Need to diversify company

[rogerwa]

Re: Need to diversify company

Versatile recreation facilites or a sports bubble.. Needs more capital but these things are very successful. It would need to be multiple sport with easy change out (soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, etc) My kids high school has one and you have to make reservations a year in advance. My baseball organization rents it out every year and it cost about $9000 for Saturday and sunday.

Somebody beat me to the Pet Creamatorium. Seriously. People spend huge irrational sums of money on their pets. The cremation would only be the thing that gets them in the door. After that it is the expensive urns and other high mark up products. I don't think there is much regulation on this like there is with human cremeation. My daughter is also a good photographer. I was thinking we would do a combo facility - go in one door get your photos - go in the other...

 

[rbh]

Re: Need to diversify company

Bubba I hear ya, its like finding out the guys on the crew are padding their hours, UGH

Wimusky, you need to do an early sign up bonus for you and your customers, 10% off for a signed yearly contract, snow and grass.


(plant some perenial flowers to give away for the first 25 customers of the season?)

With all your acreage have you ever thought about a greenhouse businness, wood fueled boiler to get planting/seeding going early in the year?

 

[jkust]

Re: Need to diversify company

What my wife and I figured out after college is to get into the flow of the money. Whatever the industry is. My wife owns a management consulting company and literally earns a 90% net profit working out of the house. I'm in a much higher level of business than she is but again in the flow of money. Find what you are interested in or where you have a skillset and exploit it. I think the green energy industry and some of the green movement is for suckers but I think there is some good opportunity there.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Need to diversify company

Two words























Topless Bar!!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Need to diversify company

Somebody beat me to the Pet Creamatorium. Seriously. People spend huge irrational sums of money on their pets. The cremation would only be the thing that gets them in the door. After that it is the expensive urns and other high mark up products. I don't think there is much regulation on this like there is with human cremeation. My daughter is also a good photographer. I was thinking we would do a combo facility - go in one door get your photos - go in the other...

Yep, I was not kidding. It can even be run at night.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Need to diversify company

Do you have a green thumb? My sister has about eight 30 x 100' greenhouses. She starts planting the end of february, opens May 1, and should be sold out and done for the year this week.

After paying employees, dirt, plants and fuel for heat she ends up with around 75k profit for three months or so of work. Not too bad but the first couple months are a lot of work.

As everyone knows, when the weather warms up women have to plant their flowers.

You got my attention!!
What's your sister growing?

Cheers
Phillip

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Need to diversify company

Bubba I hear ya, its like finding out the guys on the crew are padding their hours, UGH

Wimusky, you need to do an early sign up bonus for you and your customers, 10% off for a signed yearly contract, snow and grass.


(plant some perenial flowers to give away for the first 25 customers of the season?)

With all your acreage have you ever thought about a greenhouse businness, wood fueled boiler to get planting/seeding going early in the year?

I agree, there are view little things that could make all the difference in the world to land/keep customers. Majority of them are repeat customers, but even so, all it takes is a handful movin' on to make or break a season.

Greenhouse is pretty much out of the question. In the surrounding towns there are well established and very nice nurseries already. You would have to spend buku bucks just to compete and have a ton of product. Thing is, I don't live in a so called real town. No mainstreet, no street lights, no streets. Main drag is a county road with surrounding town roads. To buy groceries, you need to head to one of the surrounding towns. Since people have to travel to those towns, they do all the business they can there. We just have a couple of small gas stations with a few odds and ends if you run out of something like a loaf of bread or milk. And boy do you pay.

There is on little gas station/store that went out of business. It's on the "main drag" and the main snowmobile/ATV trail goes right past it. SHould have been a gold mine for the previous owners if they knew how to run the place. My wife thinks I would be good at something like that. Maybe because of my gift of gab. Lol! However, in this economy, it would be a little scary. Not sure I would want all that stress. Not sure the asking price. Bet it's relatively low just to dump it. The building is in good shape. Needs pay at the pump, however, that's available 24/7. Making money while you're not even there. Gotta like it.... What to do, what to do.....

