My Dream Business!

[M Swanson]

Imagine that the Government made the offer of an interest free, long-term loan for anyone to start their own business. I'm sure that this has always been a dream for many of us, but for one reason, or another, it hasn't been possible. So, what would you choose? For me it would be ..........

A company making and selling stained glass items, largely on commission. I've always loved this form of Art and would grasp the opportunity to extend my skills, on interesting projects. I would need a grant large enough to acquire a decent, smallish workshop; the tools required and perhaps to employ someone who is experienced in this field. Reckon I'd make a mint. :D What would be your dream business?

[joxville]

I've been an avid reader since I was a kid so would love to run a new and secondhand bookshop, but I doubt the government would give me a loan for such a venture.

[starfish]

a home for young disabled that is really needed up here

[Bobinovich]

I've been living the dream for over 19 years now :D I love being self-employed - I can generally work the hours that suit me, have met lots of interesting folk, do the work I really enjoy, and not having had that 'Monday morning feeling' in so long is worth so much in terms of reducing stress levels. Yes it can often be hard work... late nights are standard, phone calls at any and every time of day or night, and finding a fine line between work, family & social life can be difficult. When you plan a (well deserved) holiday you know you've got to work twice as hard before and after to beef up the finances, as you'll have no income during the holiday itself...then, when you do get back, it's likely to take weeks to clear the backlog of work which has built up. However it's incredibly rewarding & I'd be the first to recommend it to anyone who has product(s) or service(s) to offer.

The main thing I'd do differently given the chance again would be to start the business part-time in tandem with employment, rather than leaping into the unknown - it takes time to build up your product/service line and a good customer base. I would also add that there is no point being self-employed doing something you don't enjoy doing - I was trained as a fitter/turner but quickly found it wasn't for me, so would never have made it doing that kind of work. However there are schemes to help you retrain or to extend your skills in the area you would like to work in.

[Alice in Blunderland]

I would love to run a retirement home. It would have areas for those who are able to look after themselves and there would also be a unit for those in need of full time care. It would be in an idyllic setting overlooking the sea and the standard of care would be the very best. A nice relaxing space for those in their twilight years.

[Temptations]

A forrest adventure park like Landmark on the outskirts of Thurso.

[poppett]

My two pet projects would be those of Alice and Starfish.

I have worked in both areas and would be hard pushed to choose which would be most rewarding.

Looks like a few more lottery lines are required!

[Alrock]

Imagine that the Government made the offer of an interest free, long-term loan for anyone to start their own business....

Wouldn't that make you just as much a "Scrounger" as those on benefits?
If you want to start a business then go to the bank & get a loan with interest rather than relying on Government handouts.

[cesare]

my thoughts exactly^^ but seems the shoes fits only when desired eh

[Shaggy]

Wouldn't that make you just as much a "Scrounger" as those on benefits?
If you want to start a business then go to the bank & get a loan with interest rather than relying on Government handouts.


Cough Cough.........nice one A. ;)

[ducati]

my thoughts exactly^^

Well, you would have to pay it back.

Personally, I wouldn't borrow to start a business, the point is to make money not spend it.

[cesare]

yeah, but to make money you also have to spend money, in this day and age its getting hard to do both wisely

[M Swanson]

Wouldn't that make you just as much a "Scrounger" as those on benefits?
If you want to start a business then go to the bank & get a loan with interest rather than relying on Government handouts.

Another marvellous effort from you Al, to completely miss the point of the thread in an attempt to go against the spirit of the question. Doh!

It's nothing to do with "scrounging," of course and everything to do with dreams, that most of us experience at some time, or other, in our lives. Oh! and working for a living!

Of course, taking my own model, then I would be receiving a loan to enable me to start trading, which will, of course, be paid back. So, from the start, I will no longer be in receipt of unemployment benefit and nor will my staff, of one. We will be paying tax and National Insurance contributions ..... another couple of big pluses to the Government and country. I will be purchasing equipment and sundries, also employing the services of an accountant, etc .... all good for other businesses. I'd say that's very canny and a sound idea from the Government. Wouldn't you? There are no losers. :D

Actually, I've been there and done that. I joined a Government scheme, over 20 years ago, called 'Inbiz,' and it gave me the opportunity to start my own business, whilst keeping the unemployment benefit I was receiving. It worked and I was joyfully self-employed until I retired, 23 years later. Reluctantly, I might add and I still dabble a little from time to time. :cool:

[M Swanson]

Well, you would have to pay it back.

Personally, I wouldn't borrow to start a business, the point is to make money not spend it.

That's okay if you have the money to begin your business Ducati. I was thinking more of those who don't, but given an opportunity, would probably give self-employment their best shot. I'm sure most of us have dreamed that dream. It's a pity there's nothing on offer, because I believe there's a lot of talented folk out there who could make a difference; not only to their lives, but others too. I'd love to see them given a chance. :cool:

[billmoseley]

can some people not just see a thread for what it is a bit of fun. i think my business would be trying to make people laugh and have fun

[Alrock]

My business would be to set myself up as a Work Programme provider, then not only would I get an interest free loan of the Government to set it up with, I would also get the Government throwing free money at me paid from the Welfare budget with the unemployed scroungers getting the flack for the cost of it, not me.

[starfish]

alcock not all unemployed are scroungers , some people would love to be earning but if the jobs are not out there where can they work, and if this goverment want us to work until we drop dead , where is the younger generation going to get experince to learn a trade or what work is all about . I have worked since i was 13 but if i found my self out of work now i would not get a job so then would i become a scrounger as you say

[mi16]

Been self employed for nearly 13 years now, apart from a brief 3 month spell in a staff job back in 2006.

