Hi my name is Rich and I live in the catskills of NY I have been a tile contractor with my own business for 18 years, I am seriously driven by the renewables and "green" building practices industry. I have currently finished my PV basics course at SUNY Delhi and working on PV2 and design courses now. Also I am going to start a solar electric (PV or Photovoltaics), Solar Thermal and "Green" building practices consulting business, I am currently working on my NABCEP, NYSERDA, and LEED certifications unfortunately these are time consuming and money intensive propositions. I do know that the renewables industry is very popular right now, my biggest dilema is of course capital and I'm not sure how to go about generating it. My personal credit rating sucks so doing a business plan for an SBA loan is nearly impossible for me , not to mention banks are not hot on loaning money right now, Are there any suggestions? Keep in mind I have run a tile contracting business for the past 18 years although not on a large scale (myself and 1 or sometimes 2 employees) So I do have some business experience. Any help anyone can provide on how to go about generating even a small amount of capital to start would be appreciated.
Thanks in Advance for your help.
Regards ,,Rich richgate1@gmail.com
Sounds like you are taking the right course to specialize in the renwable energy feild. You seem to be in the tough position of needing credit to get credit. You would be fortunate to get investment.
With your tile background, you've already got a tie in to the industry if you didn't know. I saw a company out in CA using recycled materials to create tiles for use both in flooring and even walls and ceilings. Maybe you are already familiar with the commercial tiles being used some places in place of traditional flooring. Maybe you should look into recycling. Tile making and subsequent installation too. You could probably make some calls and find manufacturors looking to wholesale unusable materials to eliminate wastes and even create revenues through waste stream management.
On top of this, tiles might represent a very nice interior design element that can actually save energy. This might be especially true if you design them with some thermal insulation characteristics. The romans used to use a layered flooring ventilation system where heat would rise through the floor- maybe where you were stepping. Maybe there is some energy distribution concepts you could work out. stack the tiles up and you might find you've got a dynamic building material for some applications.
You might do well to get materials in from international resources. I prefer to keep jobs home, but there is a known problem of too many containers coming in and not enough out. So if you shipped the high volume wastes out and got back the low volume finished product in manufactured elsewhere, then you might make money from raw material sales, incoming material sales, and actually solve some waste problems. Look out 5 to 10 years when the renewable energy market is saturated in the U.S. once the savings hits, the international market is going to become the hot market. So those of you who establish connections in trade early on will already have your foot in the door.
I just joined today and started a topic about my special area of focus.
I look forward to collaborating with others here!
:) nmw
Online Advertising & Internet Marketing :: Promote Your Own Business Online using Top Keywords | private http://NMW.INFO business http://MWJV.COM | Promotional Domain Names | Keyword Domain Name Promotion | Register Subdomains | Targeted Traffic | Domains
I graduated from an MBA degree, throughout the college schooling I acquired ideas and constantly pushing myself to go further
I am a single mom, my children are fully grown and have both taken their ways as adults. I just turned 50 and feel that I am going no where.
I report to a boss and so tire of trying to make ends meet. I feel as though I have wasted my time and energy after earning the MBA and also an MS-CIS degree.
So far I have come with a concept for the business, "PC Sweets Cafe". I enjoy baking and improvising in the kitchen, have IT skills and experience, but seeking advice as how to come up with the budget to be able to lease a location, be prepared for legal scenarios to prevent litigation risk and so forth?
Thank you in advance,
Maria
I was doing some online R&D and came upon this site. I thought I would join and look into the forum activity. Seems pretty quiet. I'd like to see what i could do to spark up some of the conversation. Have you received any feedback from the forum administrator/ Startup.com?
Sounds like you need to submit a business plan to a lending institution if you are making ends-meet and want to lease a building. Where are you at in this process?
Litigation wise I always recommend seeking the advice of an attorney after doing extensive research into your industry. Basic insurance is available for general busineses. There are countless brokers who will discuss the specifics of your business and offer you a plan. Beyond that, having an attorney put an hour review into your plan can address any other risks by way of written agreements.
