Question for the WAHMs

[diddlepops]

Guys - help me PURLEASE

Whilst on my sick bed I have finally come to conclusion that I need more income and that I hate working nights and I don't want to leave my kids yet! So WAH has to be an option!

My question is a bit sillly really but the idea that has formed in my head is something that someone else already does and I know someone on this forum does it. Does it help to have competition or did you feel guilty setting up in a similar sort of business.

Next question - does any of that make sense?

Thanks

Love y'all

:kisshands:

[Daffs]

A bit of both I would say. I would make 'my' idea develop with my own style as not to try and copy anyone (my bugbear). There are plenty of jewellery people with ther own style and I know most of them love to see what everyone else has to offer and it must keep them on their toes! I think it is a good thing to sometimes share experiences too. PM me, I am dying to know your idea :laugh:

[Tanya]

I agree with Daffs :cheesy:

don't blatently (sp) copy someone else but make it your own, I suppose it depends what you're doing too

[Chell]

Whilst on my sick bed I have finally come to conclusion that I need more income and that I hate working nights and I don't want to leave my kids yet! So WAH has to be an option!



If you need to make money then setting up your own business may not be the best option.

A year on and I haven't taken a penny from my business as I am still building it up.

[Tanya]

If I had to live off the profits from my site I'd starve to death :hysterica

[diddlepops]

If you need to make money then setting up your own business may not be the best option.

A year on and I haven't taken a penny from my business as I am still builind it up.

Thanks hun for the warning :hysterica. I don't think I can afford to give up the night job just yet but I really have to get off my ass and get myself into something "longlasting" IYKWIM!

:kisshands:

[lajlaj]

Hmmm, this is always a difficult one, so I want to comment as follows:-

1) Don't expect to make any money at all for a minimum of two years. If you think this is the answer to all your prayers - think again! It is hard work to launch any business, you will have to invest very very very heavily not just in physical stock but also in terms of time, money, effort, blood, sweat, tears ... do you get the drift yet?

2) I suppose it is OK to "copy" an idea as very few ideas are truly original, however, it is polite as a minimum not to "stomp" on their ground - there are lots of places to promote a business online and off and a lot of loyalty builds up towards the wahms that have worked really hard to get their businesses working.

3) If there is enough people with money out there to buy so many prams there are whole exhibition halls filled with them (and they cost a fortune) then there should be enough market share for whatever area you are looking at setting up in.

4) Never, ever, ever, ever copy someone elses words, texts or pictures. Copying of a business idea is a bitter pill for any person in business to swallow, copying whole chunks of other people's websites is just a huge no no.

5) If you do want to set up a "competing" business to someone on here, then why not look for your own spin or niche? Afterall there are lots of web designers but each one has their own unique style. Same with the jewellery makers on here - there are hugely talented ladies on here but they all have their own unique styles and marketplaces.

Hope that helps!

[lajlaj]

Wooops, it took me such a long time to post that others had posted similar in between (went away from the puter to take a call).

[Daffs]

I think you should go for it personally! :happy72:

[Ravenfire]

I think you should go for it personally! :happy72:

I agree you definitely should :happy72:

[Tanya]

do you two know what it is then?

we didn't say don't go for it we were just voicing our opnions

[Ravenfire]

Yes I know :tcwozerek

[babybiz]

I think Nadine said everything I was going to and very nicely too :)

If you thought of the idea but someone else does it then it's still your idea. Stick to your ideas and develop your own nieche and you'll do just fine but like Nadine said it takes years to build anything and even then you will be faced with new challanges. It can be very rewarding too - a kind of love hate thing!

Just beware to make sure you stick to your ideas.

All the best of luck to you.

