Number of jobs created: 1
Project in operation: 3 years
Location covered: UK and Europe
Sector: traditional gaming project - promotion of local arts and crafts
After a series of dead-end, low paid jobs Patrick decided that he wanted to work for himself. He also wanted to address what he saw as a lack of consumer choice in the market for niche products – e.g. DC Comics, Warhammer products, staging Pokemon tournaments etc.
Patrick started by buying a few products, selling them via eBay and reinvesting the proceeds in more stock. This process saw him gradually build up his stock until he ran out of space in the small office his father had loaned to him. He explored several options before deciding to rent a unit on a local industrial estate. While the unit doubles as a shop, most of his sales are on-line. Patrick received no funding of any kind; he started off with 10 comics and built the business from there. It has taken 3 years to get to the point where Patrick can take a basic wage out of the business.
Patrick has managed to create a steady job for himself doing something he enjoys.
The difficulties were mostly down to lack of finance which constrained the early growth of the business. This was mitigated by the fact that the running costs of the business were very low due to the business being based in a family member’s office.
Lack of footfall is an ongoing limiting factor to the growth of the shop sales, however, while locating to a local shopping mall would be prohibitively expensive in the shorter term, this option may be viable in the medium to longer term.
The general advice is to ‘keep at it’, do not be disheartened by the inevitable knockbacks which are a part of growing any business.
In terms of equipment you think you’ll need, spend your money carefully, try to think things through before committing to spend.
Concello de Vedra
Avda. Mestre Manuel Gómez Lorenzo Nº1
15885 Vedra, A Coruña (Spain)
Email: info@concellodevedra.com
Phone: +34 981 81 46 12