With your background, education, and expertise, I think you are in a good position to innovate your concept. Have you considered a coffee/snack delivery service for the local businesses in your area? With your IT and MBA skills, you should be able to throw together a website, market your products in your area, and get your business off the ground organically- without investing in a full facility to start. What do you think about that?
Your demographic is not unique. In fact, I sense you have a major market niche you could specialize in and relate to. Plug that into your concept and add a little inspirational flavor in your marketing materials and concept.
Beyond accreditation and affiliation, your education is what you make of it. This is becoming more of a factor in today's constantly transforming business environment. I think your situation might call for a major introspection and review of what your education has comprised. There are countless small-business and home-based businesses out there with individuals lacking your expertise. Your opportunity to leverage your education investment into an ROI could be as simple as finding a way to apply that for the benefit of others who do not have, or have with no idea to put to use.
Hi Gj Albert Nelson From India I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY NEWEST BUSINESS
My company Collect The Fund Around The World
Aggressive Growth Structured Notes with capital guarantee.
We Are Invest Stock Market & Mutual Fund Business
We Will Give The Return To Our Clients Minimum 5% To Maximum 35% MINIMUM PRIOD 18 TO 24 MONTHS RETURN
Who Have Lot of Money You Will Earn Unexpected Return From Me
WHO ONE INTEREST TO INVEST OUR COMPANY YOU WILL BE WRITE A MAIL PERSONALY TO ME
I WILL GIVE THE DETAIL TO YOU MY EAMIL ID gj.nelson@yahoo.com
What is the long term effect of changing directions on the vision of a startup company?
For publicly traded or very large companies, it seems that changing direction is fragile -- possibly the reason why large companies aren't so quick to adapt to change and often resort to acquisition (rather than innovation) to keep alive.
On the other hand, for any company it seems like if the direction is unclear or fuzzy, then consumers and potential investors might get confused by what the company is selling and what the long term goals are for the company. Consumers might question the life of the product and whether it will still be supported if they buy it today.
For example:
Let's say I start a consultant firm. Then later decide to build a web site around an idea. Then later decide to build a different software product to do something completely unrelated.
Q: Should these all be separate companies?
Q: If not, does this hurt the business in the long term?
Q: Will consumers be more cautious about the product because they see the company as having an unstable vision?
Q: Could one solution be to rename the company rather than start a separate one? Or will the history actually help provide some sort of strength of a proven track record of success?
It is true the modern environment calls for greater adaptability and flexibility. It also calls for more specific targetted niching. This is what I am doing- my vision has a central theme we'll just call successful modern business. I am developing specific business lines within this vision to include consulting and any other ideas that come to mind.
Here are my answers based on my experience and application-
A- the companies should be distinct, interrelated, and fit within a central unifying theme.
A- The long term risks are a living phenomena dependant on your proactive efforts to make it work/ let it work for the benefit of your market. The more you extend yourself with a diverse set of business lines, the more opportunity you have and the greater risk you have of not doing one or more effectively. Some people suggest doing one or two things really well. You have to decide how much opportunity you need to be successful and how much you can balance with deliverables.
A- Yes, consumers will be more cautious and skeptical if you do not have a clearly articulated vision and application that makes sense to them. You have to address this specifically by having a closer relationship with a market you can relate to and getting them to support you personally in your vision- be a great guy people want to see succeed. Show them how their utilization of your products supports your greater personal vision for success and give them the extra appreciative service in return for their support.
A- As a consultant my results in the example of my own business will make all the difference in communicating what I can do for others who want to start and succeed in their own businesses. With my central theme I have a brand and then each business line derived from it has that brand tag and then the line feature.
Thanks for the advice. This has me re-thinking my strategy to be more targeted to one business line to start with. I'm thinking this will keep me focused 100% on it to make it the best it could be.
Should the market change or become a commodity, then I can consider dividing time among a new business line, while taking care not to forget those consumers that supported me or that still need support.
Look into existing surveys. check out forums and online social networking sites. Research online business communities to see what others are doing. Decide what you want to do and develop a strategy based on what you learn.
