Start your own business as a Antiques Dealer

Antiques Dealer

Start-up cost: $1,000–$40,000 (depending on how large you would like
your inventory to be)

Potential earnings: $35,000–$150,000

Typical fees: Varied; your pieces will sell anywhere from $10–$10,000
Advertising: Yellow Pages, community newspapers, direct mail, show
participation, a Web site of your own, possibly listing on
sites like Antiques.com, a large sign to advertise on outside
of home

Qualifications: Should be knowledgeable about antiques and pricing

Equipment needed: Credit card processing equipment, computer with high quality
digital camera and Internet access, printer, fax


Staff required: No

Hidden costs: Insurance, warehousing, packaging and shipping

What You Do to become a Antiques Dealer

Th e lure of the old and priceless draws many a sentimental customer into an
antique store, and you could start such a business with a dozen or so nice pieces
of furniture, some antique china, and lots of old books and toys. All of these
items tend to sell well, as they are collectible and worth increasingly more with
each passing year. You’ll need to develop a sizable stock or inventory of pieces to
sell, which can best be accomplished by combing thrift shops, fl ea markets, estate
sales, and Internet auctions on eBay, Yahoo!, and Antiques.com for the best and
most interesting old items you can find. Watch the newspaper for garage sales,
too. Sometimes people will unknowingly unload a fabulous antique at a steal of
a price.

Basically, you should keep in mind that your business will need to be run
just like any other retail establishment, which means you’ll need to price yourself
well enough to cover your operating expenses in addition to building a profit.
Folks will want to barter with you on price, so you’ll need to hold firm with your
price or raise your price enough to compensate for allowing customers to talk you
down the typical 10–15 percent. You can also choose to conduct online auctions
to automatically generate competitive bidding.

What You Need
It all depends on how you plan on growing your business. You can start off with
just a few pieces for under $2,000, and then add more accordingly. To really turn a
profit, you’ll want to start with significant inventory that will run you upwards of
$20,000. Look to earn $35,000–$150,000, depending on three things: location,
quality of product line, and price. Obviously, if you’re in a quaint New England
town, you might fare better than an antique shop in the middle of Kentucky. But
if you have antique items in high demand around the country, location won’t even
be an issue—and the sky’s the limit.
Keys to Success
It’s a competitive market, and too many well-intended entrepreneurs make the
mistake of thinking this will be an easy ride. If you are focused on high-end
antiques and have sufficient working capital to buy the kinds of pieces that will
build your reputation for the finer things, then you’ll have little problem making
a living. If, on the other hand, you choose to specialize in less-expensive antiques
and collectibles, you’ll need to round up lots of inventory because you’ll likely be
turning it around very quickly.

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Animal Breeder - start your own home business

Animal Breeder

Start-up cost: $10,000–$15,000
Potential earnings: $45,000–$80,000
Typical fees: Often $200–$600 per animal
Advertising: Breeding magazines and shows, newspaper ads,
networking, Web site

Qualifications: Knowledge of specific animal breed, familiarity with breed

standards; a permit will likely be necessary as well (check
with your local zoning board)

Equipment needed: Cell phone (with or without hands-free accessories),
computer with Internet access, fax, printer, business cards,
letterhead, envelopes

Staff required: No

Hidden costs: Home kennel and breeding area (check with your local
zoning board for permit fees)

What You Do
Dog and cat shows are more popular than ever. All you need is cable television to
witness the craze. But where, besides the highly undesirable “puppy mills,” do the
most beautiful breeds come from? If you have a passion for purebreds, becoming
an animal breeder might be just what the veterinarian ordered! Once you pick a
breed in which to specialize, you will need to build a small kennel and breeding
ground and find your prize-winning bitch or stud. Th en you will advertise your
breeding service. You may also decide to find a suitable breed match for your initial
animal and sell their off spring to smaller pet shops or directly to the new pet owners.
Once you become known as a breeder, you will be able to quickly and easily
connect with breed lovers via shows and the Internet.

What You Need
A cell phone will probably be your most important piece of office equipment,
along with e-mail for communicating with distant customers and contacts. A good
computer with a high-resolution digital camera will also help you showcase the
animals you are offering for sale.

Keys to Success
Th e most important asset you have is your breed. You will constantly need to protect
the integrity of the breed characteristics, so your animals cannot be bred with
just any other of its species. What will help you the most to grow your business
is for your animals to win major show titles, so that their off spring become more
valuable due to their lineage. Like the many animals you’ll breed, this business
will take time to grow.