[Alrock]

alcock not all unemployed are scroungers , some people would love to be earning but if the jobs are not out there where can they work, and if this goverment want us to work until we drop dead , where is the younger generation going to get experince to learn a trade or what work is all about . I have worked since i was 13 but if i found my self out of work now i would not get a job so then would i become a scrounger as you say

Long term unemployed myself, I use the term Scroungers in a sarcastic sense since that is what many consider the unemployed to be.

[M Swanson]

I've been living the dream for over 19 years now :D I love being self-employed - I can generally work the hours that suit me, have met lots of interesting folk, do the work I really enjoy, and not having had that 'Monday morning feeling' in so long is worth so much in terms of reducing stress levels. Yes it can often be hard work... late nights are standard, phone calls at any and every time of day or night, and finding a fine line between work, family & social life can be difficult. When you plan a (well deserved) holiday you know you've got to work twice as hard before and after to beef up the finances, as you'll have no income during the holiday itself...then, when you do get back, it's likely to take weeks to clear the backlog of work which has built up. However it's incredibly rewarding & I'd be the first to recommend it to anyone who has product(s) or service(s) to offer.

The main thing I'd do differently given the chance again would be to start the business part-time in tandem with employment, rather than leaping into the unknown - it takes time to build up your product/service line and a good customer base. I would also add that there is no point being self-employed doing something you don't enjoy doing - I was trained as a fitter/turner but quickly found it wasn't for me, so would never have made it doing that kind of work. However there are schemes to help you retrain or to extend your skills in the area you would like to work in.

Such an interesting post, thanks Bob and a good example of how the self-employed status can be so rewarding. My story is similar to yours. I've had two businesses and loved the freedom of being able to work for myself. One, I began with my Henry hoover, a new packet of dusters and half a dozen cans of cleaning agents. It cost me about £20 to get started and after knocking on a few doors to seek work, I was up and running. This soon turned into a contract cleaning business, which I later sold at a great profit. It was long, days of hard work, but I absolutely thrived on it. Later, I became an antique dealer, (again, the initial capital outlay was very small), which was even harder work and punishing hours, but I was happier than I'd ever been in my life. After 20 years, or so, I was forced into retirement and how I miss those times.

I don't know what schemes are available to folks these days, who want to give self-employment a try, but your suggestion of retraining, or extending skills is spot-on. We were both lucky in finding work that gave us great satisfaction and worked hard at it to succeed. Here's hoping others will be as fortunate. :cool:

[secrets in symmetry]

Well, you would have to pay it back.

Personally, I wouldn't borrow to start a business, the point is to make money not spend it.Ah, Corner Shop Economics - how quaint....

[secrets in symmetry]

My business would be to set myself up as a Work Programme provider, then not only would I get an interest free loan of the Government to set it up with, I would also get the Government throwing free money at me paid from the Welfare budget with the unemployed scroungers getting the flack for the cost of it, not me.Yes, it's a great wheeze from J-George and his chums. You become Chancellor, you beat up the poor, your mates get rich, and the poor get the blame when it doesn't work.

[M Swanson]

can some people not just see a thread for what it is a bit of fun. i think my business would be trying to make people laugh and have fun

Worth a try Bill. You start the business and I'll invest a few bob. I like the way you tell 'em. :cool:


Ah, Corner Shop Economics - how quaint....

Steady Freddie. Britain has over 4.5 million small businesses that form the backbone of our economy. We can't all be rich, hugely successful and famous, like you SiS. :lol:

[Alrock]

....We can't all be rich, hugely successful and famous....

You just said it yourself....

So... If we can't all be rich then by defacto there has to be poor....

[mi16]

You just said it yourself....

So... If we can't all be rich then by defacto there has to be poor....

Its all relative though.

A man on a £60k/year salary is a decent great wage to most folks but its a pittance to a doctor, dentist, premiership footballer or a top actor.
The dole is a pittance to many on a normal wage but it would be a windfall lotto win to someone in an Indian slum.

[M Swanson]

I've been an avid reader since I was a kid so would love to run a new and secondhand bookshop, but I doubt the government would give me a loan for such a venture.

I bet they would Jox. There is still a living to be made by running a small, independent bookshop, despite the competition from Amazon, etc. I have a friend who owns one and moving with the times, he has increased his takings hugely, by trading on eBay and advertising on the internet. In my time, I've met many folks who purchase their stock for pennies from Car Boots which they resale at a very good mark-up. It's fertile ground for acquiring stock. As you live in Hampshire, perhaps you've visited Matcham's Car Boot, in the New Forest? I was there one day, when a rare book changed hands for thousands of pounds. I think there'll always be a strong market for first editions and rare books. I was also there, when a London dealer bought an old painting; he hummed and harred (sic) for a while, then taking the gamble, handed over a fiver. I was told later that it sold for £52,000 at Christie's!! So, if the Booty's still there, then you could do worse than visit. I'll settle for a 10% finders' fee. :lol:

[M Swanson]

I would love to run a retirement home. It would have areas for those who are able to look after themselves and there would also be a unit for those in need of full time care. It would be in an idyllic setting overlooking the sea and the standard of care would be the very best. A nice relaxing space for those in their twilight years.

Such a great idea Alice. Your Home certainly sounds like the kind of place I'd like to finish my days. Unfortunately, too often our old folks are reduced to living in terrible conditions, because the owners are only in it for the huge profit they can make. It's a pity that the first requirement for taking care of vulnerable people, isn't the care and dedication they can bring to the task, but the ability to finance such a money spinner. If your dream ever becomes a reality, then let me know. I can pack my bags in an hour and be out of here. S'pect I'll be killed in the rush to relocate to Caithness. :cool: