Business Overview:

If you enjoy collecting dolls and are good with your hands, you should consider learning how to run a doll repair business. As collectibles age, they can increase in value but a doll that needs repair loses value. A decades-old Barbie in mint condition can be worth as much as $500 so it’s understandable why collectors would pay for quality repair workmanship. Before you start your business, however, you need to make sure you are well prepared. Become familiar with all the different types of materials used to make dolls like china, wax and plastic. You will need to buy specific tools for these repairs and dedicate an area of your home in which to work. Purchase as many dolls as you can get your hands on so you can use them for their parts. Go to garage sales, craft fairs and thrift stores to assemble your parts collection. Some of the work will be dealing with paint if it has chipped off or worn away. If you have any experience with art restoration, repairing dolls will be a smooth transition for you. You can add to your business model by buying dolls, repairing them and selling them yourself. Since a storefront isn’t needed for the repair aspect of this business idea, you should set up a website on which you can market your services as well as display and sell your repaired dolls. Advertise your business at local hobby shops, collectible stores and toy stores. Network with others in the collectibles industry to get your name out there. Be sure to include before and after photos on your website so potential customers can see exactly what services you offer. If your skills are topnotch and you offer excellent customer service, in no time you will need to consider transitioning this part-time business to a full-time venture.

A Day in the Life of a Doll Repair Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking your email and voicemail for any new prospective customers. You will discuss their needs and determine if your services are right for them. After that, you will get to work on any ongoing repairs you may have. Although you can work as much or as little as you like, you will need to dedicate enough hours to work to get your repairs made in a timely manner. When you are not working on repairs, you will market your business around town and update your website.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be doll owners and collectible shop owners looking for quality repair services. If you choose to also repair and sell dolls, your customers will be individuals looking to add to their collections or buy a doll as a gift.

What You Need to Start:

• Doll repair skills
• Tools and supplies
• Website (optional)
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Doll repair services are always in demand in the collectible community.
• Start-up costs are low.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent repair work.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• You can scale up this business by repairing and selling dolls.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build up your client base.
• This is a very specialized business and it could be difficult to find your exact target market.

Resources:

• Doll Doctors’ Association
• National Antique Doll Dealers Association
• North American Collectibles Association
• Wikipedia on Dolls

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Business Overview:

If you are a skilled exterminator, learning how to start a pest control business of your very own is the logical next step and a great way to be your own boss. Pests of all kinds make their way into homes and homeowners will gladly pay a professional to get rid of them. When starting a pest control business, you must be properly licensed so you need to check your state’s laws to see what examinations and licenses are required. Since you’ll be dealing with poisonous materials, it’s important you know exactly what you’re doing. If you are not qualified to be an exterminator but you see the value and potential of this type of business, you can hire licensed exterminators so you can concentrate on the management and marketing of the business. The scope of each project will vary so it’s a good idea to have a business plan that includes the types of services you will offer as well as a price list for these services. A website with all this information is helpful to potential customers and makes marketing simple. Put magnetic ads on your truck or van and hand out business cards with your easy-to-remember website printed on them. You could also partner with an established decontamination business that would come in after you rid the home of its pests and clean up any messes they left behind. Also consider catering to the green market and offering non-toxic pest control solutions and organic botanical insecticides. Operating a green business makes you eligible for government tax incentives. The start-up investment needed for a pest control business is sizeable so you need to line up financing. The good news is that there are franchises available that will help you get started. A franchise will come with marketing assistance, name recognition and equipment. As your business grows, you can hire additional certified exterminators to help handle the demand. Pest control is one of the best business ideas you can select if you are a licensed exterminator and are interested in making your entrepreneurial dreams come true.

A Day in the Life of a Pest Control Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any appointments on your schedule. You or your staff will handle these appointments and you will follow up with your customers to ensure they are happy with the job done. You will also need to be available to handle emergencies that pop up during the day. For example, if someone has a sudden, rapid infestation of mice in their house, you—or one of your staff members—will need to make a quick trip over there to take care of it. You will distribute business cards everywhere you go and encourage customers to send referral business your way.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners, property managers or office managers who need expert pest control services.

