Many people dream of starting a small home-based business and grow it to the point where it can not only support them and their family, but ultimately bring them success and financial freedom. After all, pretty much every big business out there had humble beginnings. But since starting a business usually requires a lot of money (ask people who are looking to open a laundromat business), people tend to gravitate towards those businesses where you don’t need a lot of money to get started.

One such opportunity is the business of selling candles. Very often, people dismiss it as something that’s not very viable, but it’s actually a pretty good business model. Candles are what is called a consumable item, meaning that once it’s completely burned, it has to be replaced. Plus they’re not expensive items. That means that people don’t feel uncomfortable spending money on them. So you’re selling a cheap item, that needs to be replaced often. Not a bad proposition if you ask me.

As for the question of “where’s my target market for selling candles”, here’s the answer. People don’t really give a lot of thought before spending a couple dollars on a few candles. Because it’s such a cheap purchase, they don’t feel guilty about it. And that’s very good news for you. This is also a business that doesn’t require a lot of money to get started. It’s pretty common to hear people say that they started their profitable candle selling business from their kitchen table and grew it from there. If you’ve got a creative side, then it’s even better: you can be as creative as you’d like. Just keep in mind that your prospective customers must also like your creations in order for your candle selling business to make money.

There are countless places where you can sell your candles. Once you have some inventory, either from candles you make yourself or candles that you order from a wholesale vendor, then you’re ready to start selling. Start off with your friends and family, and also offer your product to local shops where people know you and will support your business. It’s a good idea to try local craft shows, which usually happen once or twice a year. This is a good setup if you like traveling. You can set up a calendar of craft shows happening around the country and be there to sell your candles.

If you’d rather handle the business without all that traveling, auction sites offer an excellent outlet for your candles. eBay is one of the most visited websites on the web, and you can set up shop there and make as much money (if not more) than you would by other means. The only caveat to the eBay option is that with lots of traffic comes lots of competition from other sellers trying to do the same thing you are. Of course, there’s always the possibility of opting for a lesser known auction site. There will be less traffic, that’s for sure, but there will also be less competition, so you might end up winning by getting a larger piece of a smaller pie.

Whether you’re selling candles that you make yourself, or are selling candles that you buy in bulk, make sure that your product is of good quality. The reason is that word of mouth is the best advertising you can possibly get, as people who have bought your product and enjoyed it will share it with their friends, family, and neighbors, giving you high marks for quality. Some of them will try your product based on just the recommendation of someone they know and trust. You don’t have to do any selling, your satisfied customer has taken care of that for you.

Should you choose to sell your candles online, but want more control than you’d get with being an eBay seller, then you should definitely consider having your own site. This is even easier if you choose to associate with any one of the big candle selling companies out there. As a part of your package, they offer you everything you need to set up a professional online presence. You get assistance from choosing your domain name to setting up a shopping cart so you can accept credit card and check payments online, and including an “admin” interface to allow you to upload photos of your products and their description. As said previously, most of the established candle selling companies have that sort of assistance built into their packages.

If you treat candle making and selling as a hobby, it will bring you hobby money; if you treat it as a big business, it will bring you big business money. Big corporations are into candle making and selling, so why shouldn’t you go for a piece of the pie? Candles are sold pretty much everywhere these days: specialty stores, home furnishing shops, mail order, craft shows, auction sites, gift shops, and so on…

In summary, a candle selling business is a good choice for starting a new and profitable business. You can make a profit with your candles, just remember these tips and plan your business accordingly.

© Make Money Selling Candles

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How To Open A Laundromat

Interested in starting a business that pretty much runs itself? If that’s the case, then it would be wise for you to consider opening a laundromat. For various reasons, a lot of people do not own their own washer and dryer. For example, there’s sizable demand for laundromats in areas where there are lots of renters because a lot of times the buildings don’t provide those amenities. Also, anywhere there’s a high concentration of students, laundromat services are going to be needed.

These are just a couple examples. The bottom line is that you want to set up your laundromat in an area where You’ll have a steady clientele of people who regularly load up their dirty laundry and either walk or drive to the nearest laundromat to wash and dry their clothes.

First of all, you need to plan ahead. As pointed out earlier, you need a location with a high volume of traffic. Without traffic, your laundromat business venture will be short-lived. The issue of parking can be important, but at the same time, it can also be a non-issue. If your laundromat is in a suburban area where people primarily drive to it, then lack of parking space will kill you, as people will simply drive to your competition instead of looking for parking space. On the other hand, if you’re near apartment buildings and/or student housing, then parking is not something you’ll really have to worry about, as most of your customers will be within walking distance. Of course, you should never underestimate the importance of assessing the real NEED for your business, in the location you’re targeting. Analyze your competition and how you’re going to carve your own space.

Decide whether you wish to set up your business from scratch or want to buy an existing laundromat? In any case, prepare a detailed business plan for each option as this gives you a detailed idea of what you will need to invest in your business. If you’re buying an existing laundromat, some of the things you will need are a business license, tax ID# if you have employees, a fictitious business name, environmental health permit, safety and fire inspections, just to name a few. There are lots of things to consider and all fees and requirements vary by county or state.

If you’re starting from scratch, your initial investment on new or old washers and dryers will be your main expenditure. The decision to go with new machines as opposed to older ones is a trade-off. Newer machines will be more expensive but require less maintenance and vice-versa. Most likely, this decision is going to depend on how much you can afford for your initial investment. In case you’re taking over an existing laundromat, you don’t have to make this decision, but if you’re buying new machines, you also have to decide if you’re going to get coin-operated machines or smart card operated machines.

