re there any soap, candle or bathbomb maker hobbyists on this list? Does anyone have access to approx 1500sq metres of warehousing,( Preferably with room for expansion) access to racking, knowledge of local packaging suppliers, knowledge of law relating to cosmetic sales in the UK/Europe (Note from a wholesaler prioritised perspective)? Knowledge of UK trust laws (Discretionary Trusts), rudimentary IT skills, book-keeping, marketing/web marketing skills.

This all may sound intimidating, but our Aussie business, is run by my husband and 4 part time staff working 4 days a week.). We intend all our future businesses to promote three day weekends. We would encourage the Sports Trust, if it proceeds to do the same.


Colin

Sorry about this Colin but the cost per annum of 1500 square metres of warehouse space in south Wales would be between £10,000 to £15,000 pa. Depending on transport links. Of course you need to add the cost of staffing, fork lift trucks etc. Nobody is going to give you that for free.

I haven't looked at your other costs but it's not going to be negligible.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Sorry about this Colin but the cost per annum of 1500 square metres of warehouse space in south Wales would be between £10,000 to £15,000 pa. Depending on transport links. Of course you need to add the cost of staffing, fork lift trucks etc. Nobody is going to give you that for free.

I haven't looked at your other costs but it's not going to be negligible.

We are a two million dollar turnover, paying $48000 per annum for 3 times the space, we don't have a forklift and we outsource some work to the Endeavour foundation , that supports people with special needs.

jonescmj1 wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Sorry about this Colin but the cost per annum of 1500 square metres of warehouse space in south Wales would be between £10,000 to £15,000 pa. Depending on transport links. Of course you need to add the cost of staffing, fork lift trucks etc. Nobody is going to give you that for free.

I haven't looked at your other costs but it's not going to be negligible.

We are a two million dollar turnover, paying $48000 per annum for 3 times the space, we don't have a forklift and we outsource some work to the Endeavour foundation , that supports people with special needs.

Great. I'm not knocking what you do. However the cost of 1500 square metres of warehouse space in south Wales is between the figures I have stated.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

jonescmj1 wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Sorry about this Colin but the cost per annum of 1500 square metres of warehouse space in south Wales would be between £10,000 to £15,000 pa. Depending on transport links. Of course you need to add the cost of staffing, fork lift trucks etc. Nobody is going to give you that for free.

I haven't looked at your other costs but it's not going to be negligible.

We are a two million dollar turnover, paying $48000 per annum for 3 times the space, we don't have a forklift and we outsource some work to the Endeavour foundation , that supports people with special needs.

Great. I'm not knocking what you do. However the cost of 1500 square metres of warehouse space in south Wales is between the figures I have stated.

Colin it seems to me that whilst you have the vision, it is expected that others do the work and above all take the risks. Should the venture fail you will lose nothing, however if successful you will bask in the glory and dictate how any profits are distributed. Have I got that wrong?

Stan is probably near the mark on rent costs, on top of which will be utility charges and other related outgoings. We have yet to mention stocking out this 1500 sq metre unit, as I can’t envisage it being on consignment. So given your extensive experience in such ventures, what is your assessment on the amount of set up capital that is required, and once operational how long before any profits would be seen? In other words how many months/years of losses will have to be funded? Any idea on the amount of working capital needed to sustain this type of business?

Your business model clearly works although I’ve difficulty in identifying the USP, but I don’t understand the need to have so many websites selling closely related products. It all seems very fragmented which if underpinned by a similar number of companies, I suspect is to minimise personal risk.

I genuinely can’t see any circumstance where an under capitalised business will ever succeed, and as a Trust member I would be very uncomfortable if the Club became involved. Also given the Club’s memorandum and articles I would also venture to suggest that any involvement would be potentially ultra vires.

We are all conscious of the impoverished state of Newport, so hopefully your altruistic ambitions will come to fruition, but I fear a sizeable investor with the necessary online skills and time will be required first. One person who potentially ticks that box is Mr Buttress, so have the Dragons shown any interest in your proposition?

I am not a businessman by any stretch of the imagination so I am coming from a source of ignorance here. However, surely the best way to start this venture up is with a small scale operation first. Working initially on private premises to see if the system works. Surely that was they way it started in Oz years ago. Surely they wouldn’t have had that amount of storage space to start with.

I congratulate Colin on his success down under but it seems to me that unless you are a very successful business person already with access to finance, staff and space you are going to have an awful lot of risk around you.

I did like the comment about making candles, quite a lot of people seem to be doing that and giving it a go. That to me seems the ideal way of going forward small scale. You wouldn’t need much space for that surely.

I have no idea if the venture will work and good luck to anyone who is willing to give it a try.

pembsexile wrote:I am not a businessman by any stretch of the imagination so I am coming from a source of ignorance here. However, surely the best way to start this venture up is with a small scale operation first. Working initially on private premises to see if the system works. Surely that was they way it started in Oz years ago. Surely they wouldn’t have had that amount of storage space to start with.

I congratulate Colin on his success down under but it seems to me that unless you are a very successful business person already with access to finance, staff and space you are going to have an awful lot of risk around you.

I did like the comment about making candles, quite a lot of people seem to be doing that and giving it a go. That to me seems the ideal way of going forward small scale. You wouldn’t need much space for that surely.

I have no idea if the venture will work and good luck to anyone who is willing to give it a try.

