Mom of two needs advice - I promise not to get mean w/you

[coastie]

Thanks guys for all your input. I promise I will think long and hard before I leave my kids with a nanny.

Coastie,

My boutique will be a specialty boutique, not anything that Walmart carries. I've done my homework on that aspect. I've been planning this for 2 years now and was socking away my paycheck from JP Morgan during that time. There are a lot of things I will be doing that makes my idea unique. I've done surveys in the city where I will be having the store. I was making 45K/yr at JP Morgan plus benefits. I got tired of the traffic (one hour each way) in the horribly congested Dallas freeways. I hated every minute of it.

My husband says to go ahead and open it without going OTR with him; that where there is a will there's a way. I tend to be more cautious and want to make sure my cash reserves will be enough to carry my business through the first 3 years without having to dip into our IRA $$.

I think my going over the road could be tough on the kids. I would miss them terribly as well. I think I'm going to take you guys' advice and stay home for a while. Oh well! Can't blame a girl for trying, huh?

When I decided to go back to work, I thought of trying to reopen a retail store. But in my mind be less headach driving than a retail type of Business.

With my Hobby SHop Walmart only had a few things the same as I carried, but I still was cheaper. But setting up at the local market to advertise my store, I heard more than not I can get it at Walmart cheaper, but in reality I had been to Walmart, looked and did not find that item they were talking about at Walmart, and what I did have the same I was 0.75 and 0.80 less than walmart.

I do wish you all the luck and hope you do great at it. It can be done and I also hope you enjoy it.

[Rico]

When I decided to go back to work, I thought of trying to reopen a retail store. But in my mind be less headach driving than a retail type of Business.

With my Hobby SHop Walmart only had a few things the same as I carried, but I still was cheaper. But setting up at the local market to advertise my store, I heard more than not I can get it at Walmart cheaper, but in reality I had been to Walmart, looked and did not find that item they were talking about at Walmart, and what I did have the same I was 0.75 and 0.80 less than walmart.

I do wish you all the luck and hope you do great at it. It can be done and I also hope you enjoy it.

Thanks Coastie, I think personal customer service is more important than anything. Also, my products are targeted to a particular clientele not your run-of-the-mill Walmart shopping crowd.

I think the fact that we don't have any debt (unusual in this day and age, I know), money set aside for the first couple years and my background in Finance and Marketing will certainly help.

[coastie]

Yes Customer service will take you a long way. I did have customers come to me out of town cause I would order what they wanted where Walmart would not.

Also you need to find a location that has a lot of Traffic going by it, do not count on advertisement. I made the mistake of having a store on the side of the building, out of sight out of mind. Spent 1000.00 in Advertising, and nobody still knew I was there. My Store sign was a large and colorful Eye catcher, but more stated they did not see it. But one thing I did do right was having a Nascar Flag flying outside the store.

[Ian Williams]

Outside of their core lines of mass consumables (paper products, non-perishable food, etc) Wal-Mart is not all that cheap.

On the consumer electronics side they can't hold a candle to Circuit City, Best Buy or Frys on selection OR prices.

I know that they have (at least) two price tiers: One for the stores in metro areas with lots of competition and another for rural locations where they have a geographic monopoly.

[Rico]

Yes Customer service will take you a long way. I did have customers come to me out of town cause I would order what they wanted where Walmart would not.

Also you need to find a location that has a lot of Traffic going by it, do not count on advertisement. I made the mistake of having a store on the side of the building, out of sight out of mind. Spent 1000.00 in Advertising, and nobody still knew I was there. My Store sign was a large and colorful Eye catcher, but more stated they did not see it. But one thing I did do right was having a Nascar Flag flying outside the store.

Coastie,

Yep, location is of utmost importance when it comes to boutiques like mine will be. I have already looked at a couple spaces but didn't like one of them because of location and the other because the realtor was rude as can be. Crazy witch thinks I would put up with her delusions of grandeur...well, I told her where to get off.

I'm going to go see another space tomorrow that is in a good location. We'll see if I like the space and the area. I want to make sure I find the perfect spot. After all, I have to sign a contract for a couple years at least.

Thanks for your input!

[jrhbull]

Hey Rico i am tossing around the idea fo hauling for GreatWide here in Arcadia,Florida.Any inof would be great Rico thanks

[Rico]

jrhbull,

I sent you an email.

[jrhbull]

Thanks

[happyhookin]

Rico, it sounds like you've made up your mind not to go on the road, but if you are still thinking about it don't forget to subtract what you will pay the nanny from what you will earn.

Also what is your backup plan for the kids if the nanny gets sick or quits and you are 2 days away.

Good luck with it!

[Rico]

Rico, it sounds like you've made up your mind not to go on the road, but if you are still thinking about it don't forget to subtract what you will pay the nanny from what you will earn.

Also what is your backup plan for the kids if the nanny gets sick or quits and you are 2 days away.

Good luck with it!

I've made up my mind to stay home. I just need to take things one day at a time. Besides, I want one of those big fancy trucks if I am going to drive. At almost 100K for the one I want, well, it ain't happenin' I refuse to have a mortgage sized payment for a vehicle to live in. It was a pipe dream, I know.

[BigWheels]

I've made up my mind to stay home....

Good for you! Your kids will thank you for this decision down the road.

BOL with the boutique shop!

[rank]

I've made up my mind to stay home....

Good for you! Your kids will thank you for this decision down the road.

BOL with the boutique shop!

THANK GOD!

That's abondonment.