Starting a new business,guaging interest

[sixgun86gn]

Well I finally decided to get off my butt and do something I like and make some money doing it.

I am going to be offering a spray on chrome finish.

The finish can be applied to practically anything...plastic,fiberglass,metal,you name it.

The process is actually sort of a paint process. There are three stages.

First there is a basecoat applied by paintgun.

Second there is a water based application of particalized silver that sticks to the basecoat.

Third there is a ultra hard clearcoat applied over the silver,so its actually silver sandwiched between coats of paint.

The process is more friendly to the environment and has alot more possibilities over regular chrome plating.

The clear can even be tinted to give the chrome pretty much any color of the rainbow.

Check out the 25th anniversary Gravedigger monster truck. This is the same process and materials used on it.

This will be just a startup business that will hopefully expand into other services I can offer.

What do you guys think?

How about being able to chrome just about anything on your turbo buick or other rides?

I will be recieving my equipment and materials soon and I plan on becoming a supporting vendor if all works out and maybe offer to do some free work for review.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Pat Smith

[PaCemkr86]

sounds interesting..

[sixgun86gn]

Originally Posted by PaCemkr86

sounds interesting..

Well if you want to see how its done check out this site.

GOLD & CHROME

They will do the same stuff for you,but expensive.

I will be using the equipment they sell and materials.

[PaCemkr86]

looks bad ass, how long till you are up and running?

[faster]

Always glad to see somebody take the plunge. I did it seven years ago and never regretted it. It is a little scary at first but eventually you fall asleep. We own two small service businesses that my wife and I run and work at. Sometimes it is seven days a week and sometimes you get alot of time off but we have never gone hungry or behind with the bills. You can't get laid off or fired and it is all up to how hard you work at it. So far it has been recesion proof (thank you Lord) and now I have a couple of interested parties who want to buy them (they want my customer base). I'm thinking with the equity in the house here in Florida and the cash value of the sale of the business we could just about retire back home in Iowa where my wife is from and we are seriously considering it (I'm 55).

I could just go to work stocking produce at the supermarket and have no headaches. LOL

The only downside is if you ever want to get back in the workforce being self employed is frowned upon by prospective employers and I can't figure out why. I mean if you build a self supporting business that should prove your resourcefulness, get it done outlook, and a give a damn attitude. I would think those would be qualities an employer would want but they apparantly are not as I've tested the waters and can't get hired (I think I'm too old at 55).
Like I said with prospective buyers for my business I've looked at going back in the workforce and investing the money from the sale of the business.

Mikey

[sixgun86gn]

Originally Posted by PaCemkr86

looks bad ass, how long till you are up and running?

Probably within the next 2 months. I will be doing this in my garage to start with so my overhead will be nothing. Should be easy to do the smaller parts the bigger ones could be difficult.

[sixgun86gn]

Originally Posted by faster

Always glad to see somebody take the plunge. I did it seven years ago and never regretted it. It is a little scary at first but eventually you fall asleep. We own two small service businesses that my wife and I run and work at. Sometimes it is seven days a week and sometimes you get alot of time off but we have never gone hungry or behind with the bills. You can't get laid off or fired and it is all up to how hard you work at it. So far it has been recesion proof (thank you Lord) and now I have a couple of interested parties who want to buy them (they want my customer base). I'm thinking with the equity in the house here in Florida and the cash value of the sale of the business we could just about retire back home in Iowa where my wife is from and we are seriously considering it (I'm 55).

I could just go to work stocking produce at the supermarket and have no headaches. LOL

The only downside is if you ever want to get back in the workforce being self employed is frowned upon by prospective employers and I can't figure out why. I mean if you build a self supporting business that should prove your resourcefulness, get it done outlook, and a give a damn attitude. I would think those would be qualities an employer would want but they apparantly are not as I've tested the waters and can't get hired (I think I'm too old at 55).
Like I said with prospective buyers for my business I've looked at going back in the workforce and investing the money from the sale of the business.

Mikey

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

My grand father always owned grocery stores (back when a mom and pop store could survive). He always said that it is better to work for yourself instead of someone else.

I plan on keeping my job for a while as this business will be possible on my nights and weekends until it builds steady work (I hope). Next plan is to move into adding powder coating and sandblasting.

I also plan on giving 10% of my profits to charity like toys for tots because I believe that is one of the many reasons to be successful...to help others.

[ChrisCairns]

Good luck in your endeavor.

I'd like to offer you two pieces of advice; the two I think are most important are.....

1. Keep expenses as low as possible. You don't even have to have an income if you have zero expenses. Over the years I've seen many new businesses attempt to make a go of it and they think having 2 phone lines, nice new desk, hired front girl, etc., etc., etc., means they're successful. It doesn't. Having more income than expenses means you're successful. KEEP EXPENSES LOW.

2. You have to make enough money to stay in business. Sounds stupid but again, over the years people have said to me, "Hey, I'm your friend, what kind of deal can you give me?" I reply, "If you were my friend, you wouldn't ask." Set your prices and stick to them. Tell your "friends" when you're making enough money to stay afloat you'll give charity.

3. I lied...3 bits of advice. Your job in business is to make money. Nothing else. It's not to make friends, it's not to do social work and it's not to be nice. ITS TO MAKE MONEY.

[PaCemkr86]

well let me know when you are up and running and ill send some Buick stuff up there

[mcasteel2112]

Originally Posted by faster

The only downside is if you ever want to get back in the workforce being self employed is frowned upon by prospective employers

Aint that the truth.

they look at you and say sooo you were self employed eh...hmmm which means you were out fishing most the time while the old lady worked

can always hit garage sales for interesting junk to paint and sell

mike

[QTRMILER]

The best way to find out if this is for you is to start like you are saying that you are doing, from your garage. This is a niche market and alot of people are not spending money right now due to the slow economy. Do not incorporate, llc or inc yourself yet, see if it can be profitable, if not scrap it. If it generates a profit, great, and leep it going out of your garage as long as you can, NO OR LOW OVERHEAD EQUALS PROFIT!!!! The worst case scenario is that you lost the money for materials and some of your time. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Best of luck to you.

[sixgun86gn]

Originally Posted by QTRMILER

The best way to find out if this is for you is to start like you are saying that you are doing, from your garage. This is a niche market and alot of people are not spending money right now due to the slow economy. Do not incorporate, llc or inc yourself yet, see if it can be profitable, if not scrap it. If it generates a profit, great, and leep it going out of your garage as long as you can, NO OR LOW OVERHEAD EQUALS PROFIT!!!! The worst case scenario is that you lost the money for materials and some of your time. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Best of luck to you.

Thats pretty much what I have been thinking. You can't succeed without accepting some risk first.

At least with no overhead I can be competetive in pricing and it won't hurt as bad if the business is slow starting.

The niche market part is correct,but the economy has so many different segments to it that I don't think it will hurt that bad.

[sixgun86gn]

Originally Posted by PaCemkr86

well let me know when you are up and running and ill send some Buick stuff up there

Sure thing,if you don't mind being a guinnea pig and possibly being a reference for me...I could bite the bullet and do a few small pieces at no charge.

Now I'm not going to do this for everybody of course,but I will need references and maybe a few words about what you think of the final product in return.

Let me know if you would like to do something like that.