Business Development Resources

[MattMoore]

Evening all,

I know what a fantastic wealth of knowledge there is within this forum so thought I would ask for some business advice.
At the moment I'm a sole trader in the carpentry trade, when I get too busy I have another guy working with me and vice versa. Work is usually manic and I struggle to keep on top of everything as I do it all myself, customer visits, quoting, ordering, invoicing, book keeping as well as all the work. I want to change this and turn what I do into a proper business and hopefully relieve some stress. I think this would be best done by basically starting from the ground up but doing things very differently. What I don't know is what resources there are out there, or if there is a course I could go on which has some structure & format that I could use for my own business. I would like to build a business which has a work force but I know at the moment I'm not properly prepared or trained for that and I want to change. Anyone here have any advice/tips/suggestions?

Thanks

Matt

[AndyMilts]

Sounds like an exciting step. Won’t want to offer too much advice without knowing a lot more. With all these chapters it always for me ends up finding good people you can trust. Good luck with it, finding an expert who can sell can be tough.

[Pitch3110]

Hello Matt,

Firstly, please don't think if you decide to grow business will get easier and less stressful, it doesn't. The highs get higher and lows lower.

I started my chippy apprenticeship in '82, starting subbing in the late '80's, moved to site managing in the '90's, contracts managing then company Director, share holding in 2009 and MD in 2013. Its been one hell of a learning curve.

There are plenty of business groups out there who can guide you and having a good financial practice behind you is a must. Budget forecasting, sales pipeline, a robust cashflow forecast and a good knowledge of your fixed costs and the market are again an absolute must.

Having a broad client and sector base are critical with a robust business plan to allow for dips so private clients and site based work would be advisable. I am crying out for another good carpentry company to pick up our work and we have 10 direct and labour only subbies direct. You only know too well the shortage of skilled labour and there is money to be made.

If you decide to make the jump, get in touch, I have number of tools (no not a hammer and plane) that may be useful.

ATB

Pitch

[reggie747]

Hello Matt,

Firstly, please don't think if you decide to grow business will get easier and less stressful, it doesn't. The highs get higher and lows lower.

I started my chippy apprenticeship in '82, starting subbing in the late '80's, moved to site managing in the '90's, contracts managing then company Director, share holding in 2009 and MD in 2013. Its been one hell of a learning curve.

There are plenty of business groups out there who can guide you and having a good financial practice behind you is a must. Budget forecasting, sales pipeline, a robust cashflow forecast and a good knowledge of your fixed costs and the market are again an absolute must.

Having a broad client and sector base are critical with a robust business plan to allow for dips so private clients and site based work would be advisable. I am crying out for another good carpentry company to pick up our work and we have 10 direct and labour only subbies direct. You only know too well the shortage of skilled labour and there is money to be made.

If you decide to make the jump, get in touch, I have number of tools (no not a hammer and plane) that may be useful.

ATB

Pitch

Supremely well summed up Pitch.

[ViperStripes]

Have you just started the same thread on PH?
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...f=92&t=1718445

[reggie747]

Have you just started the same thread on PH?
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...f=92&t=1718445

Looks like but there's never too many opinions on a subject like this I feel...