How to Start My Own Lingerie Business

Lingerie are women's undergarments, and may imply their being fashionable and alluring. Lingerie includes undergarments using flexible, stretchy, sheer, or decorative materials like Lycra, nylon (nylon tricot), polyester, satin,lace, silk and sheer fabric. Certain cotton or synthetic undergarments are also lingerie.

Start a lingerie business on a shoestring budget -- perhaps that should be a bra strap budget -- or spend tens of thousands of dollars. Your costs depend on several factors, including whether you're making the lingerie, wholesaling or selling it at retail. Where you sell the lingerie, how much inventory and equipment is required, marketing costs and, of course, licensing all affect costs.

How to Start a Carpet Showroom

A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a man made fiber such as polypropylene, nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their structure.

Interior designers, homeowners and retailers use carpet to add warmth to their spaces, making rich, attractive carpets always in demand. Opening up a carpet showroom can be a successful business venture if you launch your business after much planning. Find a space that showcases your carpets, and watch the customers roll in.

Starting Your Own Crystal Chandelier Business

Manufacturing and selling crystal chandeliers are perhaps one of the most lucrative ventures today. If you know how to run the business and if you are good in designing these lighting fixtures, you may easily start a business of your own. Of course, you have to consider a lot of factors before starting on the business. This article will help you start on a crystal chandelier venture.

Start a Landscape Lighting Business

You need a specific business and marketing plan if you wish to open a landscape lighting business, or if you currently own a landscaping business and want to add landscape design and lighting as an additional service. New designers will need to consider whether to start as an independent contractor or purchase a franchise opportunity. Purchasing a franchise may involve additional costs, so consider this in your business plan for capital needs. In addition to initial capital and financial projections, your business plan should include a description of your experience and expertise, how you plan to market your business and a description of your business operations.

How to Start a Furniture Store

Some enjoy furniture shopping and others don't. As the owner of a furniture sales store, your customers need to enjoy looking through your store.The decision to open a Furniture Store must be made with the recognition of an over saturation of furniture goods in most markets and hence intense competition for customers. Under those conditions, a new furniture store would need to firmly ascertain that a need exists for the store, then acquire inventory, financing, and an operations staff. 

How to Start a Shoe Store Business

A shoe store or shoe shop is a type of retailer that specializes in selling shoes. From slippers to athletic shoes to boots, the store could also sell shoe accessories, including insoles, shoelaces, shoe horns, shoe polish, etc. In addition, shoe stores may provide clothing and fashion accessories, such as handbags, sunglasses, backpacks, socks, and hosiery.

A shoe repair shop is a type of business establishment that fixes and remodels shoes and boots. Besides a shoe repair shop, a shoe repairer could work in department stores or shoe stores.

A wide variety of shoe stores are available to consumers, from those made just for babies to shoe stores for brides and grooms. A shoe store is versatile, in that it can be operated physically within your local community or online, where you can service customers worldwide. Opening a shoe store requires planning and a good deal of preparation, but it can be a lucrative way to make money. If you are into fashion and looking to start a retail operation, opening a shoe store may be the ideal business for you.

How to Start a Baby Store

By opening a baby store, you can help expectant parents and family members get the supplies and clothing they need for their little ones. If you enjoy children, this can be a very fulfilling business and it can be extremely lucrative at the same time. Babies require many different goods and the supply will keep on coming. Many people find joy in looking at baby items and shopping for baby gifts. So, why not be the one to supply those popular items. Before opening up a baby store, make sure to get to know what products sell best, and learn the guidelines that will lead you to success. 

How to Open a Tobacco and Beer Store

An expansive, affordable inventory sets a tobacco and beer specialty retailer apart from a consumer's other options, such as convenience stores. Choosing an accessible location for your store is essential, as are unique products. Abiding by all state and local laws is also essential, so obtain a license to sell beer and tobacco products from your city government and ensure all employees meet established age requirements, which vary from state to state. In Kentucky as of this article's publication, workers of any age can sell tobacco products, but in Washington state, minors must be supervised by an adult employee when selling tobacco. Alcohol sales are similarly regulated.

How to Set up a Co-operative Store

A cooperative ("coop") or co-operative ("co-op") is an autonomous association of persons who voluntarily cooperate for their mutual social, economic, and cultural benefit. Cooperatives include non-profit community organizations and businesses that are owned and managed by the people who use its services (a consumer cooperative) or by the people who work there (a worker cooperative) or by the people who live there (a housing cooperative), hybrids such as worker cooperatives that are also consumer cooperatives or credit unions, multi-stakeholder cooperatives such as those that bring together civil society and local actors to deliver community needs, and second and third tier cooperatives whose members are other cooperatives.

