Nature Friendly Products: Is there a business idea inside of you?

Kitchen tongs & business ideas

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:37:03 GMT

Considering how many years I longed for my own business, my golden business idea was so simple that it took me by surprise.

My husband and I moved from Australia to London just over a year ago. I previously lived in the UK between 1995 - 2000. I remembered from the last time I lived here, that it was incredibly difficult to find a good pair of kitchen tongs – yes, the kind you use on a BBQ. As an Australian I can’t live without kitchen tongs. When we moved to the UK this time around, I packed three high-quality kitchen tongs before leaving Sydney in anticipation of my London kitchen. Of course between 2000 and 2006 kitchen tongs have become a commodity in the UK and you can now buy great tongs all over the country.

My point is this, the last time I moved to the UK I couldn’t find good tongs. This time I moved to the UK I did exactly what every new resident does – I looked for my favorite things from 'home' in the UK stores. As I searched the UK stores I came to the realization that I couldn’t buy good quality washable kitchen and microfibre cloths. I can't live without washable cleaning cloths. The reasons are numerous..... our planet is too precious, I hate throwing away cloths after 1 - 2 weeks, I just won't continue to throw away packaging and most of all I like my cloths to be clean, hygienic, do a great job and reduce the use of chemicals in my home.

This was the beginning of my business.

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The best of the bad ideas

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:26:26 GMT

So, what does a good idea look like? To answer this, let’s look at a few of my non-start business ideas. I've had hundreds of non-start business ideas. In order to keep this entry short I've only included one below. Post me a message on this blog and I'll happily email you all the others. (sorry, too many to include here)

Idea 1 - Online pavlova bakery
This was a good idea because I can make great pavlova (most of the time). This business idea was based on myself making the pavlovas each evening, then dispatching in the morning. Customers would purchase through an online pavlova-bakery web site. The delivery area would be restricted to my local area. I've seen this business idea work really well in Sydney, Australia.

Advantages of this business idea:

Marketing costs would be low, customers would be limited to a local area/market
I could make my own web site and marketing materials, run a local mail drop etc.
I would deliver to a small local area – an area I knew quite well
As the customer base grew, I could move to larger premises, purchase larger mixing machines and ovens.

Disadvantages of this business idea:

After creating a business plan, I realised that there was a huge gap in scalability of the business
Pavlova takes 1 hour to cook - not a fast turnaround time
In order to make enough Pavlova to make this a viable small business, I’d have to have several ovens
I didn’t have the funds (or kitchen space) to purchase several ovens
I didn’t have the funds to start in a bakery premises.

This business idea was a non-start business idea for me, because of two main reasons;

I didn’t have the capital required to start this business
Scalability was not feasible for my circumstances

So what does a good business idea look like?

A good business idea can come in all shapes and sizes. Overall, it needs to be a product or service that will generate sales, repeat customers if possible, and feasible. If you don't carefully consider the requirements and demands of your new business, you may be setting yourself up to fail.

Each week I receive the Springwise newsletter. It is packed with new business ideas. The Springwise e-newsletter is definitely worth subscribing to.

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Thinking of a good business idea

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:05:28 GMT

Some very lucky individuals have their own business fall into their lap. We’ve all heard of the person who was working full-time for a company, then decided to ‘consult’ full time rather than be an employee. These lucky sods have their small business start up experience handed to them on a plate. Admittedly, some may rather be employed than running their own business. However, these individuals immediately switch from receiving a payment derived by an employer to receiving a payment in reaction to an invoice. Regardless of its origination, the payment continues exactly as it had done before the business was created. ‘Lucky sods’ is all I can say about these people.

For the rest of us – we have to come up with a fantastic business idea that covers a gap in the market, has customers wanting to fight each other to purchase the product, is interesting enough for investors to take notice or cheap enough to start on one’s own accord. The product/service needs to overcome barriers to entry, be cost effective and be able to withstand the competition and/or substitute products/services. The business idea also needs to be achievable. In short, the business idea needs to be outstanding.

Over the past 10 years I’ve come up with hundreds of ideas for starting my own business. Each one has had its merits and weakness. Often my ideas have been random and unconnected. Members of my family, ex boyfriends, friends and my husband can testify of a range of business ideas I’ve prattled on about over the years. Some of my bad business ideas have become part my family’s standard joke topics at family gatherings.

I believe all my business ideas have some merit – but sadly not enough ‘oomph’ and too many weaknesses to realistically get the business idea off the ground or sustain.

On reflection, I estimate that I’ve spent at least one year of my life working on various business plans and ideas for my own business. Often it is when I get to the business plan stage I realise the gaps in the marketing plan, sales plan, or realise the start up capital is not feasible for my circumstances. It is at this point of new business idea analysis that the business idea either flourishes or dies.

A non-start business idea can be very hard to forget about. A good idea that you just can’t make happen can nag at you for quite some time. I’ve learnt that if it is not a feasible business idea for you - let go and move on. A non-start business idea may come at a price that you can’t afford. This could be your health, relationships or finances. In these instances is it particularly important to let go.

When you have a good idea, you’ll know. You won’t be able to think of any reason why it is not going to work, or why you can’t sustain this new business. You’ll find it easy to flesh out a business plan including all the intricate bits. You’ll be able to work out the advantages, disadvantages and the next steps to getting your business going. You’ll also know that you have the energy, time and resources to allocate to your new business. This is when you’ll feel like you have hit the jackpot. You really have something. Once you have the right idea the hard work can begin.

So, what does a good idea look like? To answer this, check out my next blog that looks as at some of my non-start business ideas. You’ll see a clear outline of what a good business idea needs to consist of.

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My Desire to Start a Business

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:18:55 GMT

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to run my own small business. The aspects that appeal to me are flexible working hours, the opportunity to work from home, the opportunity to drive and build my own empire. According to research conducted by Business Link there are more than 10 Million people in Britain with the same desire.

I'm a fan of small businesses. I believe small businesses have the opportunity to have a positive impact on personal lives, communities, and they play a major role in providing choice and diversity in the marketplace.

I’m not an expert in the area of running a business. I have a background in Marketing, Business Administration and Project Management. My Husband is an Accountant. I’m hoping that between us we have the know-how to start up a successful small business.

I invite you to join me on my journey to start a small business, feel free to subscribe to the RSS feed, or tune into this blog on a regular basis. As I research and take steps to start my business I’ll share with you interesting web sites, useful articles and hopefully help you keep motivated to achieve your goals along the way.

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