Business Overview:

Fashion trends come and go…and come again, which is why learning how to open a vintage clothing store is a great business idea for a stylish entrepreneur. Vintage clothing is the term used for new or used clothing items from a past era. Fashion is cyclical and trends from the past tend to be trendy once again even decades later. Young people seem most interested in resurrecting trends from the past, but older adults will also be attracted to a nice second-hand store for a hip vintage fashion item. You will first need to find a storefront location and secure funding for rent and inventory. Scour garage sales, estate sales, second-hand shops and the internet for high quality gently worn items. Also research what current designers are putting out items reminiscent of the past and purchase a few items from their lines to sell in your store. Opening a vintage clothing store will take some thought and planning so it’s important that you have a business plan that will help you to focus your efforts. Be sure you have a clear method of obtaining your inventory since it is a little trickier than buying from a distributor and stocking items in a boutique. In addition to clothing, you should try to find vintage accessories like handbags, sunglasses and shoes to complement your clothing and to attract more customers. Advertise your business in the phone book, newspaper and in magazines that target your market. Post flyers in neighborhood parks and community centers to attract a younger clientele. Aside from your regular customers, you can expect to be busier around Halloween as customers will be looking for vintage items to use as costumes. Be sure your store is fully stocked at that time of year and even include some flashier items that wouldn’t ordinarily be worn day-to-day. With a good stock of quality vintage clothing, you’ll find your customers will come back again and again for something unique from your collection.

A Day in the Life of a Vintage Clothing Business Owner:

Your day will begin by making sure your displays are properly arranged before opening the doors. You will spend your day helping customers find just the right item for their needs. If you have staff, you will oversee their work to be sure they are giving your customers topnotch service. On days you are closed, you will work on securing more inventory and marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for vintage clothing and accessories for everyday wear or for use as a costume.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Funding
• Storefront
• Marketing materials
• Inventory
• Staff (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Vintage stores are very popular.
• Much of your inventory can be purchased inexpensively.
• A vintage clothing store is a fun atmosphere.
• It’s rewarding to help customers find just what they’re looking for.
• You can expect a bump in traffic around Halloween.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• Finding enough items to keep your store stocked can be challenging.

Resources:

• American Apparel and Footwear Association
• International Textile and Apparel Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Vintage Clothing

Technorati Tags: how to open a vintage clothing store, opening a vintage clothing store

Business Overview:

If you have a passion for sewing and enjoy helping people look better in their clothes, you should learn how to start an alteration business. Having experience in alterations, perhaps working for a tailor shop, will help immensely when you open your own shop. If you know how to sew but aren’t skilled in altering clothing, you can attend classes or learn from books the different areas of expertise you’ll need to open an alterations shop. You will need to know the basics like how to hem pants and skirts as well as more advanced projects like working with seams and zippers. An alteration business is one of the many business ideas you can operate from home if you set up your space properly. You’ll need an entire room dedicated to your business, preferably in the front of your house, as well as a dressing area for your customers. This can be a walk-in closet, bathroom or just a corner of the room with a curtain. You will also need a raised platform, full-length mirrors and a large table on which you will mark and cut fabric. Be sure to stock up on sewing notions like thread, pins, buttons, and zippers. Of course you can make a quick trip to the local fabric store for more unique supplies but having a good stock of notions on hand will ensure a faster turn-around time for your clients. Depending on your experience, you may choose to focus on a specific niche such as wedding gowns or suits. Once your business model is established, print up some fliers and distribute them around town. Concentrate on areas your target market frequents like clothing stores or dry cleaners. Also place an ad in the phone book to attract new business. As business picks up, you could recruit other home alterations experts to work from their homes. You would then need to work out a pick-up/delivery system to get the items to their homes and then back to you for clients to pick up. To really boost customer service and increase profits, consider offering delivery of altered items to the customers’ homes or offices. If time allows, you could do this yourself or you could hire a service to handle it for you. You’ll find that once you get a few customers, not only will they give you their repeat business but they’ll tell their friends and you’ll start to see plenty of referral business as well.

A Day in the Life of an Alteration Business Owner:

Your day will begin by getting to work on any alterations you need to finish up. Unless your customers schedule appointments, you will spend your day helping walk-in customers. You can choose your own hours and operate this business part-time but you will need to have set hours that your business is open and be available to help customers during those hours. You will likely work on projects after your shop closes for the day.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals in need of expert alteration services.

