Branching out on my own

[Bonsai Si]

Pun intended, of course.

I took the huge decision to start my own business recently, combining 2 of my great interests and passions, Gardening and working as a Support worker.

I won't bore you with the details but was wondering if anyone who has run their own business or still does so would have any advice to offer for someone just starting out?

Things you really should do or avoid doing?

Thanks in advance.

[Greenleaves]

I ran my own business for 10 years before retiring. Do you have a business plan? If you dont I would start they, once done take advice from a small business advisor. ( Free at most banks).

Do you have a potential customer base, what competition are you up against........is there a need for your services?

The best advice I was given was to cost it properly or you will end up being a busy fool

[Potstubsdustbins]

Been working for myself for nearly 30 years.

Keep the book keeping simple but update every week. Have a look at the Evrite 707 accounts book it's by far the simplest I have found and is ideal for the small trader.

Get a half decent accountant, they may cost a shilling or two but will save you money and grief in the long run.

Remember a bank business account costs money, so look for the best deal or they will over charge you. Ask for a business card to make your purchases and use that instead of cheques, saves a lot of money in bank charges. If you accept cash don't bank it they will charge you to pay it in and again to withdraw it. Some banks even charge you to count it!

Remember the customer is always right, while keeping at the back of your mind they are invariably wrong.

If you use a vehicle check your insurance, most policies do not include use for business. The caretaker at the old people's home where SWMBO used to work had his car seized for going to the chemist to collect the old folks medicines, had to pay to get it back.

Get third party liability insurance it should not be to expensive for you trade and if you need it at any time its invaluable.

[Bigmallly]

Are the Council aware that you are running a business from an allotment plot as I think it's a no no.

[Martin H]

BM makes a good point. Usually allotment rules forbid commercial activity.

Come to think of it, there are usually rules about how much of the plot can be used for growing non-food plants. Probably worth checking?

[Bonsai Si]

I ran my own business for 10 years before retiring. Do you have a business plan? If you dont I would start they, once done take advice from a small business advisor. ( Free at most banks).

Do you have a potential customer base, what competition are you up against........is there a need for your services?

The best advice I was given was to cost it properly or you will end up being a busy fool

The initial business plan has been handed into the business advisor and is under review and pending a few updates as it gets jiggled a bit.

Day opportunities for what I did and intend to do locally are slim and few and far inbetween, as for the Social Enterprise side of things, I've not heard of anything in the area like it.

Costing will be down to a few factors, depending if it is a private Client or funded by the local authority etc. As a private carer I was pulling £12.50 an hour Mon-Fri and £14 at the weekend, for local funded clients I may have to take a paycut but there is the Social Enterprise and community support angle that comes with this venture.

[Bonsai Si]

Been working for myself for nearly 30 years.

Keep the book keeping simple but update every week. Have a look at the Evrite 707 accounts book it's by far the simplest I have found and is ideal for the small trader.

Get a half decent accountant, they may cost a shilling or two but will save you money and grief in the long run.

Remember a bank business account costs money, so look for the best deal or they will over charge you. Ask for a business card to make your purchases and use that instead of cheques, saves a lot of money in bank charges. If you accept cash don't bank it they will charge you to pay it in and again to withdraw it. Some banks even charge you to count it!

Remember the customer is always right, while keeping at the back of your mind they are invariably wrong.

If you use a vehicle check your insurance, most policies do not include use for business. The caretaker at the old people's home where SWMBO used to work had his car seized for going to the chemist to collect the old folks medicines, had to pay to get it back.

Get third party liability insurance it should not be to expensive for you trade and if you need it at any time its invaluable.

Soon as I need one, I'll be engaging the services of an accountant, a close friend has recommended me the one she uses and she isn't one to be messed about, so I'd trust them if she does. I'd rather pay to have it done right than pay a lot more for getting it wrong.

Banking is a side I have not yet got that far with, so thanks for the heads up. Was looking at using Paypal or direct payment into my account till it's fully up and running.