 

[rbh]

Re: Need to diversify company

I agree, there are view little things that could make all the difference in the world to land/keep customers. Majority of them are repeat customers, but even so, all it takes is a handful movin' on to make or break a season.

Greenhouse is pretty much out of the question. In the surrounding towns there are well established and very nice nurseries already. You would have to spend buku bucks just to compete and have a ton of product. Thing is, I don't live in a so called real town. No mainstreet, no street lights, no streets. Main drag is a county road with surrounding town roads. To buy groceries, you need to head to one of the surrounding towns. Since people have to travel to those towns, they do all the business they can there. We just have a couple of small gas stations with a few odds and ends if you run out of something like a loaf of bread or milk. And boy do you pay.

There is on little gas station/store that went out of business. It's on the "main drag" and the main snowmobile/ATV trail goes right past it. SHould have been a gold mine for the previous owners if they knew how to run the place. My wife thinks I would be good at something like that. Maybe because of my gift of gab. Lol! However, in this economy, it would be a little scary. Not sure I would want all that stress. Not sure the asking price. Bet it's relatively low just to dump it. The building is in good shape. Needs pay at the pump, however, that's available 24/7. Making money while you're not even there. Gotta like it.... What to do, what to do.....

First, Kiwi Phil whats your main harvest/product and how much area do you have in your green houses?


Wimusky, I was thinking Veggies, starter plants, or grow them and open a fruit/veggie stand in town
"I LUV LOCAL PRODUCE"
As you have alot of experience with small engines, repair shop maybe?, as for the gas stations along the trail.
How far apart with the one in town included, because machines are getting better mileage these days.
what kind of venders/businness do you have in your town already?

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Need to diversify company

Rob
What about taking advantage of that labour shortage a little further up north? Did you hear about the workers (Unionized) at the Teck/Cominco Plant just signing a new contract? I'm no great fan of unions but they received a $10,000 bonus each and their raises are something like 15%+. The reason for this rich re-sign was for Teck/Cominco to keep them from leaving for the richer work further north and of course, all the resource companies are making money hand over fist these days so it is definitely an employees/contractors market.
What about floating a couple of resumes to one of the trades headhunter companies.....just for shats and giggles....to see what they respond with?
BP

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Need to diversify company

First, Kiwi Phil whats your main harvest/product and how much area do you have in your green houses?


Wimusky, I was thinking Veggies, starter plants, or grow them and open a fruit/veggie stand in town
"I LUV LOCAL PRODUCE"
As you have alot of experience with small engines, repair shop maybe?, as for the gas stations along the trail.
How far apart with the one in town included, because machines are getting better mileage these days.
what kind of venders/businness do you have in your town already?

Ah, veggies, now I see where you were going. Who doesn't like veggie stands??!!

Yeah, I maintain my own equipment. There probably would be somewhat of a demand. Especially from cabin people so they don't have to haul their push mower 25 miles to get the air filter and spark plug changed.. lol

Closest gas station that's on the main trail would be 14 miles by car. More thru the woods and even further than that north/west of town. South would be quit a ways. When this station was open, there were always a ton of sleds fueling up. We're kinda centralized from everyone, so it's a good place to refuel.

Vendors/businesses?? lol Bars! Stretched out for 6 miles and also scattered in the woods. Some are supper clubs, most serve food. Seems like anyone who owns a hammer thinks they're into construction. All work out of their homes. We have a heating/ac business in town and that's about it. Worked for them a few months when I had down time. Any other business is home based which isn't much.

How's your hunt going? Get any ideas that you may pursue?

BTW, thanks for letting me tandem your thread!

 

[rbh]

Re: Need to diversify company

Hey Wimusky, glad you and I and the others can put our collective minds together and possibly pull a diamond or two out of this info.
Like you and I have said its feast or famine, usually famine lately. (for local work)
As BP had suggested there are alot of opportunities for well paying jobs up north in the oil patch and in some of the mining towns around here.
I do not want to relocate, wifes got a great job and we own our home, that being said I have worked on the road all my life and will continue to do so.
I just can't stand or afford anymore long periods of down time (its hard on the body and mind)

That being said, WHY did the gas station close, any ideas?
could you buy the property outright and how much would it cost to get badged??? from a fuel supplier?
Fuels available, gas, diesel, propane (any marked fuels, no road tax)
Does it have a a couple of bays for wrench pulling and or an area big enough for a coffee bar?

