If you could start your own business, what would it be?

[Riverrat]

Hey Pal, just thought I would tell you, my dad made toys and gave them away, rocking horses, wagons, you name it. It was great to watch the faces of the kids rocking or playing with some toy made of wood. He was offered $200.00 for one of his bigger rocking horses, he refused, would not sell any, but loved to give them away....For me, I would love to work outdoors, I used to be a private warden for a large lumber company that had a very large fishing camp in this area, and loved it. Would love to find something like that again. You were outdoors everyday, keeping trails clear, watching the fishing pools and lakes in the area, and watching out for forest fires. would love to land a job like that again.

[Pal334]

Hey Pal, just thought I would tell you, my dad made toys and gave them away, rocking horses, wagons, you name it. It was great to watch the faces of the kids rocking or playing with some toy made of wood. He was offered $200.00 for one of his bigger rocking horses, he refused, would not sell any, but loved to give them away....For me, I would love to work outdoors, I used to be a private warden for a large lumber company that had a very large fishing camp in this area, and loved it. Would love to find something like that again. You were outdoors everyday, keeping trails clear, watching the fishing pools and lakes in the area, and watching out for forest fires. would love to land a job like that again.

After this many years in the "rat race" would be nice to be able to do something just for the enjoyment. I have friends with a lumber yard, so raw material (from their scrap pile) should be no problem. And the "payment" of smiles and laughs makes it all worth while.

[Riverrat]

Believe me, I saw my dad when he could not even move, smile as a kid would climb on one of the rocking horses he built and play. It was his greatest joy in life.

[chiangmaimav]

In the USA I did have several businesses, including private investigation agency, security consulting firm, process serving business and a martial arts school. Over here there are a great many restrictions on what businesses foreigners may operate, so I now have a small food stand, a peanut farm, and soon plan to open martial arts school and a beauty parlor.

[catfish10101]

Charter fishing or open a Marina on the Gulf of Mexico.

[trax]

Well, I gave this thread a few days to try something before I responded.

I put on a pair of flower print Hawaiian style shorts and my bath robe and took a small table and lawn chair down to the end of my driveway with a full pot of coffee, my cigarettes and one of them sun umbrellas, prepared to wait out the day. Then I put up a big dayglo pink and green sign that said "genius for hire". So far, one passing driver has given me $5. to go put some clothes on and the neighbor across the street has given me $10 to take down the sign and put up something a little more subtle, so I think it's working out pretty good.

[brunoorz]

Sooooo. You could stand outside and hammer out a knife then light a cigarette while the iron was still hot and fry bacon on it. Is that the idea?

thats the exact idea. i wonder if bacon makes any cool effects to the blade?
i would after awhile like to branch out to making knives.

[brunoorz]

Well, I gave this thread a few days to try something before I responded.

I put on a pair of flower print Hawaiian style shorts and my bath robe and took a small table and lawn chair down to the end of my driveway with a full pot of coffee, my cigarettes and one of them sun umbrellas, prepared to wait out the day. Then I put up a big dayglo pink and green sign that said "genius for hire". So far, one passing driver has given me $5. to go put some clothes on and the neighbor across the street has given me $10 to take down the sign and put up something a little more subtle, so I think it's working out pretty good.

thats a great ideea now i know how to make 15 dollars in a hurry maybe i could do that up at the local college and offer little morsels of truth.

[Rick]

I've decided I'd like to be an IMAX screen cleaner or a dice inspector.

Those screens are really huge and they have to be crystal clear so that should be an all day job for a guy like me. As for the dice, I can count to 12 so I'm qualified.

[trax]

[QUOTE=Rick;156468]I've decided I'd like to be an IMAX screen cleaner or a dice inspector.

Those screens are really huge and they have to be crystal clear so that should be an all day job for a guy like me. As for the dice, I can count to 12 so I'm qualified.[/QUOT

42, you're going to have to count to 42

[Rick]

Ah, geez, I'm hosed then. You can get 42 dots on one die? Who knew?

Okay then, I'll go for hypodermic needle assembler.

[trax]

nope, I was assuming that dice came in pairs. 21 on a single die. This is what I do with my day, check out these little details for you to keep you on the straight and narrow. Sure glad my Board of Directors don't think I'm overpaid or anything

[COUESAZ]

I have owned a few in my 37 years of life. I owned and sold a hotshot transporting company. 24 hour service hauling parts for Cat machinery to the mines in the western states. Sold it.

I owned a handyman service doing house repairs. Sold out of it. went back to plumbing.

I own at this time a Bathroom renovation company, And a family ran not for profit renovating bathrooms for disabled vets and the handicaped (still trying to gain funding for this to get rolling). We have done a few at our expens but it is hard to do that with out more funding from donations. With the economy like it is I went back to work for another plumbing outfit. It sure is nice not having to worry about anything but going to work every day.

I owned A hunting guide service for along time and sold out of it to teach my kids how to hunt and survive in the out doors. We still do what is called a scouting guide service for hunters. If an out of state hunter gets drawn for a hunt and wants to do a DIY hunt with no guide service we will scout his unit for him with detailed maps photos and videos of what we found in his hunt unit. We even offer a GPS package so the guy can just buy a GPS from us with waypoints and all that saved on it for his hunt.

I also am a dealer for BArk river knives,ontario knives, marbles knives and a few more. I also sale solar ovens and a few more prep style items.

My wife does photography. I finally talked her into doing it as a in home job. she is booked with weddings and family photos all the time. She will travel to locations for the photos. so we use those as family trips when she gets them.

I am working on doing a few more ideas but will keep them hush hush until they come to be. I have had about 4 ideas stolen and missed the boat. I will not do that again.

[finallyME]

I like Pal's idea. I love wooden toys and hate plastic pieces of ... I made a wooden airplane for my son out of scrap wood a few years back. He still loves it. I am thinking of making two more for this Christmas (2 sons now).

As for a business, I would love to have the business my boss has. He owns a little R&D company. When he has an idea, he has a bunch of engineers (me included) to see if it is possible.

[crashdive123]

I am working on doing a few more ideas but will keep them hush hush until they come to be. I have had about 4 ideas stolen and missed the boat. I will not do that again.

I worked with a guy in the early 80's that showed me a business plan that he had drawn up. Several banks turned him down for financing, so he gave up - figuring it wasn't such a good idea afterall. The plan? A place where you could drive in, get your oil and filters changed in about thirty minutes. About a year later the first Jiffy Lube opened up.

[Pal334]

I like Pal's idea. I love wooden toys and hate plastic pieces of ... I made a wooden airplane for my son out of scrap wood a few years back. He still loves it. I am thinking of making two more for this Christmas (2 sons now).

As for a business, I would love to have the business my boss has. He owns a little R&D company. When he has an idea, he has a bunch of engineers (me included) to see if it is possible.

What I do is make the toys on an exaggerated scale (as in not to proper scale) and then paint them bright colors, reds, yellows, oranges. This way they sort of resemble cartoon toys. I also offer free repairs for the inevitable collison and rough play repairs. Their smiles are my reward. And who knows , may actually be teaching them some generosity for their future

[Rick]

Some of my very best work is not to scale. Not necessarily by choice but.....