roughly 6.7 million jobs lost since the start of the recession, it s tempting - and often a great idea - to launch your own business. That way, of course, you can take matters into your own hands. No more rolling your eyes at the boss; it s your show.But many people do a lousy job of picking businesses they can realistically turn into a profitable operation. There s this very sad pattern about how people start businesses, says Scott Shane, an entrepreneurship professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. People are most likely to start businesses in industries where start-ups are most likely to fail. The problem: Many would-be entrepreneurs are drawn to businesses they like to patronize or the ones that are cheapest and easiest to start. Instead, experts argue, aspiring entrepreneurs should create firms in which they have professional experience so they have a competitive advantage in the market.So, what are most overrated businesses out there? We spoke with small business experts to find out. Here are seven you might want to think twice about - and then maybe twice more.1. Restaurants. Dining out and cooking are among Americans favorite pastimes. But restaurants are among the toughest businesses to run, says Donna Ettenson, vice president of the Association of Small Business Development Centers in Burke, Va.Far too many people assume their culinary abilities will lead to success in the restaurant business. Instead, about 60% of restaurants close in the first three years, according to a 2003 study at Ohio State University. That s quite a bit higher than the roughly half of all start-ups that close in the first five years.The reason: Restaurants typically have low profit margins and need strong managers who can run an ultra-tight ship through seasonal fluctuations and other struggles. Most people don t have that kind of intense managerial ability to pull it off. By the way, the pitfalls are quite similar for restaurants cousin �C the catering business. In other words, Chef Emptor.2. Direct Sales. It s a tempting pitch: Work from home and earn commissions by selling cosmetics, kitchen knives or cleaning products. But companies that recruit independent sales reps tend to attract new team members by pointing to the success of their highest earners.A harder look shows that those high earners are making big money in large part by recruiting new reps into the organization and getting bonuses or a cut of their recruits commissions, says Ken Yancey, chief executive of SCORE, a Herndon, Va., organization of current and retired business executives who volunteer time counseling entrepreneurs. The new reps then have a much harder job because they need to recruit more people on top of selling product even though the number of reps out there is increasing.The result, Yancey says: Most of them wind up with a bunch of jewelry or kitchen equipment sitting in their basement that they can t sell. 3. Online Retail. By far, one of the easiest businesses to start is selling items through online marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon. But as online commerce ages and these sites fill up with more established retailers, it s much harder for new, small sellers to compete for attention and generate a viable income. A lot of people are thinking it s the Web of five or 10 years ago and you stand out simply because you re on the Web, says Rieva Lesonsky, chief executive of GrowBiz Media, a content and consulting company for small businesses based in Irvine, Calif.Instead, successful online retailers today must have a handle on sourcing their products at a low enough price, then layering on clever online marketing and fine-tuned logistics. These businesses won t generate much income if they can t be easily found in searches, maintain a good reputation among buyers or add enough value so that sellers can build profit margins high enough to take on bigger players and physical stores.4. High-End Retail. Many people dream of opening a day spa, luxury jewelry store or designer clothing boutique �C businesses they feel good patronizing. But specialty retail businesses close at higher rates than non-specialty stores, according to the Small Business Administration s Office of Advocacy, and are even riskier now that consumer discretionary spending has dried up and people are no longer spending money on little luxuries. It s going to be a long time before we return to the days of conspicuous consumption, says Ms. Lesonsky of GrowBiz Media. High-end retailers often suffer from poor locations and lack of understanding of how to source and market their products in an effective way. In today s economy and in coming years, she says, retail entrepreneurs should be looking to sell non-discretionary consumer goods or offer items at a value rather than high-end products.5. Independent Consulting. Common advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to stick with industries they know. So, for many looking to es
if you want to start a proper setup then forget about the profit, first focus on, what are your spciallity?, who are your target market?, (means who are the guyz intersted in buying you services). i think your PR and networks will help you out and if you think you need advertisment go for it but it will increase your expences, idetify the sources and hit the market.
This business checklist will make sure that you cross all your t s and dot all your i s before your business launch. Steps to Starting a Business -http://www.developer-resource.com/starti��Other sites you might find helpful are: SBA - http://www.sba.gov/SCORE - http://www.score.orgSmall Business Resource - http://www.small-business-software.netBusiness Link - http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/act��Goodluck!
