After months of interviews and things starting to now drag on I've decided I need to start up a little business in the attempt to bring some money in to the house before my bank account runs dry. Now its nothing huge but if I can make a little profit here and there it'll help and ultimately what I have in mind could be ran in my spare time when I do get a job. If it then starts to bring in enough money to focus on full time then that's when I'll make a decision, either that or my mrs can stay at home with the baby and I'll teach her how to run kit until it gets too much for her as well. I just need to start generating money as I'm slightly concerned now and being a new father is just compounding the issue. I've been looking at competing companies within the field and the better looking sites all have really nice imagery, I think brand and positioning are important as I'm not offering a cheap product although ill still be very competitively priced. The problem is I'm short of money as it is and have to buy some equipment, looking on Istock etc I could end up spending a fortune and I simply can't afford it. I really need help tracking down some good resolution photos (good enough to edit and put on the web) of the following types of look and feel: Residential: Interior design type shots with brightly coloured plain walls or the reverse which would be things like a brightly coloured sofa/table etc in front of a plain white wall. Think of what a dulux catalogue would look like, I need front rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, stairways, fire places, and even window sils. Also glass conservatories as that's my next move. Commercial property: Pretty much the same but boardrooms, glass partitions, office areas, reception areas and so on. The brighter coloured walls the better or again the reverse so plain white walls with bright foreground coloured objects. I'd also like similar images of children's play centres/nurserys , don't worry its for nothing sinister but that could well be a decent target market. Ultimately it the walls I need where I can then feature the product on. I need space to try and apply the designs with my limited photoshop skills but ill work it out I'm happy to disclose the full nature of the business if you wish as its nothing too fancy and I'd of thought fairly obvious from this post. It's just that I've supplied this industry for over a decade and have seen the very best and the very worst. I figured whilst in the unemployed position I'm in I may as well practice what I preach and do some of it myself, start off small and see what happens. Any help at all gents would be extremely well received. I've looked at trying 1and1 website builder as I haven't a clue on web design and it's also the cheapest option. Ill need people to be able to buy online so paypal, sage pay etc needs to be available. My previous employer has forbidden any of the web guys I knew from working with me so it's the route I'm forced down ATM. Its a pity as they would of done me a great site for free but they're scared for their own jobs and I respect that. After this I may want to start getting in to selling the equipment I know so well but the problem with that is getting credit accounts for the £10000's worth of kit. I simply can't do it so I've just got to start somewhere. cheers PS - I have considered a business loan but I won't get one as I have no job. My own bank won't even give me a payment break on my loan and I've got a credit rating of 950+ and have never once missed a payment. They're all just sucking my account dry but won't help me stem the hemorrhaging
Good luck with the venture. a few years back I did a small consulting business out of my garage while still employed (with employers permission). If you can be arsed with all the paperwork, then go to this lot to see about startup grants and loans Business - Nottinghamshire County Council i got a few hundred in grant funding to cover basics, but could have got more if I could have been (a) more creative with the applications, and (b) a bit more savvie. these are the sort of quango that spout on about helping small businesses, getting capital and funding etc, and regularly have bank representatives turn up to do PR jobs (that is when you can, in a business forum, shame the banker with your story of good credit but poor support). possibly try out joining some photography forums, as those guys like to show off their skills, and I would imagine they could direct you to free image resources. i am crap with internet stuff, so can only wish you luck there. there would seem to be some fine economists and marketing folk on here, so offers of economic forecasting help, and marketing support should come flooding in...
