1st Business Adventure

I shared that this is my second business adventure and you may be asking yourself why am I not better off if this is my second business.  I refer to it as an adventure because I think it positively describes the twists and turns and self discovery that happens with owning a business. So on to my first business adventure, my first business was a vending machine route with candy machines.  I still own this business and it has great potential for larger income if I would choose to expand it.  You may see the advertisements in the paper for vending route for sale.  Questions you should ask before buying that route: is it just the machines for purchase or an established route.  Generally if it not an established route, it is cheaper to start from scratch and purchase machines as you go and expand slowing.  I started with only one machine and quickly grew.  When you start a business you do a lot of research or you should do a lot of research and have a goal or reason to go into business.This is different for each person as well as each business that person may begin.

"take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash" from George Patton.

I was employed in the Non Profit sector during the start up of this business and we relied solely on donations to run the animal shelter that I worked for. Donations included monetary, pet food, cleaning supplies, office supplies, and many other items.  Payroll was the largest expense and even though we used over 50 volunteers a year.  Some positions had to be filled permanently to allow the structure and day to day operations of the shelter.  Shelters could not function without the support of local animal lovers, but sometimes people do not donate all items needed because they are not used directly by the animals in need.  That is where my business grew.  My goal was to raise enough money to take care of items like toilet paper and coffee for the volunteers that worked there.  Ask yourself, before reading this, would you donate toilet paper to the local animal shelter?  Can you imagine as a volunteer not having any to use? We never went without but often had to buy our own.  So I researched and found for a very low start up cost, I could purchase vending machines and by using my name as part of business and being a sole proprietor that I could begin this business to help a cause I believe in. So in 2006 I started my vending machine business.  I have helped 4 other animal shelters and made enough money to help with basic supplies that were not donated.  Since my job change in 2009 I have sold several machines and downsized due to lack of ambition and time to maintain machines.  Between 2006 and 2009 I made enough to cover all start up costs and donations to shelters( I even donated to other things my kids were involved in) and had some left over for my time.  Was it a successful business?  You can judge that for yourself.  It paid its expenses, recovered start up cost, and paid me for time all within 2 1/2 years selling an item that is only 25cents.  I reached the goals set up in my business plan but each person defines success differently.  It all comes down to what you want out of life.