Ideas for a small business?

[Greenman]

I met a mate of a mate last week and he told me we works as a paramedic in ambulances. I gave him a bit of respect via a fist bump as i have a lot of respect for people who do that job helping people on a daily basis, he came back to me with "nah mate, it's crap, everyone is a wanker now, i hate it" which was probably accurate but a bit disappointing!

I've not encountered it yet but I've heard that, post-covid, public attitudes have deteriorated. A greater 'I want' attitude. Filly is seeing it from parents in schools too.

It's that kind of attitude that "drives" the poor standards of driving that have been reported on regularly since the Covid lockdowns.

That is also shocking around here in Bristol.

I had 2 people pull out on me in the space of about 200 yards yesterday and when you give them a tonk they seem to think they are all innocent or have no clue what they just done.

I drive around the south west a lot and it's getting dangerous out there, next the French will try to get us to drive on the right hand side of the road and be telling us their driving standards are better than ours!

[Couchy]

A shop sounds like a pain in the arse tbh. Set up on your own as sparky/handyman and only take the small easy jobs you’ll easily make £1k a month. Have your van kitted out for your hobbies too so the expense of that gets the tax relief. I’ll be doing similar in a couple of years once life has settled again.

[asmethurst99]

I've not encountered it yet but I've heard that, post-covid, public attitudes have deteriorated. A greater 'I want' attitude. Filly is seeing it from parents in schools too.

It's that kind of attitude that "drives" the poor standards of driving that have been reported on regularly since the Covid lockdowns.

That is also shocking around here in Bristol.

I had 2 people pull out on me in the space of about 200 yards yesterday and when you give them a tonk they seem to think they are all innocent or have no clue what they just done.

I drive around the south west a lot and it's getting dangerous out there, next the French will try to get us to drive on the right hand side of the road and be telling us their driving standards are better than ours!

Try Hackney or Tower Hamlets sometime

[Potter]

A shop sounds like a pain in the arse tbh. Set up on your own as sparky/handyman and only take the small easy jobs you’ll easily make £1k a month. Have your van kitted out for your hobbies too so the expense of that gets the tax relief. I’ll be doing similar in a couple of years once life has settled again.

It would be very easy to do.
I'll have to do the latest edition regs course to renew my JIB Approved card, then some sort of testing & inspection refresher but that's all easy stuff.

I don't think I want the money or the hassle that it will bring though, if I got back into that then I'd start chasing the work and the money again, it's in my nature, I've seen two of my mates do it, both set up with the same situation as me and intending to work part-time, but now both are complaining they're working more hours than ever.

There is a part of it that sounds good though, the money I'll be living on will be coming in from other avenues and it's going to be over the tax thresholds, so it's potentially attractive to have a business that I can dip in and out of when it suits and use the tax relief elements.

[Count Steer]

Having thought a bit, I think in similar circumstances I'd like to find someone with an idea of a business they want to build that I could help with, based on what experience/skills etc I've got or just providing labour. eg if someone took on one of those craft supplies businesses I mentioned I'd be about covering some of the shows or acting as casual labour helping cover peaky demand (cranking out cappuccinos if need be).

That way they can have the vision, drive etc and I get the pleasure of helping them, paid, part time, as needed (keeping things 'business real') or, possibly, buying in/investing and taking a share in the success (or not ).

Be nice to help someone build something they're passionate about. I'm a bit too old to get passionate but it's refreshing to be involved with folk that are.

[Noggin]

I've not encountered it yet but I've heard that, post-covid, public attitudes have deteriorated. A greater 'I want' attitude. Filly is seeing it from parents in schools too.

100%. I see it on the slopes and rather than getting better as I’d expected, once people got over the selfishness of lockdown and the ‘focus on myself’ mantra, it’s getting worse

To the point that, due to the leg break being down to some selfish arsewipe taking me out, I’m scared to ski when it’s busy, and due to lack of snow in lower resorts it’s been bastard busy all season so far - I’ve never had a season pass have less use

[Mr. Dazzle]

Having thought a bit, I think in similar circumstances I'd like to find someone with an idea of a business they want to build that I could help with

You and Iccy can set up mild mannered Dragon's Den.

[Cousin Jack]

How far are you from a biggish city? A mate runs a storage business, a pice of hardstanding with containers on it. His is a fair size, obviously took a wedge of capital, but it looks like an ideal business. He had a couple give notice last week, 3 phone call and people on the waiting list bit his hand off. No bad debts, 3 warnings for late payment and you are out.

He makes a very good living out of a fair sized yard, but if you just want a business to play with, and to run a new van on you could choose a small patch with just a few containers.

Obviously you need to be close enough to your market to make it work.

