i want to start a business. what should i do

[Jason-Bolt]

I have been researching how to make boards and i have made 1 and it turned out good, and now 2 of my friends want to buy 1 from me so i though hey ill start a side job. Is there much business for this? If so what would be good price range, for custom longboards. i was thinking 50-100. Thanks.

Also does this thickness wood look good?
1/4 piece glued on 1/4 piece for up to 200lbs
1 piece of half inch ply for 200+lbs? does that sound right?

[VulgarDisplayCFH]

I've heard from somewhere

The way to make a million from longboard building is to start with 2 million.

My advice: build for fun not for the money.

[satori]

close your eyes and suck it through a hose

that's how everyone starts

[arcane]

Like anything you may want to become confident in what you make and how it's made before you decide to turn it into a money making endeavor.
Not to sound like an ass but if you have to ask basic questions about the construction of a product you're thinking about starting a business with then you may not be ready.
Give it a little time, become confident that you can make a quality product and then consider the business aspects. That being said, making money from skateboards is a bit tough but can be done. Maybe not a lot of money but it's money. Like most people will tell you, build for the simple fact that you like building.

[mooseboy]

any pics of that board?

[hckykid6699]

I've heard from somewhere

one of milehighmark's good motovational frazes

[Rarrazz]

I've considered builing some boards myself. I have not considered the idea of trying to profit from it yet though. If anything, I'll hope if I decide to sell boards, I'll keep from going into the hole.

[IL64]

What about advertising??
the boards I've made are the nicest boards I've ever ridden (sounds bias but it really is true) so i know i have a great product but how do i get it out there and start making some dough?

help is GREATLY appreciated
Thanks
Andrew

[Ryan024]

build for fun not for the money

^this

but selling to your friends is a great idea, start there and work your way up to bigger and better things. A successful businessman doesn't just have skills and money, hes got experience too.

[prospectsnow]

Facebook Craigslist, Twitter, here, skate comps, call stores, tell your friends. Thats a good start. Buying Marketing is stupid at this point. Your return on Investment will be terrible, so go with whatever is free and keep your costs and overhead as low as possible.

Oh yeah, maybe make a website eh?

I disagree on waiting, start now and you'll evolve your product a lot faster. Everyone has to start somewhere. Also, it doesn't take a million dollars to start this a longboard business. I built my press for less than $100 and I negotiated small orders at wholesale price with suppliers. I have almost a full mfg setup to press 600 decks per year on less than $1000 invested.

Things not to do right away...
Put your house up as loan collateral for a 100k business loan to buy machinery.
Make price promises. Unless you know your product cost and time involved.

Also, you might not want to ask skateboard builders about marketing. These guys are smart as hell, but they probably don't specialize in marketing. Try using google, type in marketing my business, and do an hour of reading.

[Bookworm]

get better at building first.

[RSnider]

Building one board and having a few friends say they want one too is in no way a good indicator of potential business.

Building one board which you think is "better than anything" you've ridden in no way qualifies you to start a business with the sole purpose of building longboards.

Do research. Build a few dozen boards. Then consider going into business.


If I had a dollar for every kid that decides to "open a longboard company" after building their first board, I'd be rich. I don't mean to sound bitter or jaded or whatever, but there is a hell of a lot more to board building than slathering some glue on wood, clamping it together and cutting it out. The logistics alone are going to kill your business if you don't know what you're doing.

The intarwebs doesn't need more two-bit "companies". Learn first, sell later.

/rant

[tomes]

how do i get it out there and start making some dough?

People would pay you a lot of money if you could come up with an answer to this. Much more money than anything dealing with skateboards will ever bring. Skate/build for fun and it might eventually turn into something.

[cojeep636]

i basically agree with everyone here, except whoever said that nobody here has marketing experience, you have to remember some of us aren't high school kids that are building boards for a shop class, or for a couple buddies.

i'm less than a year from graduation with my BS in Financial Planning, which has a decent overview on marketing.

One thing to remember here is to look at the local market and come up with realistic sales expectations. Having 2 friends tell you they want a board doesn't mean there are 10,000 more people lined up looking for boards. I go to school on a campus with 20,000 students, probably the biggest longboard market in the area... but you have to think of it this way.

out of those probably 25% will ever own their own board, so 5000 potential customers. 3500 of those have a sector nine and couldn't' care less what they ride (obviously), so down to 1500 total customers that might respect a quality board. i'd say only half of those will consider buying another board in the next year. so what 750 ppl left? of out those how many could you consider to sell a board to... 500 will buy a loaded board, 100 will buy arbor, leaving 150 for the smaller companies to pick up the pieces.

the problem to me seems that 95% of longboarders will buy one board, ride it for awhile, and someday it will end up somewhere in a garage or closet and never be ridden again, they've no need for something better or different... so your target market shrinks to a minuscule size, if you think your boards are actually good enough to sell a sizable amount in such a market you might make money... otherwise, build for the love of building and riding. thats what i do, i've been in it for over a year and am just now selling a few boards, and considering looking for some beta riders on a couple boards. the growth can be painfully slow, but if you love it, you'll stick with it and make it through.

its a winded explanation, but if you have questions about marketing, advertising, or any other aspect of a business startup let me know, and remember in business there are 5,000 ideas that fail before one makes it through. you have to decide which one you'll be.

[Mile_High_Mark]

Want to make a million dollars?
Start with at least two million.

[Shazamboobam]

Hey, I wanna eventually produce and perhaps even sell board too, lemme tell you this. The way you are trying to start off here is terrible. I know that if I'm ever going to have a chance to be successful in eventually having a company for the sport I have a passion for, it's gonna take more than "Oh yeah my buddys like this board, and my bias opinion means they REALLY are better. Lolguysdoesthisseemgood?" I'm not trying to be an ass, but I am being harsh. Because it doesn't work the way you think, and for you to ever have a chance of founding a company that could actually make you money in the skate industry. You need to learn that. The skate industry, especially the longboard community is NOT a big money maker. Especially in this current economy and such. If anything, (especially in longboarding) it's a stoke, and passion thing. Some of the greatest builders here aren't making payloads off of this, but they are doing it to spread the stoke and for the passion of what they love.

[rosewood thief]

Dates people, dates....

[Shazamboobam]

Dates people, dates....

:o Oh my.. Worse yet, the person that revived it is a random newcomer that is non-distinguishable from OP. >_<

[Bookworm]

Dates people, dates....

[Jakeblakeley]

Longboarding is highly a sport based around media. Most people that I know that got into longboarding started from watching videos on youtube and going "Holy Sh*t dude thats wack!". So a great way to advertise is get some professional people around town to ride your boards and make videos, and put those on facebook, youtube etc.