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Need to diversify company

My friend Rob started a seamless gutter biz and he's making a killing at it $$$$$$.

 

[O'Riley]

Re: Need to diversify company

You got my attention!!
What's your sister growing?

Cheers
Phillip

I would guess at least 90% flowers. Some veggies, shrubs and herbs but mostly flowers. Some of those crazy women will come in and drop five, six hundred for flowers for crying out loud.

 

[LongLine]

Re: Need to diversify company

If in your shoes, I'd be thinking cheap recreation. Open a primative winter campsite type thing... offer "snow orienteering", snow-shoe races, etc.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Need to diversify company

Charter your boat out.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Need to diversify company

Okay ... this idea is a little outta' left field, but you've got five acres: could you do a drive-in movie theater? One went up in a small town 16 miles east of me and it seems to do rather well.

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: Need to diversify company

Dude, we live in BC! Specialty crop! Need I say more? I know 3 people in my town that are licensed to grow (our company works on their equipment) and they are making good $$$ with a very reasonable investment and it's not that hard to do. There are security requirements but they are not too hard to meet. One guy uses a couple of steel freight containers to grow in. Easy to secure and nondescript. Just an idea!

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Need to diversify company

You got my attention!!
What's your sister growing?

Cheers
Phillip

I would guess at least 90% flowers. Some veggies, shrubs and herbs but mostly flowers. Some of those crazy women will come in and drop five, six hundred for flowers for crying out loud.
QUOTE]

Got it.
That looks like a really clean and tidy op, (spotless permanent floor, no growing media, mildew, or moss laying about, and the cover (guess it is plastic) not covered in green growth) and the stock looks really good too. I can't see a dead/wilted seedling there.
I am pleased to hear your sister does well.

Horticulture is a good option if you have the market and skills, (and no debt), but the biggest secret is 'the market'. Got to be able to sell it for a reasonable price. I know a guy who grew just really good pumpkins and potatoes, thru a sunday market, and he did ok, because that is what people wanted. That's the secret.

I will put up pics of my op soon - (short of time at the moment).

Cheers
Phillip


PS - off topic.
I did punnets of seedlings, 4' pots of color (annuals), and 10 cell packs of same thru a sunday market for many yrs. Gave it away when my herbs got too big an op. Hence I have probably got .25 mil celled punnets, maybe 150k 4" pots (vac formed) and maybe 150k 10 cell packs in the top of the shed. If the herbs get the boot, I will be well placed to change direction at little cost.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Need to diversify company

Rob, you have an advantage over WIMUSKY because Canada has, on average, much less red tape to start-up a company than we do here in the US. In fact, of the developed countries, we have more requirements than most for start-ups. That is one reason our start-ups are dropping like crazy.

Bubba said it well with the the diversity of the companies to compliment what you do now. Just looking at Entrepenuer Magazine's January addition yesterday in Docs office ... Mobile Tech is what they are touting as the hot area for growth in the years to come.

Just make sure what you do is what you are interested in doing, then even if it doesn't pay off, it will still be fun! I am currently trying to figure out how to market my new endeavor ... if you don't have enough time to go boating you can hire me to go boating for you. I will put your boat through its paces and report back to you about how much fun your boat had. After all, every boat needs to have fun and should not feel neglected. I know ... just ask mine!

 

[rbh]

Re: Need to diversify company

Hey guys!

Bubba exactly what I and Wimusky are throwing around is what you said/typed (ROBCORP) the big blanket or little blanket corp how ever you look at it.
Now to make the decsision on which way to extend the company without having to put out to much capital.

NW, I do not think I am going in that direction, to much compitition from the neighbours!!


Aspeck, what the heck is mobile tech?