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Click on the "Starting up"button in the side menu.
The most important thing you can do is plan, you may not in the end follow all of your plan but it will at least make you think of all the things you need to do that will get forgotten or overlooked if you don't start with one.
Start off with good record-keeping systems and make sure they are sustainable in the long-run, clear to YOU and easy to decipher when it comes to annual reviews and tax returns.
Spend time on a website. Start designing it now by all means. Find all the right information about increasing hits etc. A lot of business will come via the website.
And begin to develop/plan a corporate image, including stationary, vehicles, clothing and communications. This really does make a difference.
A local gardener has advised to buy sthil as well. At the moment my two clients are both very different, one has a small garden the other large one. I havnt advertised but people know me as the chairman of the local garden group and often ask for help. (A great way to meet future clients)
Website, this has given me lots to think about. I have met someone who can help me out via their students at the local university that are in their second year. This will help me as well as them as they build their own portfolio. Business link is on my things to do. I have one of their pack ups from a previous event that explains quite a bit.
Vehicle and brand image are important to me as I dont want to be confused with someone who just cuts grass, as I know my plants and love gardening.
Record keeping will be new, and I want to enjoy it rather than see it as a chore.
My biggest hurdle at the moment is a name. Do I use my own? Obviously it lets people know I'm proud of what I do, a bit like a guarantee. Or do I have something different?
Thanks for responding, I have 9-12 mths to get things in order.
My no.1 tip would be to work out how you are going to earn money during late autumn and throughout the winter. It could be garden related, it could be totally separate, but the money soon runs out when you have no income over Christmas.
No. 2 tip would be: as a designer, especially one starting out, the money is in the build and in marking up plants and materials, NOT in the design. As you get recognised you can charge more for your design but certainly, in the outset, your profit lies with creating the garden. So...
No.3 tip: learn as much as you can about how to build your designs. The more you know about materials specification and construction techniques the more accurate your estimates will be. If you don't have the skills to build yourself, find a reliable and skilled landscaper and form a working relationship.
No. 4 would be to work out exactly who you are going to target as your ideal customer, and tailor your marketing towards them. Don't spread your marketing out too thinly trying to attract everyone.
No. 5: trust your gut instinct - if you fear a potential client might be trouble, don't ignore those fears!
oh, and...
No. 6: don't advertise in the Yellow Pages - you might as well burn your money.
I've read through all the answers here and it's all very sound advice. It would be worth you jotting each posters salient points down and going over them several times.
My addition would be to suggest deciding exactly what you want from this business before you get started. How much money do you want to earn? Do you want to be working IN your business or ON it? What will happen when your body's telling you to get in an office (because it might sooner then you think!)? This will allow you to create a business that is geared towards an end game. For example if you want to sell the business and retire at some point then you need to know how big the business needs to be and what format it will take to achieve this goal. This will help you to keep moving outside your comfort zone.
On book keeping - I'd forget doing it yourself. Doing your own books is a chore and a distraction from your business. Get a book-keeper and concentrate on what you're good at (hopefully making money) All you need from your book keeper are the various key financial indicators to make sure you're on track. Don't confuse book-keeping with financial planning - financial planning is your responsibility!
Learn to create and read a cash-flow forecast. This is the only financial document that really matters and you need to be updating yours regularly otherwise you'll lose a grip of where you are.
Remember the laws of reciprocity - that sometimes you have to give first to receive.
Never forget that a business exists for one reason only and that is to create money. From that all else flows.
The Best of luck Dan!
Dave
www.the-gardenmakrs.co.uk
Regarding record and book keeping I suggest that you at least familiarise yourself with the princples of book keeping whether or not you decide to employ someone to do it or not. A package like Quickbooks is easy to use, will handle all your VAT issues (eventually) and is able to give you an instant picture of how your business stands. You will probably need to use an accountant for your business returns. The typical fee for year end reports is around £500.