How Difficult is it to Start Your Own Business (small business, licenses, analysis)

[AGuyFromCleveland18]

I am thinking about starting my own plant nursery business. How difficult would this be? I am graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy this year, and I think I have a pretty good business sense, and ability to weigh costs vs. benefits. So I'm just wondering, how difficult would this be to start. Also any advice about things to look into from people who have been in small business would be appreciated.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by AGuyFromCleveland18

I am thinking about starting my own plant nursery business.
How difficult would this be?

does difficult = starting from scratch, expensive, risky, hard physical work, thin margins,
and subject to a thousand forces beyond your control like weather?

If so... then the plant nursery business is about as difficult as it gets.
Almost in the martyr range.

hth

[Will46r]

I worked for one season for Bonnie Plant Farms, probably one of the biggest commercial nurseries in the US. They have a grow-out facility farm in each of their distribution areas, most of these have 20-30 greenhouses with about 20 farm employees. I have no idea how large the home nursery is but probably 1/3 of the town is affiliated with it.

Just saying this to tell you it's really hard to compete in the general market; big chains, farmer's co-ops and a lot of mom & pop stores, with the big boys. You'll have to either sell directly to the public or fill a niche that's not covered by the big boys. Orchids and some other hard to grow/exotics are probably your best bet. I have friends that run greenhouses for aquaculture and they grow orchids as an additional revenue stream.

Do you have the land for greenhouses?
Do you have the money/ability to buy/build your own greenhouses?
Do you have a well or other cheap water supply?
Do you have the money to pay for electricity to run fans, auto shutters and other equipment?

There's always used greenhouses for sale for a reason.

Do a short business plan to get an idea of your numbers. It'll help you make an informed decision.

[NinaN]

Before starting any business, go to work for someone already running a similar business. This helps in 2 ways, 1 - low risk, free training, 2 - you will find out if you like/love it and if it's viable before you sink your time and money into it.

Good luck

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by NinaN

Before starting any business, go to work for someone already running a similar business. This helps in 2 ways, 1 - low risk, free training, 2 - you will find out if you like/love it and if it's viable before you sink your time and money into it.

Good luck

This.

And Mr. Rational's assessment isn't a very good one. I know two different nursery owners, and both make it hand over fist.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

This.

And Mr. Rational's assessment isn't a very good one.
I know two different nursery owners, and both make it hand over fist.

And what does your expertise conclude from Will46r's insight?

[sunsprit]

Absent a background in professional horticulture and hands-on experience in the business from the commercial side ... let alone any independent business experience, personnel management, etc. ...

I'd say you are trying as hard as possible to set yourself up for failure.

You have described nothing that is a qualification to either be in business or to be in this business.

What do you think it is that you bring to the table other than an interest in buying yourself a job in a line of work for which you don't have any expertise in?

Have you even looked at the cost of a location/real estate, advertising, merchandise, taxes/licenses, equipment, materials? What assets do you have to back up your foray into business?

[Hemlock140]

I ran a small business for 17 years, and didn't start it, but bought it after it had been established for 7 years. I had experience in business as a management analyst and in the kind of work I did in the business. Dealing with finding good help, upgrading equipment, marketing and all take a lot of time. I made a lot during the boom of the 90s but worked many hours, including evenings and weekends, even some all-nighters. Everyone dreams of owning their own business doing something fun but it's not always a dream that comes true. As for nurseries, I have seen many of them go out of business as they cannot compete with Lowe's and Home Depot. As a bonsai hobbyist with over 100 trees I visit many of the smaller nurseries regularly, and those that survive have a specialty that brings people in.
For example, specializing in miniature conifers, or mature trees collected from the mountains for landscape use. You will need at the minimum several if not many of the successful local landscapers as customers, just walk-ins will not provide the revenue you need. Your overhead is high and profit margin low, so you have to deal in volume to succeed.

[Will46r]

I recently finished reading Julia Roth's Entrepreneurial Equation..... she points out that only in America do we dream of engaging in an activity with a 90% failure rate, that's opening your own business. I really recommend it for people thinking of starting their own business. It' s not the usual "rah rah rah open a business" book. Almost every chapter ends with some variation of "perhaps you shouldn't start your own business." Every chapter outlines certain requirements to run your own business successfully and a short quiz. It really forces you to take a good look at yourself (basically a SWOT analysis) and your chance of success.

You know there's nothing wrong with working for someone, let them have all the headaches. I'm looking at going back into self employment because I'm at a point in my life where I don't actually need the income, I won't need the business to succeed to eat and pay my personal bills. It's a lot easier on the nerves knowing this

BTW the companies you want to compete against like Bonnie Plants are in every state in CONUS. I serviced every Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Farmers Co-Op and independent store in a 200 mile radius. If I drove by a place that didn't have our products I stopped and offered my goods. We come in and put up our own stands, we water them and replace any plant deaths free of charge. I had around $20k in plant death replacements in 1 season, can you afford a $20k loss in 8 weeks? That's your competition.

[NJBest]

It's worth watching (Only 3 minutes):


Experience is over-rated - YouTube