Ideas for a small business?

[Potter]

Junkies are his biggest source of annoyance !

I used to have zero sympathy, but now I really sympathise, the world is a tough place and sometimes people can't cope and escape on drugs, unfortunately sometimes they stay messed up and struggle to come back from it.

I did some charity work a while ago and met some really nice people with horrendous stories, they were stuck in a horrible cycle of drug use, it was a shame, they don't want to be messed up, but they are.

Personally I've got little sympathy for people that get high on alcohol and cause trouble every weekend, I feel like they've got a lot less of an excuse to be a pain in the arse.

Maybe I'll set up a drop in/drop out centre for wasters

[weeksy]

Maybe I'll set up a drop in/drop out centre for wasters

I already did.

[Yorick]

Maybe I'll set up a drop in/drop out centre for wasters

I already did.

Not like you to be funny

[Horse]

Mates son is a paramedic. The stories he tells me makes me wonder why anyone does the job. He gets attacked, spat at, abused and even his time wasted by lonely people. Junkies are his biggest source of annoyance !

I'm sheltered from much of that. I mainly get despatched to category 1 & 2 calls, with some 3.

I don't go to RTCs, suicides or assaults.

The only time I've been assaulted (so far*) was a thump around the ear from an old chap who was lashing out.

* During training (Nov 22), we were told that no CFRs had been assaulted until that year. Back to the original point.

[Taipan]

Junkies are his biggest source of annoyance !

I used to have zero sympathy, but now I really sympathise, the world is a tough place and sometimes people can't cope and escape on drugs, unfortunately sometimes they stay messed up and struggle to come back from it.

I did some charity work a while ago and met some really nice people with horrendous stories, they were stuck in a horrible cycle of drug use, it was a shame, they don't want to be messed up, but they are.

Personally I've got little sympathy for people that get high on alcohol and cause trouble every weekend, I feel like they've got a lot less of an excuse to be a pain in the arse.

Maybe I'll set up a drop in/drop out centre for wasters

Drunks and drink related incidents (fights, falling over etc) are his second biggest source of annoyance. I thought h e was harsh about lonely people wasting his time but as he said, people die because of it! Because of demand they are always late and rarely met with politeness, he understands this of course, but it really does sound like a thankless, stressful job at times, but obviously massively rewarding as well. His good stories are incredibly moving though and I guess that’s why he sticks it out.

[Yambo]

So what's something that jumps out at you that you could spend 8-10 hours a day doing day in day out.

That's the thing, I like doing loads of things but not sure I'd want to do it 8hrs a day, five days a week.

There's your answer

Just my twopennyworth . . .

I don't think you want to run a business Iccy and certainly not one on the main road.

I think you want a hobby that can maybe return a bit of the time and effort in cash.

I'm in much the same boat and in the next day or so there'll be a post on the local facebook page with an example of my work. People already know that I like to make things (usually in wood) and have many times asked me to make or repair things. I've turned down 3 requests recently to make kayaks - I don't want to do it for work, I don't have a workshop for a start and of course, if you're making boats for other, paying, people I can't get away with a 10' boat*; they're going to have to be fucking perfect! I've also been asked to sell astro photos and I'm looking for people who can print them the best way - on metal. That probably won't be cheap but actually producing the images is all paid for, just my time really and printing costs.

But I'm quite handy and like/need to fill my time so if there's a bit of cash to be made then why not.

* A 10' boat is one that looks pretty good from 10' away. Don't get too close!

[Mr Moofo]

Erm - what does the village need?
What are the surrounding activities?

Someone in our village (population about 2000) decided that it needed a nail bar. We already have one, two doors away. You'd think everyone in the village would need their nails bejazzled (hand AND feet) to support two nail bars.

We are a small town - blessed with two nail bars, 4 Turkish barbers, 5 hairdressers, two Co-Op stores. 7 coffee shops , two bakeries
I find it amazing that new business do not scope out what the locality needs.
We have one guy here who has been dealing vinyl for 10 years. Someone else has decided to open a second hand vinyl store on the high street.
It's not like we are all DJs ...

[Mr. Dazzle]

There are two framing stores near me, 3 shops apart One has been there basically forever, the other just opened and sells all kinds of cheesy pop art type stuff too.

[Mr Moofo]

Junkies are his biggest source of annoyance !

I used to have zero sympathy, but now I really sympathise, the world is a tough place and sometimes people can't cope and escape on drugs, unfortunately sometimes they stay messed up and struggle to come back from it.

But the issue with that is that smack turns people into nasty, vicious , aggressive people - the craving completely over-rules any human decency. The homeless issue is Brighton is mainly smack related - they cannot go into hostels as they refuse to stop using, or they are violent, or they will not abide by conditions.

[Horse]

I'm looking for people who can print them the best way - on metal. That probably won't be cheap but actually producing the images is all paid for, just my time really and printing costs.

If you can find laces where they can be ordered online, manufactured and delivered, the world opens up. Otherwise, there's the Etsy type sites.

[cheb]

Religion, start your own church. All you need is a bit of charisma and a USP.

[Horse]

Religion, start your own church. All you need is a bit of charisma and a USP.

And acolytes. And a big whicker man to burn?

[Taipan]

Religion, start your own church. All you need is a bit of charisma and a USP.

“Potters Hatches, Matches & Dispatches Emporium”! It does have a bit of a ring to it!

[Yorick]

Religion, start your own church. All you need is a bit of charisma and a USP.

“Potters Hatches, Matches & Dispatches Emporium”! It does have a bit of a ring to it!

Icarus, the God of War

[v8-powered]

Turn a hobby in to a business.....

Folks where I grew up were boaty people - they both gave up their day jobs and purchased a Chandlery business. Mixing with people with similar interests, selling products and services they were familiar with and had a good knowledge of....

[Wossname]

See my post, away up there somewhere ^^^^. But if you insist - you've got lots of useful practical, manual skills. Put up a card in all your local shops, Facebook/Nextdoor if you do, advertising your availabilty as a DIY/handyman, free estimates etc. Pick/choose the jobs you fancy and are capable of. No need for premises, outlay, much gear, no real commitment time-wise. Give it a go, stop if you don't like it - no harm done.

[Horse]

Turn a hobby in to a business.....

... Can be the end of enjoying it as a 'hobby'.

[DefTrap]

In the same circumstances I'd probably get a van and be a bit of a do-anything. Move stuff; gardening; tidy ups; fixing things; basic DIYs; odd-mechanicing etc.

EDIT: If I had to have premises, it'd be some space I could share with other complimentary businesses to maximise the footfall etc. I 'found' a great location in Biarritz, lovely art-deco run-down garage - would have made a great caff / workshop / hangout. But someone with bottomless pockets had better ideas and it's now a fancy boutique hotel. Ruined.

[Rockburner]

Move all your workshop tools in* and open a small publicly accessible mechanical workshop where you can make whatever people ask you to make** while chatting to them over the counter*** and they can watch you work****.





* and pay oodles in insurance and security.

** especially stuff you don't have the tools for

*** answering damn-fool questions from idiots

**** "Ooooh, you don't wanna do it like that...", "My Dad used to do this sort of stuff, but his widgets were far better made.", "Japanese lathe? Nah, the old british made ones were always far better, what's wrong with inches and feet?" etc etc etc etc.

[Horse]

**** "Ooooh, you don't wanna do it like that..."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-68379930