What You Need to Start:

• Pest control business plan
• Proper licenses and certification
• Equipment, supplies and chemicals
• Truck or van
• Marketing materials
• Website (optional)
• Staff (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Pest control services will always be in high demand.
• If you are not a licensed exterminator, you can hire a staff to work for you.
• You can charge top dollar for high quality pest control services.
• It’s rewarding to help people rid their homes and offices of pests.

The Bad:

• Start-up costs are high.
• The work can be dangerous.

Resources:

• National Pest Management Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Pest Control Workers
• Wikipedia on Pest Control

Technorati Tags: how to start a pest control business, pest control business plan, start a pest control business, starting a pest control business

Business Overview:

Once you’ve learned how to become a chimney sweep, starting a chimney sweep business is a great way to help your community by offering a valuable service. Even if a fireplace isn’t used very much, the National Fire Protection Association recommends an inspection about once a year to ensure it is free from debris and is structurally sound. The same is true for woodstoves. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that standard masonry chimneys be cleaned at 1/8 inch of soot buildup. It’s hard to tell how much soot has built up in a chimney just by looking which is why a chimney sweep business is one of the most important business ideas you can consider. Although not mandatory, chimney sweep certification is available and would put you head and shoulders above the competition. If you are not able to become certified yourself but you do see the value in having these credentials, you can hire certified chimney sweepers to work for you. Once you are certified—or you have your staff in place—you’ll need to purchase tools to get the job done. Some basics you’ll need include brushes, rods, a vacuum and tarps to cover clients’ furniture and carpet. You’ll also need a truck or van to transport your equipment and protective clothing for you and/or your staff. You don’t need to have a storefront for your business, but you do need to have a nice website that explains your services and lists your prices. Be sure to include safety recommendations and outline why it’s so important to have a clean chimney. The more aware potential customers are of how essential these services are, the more likely they are to use your services. Another important piece of your marketing is to create business cards and fliers to leave around town. Home improvement stores and fireplace stores are excellent places to advertise your business. Chimneys can be swept any time of year but you’re likely to be busier in the fall and winter when people start using their fireplaces and woodstoves. Since you won’t be as busy at certain times of the year, it’s a good opportunity to market your business. Offer “early bird” specials to get customers before the busy season kicks off. To fill in the gaps in your schedule and to attract more clients, you can offer additional home services like carpet or roof cleaning. You can also offer related items such as chimney pots, chimney caps and chimney guards. As word spreads about your business, you are likely get a lot of referral and repeat business. You will likely need to add to your fleet of trucks and hire more staff to handle the demand.

A Day in the Life of a Chimney Sweep Business Owner:

Your day will start with a check of any appointments you may have. You or your staff will travel to the client’s home or business and clean the chimney(s) (or other services offered such as cleaning the roof). You will give the client some business cards so he can spread the word about the excellent service you provided. If you don’t have any appointments, you will concentrate on marketing your business. You will need to employ several types of marketing including making your vehicle a moving billboard (with magnetic signage), advertising in the phone book and newspapers and leaving marketing materials in various places around town.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners, property managers or business owners needing high quality chimney sweep services.

What You Need to Start:

• Chimney sweep business plan
• Marketing plan and materials
• Website
• Certification or certified staff (optional)
• Tools and equipment
• Van or truck
• License and insurance
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Chimney sweep services are needed by everyone with a chimney and the demand will never decrease.
• The start-up costs are relatively low.
• Once you have the equipment, there is very little overhead.
• You can easily operate this business part-time.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.

The Bad:

• This is a seasonal business so you will need to plan for the slow months.
• It can take time to obtain certification or to find qualified certified chimney sweeps.