What You Need to Start:

• Sewing skills
• Marketing materials
• Dedicated area in your home to serve as your shop
• Platform
• Full-length mirrors
• Sewing machine
• Sewing notions
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• There will always be a high demand for alterations services.
• The start-up investment needed for this business is low.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• This business is easily scalable so you can add alterations experts to work for you as business demands.
• You can offer additional services like pick-up and delivery to boost profits.

The Bad:

• Competition is high in this industry.
• It can take some time to attract your first few clients.

Resources:

• Custom Tailors and Designers Association
• Sewing and Craft Alliance
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Apparel and Furnishings Occupations
• Wikipedia on Tailors

Technorati Tags: how to start an alteration 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:

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

Technorati Tags: how to open a maternity & children's consignment shop

Business Overview:

Opening your own belt buckle store is a smart way to use your entrepreneurial skills to start a lucrative and unique business. Fashionable belt buckles are a hot accessory right now and there is plenty of money to be made in this area. The secret to a successful belt buckle business is creating or purchasing a unique product. If you have a new and fresh take on a classic or trendy style, you’re more likely to attract clients. You could also consider a niche like selling buckles made out of recycled materials. Not only would this be good for the environment and make your green business eligible for tax credits, but it’s also a great marketing tool. Other than recycled materials, you may choose to make or buy your buckles with metal, rhinestones or fabric. Once you have your niche buckles all picked out, you’ll need to take photos and put them on your website. A belt buckle store is one of the best business ideas to operate online because accessories have no sizing. If you include the dimensions of each buckle, customers know before they order if it will fit their needs. In addition to buckles, you may also sell standard leather belts onto which the buckles attach. Even though you can easily operate this business from home, you will need a storage facility to house all your inventory. You’ll want to have a full stock of a wide variety of choices for your customers. When considering where to market your business, you should look for sites that also target your market. Fashion magazines (printed and online) and blogs will attract clients to your site. You’ll need to make sure your website is clean and easy to use and your products are photographed and displayed well. Carry around business cards at all times and be sure to wear your merchandise proudly. When people on the street ask you where you got that fabulous buckle, you can hand them your card. Soon your marketing efforts will pay off and you will have a successful online belt buckle store.

A Day in the Life of a Belt Buckle Store Owner:

Each day you will check your website for any new orders. You will pack up buckles and ship them to your customers. You will spend some time each day working on looking for great new designs to sell. New products need to be photographed and put on your website so you will need to keep an eye on your site so it stays current. You will also want to spend time looking for new ways to market your business. If you can get celebrities to start wearing your buckles, sales will skyrocket.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for a new and fresh belt buckle accessory.

What You Need to Start:

• Stock of belt buckles
• Website
• Storage facility
• Other items like belts for the buckles to be attached to
• Finance software

The Good:

• Demand for trendy fashion items is always high; if you keep finding new looks, you can stay on top of the trends.
• The start-up investment is relatively low.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent craftsmanship.
• You can easily run this business online and from home.
• You can make your own hours and work as much or as little as you want.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build up your inventory.
• You need to be patient while the word spreads about your new business.

Resources:

• National Fashion Accessories Association
• Community of Online and Multi-Channel Retailers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Textile Product and Apparel Manufacturing
• Wikipedia on Belt Buckles

Technorati Tags: opening your own belt buckle store

Business Overview:

