Some advice on business please please!

[vicxzy]

Hello! Please help a fellow geek!
Just a quickie but I sooo need some good advice.

Ive just spoken to the manager of a local gym who I contacted to ask if we could set up shop if he had a spare room.

As luck would have it they are just building a new aerobics studio and some little rooms too.

The gym has traditionally been for male body builders and I know loads of women are scared to set foot in there so I suggested to him that It would attract some female business for the gym at which point he got a bit huffy with me and said we have loads of women here 1000 members are women etc.

So after grossley offending him he told me he needs a business plan from us (we would be working on a % cut instead of rental)
and we need to let him know how many people we will be doing and how much money he will be getting etc.

I said Id get back to him the problem is I dont have a clue!
We have only recently set up on our own and only have a few clients we also both work full time so we could only do weekends/eves (he knows this already)and I was hoping they could get us some business in from the gym.

Any ideas what I can tell him without looking like a total loser?

Sorry its so long but Im really worried.

 

[Rose143]

Hi hun,

With all do respect, he should not be asking for a business plan, he's not a bank especially if he has no intention of helping you, advertising wise etc. I have no idea on rental and things like that but if you're doing it part time is it really going to be that profitable for you? It's gonna cost you in products, in petrol getting there, in doing this spare room up to look like a nail salon, not to mention your % of what you have to pay him. How much are both of you actually going to walk away with?

In order for this to work, he's got to work with you not question your ability. You guys need to agree on who's going to advertise, who's gonna decorate the room, the last thing you want is to pay for decorating a room to your liking and he get's someone else in during the day at your expense. I don't mean to put a damper on things but this is what would go through my mind.

From what you've said about him he sounds really negative about the the whole idea, be confident in your work hun and he will be as well. Most of all be honest with him as well as yourself, if it's just going to cost you too much in setting up and you don't make your money back, it's quite a gamble. Again not trying to sound horrible but it's all part time, if this was a full time thing I'd be all for it. I just hope there are some geeks out there who can give you better advice than this!

Like I said in the beginning, I've never rented anywhere so my advice is only me putting myself in your shoes, hope I've helped somehow sweetheart. Good luck!!!! :hug:

xxxx

 

[vicxzy]

Thanks hun Ive been up all night worrying sbout it!
He is going to do the room up for me so I dont think he was being that negative he just doesnt have a clue what hes talking about!
Would it be better for me to just pay him rent?The gym is only down the road from me so walking distance really.
He told me he doesnt know what hes talking about so he was just hoping Id provide an easy solution!
Anyone know what the going rate is for rentng a room?
Thanks x

 

[room one]

Renting can be anything from £50 per week to £150 per week. It depends on so many different factors.

Doing a business plan is a fantastic idea. It gives you an opportunity to sit down and really assess how long it will be before you gain a regular client base... how much you can potentially earn... what you can afford to pay... etc etc.

If you don't know where to start sit down and write down your ideal situation i.e how many hours do you want to work, how many clients can you fit in this time, how much will you charge. This will give you an idea of your potential earnings. Take this to the gym discuss percentages and see if it seems fair. If it does negotiate a lower percentage for a given period of time while you gain a client base and acquire stock (retailng will make you more money and increase your profit margin).

Percentage based remuneration is a good way to ensure you never pay out more than you earn but if it becomes a huge success you may eventually begrude paying such a large amount but for this to happen you would probably have to work full time.

On a friendlier note what you said about the gym being predominantely male orientated will female clients feel comfortable going into such an environment for their nails (as you will probably need to attract clients that don't use the gym as well)???

Good Luck...

 

[vicxzy]

On a friendlier note what you said about the gym being predominantely male orientated will female clients feel comfortable going into such an environment for their nails (as you will probably need to attract clients that don't use the gym as well)???

Good Luck...

Hi!thanks for your help!
I did say this to him which was when he got huffy telling me that they have loads of women go there :o and there were quite a few that night!
They also have a sunbed centre that attracts loads of women, the room hes on about leasing me is opposite the main gym in a building where there will be an aerobics studio which is mostly women.
Im so unsure of whether to do rent or percent!
ARGHHHHHHHHH!

 

[tatz]

okkk my advice to you after owning and bein a director of a large corporate business is he does not need a business plan from you...... unless he is going to loan you money so stop worrying about that one. Secondly look at the location of where you are setting up...... type of area (whether its an area that you would call cosmopolitan enough where women can first of all afford getting enhancements or whether they would even bother paying money for them rather than going to boots and slapping god awful out the bag jobs on her fingers for a few quid). GET CLARIFICATION OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO HIM AS A LANDLORD, that is very important as most landlords will tie u in knots when it comes to responsibility and also rent terms such as even if u decide after doing it there a month u dont want to be there u might have to still pay rent after you move out. Last thing always think about his suitability to you as a landlord he could be a real jerk especially if he does not know what hes on about. Hope thats been a bit of help to you if u need any more advice pm me and ill give u my number to ring. BTW i was so unhappy doing what i did and pressure from landlords that i shut it down and walked away to do this............ i have never been happier so good luck xxx

 

[vicxzy]

okkk my advice to you after owning and bein a director of a large corporate business is he does not need a business plan from you...... unless he is going to loan you money so stop worrying about that one. Secondly look at the location of where you are setting up...... type of area (whether its an area that you would call cosmopolitan enough where women can first of all afford getting enhancements or whether they would even bother paying money for them rather than going to boots and slapping god awful out the bag jobs on her fingers for a few quid). GET CLARIFICATION OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO HIM AS A LANDLORD, that is very important as most landlords will tie u in knots when it comes to responsibility and also rent terms such as even if u decide after doing it there a month u dont want to be there u might have to still pay rent after you move out. Last thing always think about his suitability to you as a landlord he could be a real jerk especially if he does not know what hes on about. Hope thats been a bit of help to you if u need any more advice pm me and ill give u my number to ring. BTW i was so unhappy doing what i did and pressure from landlords that i shut it down and walked away to do this............ i have never been happier so good luck xxx

Ohhhhhhh I wanna cry!
He only wants a business plan so I can tell him how much money he will be getting but I dont know!
Neither of us know what the going rate is either for rent any idea how I can find this out?
They are a real inexpensive gym as a swanky franchise set up a couple of years ago and they lost a lot of women to that as it has a beauty room.
The good thing as well is that they have a lot of competition body builders which means I could cash in on the old spray tanning!
He seems alright just a bit confused about what to tell me but he did say that as the gym doesnt charge silly prices (£1 per session!) he wouldnt be greedy.

 

[tatz]

if you want to know the going rate for rent in that area shop around go to commercial letting agents that will give you a good idea and you might even find something better. The main thing is stop worrying being in business means you have to be like a duck...... calm and serene on the surface..... legs going like hell underneath that will then instill confidence in the people you talk to wether its business people or clients.

 

[Kim Lawless]

Sorry to be negative but I'd give it a wide birth. Getting clients in a mixed gym is hard enough.....................let alone getting clients in a predominently male gym.

Unless you're in a shop fronted area right out in reception, you won't see a soul. Believe me !!!! I went to Fitness First and didn't get one client........not one. They were brilliant though and cancelled the agreement without charge which by the way was £50 per week and I could have been there every housr that they were open.

I'd say look for a space someone more prominent. Sorry to rain on your parade doll. Best to find out now. Good luck. xxxx

 

[vicxzy]

Im just emailing him to ask about % share for the first 3 months Ive pushed my luck and tried 20%!
It is in a really good position right at the front.........