starting a business

[Ants!]

I had a bit of an epiphany today where I realized I might be able to manufacture foam weapons and sell them online. I'm trying to figure out how to go about it, my sister says I could start right away selling handmade stuff on etsy.com and that it's cheap and easy to form an LLC (which I might need to do since I'm selling stuff meant to hit people with).

Although I think I have a real talent for it and the stuff I've made so far easily puts to shame what I've seen being used by every LARPer out there, I think I want to find a way to buy better materials in bulk rather than stuff off the store shelf (for example, maybe large sheets of really durable adhesive tape in varying colors rather than just the narrow strips of gray duct tape), as a way to not only make them more efficiently but to have a more professional manufactured look to them as well.

I have a degree in Management but very little of that education had to do with the ins and outs of actually starting your own business which was my ultimate goal since before I even picked that as my major, and now I'm finally sure of which business I'd like to start. Anyone have any advice on this?

[Northern Lights]

Use social media. It's free advertising.

[seth-magic]

Originally Posted by Northern Lights

Use social media. It's free advertising.

This is a big one. Soulja Boy is a millionaire because he had a youtube account.

LLC's are close to $300. At least...where I live.

As for colored duct-tape: http://www.duckbrand.com/Products/duck-tape.aspx

[Ants!]

I definitely plan on using social media, in tandem with a few other marketing ideas.

Also now that I think about it, it might be better if I used that latex rubber stuff for the outside. Keep the foam interior to make them soft enough since I've tried one of those latex weapons before and they hurt way too much, but I might try to find a way to coat the exterior of them to give them a nice look as well as weatherproof them better.

Originally Posted by Ceth

LLC's are close to $300. At least...where I live.

My sister told me more like $70 but I guess it varies.