Opening a lingerie store is a fun and exciting way to be your own boss while helping to boost the self-confidence of women. The lingerie industry is worth over $29 billion (USD) annually. Even with plenty of competition, if you position yourself correctly, you could earn a piece of that pie. As you learn about how to open a lingerie store, you’ll need to decide who your target market will be. Lingerie runs the gamut from conservative to risqué so the type of items you carry will have a great impact on who your customer base is. Women will buy on average two bras and five pairs of briefs a year for everyday wear. So focusing on just the “basics” will bring in a steady stream of ladies looking to buy replacement items or something new that they saw on TV. In addition to carrying standard items, you might also carry specialty items like maternity bras, larger sizes that are usually hard to find and mastectomy bras. If you’re interested in racier fashion, you can carry lacy items and nighties that are not designed for everyday wear. In either case, you have the option of purchasing a franchise to help get your business started. A franchise will come with some inventory, marketing assistance and name recognition. If you are not interested in opening and closing a physical store each day, you can easily run your store online. If you choose to go this route, you will need a robust website and a storage facility for your inventory. Considering the demand for high quality lingerie and the popularity of shopping via the Internet, opening a virtual lingerie store is one of the smartest business ideas available today. Typically, online shoppers know what sizes to order but you should include a size chart and customer service contact information on your site. If you operate a physical store, especially if you stock everyday-wear items, you should be familiar with how to measure women to see what size bra they should buy. Or you can hire a bra fitter to work in your store which would free up your time so you can concentrate on overall customer service and marketing your business. Spread the word about your lingerie boutique to area wedding shops, fashion stores and maternity shops. Online stores can advertise on websites that also target your customer base. Keep in mind, you don’t have to choose between a physical store or an online store; you can have both. This would take more work, and more staff, to maintain both the shop and the website in order to keep customer service standards high, but it will greatly increase your market share.

A Day in the Life of a Lingerie Store Owner:

If you operate a physical store, you will make sure your lingerie items are neatly displayed before opening for business. You will spend your day helping customers find the right items. At the end of the day you will record your receipts, make your bank deposit, and tidy up for the next day. If your business is online, your hours are not so rigid but you will need to check emails from customers and ensure all orders are shipped out in a timely manner.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be women (or men shopping for women) looking for lingerie items for themselves or as gifts.

What You Need to Start:

• Lingerie store business plan
• Storefront or website (or both)
• Lingerie to sell
• Storage facility if selling online
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Lingerie is a must-have for almost all women so demand will always be there.
• You can sell high quality items for top dollar.
• It’s rewarding to help customers find just what they are looking for.
• A lingerie store is a fun and exciting work environment.
• As an industry insider, you will be the first to see new trends and fashions.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build up your client base.
• You have to be mindful about how much of each size to keep in stock so you’re not left with a large amount of unsold items.

Resources:

• Intimate Apparel Council
• American Apparel and Footware Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Lingerie

Technorati Tags: how to open a lingerie store, lingerie store business plan, opening a lingerie store

Business Overview:

If you have a passion for belts, buckles and boots, learning how to open a western wear store could be a very profitable business venture. Plenty of people enjoy western clothing whether they wear it for work or to make a fashion statement. The key to success with this business idea is finding a specialty and selling the best quality items to your customers. For example, boots come in all shapes, styles and materials. Running a specialty boot store would attract all types of western wear shoppers as your inventory could range from standard leather work boots to thousand-dollar hand-embroidered fashion boots. Deciding on a niche will help you focus your business and you will need to open fewer accounts with wholesalers to supply your inventory. You can run this business from a physical storefront which gives customers the ability to feel and try on each item, but be aware that this is also a very lucrative online business idea. Most physical western wear stores carry a little (or a lot) of everything including shirts, hats, boots, buckles, jewelry, etc., which requires a large storefront and a large stockroom. Only stocking one type of item gives you the ability to open a smaller boutique type store or sell online with a small storage facility, or both. With a robust website, you can run a storefront and offer online sales as well. You just need to have a keen eye for what items will be popular, price your items correctly and offer excellent customer service. You may soon need to rent more storage space to handle the stock that will be coming in and shipping out to your western wear customers.

A Day in the Life of a Western Wear Store Owner:

If you have a physical store, your day will begin by making sure your displays are neat and all items are priced correctly before opening for business. You and your staff will spend your day assisting customers. You will contact wholesalers to arrange for more items to be delivered. You will spend a portion of your day marketing your business by placing ads online and in local publications. If your store is online only, you will be able to work anytime you like. You will check online sales and prepare items to ship out—or direct your staff to do this for you. You will contact wholesalers for more inventory and market your site online.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals in need of high quality western wear for work or fashion.

What You Need to Start:

• Western clothing (depending on niche – boots, hats, buckles, etc.)
• Storage facility
• Storefront and/or website
• Staff (if operating a storefront)
• Account with wholesalers
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Western wear is in high demand.
• You can mark up items significantly to make a profit.
• If you have an online business, you can work from your home.
• It’s rewarding to help customers find just the right item.
• As an industry insider, you’ll have access to the latest trends and fashions.

The Bad:

• Start-up investment is high due to cost of securing initial inventory.
• It can take some time to turn a profit.

