Posted By Merv Newman
I trust you have checked out how much IOSH will charge you for the right to present their materials ?

As a one-man-band can you make a living with that level of start-up costs ?

We've chewed over the consultant's life a few times here, and the conclusion generally is that is a great idea when it works. ie you get the clients and the cash does actually flow. Otherwise it can be a slow grind to the dole queue and a council flat.

I don't know what your business plan is, nor how much you intend to charge, but out of the 200 possible paid working days per year, count on 100 and base your plan on that level of income.

Then count up advertising, travel expenses, accountant fees and gawd knows what else. It costs.

How are you going to present the training ? Portable computer with video projector ? or transparencies ? What about documentation for the attendees ? Photocopying or printed ?

I'm sure you have thought of all that.

Business is sometimes slow, so you can do the garden or chastise the kids. Sometimes it can be so busy that you don't see the garden or the kids.

This week I have had zero paid days. But did a sales presentation which will probably get me about 50 days next year.

That does for the nut. Anything else will be gravy.

Utopia it ain't. But go for it.

Merv

Posted By Peter Leese
Merv, for the 12 years I've been on my own my two golden rules (everything else has changed including the original aimed for market) are that out of 364 (well I've got to have one day off) working days the maximum paying days will be 200, and that every job (with the occasional exception) always takes longer than planned.

So you are either getting twice my rate or you are semi retired!!

Posted By Peter Leese
Hi Ken,

The thought of being stuck to fixed hours with no real flexibility fills me with horror.

On the other hand to meet client requirements I've met them in my office on Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings, and frequently stop in hotels and work a 70 hour week.

The funny thing is I couldn't ever work now for an employer and a big bonus - apart from the taxman is that the fees are all mine, mine, mine.

Posted By Merv Newman
Yes, 200 is the max possible, but you don't really want to do that. Every weekend will disappear, as will the wife and kids. As a salaried consultant I DID have to do it and hated it. As an independent I only once counted 200 hotel nights in a year. Nowadays I'm usually on the 100 mark.

Monday morning and I'm off to the paper shop for the times and a slow cup of coffee.

Merv

(two courses and you are OK ? Double that)

Posted By Dave McIness
Mark

Have you allowed for the 2 day course that you and the course administrator must attend at the Grange?

Also what about insurances, Public liability and professional indemnity?

Finally how are you going to get people on the course? You need to allow a marketing budget for every course you run, and what if you cannot get enough people on the course, you then have cancellation fees for the venue etc.

Posted By mark limon
Dave, for the course at IOSH they charge a small fee,I think they make enough selling the managing safely course to cover that.
Things like advertising costs and insurance I dont know at the moment.If anyone can enlighten me to these by email I would appreciate it
Ive costed room hire and cancellation charges.
At this moment Im looking into it as a possible part time option.With my present employment I would be looking to run a course every 6 to 7 weeks.Insurance costs though may make a part time option too expensive.
I do have contacts with a lot of medium size companies locally ,I will research it all thoroughly first though to try and gauge possible demand
Im in the lucky position of having as much time as I need to do this.
Mark

Posted By Merv Newman
Mark,

I do understand that you are not giving up your day-job. Wise. And you are getting into it to supplement the income, pay off the mortgage, pay for a more expensive grade of beer. Very laudable and basically why I got into for myself. (wine in my case and the mortgage is long gone now)

It does appear, as you said, that you have done the research. But there are always the "unexpecteds" (like a major client who takes up to six months to pay the bill)

Which is why I usually suggest doubling, or halving, the number you first thought of.

Good luck. Go for it.

Merv

Posted By DavidW
I went out "on my own" earlier this year having got fed up with working for others all the time. So far, so good is how I'd put it but it hasn't worked out how I planned. I've landed a nice contract for the next 2 years at 2 days a month and do training for one one of the national companies. I still have a few days left I can fill elsewhere and I'm making better money than ever. You may be better to tie in with one of the bigger training companies and deliver the courses for them. You have none of the set up costs or liabilities but still have control over what you do and where. I'd say your in an excellent position not having to give up the day job to start doing this so go for it and good luck. I still find it a bit scary to be out on my own but having been offered a few permanent jobs it's been nice to say "thanks but no thanks".

David

Posted By Rob T
Hi, I've been out on my own now for about 7 months and I have found certain pitfalls that you need to think about. On one occasion I was sent abroad for 14 days but came home at the end of my stint and couldn't work for 6 weeks due to an extreme type of food poisoning. I doubt whether you would be going to the same type of places but you have to factor in the possibility of not being able to work due to sickness and not being paid for that time.

There are also the quiet periods, and busy times when you can't do everything and may have to let someone down. It's very difficult to plan the first year! The only other problem that I've had is that I couldn't get life insurance for some of the places I've been to (well I could have at £5,000 per week!).

Posted By Simon Davies
I agree with the vast majority of comments here Mark but as regards max 200 days per year, well I don't agree. Get it right with what you want to do and who to target and make good the bread and butter stuff. I've been going for two and half years and I'm well over 300 days each year. One more year and I'm on the golf course - one thing DO NOT advertise, it ain't worth it and avoid the Breakfast Clubs like the plague. Also plan, plan, plan - I spent the last seven months of my job setting up the business. Get a flippin' good accountant and go for it.
Regards
Si

Posted By Simon Davies
Yes Peter over 300 actually PAID days - basically if I get out of bed to work I get paid. Isn't that how it is supposed to be? Don't do 'books' VAT etc etc isn't that the accountants job?
Regards
Si

Posted By Jez Corfield
Mark

To sound a bit naff - its not what you know - its who you know.

If you have contacts in other companies who are ready and willing to give you work then do it, otherwise it will take months/years to build contacts, thats a long and difficult period if you have bills to pay.

I am doing the part time business thing, and my first 'business model' is being retired soon, adverts in yellow pages and sending out flyers is hard work for little benefit, and for me, its only covered the start up costs. I get a number of casual callers who are after advice or scrappy bits of work. Doing this whilst doing a full time job permanently means late starts and long lunch breaks just to do phone calls, and of course you use all your hols...

Now its training with a limited number of large local employers, its easier to build relationships, and consequently get the work.

Jez

Posted By Dee
Mark,

I went self-employed in August this year with the 'ideal' notion that I would work 3 days a week for the same money as a full week as I am sure all us self-employed bods did at one point.

How wrong could I have been - I don't think since the time I have set up I have done one 3-day week! I have been lucky that I have been able to take the advice of others who have gone self-employed and are further down the road than me.

Tax, VAT and all the ancillaries are done mainly at the weekend because I am too busy actually working during the week. Yes some of the training you do yourself can have tax benefits but you have to remember while you are participating in training you aren't carrying out chargeable work. As Merv said previously yes, you can have an accountant to do the year end but you have to maintain it for the other 11 months otherwise a whacking great bill will be coming your way.

I would also agree wholeheartedly with the person who said about not what you know it is who you know I have been lucky that I haven't had to advertise all my work comes from word of mouth and this is very much the case for training - it is not what the training course is that interests me it is how the trainer gets the message across - there are a number of organisations based near me who offer IOSH Managing Safely, etc., only a couple I would use because of the style of the trainers and that what makes them in demand so you have to consider how you are going to be unique amongst your competitors.

Good luck with the venture if you go ahead I find one of the most important things I can get when providing training is feedback on me as the trainer!

Dee

Dee

Posted By Chris Ivan
has anybody been on the TAP (training assessment program) course from the Training Foundaation in Coventry? Would be interested to hear how this adds value and whether others are using it as a selling point as a trainer

maybe worth considering Mark?