It seems to me (now this is my uneducated guess) that small business are hardly ever successful, unless you are already independantly wealthy, or have an awesome idea that is broad enough to always generate business and not get swallowed up by the walmarts/starbuck's of the world.

 

if your idea of "small business" is yet another quicky mart, then yeah

If you can think outside of the box and have enough brains you'll be successful. If your idea of starting up a small business is "duuuh... i think i'll go open up myself a store just like the one down the street, and the one 2 blocks from here" then don't quit your day job.

Small business does not have to mean retail store, it could be a web site, it could be a service, there are so so many ways to make money out there. You just have to be creative.

 

I was mainly referring to all these "boutiques" and cafes I see sprouting up everywhere in my town

 

Hi, I am Lamvu's business partner. We have a great idea that will surely make us millions. We do need an actual store. It will be small in size, but big in ambition and profit.

My main question is rent. We would like to to open our place somewhere with a lot of traffic and upper-class customers. Obviously, the rent will be high. Or, we could open it somewhere lower-class and pay less rent. What would you guys recommend? About how much would rent cost around the Westeimer area in Houston?

Thanks,
Michael

 

Location, location, location...

I mostly agree with the comment about businesses being unsuccessful unless you have alot of savings; but ambition is a big part of it. My in-laws had only saved about $15-20k and opened an insurance agency, at the time, they lived in a trailer park. Now they have a $2.5 mil, 10,000 ft. house and are currently on a 1 month vacation in Europe. They have had the insurance agency only about 15 years. They worked their butts off, and it was worth it...

 

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