Resources:

• National Retail Federation
• Online Retail Community
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Retail Salespersons
• Wikipedia on Western Wear

Technorati Tags: how to open a western wear store

Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a lucrative and unique business consider opening a leather shop. For some aspiring entrepreneurs, opening a boutique business is appealing, but they want to be able to cater to male as well as female customers, which is why a leather shop is the end to their search for the perfect business. If a leather retail business sounds like something you’d be interested in, you should know that you can, of course, have a physical store but you can also completely run your shop online. You also could combine the best of both worlds and have both a storefront and an online store as well. It’s a truly flexible business idea. There are many advantages to having a storefront for your goods. Customers can see and touch your merchandise; they can also try on clothing items before purchasing them. However, many consumers today want to shop and buy online and take advantage of excellent online customer service when it comes to questions and returns. However, when you’re just starting out, you might want to focus on one or the other until you have more time and manpower to help handle the demand. Next you must decide what type of merchandise you will offer. The world of leather goods includes everything from clothing items (jackets, boots, pants, belts) to office supplies and accessories (portfolios, journals, desk pads, briefcases), to fashion accessories (handbags, wallets, luggage). If you run an online-only business you will need to either have a climate-controlled warehouse for your goods or to set up all your items so that they will be drop-shipped and you won’t need to actually carry any inventory. Finally, once you’ve decided on a storefront or website and selected what merchandise you will carry, you’ll need to market your business. The type of store you have will determine where and how you advertise. If you have a storefront, you should advertise locally in newspapers, magazines and local online publications. If you decide to run with this as an online business idea, you should advertise on websites catering to your target market whether that be motorcycle enthusiasts, those looking for office supplies or individuals in the market for luggage and accessories. The good news for this business is there will always be a demand for leather goods. And the variety of items you can offer is virtually limitless. It’s the perfect opportunity to start your own business and help individuals find high quality leather pieces to enjoy.

A Day in the Life of an Online Leather Shop Owner:

If you operate your leather shop exclusively online, you will begin your day by checking any new orders. You will check your inventory for these items and arrange shipment. You will need to answer any customer questions regarding sizes, returns, exchanges, etc. via email or phone. You will discuss new items with manufacturers and distributors and arrange for delivery to your home office. You will need to keep a close eye on your inventory to ensure your stock keeps up with your orders. If you have a storefront, you will begin your day by checking to see everything is displayed and priced properly before opening for business. You will likely have a staff to help you so you will need to let them know about any new merchandise that has arrived and how you would like it priced and displayed. You will spend your day helping customers find just the right item for their needs. At the end of the day you will close your store and assist your staff in readying it for the next business day. Whether you have a physical store or an online store, you will need to tally the day’s sales and take a look at your bottom line.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for high quality leather items. These items could include clothing, accessories or office supplies.

What You Need to Start:

• Storefront or website
• Merchandise
• Storage space
• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Staff (for physical store)
• Computer with high-speed Internet access and financial software

The Good:

• Leather goods are always in high demand.
• The mark-up on leather goods is high which means a hefty profit.
• You will be aware of all the latest trends in leather goods.
• You are likely to get repeat business if you offer excellent customer service.
• Operating this as an online business gives you the flexibility to work from home.

The Bad:

• The startup cost for this type of business is high so it could take some time to turn a profit.
• You have to keep a close eye on your inventory so you don’t have too much costly merchandise just sitting in storage.

Resources:

• United States Hide, Skin and Leather Association
• Leather Association
• Leather Industries of America
• Leather Apparel Association
• Wikipedia on Leather

Technorati Tags: opening a leather shop

Business Overview:

Opening a formal wear rental store is one of the better business ideas for anyone who wants to make a profit helping others look their finest. As a formal wear rental store owner you’ll hire out clothing for special occasions. The occasions will vary, but the most common ones include weddings, fine dinners, proms, formal garden parties, and so on. Many people prefer to hire the formal attire for these types of events because the type of formal clothing worn to most special occasions (such as tuxedos) is not worn very often. Therefore it’s usually much more cost effective for most people to rent rather than buy their formal clothing. This is why opening a formal wear rental store represents a potentially profitable opportunity. By offering outstanding customer service, you can build up a solid base of repeat customers who will return to you for their formal wear needs each time they have a formal event to attend. By working hard, keeping your customers happy and providing an excellent all-around service, you can certainly build up a successful formal wear rental store which generates a very respectable profit.