Thank you:

As I've said we launched the business from the bedroom.
We spent approx $1500 on start up capital.
You have my experience to rely upon.
We can Go Fund Me start up capital.

pembsexile wrote:I am not a businessman by any stretch of the imagination so I am coming from a source of ignorance here. However, surely the best way to start this venture up is with a small scale operation first. Working initially on private premises to see if the system works. Surely that was they way it started in Oz years ago. Surely they wouldn’t have had that amount of storage space to start with.

I congratulate Colin on his success down under but it seems to me that unless you are a very successful business person already with access to finance, staff and space you are going to have an awful lot of risk around you.

I did like the comment about making candles, quite a lot of people seem to be doing that and giving it a go. That to me seems the ideal way of going forward small scale. You wouldn’t need much space for that surely.

I have no idea if the venture will work and good luck to anyone who is willing to give it a try.

Yes!

jonescmj1 wrote:

pembsexile wrote:I am not a businessman by any stretch of the imagination so I am coming from a source of ignorance here. However, surely the best way to start this venture up is with a small scale operation first. Working initially on private premises to see if the system works. Surely that was they way it started in Oz years ago. Surely they wouldn’t have had that amount of storage space to start with.

I congratulate Colin on his success down under but it seems to me that unless you are a very successful business person already with access to finance, staff and space you are going to have an awful lot of risk around you.

I did like the comment about making candles, quite a lot of people seem to be doing that and giving it a go. That to me seems the ideal way of going forward small scale. You wouldn’t need much space for that surely.

I have no idea if the venture will work and good luck to anyone who is willing to give it a try.

Thank you:

As I've said we launched the business from the bedroom.
We spent approx $1500 on start up capital.
You have my experience to rely upon.
We can Go Fund Me start up capital.

More later.

I've been to Harvard business school three times. Leadesrhip Trust in Gloucestershire(?) twice, best lesson I leaRned is there are two types of people: builders and blockers. Blockers see challenges and say: "We can't do that because...." Builders say, "To do that we need to....."

You are on the other side of the World
Were you local, I expect more enthusiasm would be shown
In these economically challenging times you must surely expect a reticence for people to get involved.
You appear to have been to various institutions to promote your knowledge
With no disrespect to your enthusiasm, to me you come across as a very professional door to door salesman..Please don't be offended purely my take on things.
Bon chance

Iam not a door to door salesman, I'm a successful business person trying to help my city unlike certain hotel owners.!

As a proven "builder" and not "blocker" in this field
what is your plan for solid foundations, project management and leadership to build this.

I wish you every success, you appear to have a proven track record but what support can you provide?

supporter wrote:As a proven "builder" and not "blocker" in this field
what is your plan for solid foundations, project management and leadership to build this.

I wish you every success, you appear to have a proven track record but what support can you provide?

Work in progress, there's only so much time/effort I'm prepared to put in without a modicum of positivity, from the sports clubs of Newport. Simply put, just this one project will more than fund a mortgage on buying back RP, especially if the Council borrows the money at preferential rates. Follow the supporters group on Linkedin we have an extensive set of skills that can be utilised using modern technology. The UK is three times the size of Australia, bathing is more common in the UK, many Oz households have only showers, Eire is another English speaking market. We went from business idea to launching the website in four weeks, costing $300, neither of us are IT experts etc etc. Oh we dont use any advertising relying only on Facebook, more opportunity!

jonescmj1 wrote:

supporter wrote:As a proven "builder" and not "blocker" in this field
what is your plan for solid foundations, project management and leadership to build this.

I wish you every success, you appear to have a proven track record but what support can you provide?

Work in progress, there's only so much time/effort I'm prepared to put in without a modicum of positivity, from the sports clubs of Newport. Simply put, just this one project will more than fund a mortgage on buying back RP, especially if the Council borrows the money at preferential rates. Follow the supporters group on Linkedin we have an extensive set of skills that can be utilised using modern technology. The UK is three times the size of Australia, bathing is more common in the UK, many Oz households have only showers, Eire is another English speaking market. We went from business idea to launching the website in four weeks, costing $300, neither of us are IT experts etc etc. Oh we dont use any advertising relying only on Facebook, more opportunity!

Colin,

As I have said I wish you every success. But if you want to engage people you do need to be more specific. And you do need to be far less dismissive of anyone who doesn't just accept. People are not negligent because they don't reply instantly to your emails. People are not blockers simply because they ask questions. And in truth all I can really discern of a business plan is that it relies on a whole load of people to work for nothing and someone to gift 1500 square metres of warehousing to turn in a profit.

To interest me, I don't care what the turnover is, I would need to know what the profit was per hour worked. Telling me that you went three times to Harvard Business School tells me nothing. For all I know you did a degree, a masters and a PHD at Harvard. Then again it might mean you did three on line courses. As a barrister I lost count of the number of times I had the Queen of England as my client. Sounds impressive? Not really, when newly qualified I lost count of the number of timed I prosecuted speeding motorists at Bedford Magistrates Court. Just different ways of saying the same thing.

It is possible your idea will work. To interest anyone who can help you you need to research the UK market. Formulate a business plan. Do a cost benefit analysis. A dream is great, but without a plan it's just a dream. I do wish you well, I'm not trying to belittle you. But simply saying I'm a successful business man and be positive and we'll all make a fortune just isn't going to cut the mustard.