Starting all the business

Adebisi

Adebisi

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I think I'm pretty good at a few things. Some I think people may even pay for. So I think "what if I did x as a small business side hustle"

Let's say: snow removal in my immediate area. Nothing crazy, me and my snow blower.

Okay but that's very seasonal. Let's do basic lawn mowing in the summer. But what if I don't get enough business to fill my time. I also like doing picture framing. But can I justify doing that as a side biz.

So here's where I'm at: why can't I do all those things. Not in a massive scale. Just create small businesses that advertise cheaply and locally. Manage time efficiently... Good scheduling and communication. Why can't I run like five businesses at once doing little things I like or I'm good at? Am I crazy?

Residential snow removal
Residential lawn mowing
Picture framing
TV wall mounting lol
Driveway Oil changing
Shelf building
Porch to porch large item delivery
Basic junk removal
 
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Control

Control

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Adebisi said:
I think I'm pretty good at a few things. Some I think people may even pay for. So I think "what if I did x as a small business side hustle"

Let's say: snow removal in my immediate area. Nothing crazy, me and my snow blower.

Okay but that's very seasonal. Let's do basic lawn mowing in the summer. But what if I don't get enough business to fill my time. I also like doing picture framing. But can I justify doing that as a side biz.

So here's where I'm at: why can't I do all those things. Not in a massive scale. Just create small businesses that advertise cheaply and locally. Manage time efficiently... Good scheduling and communication. Why can't I run like five businesses at once doing little things I like or I'm good at? Am I crazy?

Residential snow removal
Residential lawn mowing
Picture framing
TV wall mounting lol
Driveway Oil changing
Shelf building
Porch to porch large item delivery
Basic junk removal
Click to expand...
For straightforward stuff that you don't need any equipment or practice to do, the only downside is going to be marketing. Could also start with a general handyman service and list all that those things as examples, though that's not as strong of a marketing position as "your grass too tall? i fix!".
Try it both ways. Start throwing shit at the wall and see what sticks. If you hit the right one, you won't have time to do any of the others. And if you're crafty, that's when you start hiring people.
 
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TheBeagle

TheBeagle

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In my personal experience, finding the work is the easy part. Its the whole "running the business", i.e. invoicing/billing/taxes/payroll part that intimidates me and keeps me from making that leap.
 
Fucker

Fucker

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Adebisi said:
I think I'm pretty good at a few things. Some I think people may even pay for. So I think "what if I did x as a small business side hustle"

Let's say: snow removal in my immediate area. Nothing crazy, me and my snow blower.

Okay but that's very seasonal. Let's do basic lawn mowing in the summer. But what if I don't get enough business to fill my time. I also like doing picture framing. But can I justify doing that as a side biz.

So here's where I'm at: why can't I do all those things. Not in a massive scale. Just create small businesses that advertise cheaply and locally. Manage time efficiently... Good scheduling and communication. Why can't I run like five businesses at once doing little things I like or I'm good at? Am I crazy?

Residential snow removal
Residential lawn mowing
Picture framing
TV wall mounting lol
Driveway Oil changing
Shelf building
Porch to porch large item delivery
Basic junk removal
Click to expand...
No clue on any of this. A few guys started a lawn service this spring, and got almost the whole neighborhood, as there was no one to do it before. They probably take $600 a week just here. Small lawns, so a fast $40, and there's a local spot to dump clippings so they don't have to drive far and it is free.

As for snow blowing, get a big blower. Anything small and all you will be doing is busting your ass. I've had a few, and settled on

www.ariens.com

Professional 28 | Professional Series | Snow Blowers | Ariens

See details of the Professional 28 snow blower from Ariens. Designed and built for professionals, but also used by homeowners who don’t mess around. The 420cc engine blows snow up to 60 feet.
www.ariens.com www.ariens.com

Big diameter auger, huge internal chute, good torque. I get fucked by county plows burying me in my driveway. This thing chews right through it. I had a smaller one and all it did was give me angina. My neighbors have small ones, smaller driveways than mine, and I get done 2x faster and not have to kill myself doing it.

As for lawn mowers, get a zero turn if you get to that point. Anything else is a PITA and a waste of time.
 
Crisco

Crisco

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Setting up the business, getting all the approvals, paying taxes, employees (if needed), is the true hard part but it's not really hard just can be confusing and government paperwork.

As said finding business should be the easy part, at least at the start. If you want to grow more than a side gig with employees then the stress comes of payroll, all those taxes. Always remember local taxes aren't income and never be tempted. Lots of people think that is income and dig a hole they can't get out of.