A Day in the Life of a Formal Wear Rental Store Business Owner:

As a formal wear rental store business owner, you will open up your store at around 9 a.m., allowing 15 minutes to set up your shop beforehand. Throughout the day customers will enter your store or telephone your shop to hire or inquire about renting formal clothes. Based on their needs you will help them select the ideal formal attire, and you will take their measurements–waist size, inseam, collar size, and so on–to ensure that the formal clothing fits them perfectly. You will also receive hired clothing back from happy customers, which you will then either clean yourself or arrange for it to be cleaned by an associate, so that the clothing is returned to a pristine condition ready to be rented out again to someone else. A typical day would end around 6 p.m., when you would close your shop after ensuring that everything is tidy and in order, ready for opening again for business the next day. You may also hire staff to serve customers and to open and close your formal clothing store for you. In this case you would oversee the general smooth running of your store, actively keeping an eye on the latest formal wear trends and updating your clothing line to ensure that your rental shop continues to offer the best and most up to date range of formal attire to your customers. You’ll also want to attend to your finances every day, being sure your books are balanced and the numbers are in the black.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be people looking to hire formal clothes for a special occasion. Such occasions may include weddings, proms, formal garden parties, and so on.

What You Need to Start:

• A storefront
• Inventory (tuxedos, prom dresses, etc.)
• A business license
• A business plan
• Financial tracking software
• A good eye for detail so that you can help your clients look immaculate

The Good:

• Renting formal clothing is more cost effective and preferable to most people compared to buying formal attire.
• There are always going to be formal events for which people will need to hire formal clothes.
• If you’re reliable and you provide high quality customer service you can build up a solid and profitable base of repeat customers.
• It can be very rewarding–you will be helping people to look their absolute best on some of the most special and memorable occasions of their lives.
• Your customers are usually very happy to be coming into your shop since they’re preparing for a special day.

The Bad:

• Building a solid reputation and a reliable base of repeat customers is paramount to making this business profitable–so you must offer excellent customer service to stand out from competitors.
• It may take some time for you to see profits as building up a solid customer base can take time.

Resources:

• International Formalwear Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Formal Wear

Technorati Tags: opening a formal wear rental store

Business Overview:

If the idea of helping people achieve their best selves—whether professionally or personally—appeals to you, learn how to start an image consulting business. The purpose behind a business idea like this is to create a market where you can instruct individuals on how to dress, speak, behave, and “sell” themselves in their best light. Of course, if you’re thinking of starting an image consulting business, plan on looking the part yourself. This means you (and your employees, if you have them) need to perfect your own image and etiquette before anyone will trust (and pay) your company to help them. Additionally, you’ll want to possess a good eye for details and for style so you can better assist your clients in determining what their clothes should look like and how they should present themselves. Achieving success as an image consultant means that you will have to establish relationships with your clients so you know how to help them and what their image goals are. To do this, you should have strong people skills and enjoy working with others in sometimes sensitive situations (think: body issues or social anxieties). Your client relationships and image building techniques might take weeks or months to develop and culminate to a finished “product,” and so pricing your image consultant services can be a difficult task. You would do well to have a very definite pricing scale for your services, based on the detail of consultation you provide for your client. Finally, you should be prepared to market your business effectively; because while it is becoming more and more popular, not everyone has heard of real-life image consultants. Talking up your business and looking like a million bucks can turn your dream into a lucrative business model.

A Day in the Life of an Image Consulting Business Owner:

In this business, your mirror and your eye for detail can be your best friends, so starting the day by looking the part of a stylish and successful business owner will be your first task. Next, you’ll want to review your contact and to-do list. This will set up your day—do you have any client meetings or will you be working on your recruiting and marketing techniques? If you will be consulting a client, you will need to review what the client will expect from you that day, whether it’s a wardrobe analysis or etiquette lessons, and you’ll want to be overly prepared for it. If you have employees working for your consulting firm, you will want to ensure they’re keeping up with the clients and providing the level of service your clients would expect from your company. Finally, you will need to review your expenses to ensure your business is growing and earning you profits.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be interested in modifying their look or their behavior in order to achieve success in their lives. Their motivations for hiring an image consultant can run the gamut from new weight loss to recent divorce to impending promotion, and your company will need to be armed with the expertise to meet their needs. Because your clients’ needs can be so vastly different, you might tailor your services to fit a certain niche. Your company could provide image consulting for divorcees, executives, cancer survivors or any number of life-altering experiences that might call for a change of image.

