Monday 15 May 2017

2003 - the year it began

2003 - planning, thinking, dreaming, working, researching


I've been working at the ATO for about 8 or 9 months now and quite enjoying it. Processing tax returns and the like isn't as boring as it sounds, well to me any way. I've always loved computer work and processing information, data entry, that sort of thing. It's nice to get myself organised at the start of the day and then head down bum up until I leave. Love being busy!

During this time I'd also been toying with the idea of starting up an online business and I was leaning towards some sort of gift business. To start I had an idea of an type of concierge style gift shop where by people would fill out an online form I had prepared on the likes and dislikes of the person they were wanting to get a gift for and then I would shop for a gift. It sounded good in theory but I just could get my head around the whole logistics of it so ended up scrapping that idea. I decided on doing a type of hamper business but trying to base it on confectionery. I had seen a gift on a website where it was just a box of lolly bananas and thought, ooh that could be something I could work with! (not that I like lolly bananas!).


I went to a Trade Fair in Sydney to see what that was all about and to try and find some suppliers. I was mainly after boxes and packaging stuff as well as possible 'add ons' to the lollies and chocolates. I had found a local confectionery wholesaler close to where I lived, handy, but being that I was still in the start up stages I didn't want to make a big investment and buy a truck load of lollies before I was semi confident I could make the business work.



After tinkering around with a website, coming up with a name*, and organising bank merchant facilities and business names, set ups etc I started listing the gifts I had come up with. This was a fairly long process, deciding on what to sell as I had written just about every type of lolly and chocolate down including biscuits and chips, anything classed as a 'treat' really. I did gradually whittle it down and decided to start with a variety of lollies and chocolates. Working out pricing was hard! I had to try and 'guesstimate' delivery costs as I wanted to have an all inclusive price, this was very much a work in progress and took my sometime to get this sorted out. I had quite a few gifts at the very beginning where I lost money as the delivery was way more than I had expected!

I was still working at the ATO while setting up my business and didn't plan on leaving until I thought my business was actually working and I could make a living from it ie it would pay my bills!

TO BE CONTINUED........

* Rainbow Designs had been registered by my sister for a business she was thinking of starting up but she changed her mind so I just took it over! At least it went with the rainbow colours of lollies. So there was no deep thinking that went into the name :-)

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