any economy.
• Once you figure out the formula for a successful party, it’s easy to have them often.
• If you have party hostesses working for you, your business will run itself.

The Bad:

• It may take some time to build up your guest list for multiple parties.
• You will need some patience while you perfect your party presentation.

Resources:

• Wikipedia on Handbags
• National Fashion Accessories Association
• National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers

Technorati Tags: home purse party business, how to start a purse party business

Business Overview:

Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but baubles can bring in the big bucks so consider learning how to start an online vintage costume jewelry business. You can execute this online business idea so easily with the Internet that you may need to spend just a few hours a day on the computer to earn a sound profit. If you’re wondering how to start an online jewelry business, you’re in the right place. The first thing you will want to do is purchase some vintage costume jewelry or sort through the collection you may already own and determine what is marketable and what needs tweaking to make it saleable. If you need to purchase jewelry, you can find some great deals from local pawn shops, thrift stores, and garage sales. You might even decide to run an advertisement in a local paper that lets people know you’re in the market to buy costume jewelry. If you don’t quite know what to look for in buying costume jewelry, consider the following: Do you like the piece enough to wear it? If you do, chances are others will too. Is it in good condition? You don’t want to invest in pieces that will cost you more to repair than you will earn from selling them. Does the piece look like what’s being sought after? Don’t forget, jewelry is fashion and trends come and go. Keep your ear to the ground and your eye on stores and magazines to see what the celebrities are wearing. These tips can help you build a solid costume jewelry collection and start this business idea off on the right foot. Then you will have to decide whether you sell your wares on an existing site (think eBay or Etsy) or if you want to get your own website up and running. At the beginning especially, it might be easier to stick with these well-known selling sites to ensure your shipping and payments go smoothly. That said, if you sell great vintage costume jewelry and you provide solid service to your customers, you will quickly be able turn a profit and your business will be on its way.

A day in the life of an online vintage costume jewelry business owner:

Your day as an online jewelry business owner will begin with a check on your collection. You will want to decide what you want to buy to add to your collection and to see if any new leads for good pieces have come your way. Then you will want to monitor your sales to see if you need to fill any orders or answer any customer questions. You will want to keep a daily check on your site to make sure it is slick, easy-to-use, and has great pictures of your merchandise—after all, the key to strong sales online is providing multiple awesome pictures of what you’re selling. You’ll wrap up your workday by deciding if you need to or want to market yourself in any new ways.

About Your Customers:

The customers of an online vintage costume jewelry business will be vast and varied. Of course you’ll have your fair share of women seeking the most unique or conversation-worthy piece of jewelry, but you can also have customers seeking gifts for loved ones or shopping online for the first time.

What You Need to Start:

• A vintage jewelry collection
• A computer with an Internet connection
• A digital camera
• An account with a site such as eBay
• An account to make transactions such as PayPal

The Good:

• You can love what you sell and make a profit selling it.
• You can work from the comfort of your home.
• Initial investment costs can be very low, especially if you already own some costume jewelry.

The Bad:

• Learning how to sell online and keeping track of your online inventory can be time-consuming for a novice.
• Understanding how to price your merchandise might take some practice.

Resources:

• Fashion Jewelry Trade Association
• Wikipedia on Costume Jewelry
• YouTube on Evaluating Costume Jewelry

Technorati Tags: how to start an online jewelry business, how to start an online vintage costume jewelry business

Business Overview:

If you’ve got an eye for unique and original clothing and you’re looking for a profitable business idea, discover how to open a boutique clothing store. Owning a boutique can be a dream come true if you have a fervor for fashion and are ready to share it with the world. You get to choose items you love and make a profit for bringing your fashion ideas to others. However, it can be daunting if you don’t know the first thing about how to start a boutique clothing store. You might be thinking of the usual image of a boutique as a small, bricks-and-mortar storefront that houses the eclectic offerings you have chosen to sell, but thanks to the internet, the possibilities for building your dream business are endless. Of course, a storefront is still a great option for your business and you can always make your merchandise available online after your store takes off. For a storefront boutique you’ll need to find a great location to rent or to buy and a name that embodies what your boutique is all about. Naturally, you will have to decide what clothing and accessories fit your boutique’s image and who your target audience will be. Once you have gotten past the step of how to open a clothing store, you will have to ensure your business runs properly. This daily nitty-gritty can mean the difference between a successful enterprise and a struggling one. You must keep accurate records and be prepared to hire suitable personnel to help you run your business. With the right foundation, your boutique clothing store can be a fun and rewarding business.

A day in the life of a boutique clothing store business owner:

Whether you run a store or an online business, you will want to start each day with a check of your inventory and on any orders that need to be filled. You will also want to order any new merchandise and check in with your suppliers. After that, your record books should be attended to, especially if you have employees that you will provide payroll for. You will also need to check in with your store managers or business associates to ensure your team is on the same page and that your business is running as you want it to.

About Your Customers:

Your typical customers will be tailor-fit to the type of retail items that you sell. As the boutique owner, you ultimately get to decide the type of customer you cater to, though you will also likely have an assortment of gift-seekers and window-shoppers.