Tashxx

[Tanya]

Yes I know :tcwozerek

:tcwozerek

[Olive_Oil]

why not? what have you got to lose? apart from the initial outlay - you'll get as much out of it as you put in....although i would reiterate what others have said about it not happening 'overnite' - i dont expect to take any money out of mine for a long time yet. BUt hopefully one day....

good luck! pm me if you want any advice (or you want to tell me what it is :cheesy:)

[Tess]

good luck! pm me if you want any advice (or you want to tell me what it is :cheesy:)

and me :D

good luck

[Chutney]

To be honest, if you truly feel passionate about an idea you can make it work. I have seen so many WAHM businesses come and go. And the ones that fail are because people lose their passion (although it is normal to fall out with your business every now and then!).
XXX

[Rubyiris]

Go for it but like the others have said it is blood, sweat and tears and no dosh!!

I worry sometimes that others will think I am copying as some of my stock lines are the same as other people and some of my forthcoming will be the same. I have been going to trade fairs for 3/4 years despite only being able to start Ruby Iris not so long ago and inevitably some of us probably know about the same fairs as we have visit the same forums etc etc. I have tried to put my personal stamp on it though and hope I achieved something a little different. Mine is very much a work in progress though and I don't think I will ever be satisfied. It is in my nature to feel guilty about everything and worry about hurting peoples feelings and I worry that I might fail becuase of this.

Anyway mini-essay over, lol, forgotten what I was trying to say!

Anj x

[Trinity]

You have to go for it and you can't go worrying about if other people who make similar things are going to be annoyed about it.

I know that when I go to craft fairs that there will be a lot of jewellery makers but everyone's style is different and I love seeing other people's jewellery!

I have spent loads more than I really needed to in setting up and bought things that I didn't need, so maybe a bit of forward planning would be useful an definitely budget!

Go for it and good luck!20061010

[Tanya]

well what ever it is you are planning I wish you all the best with it :kisshands:

I sell the same stuff as other people on here and in the kids clothing market there are only so many suppliers and thousands upon thousands of sellers. I am bound to sell the same stock as other people, I hope they don't get too annoyed and sometimes I've seen the stock I want to buy and they've beaten me to it, I do then feel guilty and not 'annouce' on here it as it wouldn't feel right.

am I making any sense?

[BellaMiller]

I think that stealing designs, copying text and images is not good news,:fryingpan: but you shouldn't be afraid of entering the same marketplace as others.

For example, hundreds of peeps sell kids t-shirts, but mine are the only ones printed in the Uk to have organic certification. My designs are original and nothing like anyone elses... I have a clear vision of what makes my brand different to others... And I have to be different and have a USP to stand out...

There are other places you can buy medical ID - but only Nadine sells those beautiful items that are fashionable too...

Also, depending on your product/service there are millions of potential customers out there - don't plan your biz around selling to the peeps who hang out on a handful of forums. We only have so much dosh between us!:laugh:

Research, research, research....

Don't compete on price, compete on something else that is you and cannot be easily replicated

Good luck!
(I look forward to hearing about it all 20061010 )

[Sarah]

I've enjoyed having my own website. A lot of us do similar things and a bit of healthy competition is fine. As long as the person already doing it isn't a close friend, that could get a bit tricky! :hysterica

[katetinkley]

We've always seen competition as healthy. We keep a close idea on what everyone else is doing:cheesy:but we know what our market and USP is, and we try not to get distracted from that.

Go for it!

[lotusleigh]

I think there's some great advice here already, but for my two pennies worth I'd say make sure you have passion and belief in your product. It's this that will carry you through he hard times, because there will be hard times. But as I'm sure the ladies here will agree, the reward is enormous if you really believe in what you're doing.

That said, if after reading everything here you're still keen GO FOR IT 100%!!

Leigh x

[Olive_Oil]

well you know my thoughts! go for it! :woot:

[boys3]

You only get one chance at life - so go for it! :party05::party05::party05: I work in a competitive marketplace but I know what makes me special (in a nice way!) and have hopefully found my niche. If you have a passion, do it:Elizabeth kisshands:

[Ellie]

Good luck! - I'm just starting out so don't really have any advice for you yet! - I know there are a lot of other jewellery sites out there, and some of my stuff may be similar to stuff on other sites - so long as you're not copying anyone elses ideas, thats cool! - I only ever go on other peoples sites to buy something for myself!
Good luck with whatever it is - cant wait to see it! :happy72: