Starting a Business???

**Rastar** · 02-11-2003, 01:09 AM

Okay so the wife and I are standing at the kitchen door tonight and I mention I would love to start a business. Since this two horse town does not really have much to offer in the computer business (3 stores and one is a Radio Shack) and I like to futz with computers I am thinking wow a computer store that does not look like an oversized swap meet, clean well lit and well stocked with current equipment.

Now my problem, I can't very well just run out and grab some office space and start buying stuff from newegg and reselling it. So how does one go about getting on the good lists at such places as AMD, INTEL, MS, RH, Mandy Slack etc and Memory places, and of course Moboard and Drive and Linksys, SMC etc? I guess I just get in the flintstone mobile and peddle my rear to these companies and say Hey I opened a business, can you give me stuff? Yeah Right.

Any suggestions on the logistics of this business?

Oh and recommendations on certifications I am leaning towards A+, RHCE, MSCE

Thanks
Ras

**cloverm** · 02-11-2003, 02:13 AM

You need make a decision here. Do you want to be moving boxes (getting stuff from suppliers and selling them to customers for a profit) or doing computer support. I would talk you totally out of trying to do computer support. You will end up dealing with people's problems, not computer problems. I've been there, done it. If you want to sell stuff, you would have to stock up on inventory and deal with overhead such as renting a store front. At the rate computer parts get obsolete, you better make sure you can sell stuff fast.

I would definetly try doing some programming. There are websites that you can bid on certain jobs, so you can start small while keeping your job and not having to come up with a major investment.

A few years ago I was running my computer business now I only do programming, making lot better money and having lot less headaches. I advise you skip the computer business stage.

My 2 cents.

**Kernel_Killer** · 02-11-2003, 02:56 AM

The only problem with such an idea, like Cloverm mentioned, is what do you exactly want to do? Resale, or Service? Or both? Either way, go to your local Dept. of Revenue (after getting you Business License), and sign up for a Sales-Tax Lincense. This will give you the option of buying wholesale from many vendors, especially TechData.

Consdiering the situation of the market, service will probably be your best bet. Sign up with the M$ Reseller Program, and you will get free access to meetings in your area, where they gladfully hand out service utilities, patches, and security tools. I would say Linux also, but you say it's a "2 Horse" town. This town is probably a "240 horse town", but still very very little Linux/UNIX demand.

Good luck to ya!

**Stix** · 02-11-2003, 04:02 AM

I started my own business 2 years ago kinda by accident. Like Cloverm said, I started doing side work setting up small business networks. Through word of mouth my clientel has grown alot. I now contract with 2 printing companys, 3 hotels, an entire k-6 school district (5 schools + district office) and a yacht club. Eight months ago I took on a partner who has web programming and database skills and it looks like we'll be picking up 2 law offices soon.

I will say that, for me anyway, it has been alot hustling and hard work. Most of my time is spent writing contract agreements and proposals. But I gotta say that I really really enjoy it.

I got a business name and set up a tax plan. Soon to have a resellers license. For office space I just use one of the empty bedrooms in my house and nobody knows the wiser

If you can, I highly recommend atleast giving a shot. It sure beats "workin' for the man"

**gmoreno** · 02-11-2003, 03:16 PM

I have seen some post asking about computer bussines I probably seen them here. But I get the feeling that getting into the computer tech work is not very good at all... Mainly because people will bug you constantly and it dosen't mean that they will pay you. I had I guess a similar experience when I was in college. I had a job as a computer lab person and I had people CONSTANTLY ask me to fix their computer.. My school started to pay me for me fixing people's computers but It was such a hastle.. Day in day out people asking you about computers... It took a lot of time away from studies...

02-11-2003, 03:36 PM

well i am contimplating a small business of my own again in my very small city but i know that despite having a good idea there is a hell of alot more work than just taking care of the legal formalities. one of the most important things i would like to impart is that for ANY retail related business.......you better have lots and lots of money over and above the start up costs. IF you don't stop right now cuz it won't fly unless you can "backdoor" your way in.

sit down and make a business plan without one you will end up facing cost you never imagined and lack the funds to pay for it.

i was in business on my own once and i am still paying for it and i killed the business in 95. bad planning will do this to you.

just a word of caution for you. (oh and get ready to work more than eight hours a day seven days a week)

**pwrhouse** · 02-11-2003, 03:45 PM

[quote author=cloverm link=board=14;threadid=6337;start=0#59805 date=1044933222]
I would definetly try doing some programming. There are websites that you can bid on certain jobs, so you can start small while keeping your job and not having to come up with a major investment.

A few years ago I was running my computer business now I only do programming, making lot better money and having lot less headaches. I advise you skip the computer business stage.

My 2 cents.[/quote]

Sorry this is a little bit offtopic but...
cloverm, any chance you could point me to some good sites to bid on programming jobs. The only one that I have found is rentacoder.com but I was looking for some other ones to expand to different types of jobs.

Thanks.