Entering the Business

Collarspace Discussion Forums

Home Login Search

Entering the Business

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> Entering the Business

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Entering the Business - 5/19/2005 5:41:02 AM

TulipTouch

Posts: 3
Joined: 5/7/2005
Status: offline

I'd like to start by making a request that anyone reading this bears with me. I have a small tendency to ramble and I've noticed a miasma of hostility settling around those with little experience. Please, if you decide I'm a brainless ninny, don't rub it in too much.

Now that that's out of the way. I'll forge right on to my point. My friends and I recently proposed setting up our own business,(running a catalogue online selling fetish-wear and bondage gear) we're still swimming in idealistic views on how fantastic it could be, and the natural success we're bound to enjoy. What I'm looking for is a REALITY CHECK. Has anyone here had a similar ambition and had it go horribly wrong? Or, by exceptional hard work, had some success.

We're only a group of five at the moment and luckily have an accounting genius, computer whizz and a fairly decent design team at the moment. My own problems lie in that it is considerably easier to sketch your heart out, painting fantasy gear onto paper than it is to make it. If anyone could recommend a crash course is something like corsetry, belt studding, harness making etc that would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this. Any suggestions/criticism/ideas are most welcome.

Tulip

Profile

Post #: 1

RE: Entering the Business - 5/19/2005 6:52:23 AM

dragonofjapan

Posts: 91
Joined: 6/30/2004
Status: offline

First go to your library and get some books on starting a business and writing business plans.

99% of all businesses without a plan either fail or just limp along.

Next go find some leather working shops and see what it takes and what equipment you need. You may find an additional partner there.

3 Do not quit your day job.

You quit your day job when the business is making so much money, your day job is causing you to lose money with your new business and you have or should be hospitalized for exhaustion.

If you need more detailed advice, find my profile and write me.

Zip

_____________________________

He who rules truly serves
She who serves truly rules

Life is not measured by the breaths we take,
but by the things which take our breath away

Honor is not making good choices,
it is dealing with the consequences.

(in reply to TulipTouch)

Profile

Post #: 2

RE: Entering the Business - 5/20/2005 8:54:29 AM

sub4hire

Posts: 6775
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline

Over the year's I've known people to do exactly the same thing you have.
Or what you want to do.
I'd agree do some research on business practices. Marketing and such. You can have the best business in the world if you don't have marketing nobody is going to know it.

I've not however ever known 5 people to enter something within the lifestyle together. I run a BDSM group and I can say first hand good people are far and few in between.
Good luck with that.
The first thing that came to my mind was the infighting that is going to be happening to take the business down. Of course with strict rules on what each person is to do it could possibly work.
Aside from that I know of no classes on anything. I know of a few excellent seamstresses but they don't teach. They say you can stand behind them and soak up any knowledge you want.

(in reply to TulipTouch)

Profile

Post #: 3

RE: Entering the Business - 5/20/2005 10:31:12 AM

stormsfate

Posts: 849
Joined: 2/1/2005
Status: offline

Have a partnership agreement drawn up. These things tend to start out well, but with the day to day running of the business, things do happen. Its best if everything is spelled out as far as who brings what to the business...what each person's responsibilities are...and if someone decides to leave the business, how their portion of the assets will be disposed of (i.e can they sell to anyone...do they have to sell to their partners, etc.)...inheritance issues...blah, blah, blah. People often overlook this aspect of things and its probably the most important aspect...or at least right up there with a good business plan.

Good luck with it.

best regards,
fate

_____________________________

Vision? What do you know about MY vision? My vision would turn your world upside down, tear asunder your illusions and the sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you! Now ask yourself, are you really ready to see that vision? [/size

(in reply to sub4hire)

Profile

Post #: 4

RE: Entering the Business - 5/21/2005 1:52:52 PM

TulipTouch

Posts: 3
Joined: 5/7/2005
Status: offline

Just want to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to reply. I took a trip to the library yesterday and I'm currently straining my way through text books and reading web selling regulations. The prospect of infighting (naively) wasn't something I'd been taking all that seriously, but thanks sub4hire for pointing it out and thanks again to fate for pointing out a practical solution.

dragon, you're quite right and I've already found myself a contact in the leather business who'll sell me a cheap, heavy duty sewing machine and give me some advice. I'm going to spend the next line or two begging. If ANYONE knows any good books (or would be willing to give me some pointers) on practical leather working, or toymaking (the things mentioned in the first post) etc then I'd really appreciate it.

Cheers again

(in reply to dragonofjapan)

Profile

Post #: 5

RE: Entering the Business - 5/21/2005 2:39:27 PM

MadameDahlia

Posts: 2021
Joined: 8/11/2004
From: SoCal aka Hell
Status: offline

Take Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Accounting.

Establish who is in charge of what.

Establish a partnership agreement, a termination agreement and a contract that would outline who gets what if person X dies.

_____________________________

Insanity -- a perfectly rational adjustment to an insane world.
--R. D. Laing

"Oh, but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away."

(in reply to TulipTouch)

Profile

Post #: 6

RE: Entering the Business - 5/21/2005 4:25:05 PM

proudsub

Posts: 6142
Joined: 1/31/2004
From: Washington
Status: offline

In addition to what the others suggested, be sure to check out your state and local tax and reporting requirements and if there are any regulations in your neighborhood about running a business out of the house. Good luck with it.

_____________________________

proudsub

"Without goals you become what you were. With goals you become what you wish." .

"You are entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts"--Alan Greenspan

(in reply to TulipTouch)

Profile

Post #: 7