Resources:

• National Chimney Sweep Guild
• Chimney Safety Institute of America
• National Fire Protection Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Article on Chimney Sweeps
• Wikipedia on Chimney Sweeps

Technorati Tags: chimney sweep business plan, how to become a chimney sweep, starting a chimney sweep business

Business Overview:

If you want to start a business that genuinely helps people and is in high demand, you should consider running an odor removal and decontamination business. Odor can come from many places and can be nearly impossible to remove from homes, vehicles and properties without professional equipment and services. Realtors, property managers and auto dealerships are always looking for high quality cleaning services that can not only remove odor but can decontaminate an area as well. Similar to commercial cleaners but with more training and certifications, odor removal and decontamination technicians remove tough things like pet smells, tobacco smoke, and fire, water and smoke damage. Before you get too far with this business, you should draft a business plan to help you focus your efforts and decide what types of services you will offer. Certifications are available in the areas of water damage restoration, fire and smoke damage restoration, odor control and upholstery and fabric cleaning. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration offers such certifications and, although not required, having such credentials will help immensely when you are ready to market your business. If you are not interested in becoming certified yourself, you can hire certified professionals to work for you. This would free up your time to concentrate on marketing your business. Another option available to you is purchasing a franchise. This option will cost at least $25,000 USD but will come with equipment, training and marketing assistance. It may also come with a monthly fee based on how much you use the equipment. If you do not want to own a franchise, you can purchase large items like fast dryers, industrial carpet cleaners, deodorizing foggers, dehumidifiers, etc. either used or wholesale for a fraction of the cost of buying them retail. You will also need a large truck or van in which to transport these items. Check with your local government office to see what licenses and insurance are needed for this type of business. The final items you will need to purchase are safety clothing and equipment for your technicians (goggles, uniforms, boots, gloves, etc.) Depending on your area, your clients may need odor removal and decontamination services performed in homes, cars, offices, boats, hotels, restaurants (front of house and kitchens), athletic facilities or schools. The area(s) your business specializes in will determine how and to whom you market your services. You could even work with the police department in your area to clean up crime scenes. The possibilities are virtually endless which makes this one of the most versatile business ideas available today. The startup costs are high but you will quickly make that money back since you can charge top dollar for your services. If you contract your services with realtors and car dealerships, you will have a steady income as you will visit their properties and vehicles regularly to handle their cleanup needs.

A Day in the Life of an Odor Removal and Decontamination Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking your schedule for any appointments that day. You will make sure you (or your technicians) have the supplies needed and you will make your way to the job site. If you are not doing the odor removal yourself, you can concentrate on marketing and following up with your clients to ensure they are pleased with the job your technicians did. You will record your income for the day and check your finances to make sure everything is in order.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals or businesses that need professional odor removal and decontamination services. They could be realtors trying to sell a home, homeowners needing to remove an impossible pet smell or car dealers needing automobiles refreshed to sell.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Certification or certified technicians (not required but recommended)
• Equipment
• Truck or van
• Safety gear for technicians
• License and insurance
• Website (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Your business is providing a valuable service.
• The demand is high and you can charge top dollar for your services.
• You are likely to get repeat business if you do a great job and have excellent customer service.
• You don’t have to do the work yourself; you can hire technicians to work for you.
• Franchises are available that come with everything you need to get started.

The Bad:

• Startup costs are high.
• It can take time to get your certification or find certified technicians.

