Wanting To Open A Business

[Scott67]

I am wanting to open my own business.  I have a business plan that explains what I want to do and a future growth plan.  I cannot find a bank willing to give me a loan.  I saw a SCORE counselor and he did not do any thing except look at what i have and tell me it looks good.  I need investor but I have no idea how to get them.  Unfortunately, I am very close to bankruptcy.  I believe this is a good idea.  It combines a retail store with a learn facility.  I just cannot find funding any where.  Does anyone know where I might look for help besides Small Business Administration and SCORES?  They are not really helpful unless you have collateral.  The SBA is a joke in my opinion.  I had an opportunity to purchase a hardware store a few years back and they would not help me.  It is doing pretty well for bad economic times.  I know this idea is good I just do not know how to get it going.

[Lifesaver]

I am wanting to open my own business.  I have a business plan that explains what I want to do and a future growth plan.  I cannot find a bank willing to give me a loan.  I saw a SCORE counselor and he did not do any thing except look at what i have and tell me it looks good.  I need investor but I have no idea how to get them.  Unfortunately, I am very close to bankruptcy.  I believe this is a good idea.  It combines a retail store with a learn facility.  I just cannot find funding any where.  Does anyone know where I might look for help besides Small Business Administration and SCORES?  They are not really helpful unless you have collateral.  The SBA is a joke in my opinion.  I had an opportunity to purchase a hardware store a few years back and they would not help me.  It is doing pretty well for bad economic times.  I know this idea is good I just do not know how to get it going.

Scott67,  whatever your idea is, can you find some way to get going with it manually?  It is common knowledge that people will not risk investing any money in your business unless you are risking a certain percentage in it yourself.

Besides, I have a very dim view of organisations who claim to help small businesses in some way or other - asking them to put forward their ideas etc.  I believe they are only there to pick your brains and steal your ideas, then pass it on to their mates.  Next thing you hear is that your idea has been put into practice by by someone else who stole it.

Whatever it is start it yourself.

Lifesaver   

[tennman]

Best of luck to you, but this is not a good president for you to start a small business in the United States. It's tough enough having to have a competitive price for your product and to actually sell enough of them to make a profit. But when your own government is wanting to raise taxes on you in what is already the second-highest-business-taxing country on earth AND force you to pay for your employee's insurance, it's just plain tough and discouraging. Not to mention the current weak economy.

Pray real hard...and keep your expenses as little as possible. Lean and mean is the way to go to survive.

[Northboy]

I don't really have enough information on your situation to provide you with any constructive suggestions.

What are the approx. start up costs?

If you start a business right now, will your current creditors  hound you? I ask only because you indicated being close to bankruptcy.How much we talking about, not that I want to pry, but can you pay off your creditors in 3 years or less from anticipated profits? If not, maybe we should talk about bankruptcy a bit. I'm in Canada, but I went through it about 10 years ago.
Painful in a sense of pride, but necessary in my case, sometimes you need a new canvas.

What skills do you bring to the business?

Any rich friends?

Can you pre-sell subsciptions for services?

Other posters mentioned timing, if I knew more about your business, I could give you my opinion.

PM me if you wish.