My current vehicle has full business insurance, Company and Personal Business use and is paid up fully till January. I'll be needing a new vehicle and would again do the same, only so much you can get in a VW Polo and it ain't enough, lol.

Yep, along with the DBS check, public liability insurance is on the list and a quick look shows it's about 80 quid a year, not looked much into that yet so will probably be able to shave a few quid off that.

Thanks.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Don't buy any new vehicles until your up and running. To give you an idea I purchased a new van in 2013 this year £3970 tax refund plus no income tax for the year.

When it comes to putting stuff against tax my accountant tells me to book everything, then anything that looks dodgy he removes.

I wear glass's can't see without them, certainly could not drive. The tax man accepts this so I buy two pairs at a time, I pay for one he pays for the other. Like any other tool I could not work without them.

You could have tool insurance along with you public liability but it does put the cost up some what.

[Bonsai Si]

Are the Council aware that you are running a business from an allotment plot as I think it's a no no.

One of the other lottie owners is already doing something similar (He has several plots even) and it's very much not hidden and out in the public eye, so without investigating much further into it and based on the general talk on out lots the council pay little attention to what goes on so long as they don't get any complaints.

The hope for me is to get funding/grants/business loan and get proper premises/land for this, but as it's still grassroots stages I'm using what I have on hand so to speak to get the ball rolling and at least make some headway with regards stock and the ability to produce some goods to show to potential customers. The lottie is too restrictive for my needs now, but it's all I can get, I want my business to be running from a dedicated place fit for purpose. That said, there is something to be said for the plot for certain clients who it would appeal to.

I do have a concern about this and living in the hope that someone else is already at it doesn't mean it's right for me to be, but at the genesis of something like this I can only use what I have on hand and do what I can to show the viability and promise of what is on offer. I was nearly bowled over when I walked onto the plot for the first time and saw someone else was doing something close in some respects to what I had been planning for a few years, but then I remembered, my business plan has a few more angles and a different set of lines to follow for the 2 to be compared other than some Gardening Therapy is involved. So no line clashing is involved and it shouldn't be a conflict/competitive for clients as my speciality is very much Challenging behaviour and learning disabilities.

For now as I said, its very much low key and grassroots and there as an option, not ideal but it has to start somewhere.

As for the % of growing crops and other stuff, local council again is not interested so long as it's not a plot full of weeds and oddly enough there are a few of those on the allotments. Half a plot next to me is mostly Dandelion, Thistle and a host of other invasive and invading weeds and nothing is done about it. I'd much rather the less invasive approach by the council we have on this plot than some of the clipboard carrying jobs worth types I have read about on here and elsewhere. The lottie owners I talk with on my plot all seem happy enough with the way things are run and they are left to get on with it. That and there are some stunning plots and very proud plot owners, several of which look like a garden with some veg plots in them. So I guess it's swings and roundabouts and while I can get on and do what I need I'm happy to stay on the swing then go ride the roundabout till I can find premises to really get stuck in and build my dream, for now the foundation is small and has it's issues, but it's a start.

I appreciate you mentioning this though, I'm not expecting this to be a smooth fairy tale ride, and it's only right you point out the big glaring potential for a crash ahead, cheers.

[Bonsai Si]

Don't buy any new vehicles until your up and running. To give you an idea I purchased a new van in 2013 this year £3970 tax refund plus no income tax for the year.

When it comes to putting stuff against tax my accountant tells me to book everything, then anything that looks dodgy he removes.

I wear glass's can't see without them, certainly could not drive. The tax man accepts this so I buy two pairs at a time, I pay for one he pays for the other. Like any other tool I could not work without them.

You could have tool insurance along with you public liability but it does put the cost up some what.