Hi my name is Rich and I live in the catskills of NY I have been a tile contractor with my own business for 18 years, I am seriously driven by the renewables and "green" building practices industry. I have currently finished my PV basics course at SUNY Delhi and working on PV2 and design courses now. Also I am going to start a solar electric (PV or Photovoltaics), Solar Thermal and "Green" building practices consulting business, I am currently working on my NABCEP, NYSERDA, and LEED certifications unfortunately these are time consuming and money intensive propositions. I do know that the renewables industry is very popular right now, my biggest dilema is of course capital and I'm not sure how to go about generating it. My personal credit rating sucks so doing a business plan for an SBA loan is nearly impossible for me , not to mention banks are not hot on loaning money right now, Are there any suggestions? Keep in mind I have run a tile contracting business for the past 18 years although not on a large scale (myself and 1 or sometimes 2 employees) So I do have some business experience. Any help anyone can provide on how to go about generating even a small amount of capital to start would be appreciated.
Thanks in Advance for your help.
Regards ,,Rich
richgate1@gmail.com
Sounds like you are taking the right course to specialize in the renwable energy feild. You seem to be in the tough position of needing credit to get credit. You would be fortunate to get investment.
With your tile background, you've already got a tie in to the industry if you didn't know. I saw a company out in CA using recycled materials to create tiles for use both in flooring and even walls and ceilings. Maybe you are already familiar with the commercial tiles being used some places in place of traditional flooring. Maybe you should look into recycling. Tile making and subsequent installation too. You could probably make some calls and find manufacturors looking to wholesale unusable materials to eliminate wastes and even create revenues through waste stream management.
On top of this, tiles might represent a very nice interior design element that can actually save energy. This might be especially true if you design them with some thermal insulation characteristics. The romans used to use a layered flooring ventilation system where heat would rise through the floor- maybe where you were stepping. Maybe there is some energy distribution concepts you could work out. stack the tiles up and you might find you've got a dynamic building material for some applications.
You might do well to get materials in from international resources. I prefer to keep jobs home, but there is a known problem of too many containers coming in and not enough out. So if you shipped the high volume wastes out and got back the low volume finished product in manufactured elsewhere, then you might make money from raw material sales, incoming material sales, and actually solve some waste problems. Look out 5 to 10 years when the renewable energy market is saturated in the U.S. once the savings hits, the international market is going to become the hot market. So those of you who establish connections in trade early on will already have your foot in the door.
Just some thoughts. Good luck!
I just joined today and started a topic about my special area of focus.
I look forward to collaborating with others here!
:) nmw
Online Advertising & Internet Marketing :: Promote Your Own Business Online using Top Keywords | private http://NMW.INFO business http://MWJV.COM | Promotional Domain Names | Keyword Domain Name Promotion | Register Subdomains | Targeted Traffic | Domains
Looking to get ideas on starting an internet business
I graduated from an MBA degree, throughout the college schooling I acquired ideas and constantly pushing myself to go further
I am a single mom, my children are fully grown and have both taken their ways as adults. I just turned 50 and feel that I am going no where.
I report to a boss and so tire of trying to make ends meet. I feel as though I have wasted my time and energy after earning the MBA and also an MS-CIS degree.
So far I have come with a concept for the business, "PC Sweets Cafe". I enjoy baking and improvising in the kitchen, have IT skills and experience, but seeking advice as how to come up with the budget to be able to lease a location, be prepared for legal scenarios to prevent litigation risk and so forth?
Thank you in advance,
Maria
Hi there Maria,
I was doing some online R&D and came upon this site. I thought I would join and look into the forum activity. Seems pretty quiet. I'd like to see what i could do to spark up some of the conversation. Have you received any feedback from the forum administrator/ Startup.com?
Sounds like you need to submit a business plan to a lending institution if you are making ends-meet and want to lease a building. Where are you at in this process?
Litigation wise I always recommend seeking the advice of an attorney after doing extensive research into your industry. Basic insurance is available for general busineses. There are countless brokers who will discuss the specifics of your business and offer you a plan. Beyond that, having an attorney put an hour review into your plan can address any other risks by way of written agreements.
With your background, education, and expertise, I think you are in a good position to innovate your concept. Have you considered a coffee/snack delivery service for the local businesses in your area? With your IT and MBA skills, you should be able to throw together a website, market your products in your area, and get your business off the ground organically- without investing in a full facility to start. What do you think about that?
