Need Advice on Starting a new business...

[montanaharmons]

I hope this is the right forum for this...if not... I appologize...kinda new here. I am the lead design drafter for an Architectural/Manufacturing company and have been having thoughts of starting a new small buisness doing Architectural Drafting in a booming town in Montana. My current CADD manager is wanting to go with me if we decide to go. It is at this point that we are at a loss for what to do next. Does anyone have any experience with this topic? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again, if this is off topic, I appologize. Thanks!

[hand471037]

Nolo is your friend: http://www.nolo.com/

Get the 'Small Business Start-up Kit'. It outlines tons of great stuff you'll need to know to do the next steps (which is mostly to calc out if it's *really* a good idea to start your own business).

Also, use your own tax dollars- there's a great website by the Small Business Association: http://www.sba.gov/

I, too, am in the middle of starting my own business, actually, and I've found these resources to be very very helpful in understanding what to do...

[montanaharmons]

Thanks for the info. the area that we are in doesn't have a lot of cadd services, so in that it would be a great move...I have also talked to a few local contractors and was told that they wished there were more of us out there offering the service. I have figured an initial start up at around $10,000, but could be way off. It will most likely begin as home based. The area we are in has two major resorts within close proximity of the town. the contractors here are making a killing. (as well as the co. I work for...) I will check out the afore mentioned links. Thanks again. What stage are you in now?

[jgratton]

Thanks for the info. the area that we are in doesn't have a lot of cadd services, so in that it would be a great move...I have also talked to a few local contractors and was told that they wished there were more of us out there offering the service. I have figured an initial start up at around $10,000, but could be way off. It will most likely begin as home based. The area we are in has two major resorts within close proximity of the town. the contractors here are making a killing. (as well as the co. I work for...) I will check out the afore mentioned links. Thanks again. What stage are you in now?

My biggest mistake when starting was not having a pre-established line of credit to carry me through start up costs and cash flow problems. I found out the hard way some clients are slow to pay invoices.

[montanaharmons]

so is it reasonable to ask for 50% down and the balance before finals are delivered?

[Wanderer]

I hope this is the right forum for this...if not... I appologize...kinda new here. I am the lead design drafter for an Architectural/Manufacturing company and have been having thoughts of starting a new small buisness doing Architectural Drafting in a booming town in Montana. My current CADD manager is wanting to go with me if we decide to go. It is at this point that we are at a loss for what to do next. Does anyone have any experience with this topic? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again, if this is off topic, I appologize. Thanks!

I'm going to move this to the cad managers forum as I believe it will be better served there, thanks.

[jgratton]

so is it reasonable to ask for 50% down and the balance before finals are delivered?

Not around these parts. If the job takes less than 1 month to complete, wait till its over. Otherwise invoice once a month, payment due within 30 days of invoice.

[hand471037]

I'm at the 'just about to jump of the cliff to see if I can fly' stage.

I'll post more later, end of the month, when I can.

[montanaharmons]

the company i work for right now, asks for 50% down before we start drawing and the balance when the product is delivered...before it is unloaded. how do you charge...by the job or the sq. ft. of the project? also, what were your startup costs? (generally)

[jgratton]

I'm going to move this to the cad managers forum as I believe it will be better served there, thanks.

I'm sorry for objecting, but isn't the Cad management reference obscure?