Starting a new IT company?

[mark_otbc]

Hi all

 

I've been working in the IT Dep't at a school for a few years now and am considering leaving and starting up an IT Consultancy business with the person I work with. We've both been maintaining the school network and I also have teaching experience so can offer consultancy from a T&L perspective.

 

Does anybody have any advice for a newly starting IT Consultancy company and any assistance as to how we would go about it?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Roberto]

Hi all

 

I've been working in the IT Dep't at a school for a few years now and am considering leaving and starting up an IT Consultancy business with the person I work with. We've both been maintaining the school network and I also have teaching experience so can offer consultancy from a T&L perspective.

 

Does anybody have any advice for a newly starting IT Consultancy company and any assistance as to how we would go about it?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Know your market: I get lots of people offering me consultancy. Why would I choose you and your mate over literally dozens of others? Or is there less competition where you are? In either case, is there a demand?

[IWDave]

Completely agree with Roberto, I've been in the industry since leaving school and schools will turn their back on you in an instant. You maybe cheaper, friendly and local, but if there is no hierarchy backing of people to moan to, and I really hate to say it, but "they'll ditch you".

 

I've been tempted many times to go it alone, but customers, especially schools are fickle, I should know, I make those decisions almost on a weekly basis with suppliers. Keep me happy and I'll stay as long as I can, muck me about and you're history.

 

Either way, hope this insight helps and good luck if you do.

 

Dave

[elsiegee40]

If you are setting ypurself up in business... two words:

1. insurance

2. Accountant

Don't risk short cuts especially where your livelihood and HMRC are concerned

[Roberto]

Keep me happy and I'll stay as long as I can, muck me about and you're history.

 

And even if I'm happy with someone, a new regulation may be introduced that requires me to start 'advertising' contracts via a purchase framework that your average local "two people in a shed" type of business can't afford to join - often due to admin burden if not cost.

[matt40k]

I'd ask yourself why you want to do it @mark_otbc, if its money, spend a bit of time working work costs - I suspect it wouldn't make it worth while. If you really do want to do it, don't jump in, see if your employer would cut your hours so you could have a 50/50 split, least then you've got your bills covered.

[mthomas08]

Know your market: I get lots of people offering me consultancy. Why would I choose you and your mate over literally dozens of others? Or is there less competition where you are? In either case, is there a demand?

 

Important comment there.

 

Also would you be able to survive if you had little business for a while?

 

To be honest there is always a demand because at the moment all the big companies are still over charging. We recently went with Toshiba again with our printer system which we know cost more than else where. Main reasons we stuck with them is pushing their prices down and they actually can link up our system to what we want.

 

We will closely monitor it though and see how we go. With the new Bio Readers we have we can potentially look else where.

[mark_otbc]

Thanks all for your replies!

 

In the part of the country I'm in there aren't many people offering services such as this and those that are, are charging quite a lot of money for their service.

 

I know it'd be a LOT of hard work - a lot of the schools I know of in the area tend to employ the consultants on a 'X days per academic year' basis and what we'd do is get everything in place to have contracts signed and therefore some steady income before we cut down hours in the current job.

 

Luckily I'm also an accountant so the business-y accounting side of it would save a little money!