Your demographic is not unique. In fact, I sense you have a major market niche you could specialize in and relate to. Plug that into your concept and add a little inspirational flavor in your marketing materials and concept.
Beyond accreditation and affiliation, your education is what you make of it. This is becoming more of a factor in today's constantly transforming business environment. I think your situation might call for a major introspection and review of what your education has comprised. There are countless small-business and home-based businesses out there with individuals lacking your expertise. Your opportunity to leverage your education investment into an ROI could be as simple as finding a way to apply that for the benefit of others who do not have, or have with no idea to put to use.
What do you think of my feedback and advice?
Hi im Shabari Nadh frm INDIA.
im intrested to ur idea if u start... i can help as to develop...
please give me a call as reply.
09959359176
Hi Gj Albert Nelson From India I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY NEWEST BUSINESS
My company Collect The Fund Around The World
Aggressive Growth Structured Notes with capital guarantee.
We Are Invest Stock Market & Mutual Fund Business
We Will Give The Return To Our Clients Minimum 5% To Maximum 35% MINIMUM PRIOD 18 TO 24 MONTHS RETURN
Who Have Lot of Money You Will Earn Unexpected Return From Me
WHO ONE INTEREST TO INVEST OUR COMPANY YOU WILL BE WRITE A MAIL PERSONALY TO ME
I WILL GIVE THE DETAIL TO YOU MY EAMIL ID gj.nelson@yahoo.com
What is the long term effect of changing directions on the vision of a startup company?
For publicly traded or very large companies, it seems that changing direction is fragile -- possibly the reason why large companies aren't so quick to adapt to change and often resort to acquisition (rather than innovation) to keep alive.
On the other hand, for any company it seems like if the direction is unclear or fuzzy, then consumers and potential investors might get confused by what the company is selling and what the long term goals are for the company. Consumers might question the life of the product and whether it will still be supported if they buy it today.
For example:
Let's say I start a consultant firm. Then later decide to build a web site around an idea. Then later decide to build a different software product to do something completely unrelated.
Q: Should these all be separate companies?
Q: If not, does this hurt the business in the long term?
Q: Will consumers be more cautious about the product because they see the company as having an unstable vision?
Q: Could one solution be to rename the company rather than start a separate one? Or will the history actually help provide some sort of strength of a proven track record of success?
Hi justdan,
It is true the modern environment calls for greater adaptability and flexibility. It also calls for more specific targetted niching. This is what I am doing- my vision has a central theme we'll just call successful modern business. I am developing specific business lines within this vision to include consulting and any other ideas that come to mind.
Here are my answers based on my experience and application-
A- the companies should be distinct, interrelated, and fit within a central unifying theme.
A- The long term risks are a living phenomena dependant on your proactive efforts to make it work/ let it work for the benefit of your market. The more you extend yourself with a diverse set of business lines, the more opportunity you have and the greater risk you have of not doing one or more effectively. Some people suggest doing one or two things really well. You have to decide how much opportunity you need to be successful and how much you can balance with deliverables.
A- Yes, consumers will be more cautious and skeptical if you do not have a clearly articulated vision and application that makes sense to them. You have to address this specifically by having a closer relationship with a market you can relate to and getting them to support you personally in your vision- be a great guy people want to see succeed. Show them how their utilization of your products supports your greater personal vision for success and give them the extra appreciative service in return for their support.
A- As a consultant my results in the example of my own business will make all the difference in communicating what I can do for others who want to start and succeed in their own businesses. With my central theme I have a brand and then each business line derived from it has that brand tag and then the line feature.
What do you think of my responses and advice?
Thanks for the advice. This has me re-thinking my strategy to be more targeted to one business line to start with. I'm thinking this will keep me focused 100% on it to make it the best it could be.
Should the market change or become a commodity, then I can consider dividing time among a new business line, while taking care not to forget those consumers that supported me or that still need support.
How to start a online surveys and how ta start a online bussines?
Look into existing surveys. check out forums and online social networking sites. Research online business communities to see what others are doing. Decide what you want to do and develop a strategy based on what you learn.
What do you think of my response and advice?