A Co-operative Wholesale Society, or CWS, is a form of Co-operative Federation (that is, a Co-operative in which all the members are Co-operatives), in this case, the members are usually Consumers' Co-operatives. According to Co-operative economist Charles Gide, the aim of a Co-operative Wholesale Society is to arrange “bulk purchases, and, if possible, organise production.” In other words, a Co-operative Wholesale Society is a form of Federal Co-operative through which Consumers' Co-operatives can collectively purchase goods at wholesale prices, and in some cases collectively own factories or farms.

In 2005 there were 30,000 U.S. cooperatives operating 73,000 places of business, accounting for approximately $654 billion in annual revenue and more than two million jobs paying approximately $75 billion in wages and benefits, according to a study by the National Cooperative Business Association and the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. If you are thinking of opening a store, the co-op business model can be an economical, moderate-risk way to create your enterprise.

How to Start a Stationery Business

Stationery has historically pertained to a wide gamut of materials: paper and office supplies, writing implements, greeting cards, glue, pencil cases and other similar items.

You can choose from a number of business models when opening a stationery store business, so you must first decide on the products and services you wish to offer. Consumer stationery stores sell pre-printed, custom printed or blank stationery and invitations. Business stationery businesses sell custom printed stationery and related items for business use. Both business types may provide in-house printing, or contract with a wholesale vendor for printing services, but each requires different marketing and advertising strategies, merchandise stock inventory and pricing structures.

How to Start a Hardware Store Business

Hardware stores (in a number of countries, "shops"), sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware for home improvement including: fasteners, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for use at home or for business. Many hardware stores have specialty departments unique to its region or its owner's interests. These departments include hunting and fishing supplies, plants and nursery products, marine and boating supplies, pet food and supplies, farm and ranch supplies including animal feed, swimming pool chemicals, home brewing supplies and canning supplies.

A hardware store requires a hugeinvestment for a facility and an inventory of tools and materials. Like any new business, the best ways to start a hardware store involve thorough research of your potential market to find out if there's a need as well as a lot of planning before you start leasing or buying space, purchasing inventory, hiring people and otherwise investing capital.

How to Start Your Own Small Construction Company

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry employs more than 8 million people. Although the success of the industry is closely tied to the housing market --- it was hit hard when the credit crisis of 2007 all but halted new building for years --- small builders, especially those who specialize in niche jobs like energy-efficient design, will always be needed. With careful planning, starting your own company can be a profitable venture. Successful Construction Company owners are above all else good businesspeople, so leave no stone unturned when creating your business plan.

How to Start My Own Real Estate Business

Anyone who enjoys selling real estate may also enjoy owning a brokerage. With multiple agents splitting their commissions with you, owning your own brokerage makes it easier to ride out fluctuations in the market, an appealing benefit of brokerage ownership. Of course, as a broker you will also take on supervisory duties that you don't have as an agent, and you will also have to carry the overhead of running an office. But if you enjoy mentoring and have cash-flow management skills, the rewards can be great, psychologically and financially.

How to Start Your Own Kids Clothing Store

Children’s clothing sales are influenced by some of the same consumer shopping cycles that affect the overall retail clothing industry. Market research firm High beam Business notes that children’s clothing revenues historically increased when youngsters returned to school in late August. Sales were generally consistent through the holiday gift-buying season. In fact, 30 percent to 40 percent of annual clothing sales were recorded during this four-month period. In 2010, children’s clothing stores have seen more evenly spaced sales as toddlers and preschoolers head to class all year.

How to Start My Own Sewing Business

Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, archaeologists believe Stone Age people across Europe and Asia sewed fur and skin clothing using bone, antler or ivory needles and "thread" made of various animal body parts including sinew, catgut, and veins.

Although usually associated with clothing and household linens, sewing is used in a variety of crafts and industries, including shoemaking, upholstery, sailmaking, bookbinding and the manufacturing of some kinds of sporting goods. Sewing is the fundamental process underlying a variety of textile arts and crafts, including embroidery, tapestry, quilting, appliqué and patchwork.


Many people, especially stay-at-home moms, dream of being able to begin their own business from home. Those that already have a trade or skill are one step above the rest when it comes to determining what type of business to operate. Many moms have a skill, such as sewing, that they deem only as a hobby. Consider turning that hobby into profit and beginning a home sewing business.

If you enjoy sewing, creating interesting clothing patterns or performing alterations and tailoring, starting a sewing business may be the perfect business opportunity for you. Depending on your skills, there are many different types of sewing projects available including dressmaking, costume design, special occasion clothing, embroidery and clothing repair. Keeping up with fashion and sewing trends is the best way to attract a variety of customers and maintain regular clients. Referrals from these clients help you build an even larger customer base.