What You Need to Start:

• Resources to invest in your start-up business
• Real estate for your storefront (rent or own)
• Website if you choose to have an online shop
• Business license (if necessary)
• Financial tracking software
• Suppliers

The Good:

• If you have started with a solid foundation on how to open a clothing boutique, you can run a business that excites you and makes money.
• You can make a name for yourself in the fashion industry with the quality and style of your merchandise.
• You can provide a service that makes others happy.
• You can actually see the fruits of your labor when happy customers wear your merchandise and recommend your boutique to others.

The Bad:

• Start-up costs can be high, especially if your real estate is in a prime location or your merchandise is pricey.
• Getting to the point where your business runs smoothly and where you can delegate most of your work might mean a lot of hard work upfront.

Resources:

• Apparel and Footwear Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Boutiques
• Children’s Boutique Association

Technorati Tags: how to open a boutique clothing store, how to open a clothing boutique, how to open a clothing store, how to start a boutique clothing store, owning a boutique

Business Overview:

If you have a passion for fashion and are looking for a way to turn your love of clothing into a booming business, consider a t-shirt printing business. Maybe you’re a fashionista with a great idea or a stylish office worker who wants to work from home. Even if you’ve never considered fashion as a home business, you should check into how to start a t-shirt business. Until recently, this 20 billion dollar a year industry has only been accessible to those with a large amount of start-up capital and connections to major fashion houses. However, thanks to technology and support for small business owners, it is now possible to break into this lucrative business with little more than an original idea. You don’t need any experience or a lot of money to get your foot in the door of a custom t-shirt business. If you don’t know how to start a t-shirt company, you’ll be pleased to know it’s a very simple process. All you need is a good idea, a few supplies and some knowledge about the fashion industry to make this business idea work. Some small business owners have been successful in the clothing business with nothing more than a logo on a t-shirt. Creating your designs on a computer makes the process easy because you can change it and perfect it, all at no additional cost by using designing software. This is a wonderful online business idea because you can sell your shirts on the Internet to anyone around the world.  You too could make it big in the fashion industry with your very own t-shirt business and see your designs on people everywhere.

A day in the life of a t-shirt printing business owner:

A typical day for a t-shirt printing business owner will begin with a check of any new orders. If you sell your products in stores, you will need to check inventory numbers with storeowners or managers. If you sell over the Internet, check your orders and fill as many as you can with your current stock. You’ll need to spend some time making t-shirts and eventually you can start working on new designs. If you have a staff of workers, make sure they know your production goals and be sure everyone is on task.

About Your Customers:

You customers will be t-shirt wearers. They could be shoppers in local clothing stores or online shoppers looking for a terrific new t-shirt design.

What You Need to Start:

• T-shirts
• Computer
• Finance software
• Design software
• Printing equipment
• Trademarks/copyrights

The Good:

• This is a great part-time business that can ramp up to full-time when you’re ready.
• Start up costs are low.
• T-shirts can sell for much more than it costs to make them; return on investment is high.
• T-shirts will sell in any economic environment.

The Bad:

• Coming up with a unique and marketable idea can take some time.
• As trends emerge, your designs will need to change with the times.

Resources:

• Wikipedia on T-shirts
• American Apparel and Footwear Association
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Fashion Designers

Technorati Tags: custom t-shirt business, how to start a t-shirt business, how to start a t-shirt company, t-shirt printing business

Business Overview:

If you’re creative, like working with your hands and want a lucrative business you can operate from home, the jewelry making business might be for you. There is very little overhead and you can rapidly start making a profit, especially if you position your product in high-end retail stores. The tools you will need are few. First, you will need a computer for tracking your finances and, since this is a great online business idea, you could choose to sell your jewelry over the Internet, in which case you would need a website. You will also need jewelry supplies. These can range from extremely inexpensive beads, to pricier items like semi-precious stones, gold and silver. There are resources available that sell these supplies at a major discount so this doesn’t have to be a huge expense when you’re starting up your business. The only other “supply” you need is time. A few hours a week should be enough to get your jewelry making home business up and running. In no time at all, you can be living your dream of creating beautiful, wearable art pieces and selling them for a profit.

A day in the life of a jewelry making business owner:

A typical day will start out with you checking any online or store orders, then recording them on your order spreadsheet. You will need to make sure any orders that need to be completed by a certain date are on schedule. You may then spend time creating the jewelry to ensure timely delivery to either the store or online customer. Finally, your day will include spending some time shopping either online or at jewelry supply stores for new products you can use in your new jewelry creations.

The Good:

• If you love making jewelry, this business is a wonderful and rewarding artistic outlet.
• The bookkeeping is relatively easy with readily available software programs.
• With inexpensive supplies, you can sell your jewelry for a fairly high profit margin.

The Bad:

• You may find it hard to sell your items if you cannot easily come up with new creative jewelry ideas.
• Making jewelry takes incredible attention to detail which you may find tiring.

Resources:

• Jewelers of America
• Women’s Jewelry Association
• Fashion Jewelry Trade Association
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Technorati Tags: jewelry making business, jewelry making home business