Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

HMC — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:19:49 GMT

[quote user="An On MRCVS"]Are there any publications etc you could point me to if such a thing exists that might guide me on expectations, pitfalls etc etc.[/quote]

The financial times guide to business start up, or whatever the exact title is. Less than £20 on-line.

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Dagmar Steele — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:20:08 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

[You wouldn't care to move to Bangor, would you?

[/quote]

no more teeth, do you promise?????

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:51:41 GMT

[quote user="Dagmar Steele"]

you can buy a decent ultrasound machine instead of the cheapest low quality thing and so on.

[/quote]

Ah, but if you are on your own you can choose whichever machine you think you ought to have.

[quote user="Dagmar Steele"]I'd love to work with someone who fancies teeth more than I do,[/quote]

You wouldn't care to move to Bangor, would you?

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Dagmar Steele — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:23:34 GMT

I for once wouldn't set up on my own again. Because of my family, because I'm getting older and this winter I was so ill for the first time in my working life that I couldn't drag myself to work (in 22 years), because you just can't be good in every field and I'd love to work with someone who fancies teeth more than I do, because I miss someone adult and sensible to talk to during the daytime, because in this very competitive market opening hours tend to broaden and it would be much easier to divide this between let's say three vets. Having said that I'd still have a very hard time choosing who I'd set up with. But then between more vets costs can be divided, you can buy a decent ultrasound machine instead of the cheapest low quality thing and so on.

My two cents, for what they're worth....

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:30:02 GMT

[quote user="An On MRCVS"]

Thanks - interesting to hear pretty much negatives. It is by no means a done deal here so thank you for honest input.

[/quote]

Hey, don't be put off. The previous posters were just pointing out the realities. If you fancy the idea, go for it. Consider the advantage: the tremendous freedom of being self-employed – you don't have to please anyone but yourself (and "yourself " may prove to be a hard taskmaster). No boss, no business partner.

Paint one wall of the waiting room matt black and the others shocking pink, if you want.

Of course you won't have many clients, or an awful lot of equipment, at first but what you will have is plenty of time to spend with your clients. Capitalise on that. Develop a reputation as "the listening vet"?

Don't buy anything, drugs or equipment, unless you are absolutely cotton-pickin' sure you need it.

I bought a book called "Tax for the self-employed" which was very useful. Long out of date now, but I expect there are modern versions. I also tried a to learn accountancy from a book......... gave up around page 5, utterly baffled. Get a good accountant, early on, one you can get on with personally and who you can ring up for advice without being charged by the minute.

Assuming you will need to borrow loads of money, you will need to write a business plan. This is very tedious, but it is essential, and it will help you to consider things.

Don't hire lots of employees at first....... don't hire any if you can help it. You'll have to work a bit harder, but hard work won't hurt you. For the same reason, don't get workmen in – plumbers, electricians, drain-unblockers, painters – if you can help it.

Are you married? Your spouse and children will need to be as keen on the idea as you. This is very important.

Just some random thoughts there. Ask again if you want more specific comments.

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

An On MRCVS — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:02:03 GMT

Thanks - interesting to hear pretty much negatives. It is by no means a done deal here so thank you for honest input.

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Niall Taylor — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:01:22 GMT

[quote user="plantagenet"] What I have found most bruising is the attitude of society to the employer, you cease to be important. The employee, the tax man, the client are all.[/quote]

Not just unimportant, often held responsible for things that ought to be other people's look out (as well as being a cash cow for the govt of course).

Niall

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

plantagenet — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:55:39 GMT

All the stress, all the sh*t, all the responsibility, all the work - from vet work to unblocking the drains, all the anxiety...... yes there are some plus points, but there are easier ways of [making/not making] a living. You will never be more than 2 ft from your mobile again.

What I have found most bruising is the attitude of society to the employer, you cease to be important. The employee, the tax man, the client are all.

Would I do it again? well I needed to get it out of my system but, with hindsight (a wonderful thing!) I would not. Would I have listened to anyone else? Probably not.

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Colin Thomson — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:33:10 GMT

You need to speak to those on Billa Schleicher's Vet Startup list on Yahoo. There's quite a few there that have setup on their own.

Re: Thinking of setting up alone - advice please?

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 12:15:45 GMT

It gets lonely. Be sure that's what you really want.