Resources:

• Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration
• Cleaning and Restoration Association
• Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians
• Restoration Industry Association

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Business Overview:

Starting an oil change business can help cars retain their value while giving you the freedom of being your own boss. These days everyone is watching their expenses and the longer their cars last, the better it is on their pocketbooks. When it comes time to sell a car, if it’s been properly maintained, it will sell for more. This is why one of the smartest business ideas available for a dedicated entrepreneur is the auto lube or oil change business. If this idea sounds promising, you will need to make a few decisions before you get too far. First, will you open your own store or purchase a franchise? Both have their pros and cons – a franchise comes with name recognition like Jiffy Lube and marketing but you will be charged franchise fees; starting your own business comes with more freedom in decision making but you have to formulate your own marketing campaign and find funding for your building, tools and staff. If you start it on your own you’ll definitely want to have a solid oil change business plan. You’ll find when looking into how to start an oil change business that location is one of the most important things to consider. Your shop needs to be in a high traffic area. You also need to think about speed limits and ease of access. If you don’t have the skills necessary to do the services yourself, you can simply hire a team of technicians to work for you. This would free up your time to concentrate on marketing your new business. After your auto lube business is well established, you may want to think about adding services like towing or window tinting. As more and more car owners are taking better care of their investments, the demand for high quality auto lube services will continue to rise.

A Day in the Life of an Auto Lube Business Owner:

Your day will begin by preparing your shop for business and greeting customers. You will oversee your staff (if not doing services yourself) and ensure customers are happy with the service they received. You will spend a portion of your day marketing your business by putting ads online and in area newspapers and phone books. At the end of your day you will record your earnings and prepare the shop for the next day.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be car owners in need of excellent car care services including oil changes, lube jobs and other maintenance.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Storefront
• Equipment
• Staff
• Marketing plan
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Demand is high for this type of business.
• With a good location, traffic (and sales) will be high.
• With a well-trained staff, you are free to concentrate on marketing your business.
• It’s rewarding to help people maintain their vehicles.
• You can easily scale up this business by adding additional services.

The Bad:

• Startup costs are high.
• The work is repetitive and the hours may be long.

Resources:

• Automotive Oil Change Association
• CarCare.org
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
• Wikipedia on Car Maintenance

Technorati Tags: oil change business plan, starting an oil change business

Business Overview:

In today’s world of do-it-yourself repairs and installations, learning how to start a hardware store could be one of the most lucrative business ideas available. This is not a small venture, however, and having a hardware store business plan will be the difference between success and frustration. Not only will you need a large space for your business, typically between 20,000 – 30,000 square feet, but you will need to stock that huge space with tools, materials, equipment and more. One option open to an entrepreneur starting a hardware store is purchasing a hardware store franchise. A franchise would come with everything you would need to get started but you would not have the freedom to choose what items you stock. Whether you open your own store or buy a franchise, it’s important to research your area to gauge its growth potential, the socioeconomic status of your customer base and what your competition’s weaknesses are. Figure out how you can compete with larger chain stores and don’t be intimidated with their market share. Studies show that smaller hardware stores are able to successfully share the market and, in fact, many consumers like independent stores for the level of customer service they receive. Many of your sales may come from local handymen, but you’ll also have plenty of homeowners frequenting your shop. When opening a hardware store, it’s important that you establish a good relationship with wholesalers to keep the right items on your shelves. You could also get your stock directly from manufacturers or distributors but usually wholesalers offer the best prices. With the right stock, a well-trained staff and excellent customer service, your hardware store business will flourish in your community.

A Day in the Life of a Hardware Business Owner:

Since your clients will not only be weekend warriors since you will also have contractors doing business with you, your day will begin early as you will need to be open before their work day starts. You will spend your day assisting customers and contacting your suppliers. You will answer questions from your staff and generally manage your store. Keeping a close eye on your inventory will be a key practice for this business. At the end of the day, you will record your receipts and make sure the store is neat and organized for the next day.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners, property managers and contractors needing quality home-improvement supplies at a reasonable cost.

What You Need to Start:

• Storefront
• Business plan
• Staff
• Stock of items to sell
• Shelving, racks, display cases, etc.
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The demand for hardware stores is very high.
• The potential for profits is also very high.
• Once your staff learns the business, you can be free to concentrate on managing and advertising.
• You will have access to all the latest tools and gadgets.
• You can expand on your business by offering in-home services.

