New Business Idea

Raging Stars

We are currently in the process of setting up a new business. Our idea is to transform a double-decker bus into a kids party bus.
Our aim is primarily to serve kids parties but we also intend on aiming the bus at primary schools, where it could be used to hold fitness classes or other extra-curricular activities.
The lower deck of the bus will be kitted out with padded walls and floors and play centre equipment including; cargo nets, ball pool, squeezy rollers, monkey bars, slides as well as interactive equipment. The upper deck of the bus will also have padded floors and walls and this free space will be used to conduct fitness classes for kids. We feel that this business idea is viable as our main competitive advantage is that the bus will bring the party to the customer, without the hassle of cleaning up or transporting a number of children!
We are looking for feedback on this idea with regards to customer potential. Any suggestions, recommendations or criticism would be greatly appreciated.
Also if anyone has any suggestions on how we could make this idea more green efficient, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

MidlandsM

To be honest, this ain't going to work.

thirtythirty

Scope insurance and liability first before you do anything else - anything to do with kids needs to be water tight.

Raging Stars

We have received quotes from insurance companies and we will be covered by public liability as the bus is stationary while the children are on board, we will however look further into this area.

shoutman

MidlandsM wrote: »

To be honest, this ain't going to work.

Mod Note: Posts like this aren't helpful in the slightest, if you are going to be negative towards an idea, at least post with your reasoning behind your negativity.

Thanks

Raging Stars

Thanks shoutman

MidlandsM

Raging Stars wrote: »

Thanks shoutman

ohhh, thanks Shoutman indeed.:rolleyes:

Ok, reasons it will not work.

The bus is too small to have a play centre in......period.
The insurance will cripple you.
The fit out cost will be probhibitive as its a specialist fit out and can't be done on the cheap.
No parents are paying for extra cirular activites at the mo, i know, I'am one.
The crazy cost of fuel to move the bus round.
The servicing,upkeep and testing of this vehicle, not cheap, i know.
You may need to be garda vetted, if in this area of business, where kids are your clients.

It's all stacked against you. Mad idea. Sorry if its not what you want to hear, but maybe you need to hear it to WAKE UP!

shoutman

My main concern would be your targeting. At the moment primary schools by in large are flat broke, they definitely wouldn't have the money to be spending on this sort of a thing. Obviously if you just ask them for access to their students and the parents pick up the bill that's another story altogether.

Have you estimated what you will charge per child? And how many children can be on the bus at the same time? Obviously you will need attendants on board to look after them etc....

While I understand this is in the early development stages, it would still be a good idea to ring around 40+ primary schools and have a quick chat with the principal to gauge their reaction.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

ssbob

I like the idea and fair play for trying, I for one recently spent €300 on my daughters 5th birthday party in a play centre, which did include the food.

Negatives I would have:

1. Will people have enough space outside of their houses to accomadate a double decker bus without blocking up the street?
2. WIll you be doing food?
3. How much will you be charging, reason for this is that to get any sort of a return, it will have to be similar enough to what I got charged above because you have to pay for your fuel, bus and staff.
4. How many parties do you need to do a week before breakeven?
5. Is the top deck weather permitting?

Advice:

1. Do the numbers, calculate best and worst case scenario
2. Apply to Enterprise Ireland for help
3. Get a good accountant, capital allowances on this project will be huge, likely that you will pay no tax for 8 years
4. Get a good mechanic.....no bus, no work!!!!

Hope this helps.

The bob

Marsden

Potential for kids to fall down the stairs?

Don't know if it would be great for schools but something like that would be great private hire for a kids birthday.

iMax

You'd be going up against Absolute limos who already have one. Not to say that you can't just that it's already out there.

My daughter was invited to a party where this was booked, but they couldn't get it to it on time (stuck in traffic), so they organised a couple of entertainers to come instead. Big disappointment for the kids.

Gloomtastic!

PM Sent!

callummcg

This idea is already been done in Dublin so obviously someboby else thinks its a a great idea i was actually on one in Blackrock[ the driver was good enough to let my 2 kids on ]and they absolutely loved it
If you are doing this in dublin I will book you for my kids party great idea the kids will love it
You need to advertise in the local schools ,and maybe in the local gaa clubs there is always great numbers up in Kilmacud Crokes on a Saturday
morning .
I dont know if will work for trainindg classes but definetly great idea for kids parties

To many begruders out there go for it

MidlandsM

callummcg wrote: »

To many begruders out there go for it

hardly a sound reason to go ahead with a big investment like this?
Research, cost estimations, forecast revenues, etc would be more prudent.;)

Chet Zar

Raging Stars wrote: »

