Home: Message List - Starting a new business, based on my current gig

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

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Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

slavaret — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:27:29 GMT

Hey, whatever works, I am just talking - you are doing the legwork. Would be interesting to see what you get.

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

tigerente — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:20:41 GMT

My clients and I pretty much only correspond by email, so I bet they would return it to me. They are all great helpful people. Most of them have been with me since the beginning of my business. But anywho I printed out a few copies of the survey and I'll take it with me today when I go to the park.
I don't know about the whole hanging out in vet waiting rooms. I could take it to the small local pet shop and ask if I could ask their customers a few questions when they come in! I can also give it to my dog training students too.

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

slavaret — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:42:00 GMT

I'd do it in person. People won't bother to return. Better to fill out the answers yourself. A guy with a clip board in a dog park is not threatening. People will open up. The more people you talk to the more valid the numbers. You can ask some vets if you could servey the lobby while ppl are waiting.

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

tigerente — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:24:58 GMT

Thank you, that survey is excellent! I should send it to all my clients and see what they say. Of course I don't want to scare them into thinking that I am abandoning them to persue something else! But they would be the type of person that would use the facility. They come home too late from work in the evening to want to take their dog to the dog park. It is already dark and they are tired. But now they would have a safe, temperature controlled environment that they could take their dog to. Very few of my clients have children so their dogs are their babies and most of them would do anything for their pups. Same with all the hundreds of other latchkey dogs I know .

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

slavaret — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:02:35 GMT

People like to be positive. As long as they don't have to commmit or pay - they will LIKE THE IDEA. Doesn't really mean much. Just being nice.

I would do a one page "survey" with a few simple questions and go around asking dog owners, walkers, vets, shop owners, etc. Just a few simple questions. Something like:

I am reasearching the idea of an indoor dog playground / day care.

1) Do you think it's a good idea? Yes/No. Why/why not?

IF YES:

2) Would you use it? Yes/No. Why/Why not?

IF YES:

3) How far will you be willing to travel to drop off your dog? <5 / 5-10 / 10 - 20 miles?

4) What amenities should be provided? [list several you are thinging off] Anything else?

5) What would be a reasonable daily price for this kind of service? 5/10/15?

6) Anything else? [suggestions, comments]

Something like that. Simple. Don't confuse people with pricing models. Non dog owners probably won't care. They certainly won't pay. Just keep good records. That will be your market servey for the business plan.

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

tigerente — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:35:52 GMT

Forgive me if I sound young and inexperienced (I am ) But what is the best way to gauge the publics interest? I have talked to a lot of the dog walkers and dog owners that I know and they are all interested and seem to think it is a good idea, but how can I find out what people would be willing to pay? I know that interest and actually joining are two totally different things. Since there are no other business like this, I can't compare rates like I did when I started dog walking. Should I just ask people bluntly if they would pay $5 or $10 to use an indoor dog park for an afternoon? I know that I would need to sell admissions in daily amounts, weekly, monthly, etc. I just don't know what people would be willing to pay.
I personally would pay about $5 per dog not to have to clean them off after their romps! I would offer discounts to the dog walkers so I know that'd bring in a lot of business.
Should I also ask non-dog owners for their opinions?
Does anybody have any idea of what I should do to try and sell off my dog walking business when the time comes? Is there another area that would be better to ask in?

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

slavaret — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:26:32 GMT

Right.

It was big and with different sections for different ages. I believe there were several chains. Discovery Zone was the one that managed to go public.

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

tigerente — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:21:07 GMT

Discovery zone sounds like this place in the town where I grew up called Tube Time. It was all indoors, kind of like a Mcdonalds play ground, but a lot bigger and bigger kids (and adults) could play in it. You could rent it out and spend the night there. I guess it closed recently after about 15-20 years.
But if I could open a somewhat successfull business for that long, I'd be happy!

Re: Starting a new business, based on my current gig

slavaret — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:09:16 GMT

Forgot to mention: about 15 years ago, there was a company called Discovery Zone that went public. Indoor play grounds for kids - safe, secure, supervised, with sections for different age groups, a food court, etc.

They went bankrupt eventually (took on too much debt) but it goes to show that Wall Street saw enough potential to take them public. That's all you need.