The vehicle side of things will be a priority for a few reasons. Mainly as I said, the Polo is not ideal for storage and for purpose of a lot of the things I will need to do initially. If I can secure grants/business loans etc then it will have to be one of the first things I get. It will also mean I can get rid of the car which will free me of another payment per month for something that isn't ideal for my needs. The company vehicle will also be a mobile sign as I fully understand the power of advertising and again there is only so much you can get on a Polo.

I have a small initial list of business start up items that will all be potential tax write offs, and yeah, I intend to submit receipts for everything and see what I can out through the books, a new PC, glasses and tools with insurance is on the list. I cannot operate without a decent PC (My home PC is a beast and would eat most peoples computers for breakfast, but it's my personal computer and I'd prefer not to use it for work sooner rather than later as it cost a small fortune for me to hand build it and the wear and tear of using it for business is not acceptable) and glasses to use it (good call!), nor can I operate without tools. I have the basics to do lightweight work but anything beyond that and I'm stuck, but till I have premises and a proper workspace lightweight is all I can operate with now.

[muddled]

Learn to love the taxman.

I found them to be so very helpful.
They actually came to my home, late in the evening (because I was working seven days a week) and showed me and husband how tosave a huge amount on our tax bill. Actually, with their help we got our tax bill down to zero AND a rebate.
We didn't have an accountant and the taxman showed us (for example) how by claiming for fuel instead of maintenance on the motorbike we would save hundreds of pounds a year.

He said 'come and ask us...we'll help you every time. Try to rob us...we'll win every time'
Definitely much better friends than enemies I reckon.

And just one more point...
If I had stuck religiously to my business plan, I'd still be in business now.
I didn't.
Therefore I'm not.

[Martin H]

Oh, I forgot to say earlier: All the very best of luck with your new venture. Having seen your lovely tree pictures I'm sure there is a decent living to be made with the skill and determination that you evidently have.

[Bonsai Si]

Learn to love the taxman.

I found them to be so very helpful.
They actually came to my home, late in the evening (because I was working seven days a week) and showed me and husband how tosave a huge amount on our tax bill. Actually, with their help we got our tax bill down to zero AND a rebate.
We didn't have an accountant and the taxman showed us (for example) how by claiming for fuel instead of maintenance on the motorbike we would save hundreds of pounds a year.

He said 'come and ask us...we'll help you every time. Try to rob us...we'll win every time'
Definitely much better friends than enemies I reckon.

And just one more point...
If I had stuck religiously to my business plan, I'd still be in business now.
I didn't.
Therefore I'm not.

The lady who is my Business advisor said almost the exact same thing and near beat it into the group to get on the phone and speak with them at any moment you are not sure. So seeing it echoed by a stranger for want of a better phrase is even more conclusive proof it's the only way forward. Thanks.

I have no issues paying tax and NI as having required more than my fair share of NHS treatment without it I'd be a mental and physical wreck lol.

Sticking to the business plan is my main fear, there is a lot of inbuilt flexibility on what I intend to do as I'm an insane multitasker and have a fairly odd set of skills and interests. (Not many gardeners who are carers set up their own web sites, on their own server and do their own White Hat SEO work which will get them on Page 1 of Google searches PDQ for example. My Web site went live about 2pm this afternoon, I already own the top 8 hits on Google for my site title, this morning it was all unrelated links and most only while omitting a word from the keyword search.)

However, I feel that is one of my strengths, and a key asset for me, as during the seasonal "lulls" I have areas of my business I can move indoors and do things to generate revenue during what is often lean or slack times. I will at some point need reeling in no doubt from losing sight of the prize or goals I have set and have been approved. Though I guess I can't get slammed for being stuck on a line and not looking at diversification, or I hope so anyhoo?

[Bonsai Si]

Oh, I forgot to say earlier: All the very best of luck with your new venture. Having seen your lovely tree pictures I'm sure there is a decent living to be made with the skill and determination that you evidently have.

Aww thank you, that's really nice of you to say. =]

[Bigmallly]

Good luck Si but be careful:

Anger after thieves raid Uppingham allotments - Rutland and Stamford Mercury