Hello!

I am the owner of a Home Decor and Accessories business. Just wanted to know
if you started your gift shop business. I would love to talk about the
opportunity of becoming a wholesaler for your company. If you have not
started due to financial reasons, maybe we can discuss an option that would
not have any startup costs for you - basically placing the orders as they
come in. Let me know your thoughts!

If you go to: -- there are a few templates for business plans there or you can go to your bank as most banks keep their own business plan forms for people who want to apply for funding. You're better off talking to your bank manager. (This comment was edited to remove a link. Please review our Community Best Practices for information about how to best engage in our online discussions. Thank you.)

One thing you could do is setup what is called a Micro Niche Blog that
specializes in gift ideas, and use Amazon Affiliate or Clickbank links to
provide the merchandise. Rather than invest money upfront into stock you may
not sell, build a site that sells stuff that earns you a commission. Once you
have built up traffic to the site and people have been buying items through
it, then you can go to a bank and probably get a loan by showing the sales
data you've already got for the site. I hope this idea helps you

Hi,

First of all Best of Luck for your new business. The best way to start any
business is planning in advance. You need to plan your business strategy
before starting any business. Whatever in your mind, just write it on paper
and then manipulate how much money you need to set up your business. For the
same, you need to make a market survey. After this, you will find the actual
status of market and then you can proceed accordingly.

You should definitely start the business plan first before you get too far
with your business start up. Once you start putting your ideas and plans on
paper you will know which direction to take next.

You need to know how much money you will need to be able to obtain your
inventory. Your marketing plan and simple financials will help you determine
when you might be able to take your business to next level (beyond a home
based business).

You can run this as a home based business if you sell from a website. You
cannot run a mini store from your home though. Your town probably has rules
about not allowing customers coming and going from your home. The liability
risks would be a problem along with parking issues, etc.

Sounds like a fun business idea. Good luck with this!

I say go for it. You can also check out your states website that list
information on starting a business.
Although I haven't applied for a business loan yet, I followed my advice by
contacting people right here in my arra & I have my forms to apply directly
from the source in my city & state.

Saves so much valuable time.

Congratulations on your desire to start a business. As Ken Murray mentioned,
you may want to visit with a counselor at a small business development center
or a SCORE office for help in preparing your business plan. That is the first
thing you need to do. In the process of writing your plan, you will complete
market research on the viability of your idea in your community. Your plan
will also include financial statements, which will help you to evaluate
whether or not to go forward. You can forget about grants to start a
for-profit business. You will need to look for loans or plan on
self-financing. You will also want to check with your local zoning agency.
Most communities do not allow retail businesses to be operated from a home.
Another issue is that gift shops are capital-intensive. It costs money to
purchase the initial inventory and then you have to constantly replace it. Be
sure you do your homework before opening your doors so there are no
unpleasant surprises.

Hi,  Check out our resources for writing a business plan and our blogs from guest blogger and business plan expert Tim Berry.    A good place to check out may be one of SBA resource partners: SCORE, Small Business Development Centers or Women’s Business Centers. These organizations provide free business counseling and training. To find your nearest SBA resource partner, enter your zip code at SBA Direct.