Ideas for a Small Home Business?

MissLouise on 20/03/2016 - 10:27

Hello,

I have been thinking of setting up a small home business to run in my spare time. I work full time during the week but it has always been my goal to run my own business, even something small. My aim is to establish something that I can still do in the future when we start a family while I am on leave from my day job. I would love to generate approx. $300 - $350 per week which would help with weekly expenses, fuel etc..

There are quite a few photo booth, invitations and cake/baking businesses being run by girls in my social circle, so I am not keen to add another one of those to the mix. I am thinking of doing eyelash extensions and spray tanning but am open to suggestions. We have a spare room that I could set up for this purpose and I would aim to do a couple of hours after work on a Thursday and Friday as well as Saturday mornings. There would be an initial outlay of $2000 - $3000 for the training and equipment, but once established, the cost of materials would be reasonably low. Lashes would earn approx $60 - $100 for 1 hour of work (depends on full or half set) while tanning would earn about $30 for 20 mins work.

My partner thinks we should get a new car and use it to become uber drivers but I think it is his sneaky ploy to justify buying a new car that we don't really need!! Our current cars wouldn't really be suitable for uber as despite running well, they are getting a bit old and looking worn.

I'd love to hear other suggestions! What small business do you or your friends run on the side? Has it been a positive experience? Please share!

MissLouise :)

Education & Work

Comments

  • Dennis95 on 20/03/2016 - 10:38

    If you are in Melbourne p, you can try to go Collingwood, there have a lot of ladies fashion shops. You can set up a online shop and order same clothes from them. Try to do a little first. If you can not sell, you also can share to give your friends. Good luck.

    • MissLouise on 21/03/2016 - 08:15

      Sounds very entrepreneurial! Thank you for your suggestion! :)

  • Ughhh on 20/03/2016 - 11:06
    +2

    I'm interested in something similar too. But I don't see anyone sharing their secret to a bunch of strangers who could become competitors.

    Do something you have experience and knowledge in.

    • pointless martyr on 20/03/2016 - 14:36

      Yep, i just cut and pasted the OP text and emailed my new 'business plan' to the bank manager

    • MissLouise on 21/03/2016 - 08:19

      Sure, I wouldn't expect people in my surrounding area to share their secrets (SE Melb suburbs). Just seeking some general suggestions from the OZB community :)

  • ms_caz on 20/03/2016 - 11:09
    +1

    Not sure how far you have progressed beyond "it has always been a dream" but here is a link to the essentials about setting up a new business. http://www.business.vic.gov.au/#1007285

    In terms of your idea, I live in a new housing estate in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. There are lots of new (mini) shopping centres popping up but there are also lots and lots of vacant shops and businesses which are there for a month or two and then are evicted due to inability to pay rent. So, I guess starting up a business in those circumstances is difficult. I have noticed that there do seem to be lots of notices on community noticeboards for the types of things you have mentioned. One of the residents in my street has opened a hair salon in her garage, and there is also another one a few blocks away, plus a spray tanning business run out of a home near where I work. I would imagine there are many permits that are required for an in home business - I do notice that traffic/parking seems to be an issue around here because the streets are so small/houses crammed so close that there is not enough parking for the residents anyway. I don't know that I would go to such a business, but then if I was a young mother stuck at home with kids, the appeal of a local home based business might be stronger.

    I think that it would be fairly tough to aim for $300- 350/week. I don't know how much a spray tan costs but obviously you will have to have a close look at all of the numbers to make sure that the income is able to cover insurance, consumables and other running costs in order to leave you with that kind of profit.

    good luck with your plans.

    • MissLouise on 21/03/2016 - 08:21

      Thanks for the link, it looks like a very useful site! You have raised some useful things for me to think about, thanks ms_caz! :)

  • teardrops21 on 20/03/2016 - 13:43

    Massage parlour

    • MissLouise on 21/03/2016 - 08:23

      hmmmmm, not sure!

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join