What You Need to Start:

• A name for your company that explains what you do
• Business license, permit, and insurance
• Office space (a home office works fine for this business)
• An eye for style, etiquette, and detail
• A look of your own that will appeal to the masses
• A pricing menu for your services
• Relationships with local store and boutique owners for samples
• A contact database
• Financial-tracking software

The Good:

• You can start this business with very little money upfront and no specialized education.
• You can run your business on a part-time or full-time basis, with or without employees.
• You can operate your image consulting business from your home office.
• In addition to meeting new people, you might also get some “ins” at local boutiques or shops that you introduce your clients to.
• The business can be lucrative, especially if you make a name for yourself, or find your business a niche market.

The Bad:

• Image consulting is not always the top priority in people’s lives, especially if there’s a downturn in the economy (conversely, that may be exactly when people need your services the most).
• Pricing a service like this can be tricky.

Resources:

• Association of Image Consultants International
• World Association of Image Consultants
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Article on Image Consultants
• Word IQ on Image Consultants

Technorati Tags: how to start an image consulting business, image consulting business plan

Business Overview:

If you have an eye for fashion and want to be your own boss, you should find out how to open a bridal shop and turn the dreams of countless brides into reality. Imagine spending your days surrounded by beautiful bridal gowns and blissful brides shopping for the perfect gown for the most important day of their lives. Helping these women find just what they are looking for can be so rewarding, not to mention lucrative. The average amount a bride spends on her dress is $1,200 USD. Add to that the cost of accessories like a veil and jewelry and you can see how much profit can be made with this business idea. But before opening a bridal store, it’s important you have a solid bridal shop business plan in place. This plan will help focus your efforts and answer questions about what types of gowns you will carry, whether or not you will also carry bridesmaids dresses and other formal attire, how you will market your new business, etc. Bridal shows come to town often and these are good opportunities to get your name out there and invite brides into your shop. Another option you’ll need to weigh is if you want to purchase a bridal salon franchise or start one from the ground up. A franchise might be easier up front (everything is already in place, perhaps even including some stock) but this will be the more costly option and you might not be able to run the store exactly the way you want at first. Whether you start from scratch or buy a bridal shop, this is a costly investment and you will need to line up financing before going too far. However, once your shop is up and running, it will only take a few satisfied brides to spread the word and soon your shop will be full of joyful brides wanting the perfect dress. You may even be able to add to your collection and begin to offer prom dresses, flower girl dresses, shoes, jewelry, and even tuxedos. Before you know it, your bridal shop will be the go-to place for every fashionable bride in town.

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

You will spend most of your day helping brides and their families find the right dresses. Depending on how large your staff is, you will either work directly with these women or simply check in on them to see if your employees are giving them the help they need. You will spend time communicating with fashion houses and distributors to ensure dresses are delivered on time and on budget. Whether you use an in-house seamstress or use third-party alterations services, you will check in on these alterations to make sure dresses are ready on time. Finally, you will record the day’s payments and check your finances to ensure everything is in order.

About Your Customers:

Most of your customers will be brides and their families. Depending on your inventory, you might have some younger ladies shopping for prom dresses and all ages looking for a special occasion dress.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Storefront
• Dresses, accessories
• Racks, display counters, dressing rooms with large mirror areas
• Staff
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The bridal business can be very lucrative.
• It is rewarding to help brides find just what they are looking for.
• If you love fashion, you will enjoy spending your day around beautiful dresses and being the first to know of new fashion trends.
• Once your shop is up and running, you can let your staff do most of the work and you can take vacation or days off when you want to.
• You get to work with others in the formal wear industry and attend bridal shows and, if you wish, fashion shows featuring the latest couture designers.

The Bad:

• It can take a while to get your first few customers.
• You will run into some brides and their families who are difficult to work with.

Resources:

• Association of Bridal Consultants
• Bridal Association of America
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Clothing, Accessory and General Merchandise Stores
• Wikipedia on Wedding Dress

Technorati Tags: bridal shop business plan, how to open a bridal shop, opening a bridal store