The Bad:

• The startup investment is high.
• It can take some time to see a profit.

Resources:

• North American Retail Hardware Association
• Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association
• Wikipedia on Hardware Stores

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

Business Overview:

Learning how to start a bicycle repair shop business could be the ticket to financial freedom for the cycling enthusiast entrepreneur. If you are a cyclist, you know how seriously people take their bicycles and how important it is that their bikes are working properly. You also know that few cyclists know how to fix their bikes if something breaks. Opening a bicycle repair business is something you can do in your spare time and you can do it from home. You will need to have a small storage space to keep bicycles while you work on them but the startup investment is minimal. If you already work on bicycles, you likely have all the tools you need for this business. And you can always hire someone with repair skills to do the work for you. In this case, you would be able to concentrate on marketing your new business. You can leave fliers in bicycle shops and larger athletic stores. Hand out business cards to your cycling buddies and spread the word at area bike trails. Take out ads in local outdoor magazines and in newspapers. You should set up a website with information about the types of repairs you offer along with a price list. With the popularity of “green” activities, helping the cycling community is one of the best business ideas out there today. And unlike operating a bicycle shop, you don’t have to worry about housing an inventory. You will need to stock a few commonly used parts so you can make quick repairs, then you can order parts from the manufacturer for the more rare fixes. If you offer speedy repairs with excellent customer service, it will only be a matter of time before yours is the go-to repair business in town. You may have to hire additional repair professionals to help you grow your business.

A Day in the Life of a Bicycle Repair Shop Business Owner:

Your day will begin by working on any ongoing repairs. You will also take walk-in repair requests and field phone calls to make repair appointments. You will spend a portion of your day distributing marketing materials to various locations around town where cyclists shop and gather (bike shops, bike trails, etc.). If you manage a staff of repair workers, you will communicate with them throughout the day to ensure their repairs are on schedule.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be cyclists of all skill levels from beginning to expert, who are in need of high quality, timely bicycle repair services.

What You Need to Start:

• Bicycle repair skills (or you can hire a repair staff)
• Area to store bicycles while being repaired
• Tools
• Repair manuals
• Marketing plan and materials
• Website
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• If you have repair skills, this is a great way to start a business.
• You don’t have to have an office; you can work from home.
• You can run this business in your spare time.
• If you offer excellent repair work and customer service, you will get repeat business.
• Start up costs are low.
• You can charge top dollar for first-rate repair work.
• It is rewarding to be able to fix a problem and help a fellow cyclist.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to get your first few clients.
• Some repairs will be more difficult and time consuming than others; you need to communicate this effectively with the bicycle owners so their expectations are properly set.

Resources:

• National Bicycle Dealers Association
• Association of Cycle Traders (UK)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Bicycle Repairers
• Wikipedia on Bicycle Mechanics

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Business Overview:

Starting an appliance repair business is the perfect choice for an entrepreneur looking to help homeowners while earning considerable profits. Every home has a number of appliances from refrigerators and ovens to washing machines and microwaves. These machines will break down eventually and homeowners are left with the choices of repair or replacement. Depending on the cost of the appliance, often it’s cheaper to just replace it. However, if you offer competitively priced repair services, homeowners can keep their appliances, and their extra cash, a little longer. Your customers are not limited to homeowners as other individuals—such as landlords and apartment managers—are also responsible for larger appliances in the properties they oversee like refrigerators, stoves and ovens. Similar to handyman or plumbing businesses but specializing in repair of appliances, this business venture could bring in a sizeable profit if your business model is sound. If you are an experienced appliance repair specialist, the logical next step is to branch out and own your own repair business. However, if you are not skilled in appliance repair, you can simply hire a qualified repair staff to work for you. This would leave your time free to focus on the marketing of your business. Consider whether purchasing an appliance repair franchise would fit your business model since this option would likely come with a recognizable business name and some repair equipment. The best way to ensure that this business idea is successful is to offer the best customer service. This means having your staff show up on time, as promised. You will also want to have a repair technician on call during the evenings and on weekends to handle emergency calls that come on the weekend and during the evenings. Only promise as much as you can deliver and offer reasonable prices. In no time you will need to hire additional repair staff to handle all your business.

