Jury Duty and Business Plan
Jury duty was fun last week. I sat in a large clean white room for 3 hours and dozed off as apparently the county prosecutors did what they get paid to do and got plea agreements. Thanks, Dallas Countians, for paying your taxes. They didn't need the 120 or so of us that shouwed up to perform our public service, so we all just got a certificate and left. It's kind of interesting to see the jurors in the Scott Peterson case after they got done with 6 months of service -- the trial turned that one chick's hair pink. I would have been totally emotionally exhausted, I tell you that. But I didn't have to do any of it -- not even one day. I didn't even have to deal with a lawyer asking me questions like, "So, would you say that if a dude kills another dude it's society's fault?" in jury selection. It's a lottery I'm relieved to have lost, quite frankly. My wife would be sad to read that.
I would love to start my own business, but I have no idea how. I'm the poster child for not being resourceful, really. I have no idea how to start, what to do. I know I don't need much start-up money, since my advertising is going to be my already-acquired ISP web space (http://www.advantexcom.net/~mdpape) and business cards and possibly internet ads, but that only after I make some money. I know that starting a business takes a lot of work, which Mark Cuban refers to as sweat equity. I don't know what that term means exactly, but I know it will take time and energy. I need to get to the point where I can quit one of my jobs first, then the other, then rule the world. That's my plan, more or less. Perhaps it will help you help me if I tell you about my business.
Everyone and their goat now fixes computers, right? I mean, your computer breaks down and you can take it to Circuit City or, yes, Micro Center to get it fixed for $100 plus parts, if any. You can get somebody to come out to your house and pay $85 an hour for repairs. Or you can get some guy you are acquainted with that "knows about computers" to fix it for you for free. It's that last guy I can't compete with, and there are more and more of those guys with spare time after being laid off from their jobs and replaced by supposedly cheaper and as-proficient foreign labor. But that's a topic for another day. So the prices have to go down -- there's a niche there for those people with computers that are "running slow" or "infected with pop-ups", that don't want to pay $100 bucks but still want things done quickly and professionally. That's where I come in. I'll charge, say, 40 bucks to run a virus/spyware scan, 60 for a full diag in your home, etc. I'd be cheaper and you'd never have to leave your house. Plus I can dole out free advice and not try to sell you any extended warranties while doing it. See? It makes sense to me. This is a good product, mostly because I'm really good at diagnosing computer problems. My wife would want something like this if I wasn't around, and may need it after she finishes me off.
Other things I would offer include: installation and upgrades plus no-BS advice for $50, and I'd go and get the parts from wherever so you wouldn't have to. Motherboards and real intricate stuff would cost extra, of course, but that's a good deal no matter how you slice it. I would also offer educational programs by themselves that nobody would take me up on because I'll have to charge too much for them to make them worth my while. But with all the computer problems around today, I need to take advantage of this opportunity. I mean, everybody's got computer issues, right? You, right now -- don't you want you computer to run faster? Better? Without those pop-ups?
If you're in the Dallas Metroplex, let me hear from ya.
But here's my point: I have no idea how to start this up. The seductive thing about it is, all I reall need is 10 customers a week and I'll be making more than I do now in 2 jobs. So I need to do this, but I have no idea how to start this up. I tried to look on the Texas state website to learn how I get my business "registered" (I'm not even sure of the word or the concept even -- maybe I should have worked in some business classes, eh?), but they clearly assume you already know how to do it -- they only describe the different kinds of businesses you can start (sole-proprietorship, etc.). They don't tell you the steps you need to take to become your own business owner legally. It's annoying. How do I know what I need to know? How do I peddle my services here? What if I do something illegal? Do I need lawsuit insurance? What is lawsuit insurance actually called? Do fill out a w-2? A w-3000? An Andre 3000? Do I have to give my soul to the IRS?
I just need help...
I would love to start my own business, but I have no idea how. I'm the poster child for not being resourceful, really. I have no idea how to start, what to do. I know I don't need much start-up money, since my advertising is going to be my already-acquired ISP web space (http://www.advantexcom.net/~mdpape) and business cards and possibly internet ads, but that only after I make some money. I know that starting a business takes a lot of work, which Mark Cuban refers to as sweat equity. I don't know what that term means exactly, but I know it will take time and energy. I need to get to the point where I can quit one of my jobs first, then the other, then rule the world. That's my plan, more or less. Perhaps it will help you help me if I tell you about my business.
Everyone and their goat now fixes computers, right? I mean, your computer breaks down and you can take it to Circuit City or, yes, Micro Center to get it fixed for $100 plus parts, if any. You can get somebody to come out to your house and pay $85 an hour for repairs. Or you can get some guy you are acquainted with that "knows about computers" to fix it for you for free. It's that last guy I can't compete with, and there are more and more of those guys with spare time after being laid off from their jobs and replaced by supposedly cheaper and as-proficient foreign labor. But that's a topic for another day. So the prices have to go down -- there's a niche there for those people with computers that are "running slow" or "infected with pop-ups", that don't want to pay $100 bucks but still want things done quickly and professionally. That's where I come in. I'll charge, say, 40 bucks to run a virus/spyware scan, 60 for a full diag in your home, etc. I'd be cheaper and you'd never have to leave your house. Plus I can dole out free advice and not try to sell you any extended warranties while doing it. See? It makes sense to me. This is a good product, mostly because I'm really good at diagnosing computer problems. My wife would want something like this if I wasn't around, and may need it after she finishes me off.
Other things I would offer include: installation and upgrades plus no-BS advice for $50, and I'd go and get the parts from wherever so you wouldn't have to. Motherboards and real intricate stuff would cost extra, of course, but that's a good deal no matter how you slice it. I would also offer educational programs by themselves that nobody would take me up on because I'll have to charge too much for them to make them worth my while. But with all the computer problems around today, I need to take advantage of this opportunity. I mean, everybody's got computer issues, right? You, right now -- don't you want you computer to run faster? Better? Without those pop-ups?
If you're in the Dallas Metroplex, let me hear from ya.
But here's my point: I have no idea how to start this up. The seductive thing about it is, all I reall need is 10 customers a week and I'll be making more than I do now in 2 jobs. So I need to do this, but I have no idea how to start this up. I tried to look on the Texas state website to learn how I get my business "registered" (I'm not even sure of the word or the concept even -- maybe I should have worked in some business classes, eh?), but they clearly assume you already know how to do it -- they only describe the different kinds of businesses you can start (sole-proprietorship, etc.). They don't tell you the steps you need to take to become your own business owner legally. It's annoying. How do I know what I need to know? How do I peddle my services here? What if I do something illegal? Do I need lawsuit insurance? What is lawsuit insurance actually called? Do fill out a w-2? A w-3000? An Andre 3000? Do I have to give my soul to the IRS?
I just need help...
posted by Mike Pape @ 12:22 PM
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