https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:41:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1693163 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 11:51:25 +0000 Pepper 1693163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I do. I do videography, primarily weddings right now. It's something I started earlier this year. I have a lot of experience with video because it's what I did throughout high school and college. It's pretty easy to start up a small business! I say go for it. I've managed to get business through word of mouth, and through posting my work on FB. It's not a full time job by any means, but that's perfect for me, because I don't really want a ton of work while I'm at home with LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1693149 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 11:45:53 +0000 Glitter 1693149@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do. We sell pregnancy and baby products through a Facebook store and offer free delivery to all our customers. We started 6 months ago. While I was pregnant with DS I realised how profitable it could be. I'm leaving my full time job soon and it won't replace my income immediately, but the extra cash would come in handy, and its fun, and easy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1693086 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 11:31:23 +0000 namaste 1693086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I own a small business with DH. We offer branding and design solutions (web design and development, identity design, brand infrastructure, brand integration...etc.). I also own a small paper shop on Etsy. I think if you really want to try it out for supplemental income, go for it! </p> <p>Being inexpensive and selective has its perks but eventually you'll understand why invitation suites run upward $1k ;). When the work is really divided up hourly with costs of premium paper and different printing styles, it can get pricey which is why I avoid the wedding stationery business. It's a wonderful way to be creative and make people happy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1693018 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 11:06:12 +0000 pui 1693018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH and I own our company. We make websites. It started just him and I in his bedroom and now we have an office and 5 employees (besides us).</p> <p>Really, the way you start a small business is just by doing it. It really is that simple. You don't need a registered business licence, employees or an office space to start. You just need a skill/product and people who are willing to pay you for that skill/product. :) You learn and grow along the way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1692910 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:24:45 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1692910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: I'm a wedding stationer! This wasn't a hobby, though. I've always worked as a designer.. My passion was the wedding industry.</p> <p>This is my full time job. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1692886 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:11:13 +0000 sarah.clarisse 1692886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do! And it's wedding invitations / stationery. It started the same way you mentioned... Friends asking for them after seeing mine. I started way back in 2007 and just stopped taking clients lady year after I found out we were expecting. I have a full time job as well so with a little one I'm not sure when or of I'll start up again.<br /> If you want to chat or have questions I could tell you more about my experience. You can email me at my gmail account the email is the same as my hellobee screen name.<br /> Good luck! It's a lot of work but also very rewarding to work with people planning their weddings. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1692636 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:57:59 +0000 alohaorchid 1692636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all of the insight ladies!</p> <p>I'm not really looking for something to make money with, I already have a pretty good income from my regular job and I wouldn't be looking to replace that (I could only wish! lol). I'm just thinking it would be nice to do something different, and have some kind of a hobby. I'm also thinking it would be nice to meet new people from it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690568 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:41:23 +0000 mrswin 1690568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: Not ridiculous at all. I made my own invitations as well and had people ask who we used :wink: but I don't have time to get serious about it with my work schedule. I would agree with some of the other posters that the hardest part will probably be marketing yourself but if you are able to get connected with planners, etc you could probably generate some referral business :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690556 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:37:28 +0000 Sapphiresun 1690556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not to deter you, but I've made wedding invitations for myself, and then several friends, same scenario as you where I just charged for materials, and then usually popped over with things mostly finished and sat around with my friend and finished assembly over a glass of wine. Totally fun. </p> <p>BUT I kind of think people got me to make them because they were so much cheap, and if I ever actually charged a price that would allow me to actually pay myself for my time, and in reality even pay for all the materials (because I was really bad for incorporating supplies from my own craft stash, especially things like double sided tape, glue, using my own punches, or the fact that the perfect shade of green actually only came in a 100 pack, and I only charged the bride for the 20 pieces I used and then kept the leftovers at my own cost, and felt bad charging for supplies that I used when making "test" versions, etc. etc....) it would have been hard to get people to make the leap from paying me $X, when you could get "real" professional invites for only $X plus a little bit.</p> <p>But I think if you're honest with yourself about the true cost of making it worth it and are willing to put in effort to market yourself, you could certainly make a go of it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690521 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:20:28 +0000 Torchwood 1690521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an Etsy shop (still do technically, but I got super tired of it so it's "on vacation" indefinitely) selling crocheted items. They're definitely not profitable enough to ever replace a real job, but it was fun for the little bit of extra spending money. With what you're talking about, you could probably make a real go of it. I agree though, that marketing would probably be the hardest part. You'd probably have to start out more word of mouth. Though you could always advertise on weddingbee! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690518 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:19:56 +0000 Happygal 1690518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: I have lots of friends in the wedding industry--photographers and planners and tents/rentals. Networking and word of mouth seems to be the key to really getting your name out there! I'd love to see pictures. Do you have any?</p> <p>I'm just starting my own tutoring business. Verrrry small. I plan on really marketing and trying to drum up business next school year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690501 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:13:02 +0000 alohaorchid 1690501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Someone: That's a good point.. that's something I will have to look into.</p> <p>When I was planning my wedding I had a really tough time finding someone local to make the invitations. There's two well known stores but their quotes were ridiculous, and a couple of home based businesses didn't have time to take on any more clients that year (we had a short engagement). So that's when I decided to make my own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690491 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:08:06 +0000 Mrs.Someone 1690491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do! I'm a graphic designer. The hardest thing is finding clients, especially when you have a lot of competition. I tried the Etsy thing and never did very well because I didn't have the energy to "market" my shop. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690487 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:06:49 +0000 alohaorchid 1690487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: That would be so much fun!</p> <p>I always wanted to own a bakery, specializing in cake pops. This was long before cake pops became a popular thing and I still kick myself for not going for it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690486 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:06:10 +0000 alohaorchid 1690486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrswin: It's going to sound ridiculous because I know so many people have tried this, but wedding invitations. I handmade my own and people were asking where I got them from... honestly, they cost me less than $50, a bottle of wine and a Saturday night. I have since made them for a few more weddings and just charged the cost of materials.</p> <p>One bride got a quote of $1100 for invitations just like the ones I made for her. Materials for me to make them were $100.</p> <p>I made so much stuff for my wedding and people thought that I paid for all of it, and I've managed to sell off most of it since the wedding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690485 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:05:32 +0000 Charm54 1690485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sisters and I owned an ice cream shop to put ourselves through university. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690476 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 09:01:48 +0000 mrswin 1690476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alohaorchid: I don't but I think it would be great if it makes sense for you. What kind of overhead do you think you would need to get started? Could you charge enough to cover your supplies and "pay" yourself? And because I am nosey...care to share what kind of item it is? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-own-a-small-business#post-1690461 Tue, 10 Jun 2014 08:57:42 +0000 alohaorchid 1690461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just curious to see if anyone here owns their own small business. Preferably one that started as a hobby.</p> <p>The reason I'm asking is because I keep getting compliments on some things I have been making, and more and more people are asking for them and asking how much I charge, or saying I should charge. Now I'm thinking that maybe I could do something with it.</p> <p>I would still work my regular job, but I'm finding I'm just not getting much satisfaction out of it anymore and I would like to do something on the side. My husband works a different schedule to me, and plays a lot of sports so I have time to focus on something else. </p>