Sandwich Bar, Courier, Window Cleaner: I want to be self-employed

I was speaking to an acquaintance who expects to be made redundant in the new year.

He told me that he may use his redundancy to set up his own business.

"I only need an apron and some bread and butter to run a sandwich bar"

"I only need a ladder and bucket and access to water to become a window cleaner"

and...

"I only need a cheap van to become a courier"

"Oh" I said "Sounds like you know what your talking about... could be easy way of making a lot of money"

Tell him to be a Business guru, with his insight into new ventures he'll have em queuing round the corner.

And tell him you don't have to be a ventriloquist to talk out of your arse either.

With an attitude like that it's probably why he's getting made redundant.

Nottingham & Derby Couriers said:

---

And tell him you don't have to be a ventriloquist to talk out of your arse either.

That made me chuckle.......(I'm gonna remember that one)

I have no time for anybody that wants to start a business with their redundancy money !

They have all these ideas and nobody ever points out that if you are such a business person how come you have spent your sad life in the same job building up a big reduancy package !!! If you were a business person you would have spent your life in business not wasting it on a payroll .

No we have had to do this all our life its not a job for a novice !

Being a courier has always seemed an easy option. All one needs is a van and a Love of Driving :)

But as you know Bob, most setting up with their redundancy package only last a few weeks!

We have had subbies that start with their redundancy money but somehow you can tell if they are going to be suited or not, E.G i only want to earn £300 a week and when i have reached this amount i am am available until next week, or i don't do evenings or weekends. One new subby we took on refused the first 5 jobs because he was either watching a film or shopping with his mum. Weird though there wasn't a 6th job and he rang to see if the work had dropped off.

i only want to earn £300 a week and when i have reached this amount i am am available until next week, or i don't do evenings or weekends.

isnt that one reason why people go self employed so they can work when they want to work? not work you want them to work? because if thats the case the ymight as well be employed :-)

I do agree with that point if we want people to work when we want them to work we should employ them but on the other side of the fence if your never there for your customers you may end not being there at all

That's correct SMH & Barnsley. We and you as a business need reliable and consistent drivers but subbies like this one i used as an example only wanted jobs like scotland and london on mon tues and then be unavailable the rest of the week and would turn down lower paid jobs which was unfair to the drivers that were nearly always available. We allocate jobs fairly and do not have favourite drivers and if we gave a particular driver good paying jobs on mon and tuesday this would be unfair to everyone else.

There has always been a rough and smooth in this industry.

Do you lot practice or does it just come naturally?

Spare time on their hands ?

Morning Rob its natrual talent but you do have to fine tune it once a day !

Very finely tuned indeed lol...you do make me smile

Barnsley Shipping said:

---

I have no time for anybody that wants to start a business with their redundancy money !

They have all these ideas and nobody ever points out that if you are such a business person how come you have spent your sad life in the same job building up a big reduancy package !!! If you were a business person you would have spent your life in business not wasting it on a payroll .

You really don't think about what you say before you say it do you?

Not speaking from personal experience, having fortunately never been made redundant, some people always want to be entrepeneurial but the security of a PAYE job however false is often what holds many back. Why risk the roof over your head, pension, sickpay, company car and the food for your kids by setting up a business that could fail. If you've just been made redundant that security is no longer there and this is one thing that spurs on some people to give it a go. Plus, if you've been clever enough to work for someone long enough to earn a substantial redundancy package then why not spend it on something you really want to do that could set you up for life. These people could also be very successful in what they have achieved in their job developing business for their employer.

With the greatest respect, I realise you're a well established courier, you're hardly rubbing shoulders and comparing turnover with the likes of Richard Branson are you? So does that mean you should not be in business? No, of course not. We all have varying degrees of what we want from life / work / business.

Nice one Scott!

So what direction do you think he should take?

Is running a sandwich bar any easier than being a courier?

And ultimately which will make him rich beyond his wildest dreams?

A Bodyguard for Bashar al-Assad....big future for him there

with his business acumen why not deliver the package and sell them a bacon butty while he is waiting for the pod to be signed? get a long wheel base and have a kitchen near the bulk head would make waiting time more profitable and save a fortune on macrap burgers

When he does a delivery he could also clean their windows. Best thing though would be for him to open a KFG franchise with Mr G. as the main customer.

talking of KFG.

has anyone noticed when driving through London the range of FC shops?

Peckham Fried Chicken-PFC

Lewisham Fried Chicken- LFC

Hammersmith Fried Chicken-HFC

Has the colonel sold his secret recipe of 12 herbs and spices?

Peckham fried chicken? you plonker!! bet they do a good bottle of peckham spring and free delivery in a yellow reliant van?

this time next week we'll be....................

Well my mates took the plunge and opted for running a sandwich bar. From the amount of new Start-up couriers there seems to be, i think he's made the right decision. However we will see how long he lasts as he intends to maximise his profit by using "smart price" bread and low fat spreads.Oh and he has a good deal on sliced turkey roll as "real " turkey is too expensive ......

You mean to say sliced turkey roll, isn't real turkey

I think there may be at least 50% reformed turkey( scraps mashed up with additives and pressed) in sliced turkey roll

Is He doing PUKA pies Mr. G

I don't think Subway are going to be too concerned about the opposition in that town

Actually he will be selling pies and pasties, but of a home made variety courtesy of his wife (who keeps down 2 part-time jobs already)

I reckon Sunday will be her only production day with Mondays pies being the freshest. I had the misfortune of tasting one of her "delicious "pies on a recent visit.and must say i have tasted non similar

Unfortunately the rules of the board dictate that i am unable to publicise the location of Sam- Wedges takeaway outlet, so those of you wishing to sample their fine cuisine will have to refer to me by private message

Clever name but best he be careful cos there's already one called that in scarborough

Mr G. Speaking of pies, your mate isn't a Barber called Sweeny by any chance?

If ya find a hair in it you gotta be curious.

Would that be a hair or "hare" it could be a speciality game pie!

Do they do deliveries

£0.65ppp (pence per pie) in a small van?