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Hey everybody. I had a great idea a few years back, and I think I'm going to act on it! I'm going to start my own business. I don't really know all that is involved with this however. I thought some of you on here maybe have went through this process already and could give me some pointers.

I'm starting a business to help people with their computers. All kinds of things from cleaning spyware to custom building systems. Pretty much anything I will offer. It seems as though there is a good demand for that here. There are a couple of places in town here that do that already, but people just aren't happy with the service they are getting. I think I can do better
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I have been working on computers ever since I can remember and I think this would be a fun job.

I'm going to design a website and a logo for myself (that's what my degree is in
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) and start advertising hopefully soon. Probably start with hanging flyers up around town (it's free) and if that doesn't work try the newspapers around the area.

What all do I have to do as far as registering a business name...I think I need some sort of business insurance? I'm sure there's a few steps to establishing a business. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

- Joel
 
I think you should probably research what it takes to create and run a business first before asking these questions.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ] It seems as though there is a good demand for that here.
Are you 100% certain?
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]There are a couple of places in town here that do that already, but people just aren't happy with the service they are getting.
What do you offer that your competitors do not offer? Why would customers choose your service over someone elses?
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I think this would be a fun job.
Would it be profitable?
I think that you will really need to plan your business before diving into it. There are many more important questions that you have to first answer for yourself before asking how to register a business name...
Here's a page with info about why business fail:Businesses
Be careful not to make the same mistakes. Good luck!
 
Maybe a better way to reword my second question would be: Why aren't the people happy with the service they are getting? The third question still stands.
 
My dad did just that.. After a while it got cheaper to just buy new electronic equipment rather than just pay him.. SOO things didn't quite work out for him.. Of course, this was in old hick town Grand Junction Colorado but..
 
I just read about 2 women that started this up and is a successful business in San Diego.

Many people have talked about how they are unhappy with the service of the computer stores in town. I have helped many people at the college alone fix their computers and get them back up and running, or clear a computer of a virus infection. The most common thing I've helped people with is to clean their system of spyware.

Most of these are not incredibly complicated things to do, but there are so many people that don't understand computers, or that just don't want to mess with it.

Also, I could custom build systems from scratch.

As far as management and the business end of it, I come from a long line of entrapeneurs and there are people here that can help me with different aspects of it. The ones that I have talked to aren't sure of the different steps to take to get one started up though. But I can talk to a company in town here that helps people with that. But I thought I would check here first
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Thanks for the input. Anybody else have any ideas?
 
Good luck, be sure to have plenty of capital though, you don't want to run out of $$$ half way through.
 
I don't think it will be that hard. My cousin (well some how related to me
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) married a millionaire who started out doing what you will be doing. He's international now and has 13 employees. The buisness makes so much everyone gets paid over 100,000 a year. It only took him 6 years too! Wish I had that luck/idea/buisness.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (firewired @ Mar. 13 2005,10:37)]I'm going to design a website and a logo for myself (that's what my degree is in
biggrin.gif
) and start advertising hopefully soon.  Probably start with hanging flyers up around town (it's free) and if that doesn't work try the newspapers around the area.  
i think CP2K hit the major points. but since im in the newspaper buisness and deal with alot of buisness owners big and small ill throw in some points on advertising.

i can say right now you should probably start with newspaper advertising. fliers are good, especially on places like college bulliten boards but they actually dont hit that many ppl. the busnesses im my area that stay in buisness are those that fill in a specific niche and those small specialty buisness that stay in buisness keep reminding ppl about what they offer through advertisements. ppl have a short attention span, yah need to remind them that you have a service they need or they send their buisness to those who have their name out even if service is poor from the other guys. those that dont due an advertising budget cause they think its a poor way to spend start up capital generally dont go far.
 
  • #10
well, I used to run my own personal business right along this line when I was in college, I never pushed to hard with it for a few reasons that I hope don't discourage you. And before I go on, I will say that you need to find a NICHE! I am serious, overgeneralized services will most likely be wasted effort on your part.

You need to register with your Chamber of Commerce, this can be as simple as obtaining a DBA (Doing Business As) in which your SSN becomes your tax number, or you can fully incorporate, and form some sort of coporation.

Do you know where you can get insurance? What are you going to do if you actually destroy a critical piece of data for someone? say a local law firm? They won't hesitate to come after you for damages, investigate getting bonded or insured. Have a lawyer write up a contract for you that limits your liability in cases like this, get it signed, and go over it with your customers.

Now that you have your DBA or what not, you need to look into where your going to buy your parts. Are you going to build computers? can you afford to purchase 100 + motherboards or Video cards at a time? If not, don't bother building. Simple truth, it is far cheaper for your customer to buy a Dell online than to have you build a comprable system. But, can they build a Powerhouse gaming system as cheap as you, probably not, what about custom painted Chassis? check out places like www.xoxide.com, you have to offer more than Dell and the other big players, becuase you won't ever beat their price, you have to sell the Cadillacs and lambroghini's because dell is selling the ford tarus. In other words, when your selling to your customer, explain WHY they need Crucial brand memory instead of brand X that comes in Dell.

Investigate business usage tax laws for your vehicle and make sure you can take advantage of every single penny spent.

Your a graphic designer, so you know the importance of color. Make up some KILLER business cards, and leave them EVERY WHERE, at local restaraunts, carwashes, so on, so forth, you name it, SPAM that business card, it is the cheapest form of advertising you can invest in next to the News Paper.

Good luck, and hope it helps.
 
  • #11
Thanks everybody. RamPuppy, those are good points. I guess I hadn't really thought of buying the parts first, I figured I would custom build computers and order the parts when people wanted to have one built. That is alot cheaper than Dell, and like you said, would be quite a bit faster. That is what I did with mine.

My art director told me today that she was putting in a request that I go full time. So if it does work out to start up a little business, it would be something small for a little extra cash on the side. I am happy to be going full time soon. I did like my time to relax in the day, but double the money sounds pretty good to me
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Thanks again for your thoughts.
 
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