If your sole proprietor, personal taxes are much easier. Just keep an excel sheet with revenue and expenses and use the final profit (or loss) as a line item on your income section.

Obviously there is a bit more but easily a good decision if your committed.

Good luck!
 
Cad

Sheriff Cad

scientia potentia est
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TheBeagle said:
In my personal experience, finding the work is the easy part. Its the whole "running the business", i.e. invoicing/billing/taxes/payroll part that intimidates me and keeps me from making that leap.
Click to expand...
You're a good salesman, there is a whole other type of person that hates doing sales and views doing the books/accounting/admin stuff as easy paperwork. Ideally you want to partner someone like you that is great at sales with the other person thats great at admin work and you both take up where the other falls off.
 
Seananigans

Seananigans

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<Gold Donor>
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Crisco said:
Setting up the business, getting all the approvals, paying taxes, employees (if needed), is the true hard part but it's not really hard just can be confusing and government paperwork.

As said finding business should be the easy part, at least at the start. If you want to grow more than a side gig with employees then the stress comes of payroll, all those taxes. Always remember local taxes aren't income and never be tempted. Lots of people think that is income and dig a hole they can't get out of.

If your sole proprietor, personal taxes are much easier. Just keep an excel sheet with revenue and expenses and use the final profit (or loss) as a line item on your income section.

Obviously there is a bit more but easily a good decision if your committed.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I don’t understand what you’re saying about local taxes being considered income or not. Can you explain more?
 
Crisco

Crisco

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Seananigans said:
I don’t understand what you’re saying about local taxes being considered income or not. Can you explain more?
Click to expand...
Sales tax is what I mean. Im assuming it is required for the jobs posted but I don't honestly know.

My wife's business is medical so we don't need to take sales tax. My buddy has some restaurants and he told me story's about others not paying sales tax and treated it like income and obviously that didnt end well.
 
Seananigans

Seananigans

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Crisco said:
Sales tax is what I mean. Im assuming it is required for the jobs posted but I don't honestly know.

My wife's business is medical so we don't need to take sales tax. My buddy has some restaurants and he told me story's about others not paying sales tax and treated it like income and obviously that didnt end well.
Click to expand...

Oh haha shit, people think when they collect sales tax, it’s actually their business income? Oof.
 
K

Kinkyparrow

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I’d suggest starting with just one service to figure out the paperwork and taxes before adding more. Focus on getting organized first.
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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Aren’t you in Canada? Just be careful with tax advice and whatnot, because those of us running a business/small company here may not apply to how you structure or run stuff there.

For instance, here, you may only have 1 business and run all your individual activities through multiple DBAs. I think that would add way too much complexity for what you’re doing. “Adebisi Services LLC” has “Adebisi Services doing business as Adebisi Lawncare” or “Adebisi Handyman” and “Adebisi Plowing.” One legal entity.

But even that is probably too much right now until one thing super takes off and you want to brand / market it separately. Just start “Adebisi Services LLC” now and you can register DBAs later if you need to specialize that particular activity. Keeps it simpler.

But that’s U.S. advice; not sure if y'all have that same thing in up the North. I have one "<my initials> LLC" and two DBAs for what I do that are distinct enough to probably be separate LLCs, but just haven't seen the need yet.

Also, paperwork has gotten significantly easier. Gusto is incredibly cheap and dumb-easy to manage payroll and taxes. I use that along with Wave Business because Quickbooks and whatever their products are just didn't mesh with me. But with Wave it is a couple of clicks to generate invoices and reconcile all my expenses, revenues. One click to run P&Ls or Balance Sheets. I think you can also upload receipts and let your customers use online payments, but I'm not using those aspects so they may not be great.
 
Springbok

Springbok

Karen
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My next business model is standing up gourmet mobile Ice cream trucks in hnw summer vacation locations. Every time we go somewhere like that, we're constantly looking for quality cold treats and it's just cheap garbage as far as the eye can see. Braums but 5X the price. Tap into the crunchy mom/rich suburban mom market.
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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Springbok said:
My next business model is standing up gourmet mobile Ice cream trucks in hnw summer vacation locations. Every time we go somewhere like that, we're constantly looking for quality cold treats and it's just cheap garbage as far as the eye can see. Braums but 5X the price. Tap into the crunchy mom/rich suburban mom market.
Click to expand...

Put it in a "cute" cup with something on the side that says "YOU GO GIRL!" or "YOU DESERVE THIS GIRL!" and it won't even matter what the ice cream tastes like.
 
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