We are currently in the process of setting up a new business. Our idea is to transform a double-decker bus into a kids party bus.
Our aim is primarily to serve kids parties but we also intend on aiming the bus at primary schools, where it could be used to hold fitness classes or other extra-curricular activities.
The lower deck of the bus will be kitted out with padded walls and floors and play centre equipment including; cargo nets, ball pool, squeezy rollers, monkey bars, slides as well as interactive equipment. The upper deck of the bus will also have padded floors and walls and this free space will be used to conduct fitness classes for kids. We feel that this business idea is viable as our main competitive advantage is that the bus will bring the party to the customer, without the hassle of cleaning up or transporting a number of children!
We are looking for feedback on this idea with regards to customer potential. Any suggestions, recommendations or criticism would be greatly appreciated.
Also if anyone has any suggestions on how we could make this idea more green efficient, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

When I saw this yesterday I thought it was the most bananas idea I'd ever heard. Now reading it again I'd say it could be a massive hit. If you think about it, you're a permanent moving advertisement for your own business, you're early to market, and I reckon kids would love it!

Good luck and fair play my man.

Axwell

MidlandsM wrote: »

hardly a sound reason to go ahead with a big investment like this?
Research, cost estimations, forecast revenues, etc would be more prudent.;)

No more than you saying earlier ..it wont work..being a sound reason for them to not go ahead with it.

From the posts above obviously there is a market for this kind of thing already, others have done it and people on the thread have show interest in it. The OP needs to continue with the research, look at the competition and see how they can be different or better. Make sure its a viable business and that there is going to be profit in it. People need to try something different these days and fair play to them for making a go of it. Theres too many people with the cant do or it wont work attitude these days with the recession.

MidlandsM

Axwell wrote: »

The OP needs to continue with the research, look at the competition and see how they can be different or better. Make sure its a viable business and that there is going to be profit in it. People need to try something different these days and fair play to them for making a go of it. Theres too many people with the cant do or it wont work attitude these days with the recession.

correct, totally agree, but why are you repeating what I said?

Chet Zar

MidlandsM wrote: »

hardly a sound reason to go ahead with a big investment like this?
Research, cost estimations, forecast revenues, etc would be more prudent.;)

You've no way of knowing that he isn't doing all that already? In fact, he almost 100% surely is.

Start with the positives and work from there, not the opposite..

MidlandsM

Chet Zar wrote: »

You've no way of knowing that he isn't doing all that already? In fact, he almost 100% surely is.

Start with the positives and work from there, not the opposite..

Start with REALISM and keep it positive more like. But, good luck to him or her or them, fair play,god speed and all that.

However, with the fit out costs, the fuel costs, insurance costs, in a deep recession with disposable income on the floor, this is a venture I personally would'nt invest in, or recommend a friend to invest in.

patwicklow

Well i would say go for it. its agood idea fit out would,nt be that much and would pay for itself over time,you could offer catering also puppets clowns ect insurance would be my concern for it put if you can get that covered cant see why it would,nt work

It is a high risk with all those large setups costs, you'd want to be hitting the ground running and would need some clever marketing to make it work.
I think Midlands is right to some degree despite his delivery, but he's discounting the fact that you could be a very determined entrepreneur...

I have a friend in France who kitted out a bus and has like a playschool in it.

Playschool in the morning, parties in the afternoon, maybe a (very local) babysitting service on friday and saturday nights!

Cianos

First thing I'd be concerned about is the space issue...how many kids can be fit on to a bus and have enough room to run around? You'll obviously have limitations because of space and that in turn is going to effect your potential returns. If you had the option of extending activities outside the bus that would allow more children to be involved.

I like the idea and it's novel enough to catch the imagination of parents and the children so word would spread about it.

Be super super conservative about your projections and if you still see it working, go for it.

MyPerfectCousin

I saw a neighbour here in Greystones had a party with one of these recently and the kids seemed to be loving it.

My sister works in something like this in the states -- business was going well enough that the owner hired her as an assistant. I think a lot of their business is schools.

You might try targeting special schools. They often don't have any P.E. /sports hall type thing and often do activities outside the classroom.

Birthday parties, Halloween, Christmas parties, etc. seems like a wide open market. You might also consider trying the sell the idea to adults having parties, as an ironic crazy idea for the more free spirits.

As far as making it more green, how about converting the engine to vegetable oil fuel.

Admor Tony

Whether it is a crazy idea or not, if you believe it might work then you should take the idea as far as you can without spending too much. This goes for anyone with 'an idea that might just make me money'.

In my opinion the best way to do this is to define your Business Model and test this out in terms of the commerciality of the idea and the 'viability' of the Model. If you do not have the objectivity to do this yourself, find a professional advisor who can give you the challenge or support you need.

If it passes the Business Model test, use this as the basis for a good quality Business Plan.

Tony