A Day in the Life of an Appliance Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any scheduled repairs that need to be handled that day. If you’re doing the repairs yourself, you will need to be sure you have all the equipment and supplies necessary to handle the repairs and make sure you get to the appointments on time. If your staff handles repair work for the business, you will check in with the repairperson assigned to a particular job to ensure he or she is ready and on time. When the repair is complete, you will want your repairperson to leave an invoice so that you get paid and also have them leave some business cards for the appliance owner to hand out as referrals. If you did not do the repair, you will follow up with the customer to make sure he or she is satisfied with the work done. You will spend some of your day marketing your business around town by leaving fliers at home improvement stores, local appliance stores and taking out ads in local papers and magazines. At the end of the day you will record the day’s income and look at your appointments for the next day.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners and other individuals like landlords and apartment managers who need high quality, reasonably priced appliance repair services.

What You Need to Start:

• Appliance repair experience (or willingness to hire a repair staff)
• Truck or van
• Business license and insurance
• Marketing plan and materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• If you are an experienced repair specialist, this will be an easy transition.
• If you are not skilled in appliance repair, you can hire a staff to do the work.
• You can set your own hours.
• Demand for this type of service will always be high.
• If your customer service is excellent, you can charge top dollar.

The Bad:

• The initial investment is high.
• It will take time to build your client list and/or hire a qualified staff of repair specialists.

Resources:

• National Appliance Service Association
• Appliance Industry Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Home Appliance Repairers
• Wikipedia on Home Appliances

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Business Overview:

If you live in a particularly snowy region and are looking for a great small business opportunity, you should find out how to run a teen snow removal business. If you’ve ever been snowed in, you can appreciate the value of a snow shovel and some old fashioned muscle. Starting a snow removal business can include shoveling driveways and sidewalks as well as removing snow from vehicles and roofs. Since all you will need are a few inexpensive tools (shovel, scraper, ladder), the startup costs for this business idea are low. You can run the business before and after school as well as on the weekends. Homeowners will pay you quite well to perform this service. Before bad weather hits is when you want to get your business name out there and distribute fliers and business cards. Once people are in need of your services, they must have your name and number handy so they can get in touch with you quickly. Keep an eye on the weather and if a big storm is coming, start blanketing your area with your business contact information. You can even hire other teens to assist you if demand gets very high. Obviously the demand for snow removal is dependent on the weather so you may not need a full staff all the time. Flexibility will be required on your part and that of any staff you want to employ since demand will not be constant throughout the season. However, if your services are top notch and word spreads though the community, your business could be very busy during the winter months.

A Day in the Life of a Teen Snow Removal Business Owner:

When snow is on the ground, your day will begin by checking to see what appointments you have scheduled. You will pack up your gear and get to your first client’s house and take care of their snow situation. If you have several clients in need of snow removal, you will coordinate with your teen crew to assign them their jobs. If there is no snow to remove, you will spend your day distributing marketing materials and spreading the word about your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners in need of speedy, high quality snow removal of their sidewalks, driveways, vehicles or roofs.

What You Need to Start:

• Marketing materials
• Equipment (shovels, scrapers, ladder)
• Transportation
• Price list
• Staff (if needed)

The Good:

• This service is in high demand in particularly snowy regions.
• Owning your own small business looks great on college applications.
• Startup costs for this business are low.
• Homeowners will pay top dollar for high quality snow removal.
• You can hire a team to work for you and concentrate on marketing and managing your business.

The Bad:

• This business is seasonal; demand will vary even in winter months.
• You may have some early mornings in order to clear snow before clients go to work and you go to school.

