Starting a buisness- some advice!

[Lee Winger]

1st thing he does, call into all of my clients he knows of, offering his services - CHEAP.

 

 

If someone did that to me, i'm telling you they'd wish they hadn't, thats a down right dirty trick!

[bill]

i work as a subby and do my own stuff on the side, im slowly getting more stuff and hopefully go solo next year. my advise is do the same. keep overhead low as possible. give woodchip/logs away instead of paying rent unless you can get something really cheap. subbing must be your bread and butter until you have enough work booked in. forget the partnership idea.

[oldugly]

Remember business ownership is like marriage. You own the business, but the business owns a big part of you. Partnerships are like inviting the best man to the honeymoon..someone WILL get in the way.

[Yorkshireman]

Remember business ownership is like marriage. You own the business, but the business owns a big part of you. Partnerships are like inviting the best man to the honeymoon..someone WILL get in the way.

 

 

A pain in the A***

[Mike Hill]

i only charge 100 a day but only use my own ropes,

i use the other companies chippers, saws, petrol etc....

 

100 quid a day,fair dues I don't know what the going rate is in your area,but I took 150per day cash five years ago in London,four days a week.Job and knock,me,climbing gear and 020.You might want to bump your price a up a wee bit.

[Quickthorn]

Of course, you can only charge up to what the local market will stand. If I was asking for some of the prices mentioned on here, I'd have an awful lot of time on my hands. Companies round here are sending 2 plus truck and chipper out for £300/day or so.

[RPA]

I would get build a reputation for quality of workmanship/safety and good pr as opposed to quick and cheap.

Might be wrong but thats me

 

Look into calculating your break even point (you may need a business advisor or and accountant), that will give you a way of calculating your minimum rate accuratly and is part of formulating a business plan - which is essential

(Banks will ask for one if you want a loan for equipment etc)

 

Then charge whatever you want

[J The Tree]

Sit down one evening with a drink to hand and then add up every expense you business or potential business may incur over the next 12 months, this means everything, insurance , rent, mortage, finance, fuel, breakages, repairs, holidays, advertising, bad debts, wages, tax, postage stationary, tipping etc- leave no stone unturned. You will be horrified.

We charge £350 per man per day regardless of climber or groundie, have enough work not too worry and can pay the bills without loosing too much sleep.

In simple terms it stunned me how much i was spending on running the business before i even turned a profit and upped my rates to suit

[David Irwin]

Being in business is the most rewarding thing, both finantualy and for your self asteem. I ran my own tree surgery Business for ten years , it was not all beer and skidles but worth while. You have to wonder at the motives of people who advise you against going into business.

You get to choose how well you do ! Yes it is all up to just you, take the challenge life is about risk and reward.

What would you rather do in your old age? think about lost opertunity or have a warm simle for all of the days that were well lived?

[Peter]

I cant completely agree with you, when a small business is in its early stages, unless you have significant outside financial backing, any number of event outside your control could cause your business to fail.

For instance, having a chipper or vehicle stolen could stop you working for just long enough for lack of cash flow to send you under. The work could just dry up. I agree that there are many things a business owner can do to ensure the best chance of success, but being in business is always a risk, and thats why its more rewarding than anything else.