Post recession startups, co-ops, new business models

Hi all
Firstly: I am looking to the forum love to ask help. This help may help me do what I'm trying to do in the future, which is stop wondering about and start actually doing what I feel I'm able to offer. So I'm interested in how people think and operate in developing business.

I'm looking for inspiration, names of people, forums, places to find out stuff about self employed people starting amazing, visionary careers ... I'm not specifically talking about cycling, but whatever. Maybe homemade, inventive, with a sense of craft, 'real' things for a sustainable future ... community based, co-operative, seeing a gap in the market or just creating a new strand ...

What's your favourite new startup that makes you think 'oh my gosh, what chutzpah, they've just jacked it* all in and done THIS instead!'?

*'it' might be just working for others or previously having just one career or a dull job, or boredom, or underemployment.

There are literally loads of players well known to all of us in cycling, over the last ten years, who seem to be carving their own destiny in a way that's impressive - small but perfectly formed like Robin Mather, or growing exponentially due to a vision of a immaculately presented brand and strong business like Rapha.

Who I'm also aware of might be:

What Velocio's up to right now
A watermill-to-energy conversion designer guy I know
CTRL courier collective
Coopers Bakehouse down SE London
LMNH
Murtle Inc
Black Rainbow Project
Union Cycle Works
Ted James Designs
Oak cycles
Brockley Market
The Kernel
Ollie (off here)'s making charcuterie in his basement ... inspiring to be so productive! Not sure if he's made moves to get a business going out of that one.

Can you point me to any more, especially the non cycle-specific ...? They say there's a rise in self-employment in the last few years, so who are the innovators?

Suffice to say, my list seems to centre around two things I adore: food and cycling.

I'm thinking in similar terms.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread99740.html

This thread didn't get off the ground but what it contains is good. From their blog I contacted one of the organisers and joined their Google group. It won't interest everybody but it does me, and I admire anyone who moves in a personally rewarding direction.

We've got Nuknow (remember him?) baking all the cakes for a deli in Hackney.

Then there's BMMF writing the eagerly awaited follow-up to 50 Shades of Grey - 60 Sprockets of Puce.

Lucifer with his...Lancashireism.

Spotter's photography.

Will's too.

You've got your saddle thing, if you still do it. If you don't you should.

I assume you mean Corlis Benefideo's charcuterie? New one on me, would like to try it.

A lot of what holds me back in freelancing is the fear of selling myself combined with getting no work. Those above either don't let those feelings trouble them or never felt that way.

I feel quite passionate that people such as Oliver, Skydancer and Jason (plus the rest) continue to contribute to changes in cycling. They're doing important work which probably appears thankless and impossible, but I admire their dedication. Maybe consider getting active in the LCC, or investigate becoming a trainer yourself.

The polo lot - doing it off their own backs. I'm very impressed by their conviction to make things happen.

Lots to get inspired by when you think about it.

The kid who did jam...Super Jam is pretty impressive.

Innocent (obv) and all the following imitators in different foods.
There are a few doing Chocolate, Honey, Popcorn, Cupcakes etc and I seem to recall someone ex Innocent now doing organic chewing gum. I can't see most getting past the niche stage and getting to a sustainable business though.

It depends what you want...to build a business or to do what you love and earn enough to get by? The examples of one crossing over to the other are pretty rare I think.

Whatup skully,

I've started a small enterprise revolving around the curing of meat. Specialising in hams and bacon at the moment but I'm looking to branch out. It's purely cottage industry / 'black market' type production at the moment selling to friends and small pubs/restaurants nearby.

an idea of costs:

£10 full belly of pork
-£6 for cure and utensils
£20 per slab of bacon post curing (roughly 4 slabs per sheet, averaging 30 slice sof bacon per slab)

after costs are deducted I look at around £60-£75 profit per sheet of pork belly. It's a ten to twelve day process mostly. Not a huge turnover by any means, and not professional at all but demand is high and customers are satisfied.

My hams (three of them) have ten months left to hang however at a cost of £55 each, they'll look to sell direct to pubs/customers for around £800 - £1000 once fully cured. I'm starting a second batch once the frost retreats up here, most likely mid-march.

I give myself three to four years in my current role and then I'm moving on. The dream is to own a coffee shop/bakery in my hometown (tough market I know) but I'll have enough capital raised with this project and with salary to hit the ground running and be 'legit'.

A friend of mine started a rum bar in Islingotn some ten years ago with little funding and no real clue and it's now kicking ass. It's been a dream watching his endeavour progress to where it is now and it is definitely something that I wish to emulate.

Good luck in what you have planned my friend!

So here's my idea, a bike cafe in South London. I've done a short market research questionnaire on Survey Monkey. Is it cool to post a link here?

As long as I get a free coffee then I'll allow it.

