Starting One's Own Business- Advice

Q: Well, I'm taking the plunge and starting a hat-making business. I've got my business license application, I've made up some business cards, and I'm making a list of the supplies I'm ordering. So what I wanna know is, do any of you out there in a.g.f.-land who've started your own businesses have any advice for a newbie?

A: Q: Well, I'm taking the plunge and starting a hat-making business. I've got my business license application, I've made up some business cards, and I'm making a list of the supplies I'm ordering. Wish me luck. :) A: good luck. And welcome to Hell. (JK) Q:So what I wanna know is, do any of you out there in a.g.f.-land who've started your own businesses have any advice for a newbie? A: Why- Yes. Do NOT spend all your money on things you THINK you need, for instance- stamps with the business name, shipping labels, invoice paper- and do NOT get swindled into spending more than you can bare on printing. IF you are going to make a catalog or some such- do NOT go to the local copy cat print shop or similar ilk- unless you are willing to spork over your last hundred dollars on 50 4 page catalogs because the strange man behind the counter explained quite quickly, that it had to be "offset" and that meant scanned and blah blah blah and it had to be color and yadda yadda yadda- ugh.... flyers and beginning sales material can QUITE successfully be made utilizing the good old photocopier- I can hook you up with the small publishers co-op if you wanted to make a catalog- ....cheap chea cheap-...but since the minimum print run is 1,000 pieces- not very good for a newbie. Grow INTO your business. Start with ultra cheap promo....something liker BRINGING hats to perspective stores? if you are going the wholesale route- or- a very affordable couple page photocopied catalog- or- the net- where pics can be as detailed as possible and theres never a printing charge!! Do not order

lots of stuff to begin with- if you have finished hats- show them to perspective buyers. Do not make more hats and thus, purchase more hat making supplies, than you know you can sell- because you wont be making money storing lots of hats- and if you've spent all your cash on supplies that nobody is buying- you may run out of cash- that is key- cash is KING- must keep it. Inventory is well and good but if nobody is buying this week, it does you not much good. Also, if your state has sales tax- and you will be selling retail, you need to get a tax id #- you get this by writing to your states dept of revenue and theyll send you the form. Here is was only a one time $10 fee.