[Potter]

Having thought a bit, I think in similar circumstances I'd like to find someone with an idea of a business they want to build that I could help with, based on what experience/skills etc I've got or just providing labour....

Yeah I considered being the finance partner for someone else, I provide the capital for their great idea.

The problem is that most people don't have a clue, they can't manage their own finances, so they might have a passion but it's unlikely to be financially successful and I'm not in a position to waste lots of money just so other people can play at fantasy business ideas.

My FA laughs at me, he's old school and likes traditional investing and he thinks I'm trying to make a very simple retirement into something complicated.
I'll probably end up doing what he says.

[Potter]

How far are you from a biggish city? A mate runs a storage business, a pice of hardstanding with containers on it. His is a fair size, obviously took a wedge of capital, but it looks like an ideal business. He had a couple give notice last week, 3 phone call and people on the waiting list bit his hand off. No bad debts, 3 warnings for late payment and you are out.

He makes a very good living out of a fair sized yard, but if you just want a business to play with, and to run a new van on you could choose a small patch with just a few containers.

Obviously you need to be close enough to your market to make it work.

The local farms have turned into storage centres or holiday cabin with fishing lakes.
The storage thing seems to be easy money, I stored all our possessions and our two cars there when we were moving, it was a six month minimum contract, fee paid up front. He has rows of containers and a few barns, all left at your own risk.

The land is expensive though, I absolutely love where we are now, but my only wish is more land to play about with, I've got workshops, double garage and a granny flat/annex but I've not got much land other than a slightly bigger than average garden. A bit of land to accommodate twenty containers would probably bring in a tidy monthly sum, storage seems to be in demand.

[Yorick]

How about Man With a Van?
Pick and choose your work and get family to help as and when needed.

[Wossname]

I know 2 people who got into the storage thing, both right out in the country but out of sight. They were amazed by the demand even in the middle of nowhere. Main problem for you would be buying the right bit of land, and planning might be an issue.

[Cousin Jack]

I know 2 people who got into the storage thing, both right out in the country but out of sight. They were amazed by the demand even in the middle of nowhere. Main problem for you would be buying the right bit of land, and planning might be an issue.

Planning, plus you really need hard standing to exist. Surfacing a big area is expensive!

[ZRX61]

The local farms have turned into storage centres or holiday cabin with fishing lakes.
The storage thing seems to be easy money, I stored all our possessions and our two cars there when we were moving, it was a six month minimum contract, fee paid up front. He has rows of containers and a few barns, all left at your own risk.

The land is expensive though, I absolutely love where we are now, but my only wish is more land to play about with, I've got workshops, double garage and a granny flat/annex but I've not got much land other than a slightly bigger than average garden. A bit of land to accommodate twenty containers would probably bring in a tidy monthly sum, storage seems to be in demand.

Not only is it easy money, but it's also stupid money here in the US. There are several here in town & the one I'm familiar with is on 4 acres & pulling in over $100k a WEEK.. & the bloke who owns that one has another across town. He employs Mexicans to run the place & pays them minimum wage.

[Mussels]

Something I considered before was buying agricultural land (paddocks) and taking grants to plant trees. You need a fair chunk of land to do it but you can employ people to plant the trees and after time the grant money starts coming in.
There's obviously a delay in return but from the sound of it that might suit you and you get to employ local people but none of the work is critical so if someone messes you about you haven't lost customers.
Some councils may get funny about the change of use, it's still agricultural but they might say you can't switch from one type to another.

With the extra benefit that you are doing the environment some good it might prevent you getting fed up with it, you can go and enjoy the results of your work.

[Cousin Jack]

Saw something very recently, some academics reckon that planting trees is not the answer it was cracked up to be. Expect a Govt reversal in 10 years or so, so don't be relying on grants/tax stuff.

[Potter]

Already looked at it, buying fields to plant trees, or even already established woodland, but it's quite complicated and a bit of a minefield.
A bit of an upmarket idea was planting solar farms, but more money involved.

[cheb]

I think the reversal has already happened in Scotland, there was a piece on the BBC news website about it. Chap persuaded to plant lots of trees with a view to them being bought by Scottish Forestry or whatever they are called and now the Scottish Gov have run out of (other people's) money.

Here you go: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-68133750

[Horse]

Saw something very recently, some academics reckon that planting trees is not the answer it was cracked up to be.

Do you mean for carbon capture?

If they grow, die, rot, then they just act as a temporary store.

If used as biomass fuel, they release quickly.

Best store option is if used as building material. See, them Tudors had carbon capture sussed

[Cousin Jack]

More about the CO2 captured being balanced out by the change in albedo, so more heating from sunlight. Net effect of a big forest, not a lot.