The location where you set up the laundromat should (ideally) have two entrances; having two entrances in case of emergency may reduce your insurance premiums with some companies. It’s a good idea to have the laundromat in an existing location with the necessary connections already installed (water, electrical, plumbing, and so on). If those connections are not already there, you will have to spend extra to get this job done, which will drive your startup costs higher. In any case, it’s strongly recommended that you get three (3) sets of quotes from different contractors, so you can get a good idea of how much you’re going to need to build the laundromat.

Here’s what you’re going to need, in terms of setup:

• You will want a location that can accommodate the size of your business. You need to decide how many washers you want, as well as dryers. Make sure you find a place that has plenty of room after all the equipment is set up. You don’t want your customers bumping into each other. Laundromats get hot when the dryers are running, even with air conditioning. In the summer heat, tempers can flare if they don’t have enough room to maneuver while doing their laundry. Your location needs to accommodate tables for your customers to fold their laundry. You will need several of them. You may even want a play area for the children. That will increase the size of your location. And it must have restrooms.
• It was mentioned earlier that you can have either coin operated machines or smartcard operated machines. If you have coin-operated machines, then you’ll need a change machine that can accept up to $20 bills. If, on the other hand, you have smartcard-operated machines, you’ll need a smart card center machine for people to recharge their cards.
• It’s recommended that you have one little sink for people to pre-treat their clothes, areas for folding clothes, and rolling carts.
• Have one vending machine on the premises with some snacks, and if you can, a vending machine with laundry supplies, one arcade game, and a TV. You should also sell related merchandise such as collapsible hampers or laundry bags.
• You need some variety in the size of your machines: low price range basic washer and dryers, higher priced stainless steel washers and dryers, a couple giant dryers. When you decide to open a laundromat, make sure you have enough washers and dryers so your business can grow. You want several different sizes of washers. There are the regular top loaders, front loaded double and triple washers. This will handle all of your customer needs, but will also increase the size of the location.
• In terms of personnel, you’ll only need one person, with some paper change for large bills, wiping down washers and keeping the place tidy.

Other stuff that needs your attention:

Maintenance: How will you maintain and repair the equipment? Do you plan to have a repair service come in and fix the machines when they break down? You will also have to plan for a significant amount in order to turn on the local utilities along with repair and maintenance of your machines. You will need to get a regular service contract with the person who installed your machines as this turns out much cheaper in the long run. You will also need lots of supplies to stock your shelves or the dispensing machines, depending on your laundromat’s setup.

Business entity: Incorporate the business before doing anything to shield yourself from any potential liability issues.

Profitability: You might not want to talk to your direct competitors, but how about talking to others already operating the same kind of business, in a comparable setting, to find out if they are profitable, or just “breaking even”?

Ownership: Do you plan to buy the building, or be a renter, paying monthly rent, to a landlord ?

New or existing business: Is the location set up as a laundromat NOW, or will you have to buy and install the equipment at your cost ?

Equity/Financing: How much of your OWN money are you going to invest, and how much “actual cash money” do you have , to pay for the activation of the water, gas, and electrical utilities, and to advertise your new business, and put up a proper sign on the front of the store ? Have you secured financing?

Legal requirements: Have you found out what city or state permits and licenses are required, to conduct this type of business, and what about liability insurance and property insurance coverage? You might need to contact the local city council or the necessary licensing agency to find out what you will need to set up your business. You also have to contact the local Franchise Tax Board to get the required permits. This will help you to buy goods without tax for your business.

Ongoing expenses: You won’t just need one months rent, you’ll need rent, deposit, and some places require you to prove you can afford 6-12 months of rent before letting you rent from them. You’ll need money for all the licenses and forms, insurance, plus all those washers and dryers. Not to mention money to fix them. When used that much, you’ll be amazed at how abused they become. Water and electricity will be your biggest ongoing expenses. Don’t forget about them.

If any of these questions are new to you, or you didn’t know about them, you are not ready to get into a business, yet. On the other hand, other than that person who really is there for constant upkeep, there is no supervision needed. That’s what attracts a lot of people to the coin-op business!

Starting A Small Business

Starting a small business is a serious endeavor that not should really not be taken lightly. Often, it’s the best vehicle to realize dreams such as financial freedom, the ability to travel, or to spend more time with your family. If you take the time to do a couple things before really launching your business, you will give yourself a better chance to hit the ground running and really lauch a successful business.

Importance Of A Business Plan

The first area is your business plan. Your business plan is your company’s calling card. It allows you to see your business through your investor’s eyes. As the name suggests it is a plan of your business; your communication tool; selling your marketing, sales and operations. You should focus on exactly what you want to achieve, where you want your business to go and how you plan to get it there. Projected sales and monthly expenses will also be included in your plan. All of this information will influence your choices, including the type of location you will be looking for.

A business plan is the key to long term success for new and old businesses. Your business must have a foundation to start from and you have to give your business time as success will take longer then a few weeks. Your business plan is a framework which your business must operate within. It will ultimately determine whether your business succeeds or fails. It’s often the key to securing financing. Preparing a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success in raising funds or mobilizing support, but having no plan at all will more than likely result in failure.

Importance Of A Marketing Strategy

The second is the marketing plan that you are going to use in order to ensure that your business is noticed. Marketing strategies are the methods that can often determine the success of your business. They should be considered carefully, as it is important that the right combination be established to ensure the success of your products and services when starting a home business.

When first starting a small business many people may rely on minimal marketing. This is generally due to financial concerns however, marketing is especially important when a business is first starting out. You want to draw as much attention from as many different sources as possible. There are plenty of options that are available for starting businesses that may not have a large budget to spend on marketing but still want the advantages that come from marketing via the internet.

When starting a small business (such as a laundromat), it is important to plan how you want your business to run, as well as how you want to present your business, products and services to the public. Planning before you launch your business is one of the best ways to ensure your business is primed for success.

© How To Open A Laundromat | Starting A Small Business

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