Resources:

• Snow and Ice Management Association
• Small Business Association Teen Business Link
• Wikipedia on Snow Removal

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Business Overview:

Starting a waterproofing business can be a recession-proof, profitable, and easy to start business idea for construction-minded entrepreneurs. The fact is that no one can afford a leaky home, so homeowners who might not be in the market to spend for cosmetic improvements to their homes will still need to maintain the basic structure of their investments—and that’s where your business comes in. As a waterproofing business, you or your employees will assess the homeowner’s situation—usually a leaky foundation—and provide an estimate for the work needed to repair and waterproof the structure. Basic fixes include filling cracks to seal off leaks, but the repairs—and your service menu—can be much more extensive than that, especially if you’ve got the know-how and the tools to solve bigger waterproofing issues. If your price is competitive, your work guaranteed, and your company professional, you will likely sell many of the customers you provide estimates for. If you are not an expert in construction or waterproofing in particular, you can still start this business easily by recruiting skilled employees to work for or with you. In addition to getting experience and experienced workers, you will also need a reliable vehicle that can transport your tools and even do double duty as a moving advertisement for your company. Finally, you will want to have a small home office with basic equipment so that you can receive messages from potential clients while you’re out working, print service contracts on an inkjet or laser printer, and possibly even set up a website for your business. A basic financial-tracking software program will help you keep your finances organized. If this sounds like a doable business idea for you, read on to learn just what you’ll need to get your business off the ground.

A Day in the Life of a Waterproofing Business Owner:

When you check in at your home office first thing in the morning, you’ll want to note the jobs you have scheduled for the day. Having clear directions to the homes plus the service contracts all ready to be signed will be first on your to do list. Next you’ll want to check your voicemail to ensure there are no potential customers waiting for a response from you or requesting an estimate from your company. Tackling these messages will be next on your list. Then it’s out to your work van where you will want to ensure your vehicle is clean and your business logo is easily seen to attract potential customers. Verifying you have all the tools and equipment you need for the day’s work comes next, followed by a quick call to your employees to ensure you’re all on the same page. If you’re also involved in the labor, you will want to get to your customer’s house ready to work; if not, make an appearance while your employees do the waterproofing. When the job is complete, you will want to be there to make sure your customer is satisfied, to collect payment, and to sign off on the service contracts. Back in your home office, you will want to log on for a quick check of your finances and a glance at your calendar to see what’s in store for you the following day.

About Your Customers:

Customers of a waterproofing business are likely homeowners who have discovered a compromised foundation that needs repair. They may have a serious flooding situation that requires clean-up or just some cracking that needs sealing. Depending on how extensive your service menu is, you can provide basic waterproofing needs or full-service clean-up, waterproofing, and air-quality control. Of course, the more you offer the greater revenue you stand to make, though you’ll need to make sure you and your employees have the know-how to complete the job. Customers will likely be looking for a competitive price but will also want to feel they can trust your company and that you stand behind your work with a 100 percent guarantee.

What You Need to Start:

• Business license, permit, and insurance
• Working knowledge of waterproofing techniques, or employees who are experts
• A reliable work vehicle
• Tools and equipment for waterproofing
• A small home office
• Financial-tracking software
• Advertising techniques

The Good:

• You can begin a waterproofing business with a small investment and operate it on a part-time schedule.
• You don’t have necessarily have to know how to do the waterproofing yourself if you hire reliable employees to do the work for your business.
• The business is recession-proof and lucrative, especially if you offer a variety of waterproofing services.
• Though you’ll need to do some basic advertising, much of your future work can come from referrals from satisfied customers.
• The business is entirely scalable.

The Bad:

• If you are not the laborer, you will need to rely on your employees to keep your business afloat.
• You should check out the competition in your area before opening your business; a glut of waterproofing businesses may not bode well for a new startup.

Resources:

• National Association for Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors
• Waterproofing Contractors Association
• Wikipedia on Waterproofing

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