Does anyone have any suggestions on starting up your own dispensary? I've been an Optician for 4 years, am currently managing a mid to high end dispensary in NH and am tired of working for "The Man" :angry: ! It's now time to start working for "THE MAN" (That would be me :) ) I could very well be relocating to ME in a few months and will have some capital from the sale of my house, so that shouldn't be a problem. Any suggestions at all would be appreciated!! :cheers:
You are so lucky! Anyway, let me beat down this green monster in myself...
Wow - where to start. I have been working on my business plan/prospectus for the last year and I still have much to complete. If you do a search on this forum, this has been answered to the best a general question like this can be answered.
My suggestions? Put your money in the bank and spend some time researching.
-Locations, size, hours
-cost per sq. ft.
-lease agreements, CAM's
-foot traffic
-demographics
-build-out (cabinets, furniture)
-equipment
-inventory
-marketing
-yellow pages
-phones/phone systems, alarm systems
-lab costs/monthly/yearly
-inventory costs/monthly/yearly
(project these costs out for the next 5 yrs)
-employment - salaries/bene's
--business licenses
--taxes (accountants, etc.)
--lawer fees to incorporate
--tradmarking your business name
Then - you have to decide who you want to sell to, what you want to sell and then break down your costs down to the last screw so you can have a good idea how much you have to sell to make ends meet for several years. What will your total overhead be for the first year? The 5th year? How do you intend to build business and bring in customers?
Gosh - sooooo much more, my head is swimming!!!! I have 2 whole notebooks filled.
Good luck!
-
:cheers:
NO SHOE'S.
Jump in and swim.......
will it be hard (Yes) Will there be long hours (yes) Will there be sleepless nights (Yes) Will you have stress (Yes) can you do it (Yes)
I worked with a asian man who came to the USA with no shoes on his feet lied his way into the Optical field saying he knew all there is to know about glasses,he did this several time's untill one guy tought him to be a Optician.
later he opened his own Optical shop with full surface & finish lab ran it sucessfully for 15 years to this day he has 6 house's.
He told me that as bad as it ever got it could never be as bad as no shoe's on my feet........
worse case sinario I go back with no shoe's on my feet
NEVER LET PEOPLE SAY YOU CAN'T DO IT
Originally Posted by JChesh
1) research the area you will be living - what are the demographics of the residents? What are the major employers? Who are "the players" in the current optical market? Is there anyway you can "shop" them to find out what they are like (and then, figure out how you'll be different).
A business plan is quite critical - here are two great links that can off ideas on writing that and more.
2) check out the resources at http://www.score.org/business_toolbox.html
3) check out the resources at http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/
Good Luck!!
Last edited by GOS_Queen; 06-27-2006 at 08:39 AM. Reason: had to grab some links ...and I can't spell
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Thanks
Dennis
I'm always curious. . .
about these paperless systems. What happens when the power goes out?? The last place I worked that had one of these things we couldn't even call patients to let them know that the power was out.
Days where my gratitude exceed my expectations are very good days!
When the power goes out - most professional-grade business telephone systems will too b/c they require power. If all else fails, break out the cell phones!
You can choose to add a backup battery to your computer, also called a "UPS" or uninteruptible power supply. I've got a few that work well...wont help u with the phones tho.
they would help with the phones if you plug them into the UPS :) right? Don't have one of those fancy phones you describe, but my UPS will allow anything to run, for a short amount of time.
will have some capital from the sale of my house...............
Be prepared to tighten your belt for the next few years as bank loans are usually a no no until you have been in businerss for 5 years and survived.
Choose a good location that will be not at prices shopping centers charge, as being across from a large supermaket chain store or beside it. There lots of people of social status going in and out and will remeber having seen your sign when its time for glasses.
Shed your habits from the high end store you are working presently, because your first drop in customers will be price shoppers and not yearlong customers of another opticians that has been around for ever.
Try to do your own small lab work from repairs to cutting lenses and add on lens treatments as you have plenty of time to do it at the start and will know the savings you are making when you going to get busier.
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