Skully, missed all this when you first posted. "Sausage" Ollie is me. I love charcuterie and have really only dabbled, but made a hundred chorizo and salami one year and brought a load of them down to Souths, where they went down well. I haven't stopped but I've moved (Lincolnshire) and been temporarily distracted by chickens, brewing and bees. I'm trying to start a bartering circle (eggs, veg, beer, cider, honey) within my local community. It is hard work. Chug_It, I love the sound of what you are doing. Really that much for an air cured ham, trade price? Wow. Maybe I (we?) do need to go there. I can farm pigs (well, I've a book on it). I know a disused underground vaulted reservoir, well ventilated, constant temp and humidity...

It depends what you want...to build a business or to do what you love and earn enough to get by

Nail on the head. The majority of people want to do the former and good luck to them. But if you can be happy with the second, I reckon you're much more likely to succeed. If you have your health, a bike, your friends, a roof over your head, and decent wholesome food and drink what else do you need? My wife would add a few things to that list :-)

I too dream of this and have a few ideas, but it needs care and good planning because you want to give it the best chance of success.

Fair few freelancers around: designers, developers.

temporarily distracted by chickens, brewing and bees

Those are some pretty good distractions.

So here's my idea, a bike cafe in South London. I've done a short market research questionnaire on Survey Monkey. Is it cool to post a link here?

SE or SW? Or is that yet to be decided?

Open water swimming holidays have gone massive over the past few years..... So.......

I would like to see more of this sort of thing, although done for more of a budget cost, yha style.... meet other cyclists, alps region. Evening bbqs.
http://www.ecrinslodge.com/lodge.php

Is that a dream .... ?

Yep Nick-Nack, that's another thread in my dream idea. My wife is half-italian and we've family in the Veneto/Dolomites region. We also have quite good connections in cycling out there, inc. Pinarello family and so on.

I'd love to run a small cycling-focused agri-B&B, largely self-suffiecient in produce, with great food and wine etc, providing transport and support for daily excursions into the Alps. Whatever is needed: guided tours, hire bikes, bike workshop and all that jazz.

Do you think it could work?

If so, I need to save some more €€ to buy the perfect place!

Great thread, having been made redundant my brain has been searching for new ways to earn money to get by, unfortunately my brain has not come up with any good ideas yet. But great to get inspired by others.

If so, I need to save some more €€ to buy the perfect place!

Although in the spirit of this thread I'd prefer it if some open-minded Italian gentry co-opted me their spare 18th century hunting lodge.
awaits PMs

Yep Nick-Nack, that's another thread in my dream idea. My wife is half-italian and we've family in the Veneto/Dolomites region. We also have quite good connections in cycling out there, inc. Pinarello family and so on.

I'd love to run a small cycling-focused agri-B&B, largely self-suffiecient in produce, with great food and wine etc, providing transport and support for daily excursions into the Alps. Whatever is needed: guided tours, hire bikes, bike workshop and all that jazz.

Do you think it could work?

If so, I need to save some more €€ to buy the perfect place!

No doubt it would work, but it would be seasonal.

My other half's mothers side is from Grenoble.
Went there last year and i could very happily go back every year.
Beautiful weather, beautiful area, great cycling climbs.
Lakes for swimming in and loads of outdoor pools.....

Get saving! :)

Lfgss Alps holiday barn.
Anyone for shares?

Yes it would definitely seasonal. You could possibly attract some wintersports bods if its in the right place, but you don't want to be right in a resport because land is expensive and it kills the peace & quiet aspect.

I've been working on a business plan, and saving hard. Still some way off though...

Great thread! I hate my job

Sort it out then!

Dammit, Blueprints, if you can spare 2 minutes to fill in my questionnaire, it would be massively appreciated. I’m at the early stage of what I hope turns out to be more than a pipe dream.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VCGZ667

If anyone can spare 2 minutes, it would be great to get your feedback. I’m collecting responses outside of LFGSS too (obviously), but if incentivising is needed to get the numbers up, we can discuss bribes.

Thanks all,

Will

Dammit, Blueprints, if you can spare 2 minutes to fill in my questionnaire, it would be massively appreciated. I’m at the early stage of what I hope turns out to be more than a pipe dream.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VCGZ667

If anyone can spare 2 minutes, it would be great to get your feedback. I’m collecting responses outside of LFGSS too (obviously), but if incentivising is needed to get the numbers up, we can discuss bribes.

Thanks all,

Will

Filled it out. It'd be good to know which locations you're sizing up, as I think Colliers Wood might be a bit far out.

The largest barrier to starting anything will always be funding it. Have you got some funding to start your bike cafe?

Filled it in. Was like yipee South London Cafe....oh Murder Merton boo! At least you'll have Hatbeard.

Far out, man...

Merkton?