You love to drive and you don’t want to work for anyone any more. The next logical step would be to start a business that allows you to drive and brings you the control you want. Small businesses make up 99.7% of all businesses in the US and 60% of all new jobs created come from them. With over 56.8 million employees working within the small business sector it might seem that starting your own business is the recipe for success but this is only true if you are careful. A business is not successful by accident and it is important to follow some basic rules when starting a new enterprise. If you want to hit the road and make money, how can you do so successfully? Learning the basics of starting a mobile business may be your answer.
What Do You Enjoy?
If you don’t want to be tied down and would like to make money whilst driving there are huge range of options open to you. The problem with any new venture is often that there are too many ideas rather than too few. The options open to you are vast so it is up to you to focus on your interests alone and go from there. This article will look at two very different businesses, a food truck and a removal firm, but you might want to consider:
- A driving school
- An Uber driver
- A haulage company
- A mobile pet cleaning firm
- A gardening company
- A tour guide
Plan First, Act Later
Regardless of what you want to do the first step is to plan thoroughly. Are you going to be a sole trader or will you have employees? Do you want to be limited to just one area geographically or to keep moving? What will your niche be? Until you know what it is you want to become it is impossible to get estimates on pricing. Starting small may seem like a great idea but is it for all businesses? A food truck company is an ideal operation to start small. Whilst a removal firm, at the very least, will require you to hire an assistant or two. Know what you will become and then set out your road map from there.
Research, Research And Then Research Some More
Start with legislation. A mobile business will have special rules. What are the most basic legal controls that will impact upon your mobile business plan? In the case of a removal firm your initial focus would need to be on public and employee liability insurance as well as making sure you have enough cover for the good you will transport. In the case of a removal firm you will need to look at the health codes, permits to park and trade as well as the usual liability insurance too. If you plan to cross State lines it is important to ensure that all legal permits and inspections will be valid in your next destination. Are their limitations in the local statutes that may prevent you from trading? You need to check this out.
Find Your Niche, Get Your Plan And Get Your Van
How will your removal firm stand out from the rest? There are plenty of big boy firms out there that have the infrastructure to move whole households across the entire country, or even the world. What makes you different? Will you focus on local moves only, or will you specialise in moving particular types of item? What sort of truck will you need for that and is there a big enough market? What will make your food truck different at one of the growing number of food festivals out there? It isn’t enough just to offer organic vegan sushi, you will need to have a twist on it to set you apart. Can you produce sufficient volume to keep customers happy? What price points do you need to set to make a profit? What size van is needed to make this happen?
Get Your Finances Straight
A removal firm may cost you no more than the price of your van, staff costs, insurances and advertising. But you need to know exactly how much that will be before going to see a bank or other investor. Food truck businesses, on the other hand, can start at $100,000 to get off the ground. Remember that in most States a food truck needs to follow all the regulations for a restaurant plus those for a business in general and any additional rules to protect working vehicles as well as other road users.
Keep Your Eyes On The Plan
As you slowly pull together all you need to start your mobile business it is easy to become distracted. If your business plan is solid, if the research you have done into your niche is accurate, then you have a good chance of succeeding. What is absolutely vital is that you stick to the plan and only adapt it of circumstances change. If the market is there then engage with it and don’t go hunting for clients you aren’t suited to. Don’t go picking up additional equipment or ideas if they won’t enhance your core philosophy. Stay on target.
Any form of startup comes with risk but this risk can be reduced through planning. If you want a new business where you can hit the road then you don’t start by buying a truck to hit the highway but instead by hitting the information superhighway. Do not spend a penny until you know exactly how much everything will cost, including all insurances, how big the market will be, and if your profit margins will allow you to make money. A mobile business is challenging to start, but ultimately can be your dream job.
