starting your own business

[pontifex]

this is to the people who have started their own business:

1) what kind of business did you start?
2) was/is it successful?
3) how hard is it to get started?
4) did you have a lot of your own money before you got started?
5) how much money did you have to borrow?
6) how much did you make per year before starting the business? how much per year after the business got started?
7) if you can't disclose actual numbers, can you say whether you make more in your own business than you did in your previous job?

thanks.

 

[HyTekJosh]

Originally posted by: pontifex
this is to the people who have started their own business:

1) what kind of business did you start?
2) was/is it successful?
3) how hard is it to get started?
4) did you have a lot of your own money before you got started?
5) how much money did you have to borrow?
6) how much did you make per year before starting the business? how much per year after the business got started?

thanks.

1) A consulting firm and a web hosting business.
2) Yes, quite successful.
3) For my business partner and I, not too hard. Time + money + patience + business / technical know how.
4) Put a bit in from our own pockets. It typically takes money to make money.
5) ZERO. I dislike the idea of borrowing money, especially for a business.
6) I can't disclose specifics but the company is worth a decent chunk of change.

 

[dugweb]

1: We set up Christmas lights
2: Sure... but it has a lot more potential than we have tapped it for (in the years to come it will be tapped )
3: Not hard, Just making a bunch of phone calls... advertising, and having the courage to actually do it.
4: No, not much
5: None
6: I'm not at liberty to say

Disclaimer: I hate working for other people... and it has been my dream to own something of my own. This is a super small business, but we did it right. We went through all the steps and learned more than I've learned in my whole college career (and made some money in the process). It fit well while going to school full-time. Currently I have several other plans to start making money throughout the year. I figure practice makes perfect, and soon enough I'll have a business big enough I can drop out of college