Do any of you run part-time businesses?

[steve_nairn_sti]

Hi all.

Considering starting a small part time business while I am onshore.  Still finalising ideas but possibly looking at becoming a computer tutor.

My question is this - Do any of you run your own part-time business and do you think it is possible/sensible to set these up when you can only give 100% commitment some of the time?

Any pitfalls you think I should be wary of?

[]

[craig mac]

Steve

I used to run a part time business in PC Repairs and Custom builds etc.

It was great to start with, Advertised in the local bi monthly mag and i was maybe out on calls 2 or 3 times a week.....then it was 3 or 4 and so on and so forth until i was out at jobs and trying to build for customers 6 or 7 nights a week from 5pm until near on 11 some nights

Dont get me wrong the pennies and the satisfaction were great, but it began to destroy my relationship, and was starting to have an impact on my 7 till 4 job. 

So i had to throw in the towel, Luckly i had a m8 who was doing similar in town, so i directed my client base to him and he agreed to treat them with the same rates etc as i was charging.

Craig

[steve_nairn_sti]

Hi Craig,

Yeah, I thought it might have the potential to get quite busy.  I'm on a 4 on 4 off rota just now so have plenty of spare time....sometimes!  I know that customers shouldn't have to wait etc but I have ideas for backup plans of "employing" another clued up friend who would be available for emergency jobs.

Did you find that the legal side of things (tax, insurance etc) took up a lot of your time/effort? 

[RA Dunk]

my step father started doing similar work as well homers on PC`s call outs etc , he got so busy with it all he gave up his painting decorating buisness and opened a PC shop, now he`s busy as fluck with the shop and doing well []

plus it`s handy for me cause he sorts my pc every time i fluck it up lol, plus i get a wee bit of discount off of certain things []

[craig mac]

The legal side of it really takes care of itself

Call you tax office and also the small business gateway, they will send you all you require.

You dont need to go VAT registered until you earn over a certain amount, As long as you keep your books up to date and all your receipts etc.

I also kept it all on an Access data base,

If i bought parts, even from Ebay sometimes keep the ebay invoices etc.

As i only ran for around 6 months, when i called the tax office to tell them i was no longer trading they asked what sort of earnings it had generated, i told them and they just said, "No problem, thats fine" never heard a thing from them after that.

 

Craig

 

[dipper]

yep. I also work offshore and I run www.gravity-sports.co.uk in my spare time. Works well but then i do have plenty internet access at work which helps

[Gumball]

surely you can arrange and check appoiintments online when your offshore?

Make them for when your home and thats it.

Technically no one would ever know you were away, they would simply think your busy with other appointments, which really can only be a good thing for credibility?

 

[steve_nairn_sti]

You're absolutely right Gumball. That's what I was planning/hoping would be the key to success.  Just concerned about having to register as self-employed and employed.  Bound to get confusing with regard to taxes!  Could always pay an accountant to worry about that for me I suppose!

That's a nice wee site dipper.  Where did you find a list of wholesalers/dropshippers to get your stock?  Been looking around for another little business idea I have but can only find sites that want you to pay a subscription for a list of suppliers.  Not prepared to do that when I know they can be had free.  Just don't know where to look!  Not easy to find suppliers of "adult"[] goods without getting a whole load of other junk back from a search engine!![][]

[Gumball]

Steve, Maybe as well the whole process of registering as a non/limited company and worrying about tax initially is an unrequried concern?

If you go setting all that up and although you have the skills, marketing, business plan etc people might just have a need to the volume you expect.

Could you not charge them cash only for the first few months to see how it goes before yougo stressing about inland revenue etc?

[flat4phil]

Steve,

As already stated it is made very easy to start trading - as far as the Inland Revenue are concerned, so nothing more than a generic form to complete to kick off and then once a financial year - the old tax return - which again you won't be able to complete half of. Just make sure you are tidy with your receipts and show remittance advices for all that you pay for. Helps too if you provide customers with an invoice - all a piece of cake as you're into computers. Stationery and web sites/ hosts are cheap & easy to sort - many on the SIDC do this for a living too so no end of contacts.

I'd say go for it - but be prepared that some folk are out there to get something for nothing and spotting them is difficult as you will feel obliged to carry out work for them. Try and get items delivered to you, that way people commit to you and you can repair/ upgrade/ what-ever in the comfort of your own home. Oh and get an anti-static wrist band and a direct link to the local Police child-porn hot line - just in case.