Teenagers starting a business

ohwhatdoido

Thank you so much for your thoughts.
In answer to your questions:

Caravan - one night park up in one area of the town, the next night the other end of town and so on.  And people come to us. So kind of like an ice cream van but we just stay in one location (which we'll advertise where we are) for a couple of hours each night. - a pizza van does similar and it works well.

We messaged the council and they are happy with the van parking on roadside as long as we don't obstruct anything.
And we'll need to contact environmental health.

They've worked out this afternoon they can do a food hygiene level 2 course.

ohwhatdoido

Thinking this is going to be a no go now as I don't think they'll be able to get insurance in their name and I can't put it in my name as that will make me part of it and possibly affect my benefits

Such a shame for them. But I can't afford for their trial venture to risk my benefits at the moment

Back to the drawing board with ideas for them 😏

theoretica

This list of links might be a useful place for them to start reading https://www.bteg.co.uk/content/top-27-helpful-links-young-entrepreneurs

ohwhatdoido

Thank you 💓

strawb_shortcake

I'd have the caravan idea as something to work towards, with buying it, insuring it and maintaining it they are going to be looking at pretty high overhead costs for a small business.

I'd go with the stall idea and build up a following to ensure it's a viable prospect initially. They could then look towards a "stop me and buy one" type business maybe by bicycle or back to something a bit different and go for a rickshaw or tuk tuk.
Granted the waffles and milkshakes might not be possible with those options but there are other sweet treats they could do and maybe supplying party and wedding favours

Mojisola

ohwhatdoido said:

So they're thinking things like

Waffles and ice cream

Milkshakes

Sweets

Etc

And the being a bit like an ice cream van, people coming over when they arrive to purchase.

Have they done a business plan and costed things out very carefully?  It's very hard to make money selling things like this - get them to look at the details realistically, allowing for unsold items, wastage, etc.

ohwhatdoido

Thank you for the ideas, definitely something we'll discuss and look into.

No business plan or anything as we were just looking to see if it was possible first

JCS1

One other big piece of legislation, Allergans.  Natasha's law is due to come into effect later this year.

Savvy_Sue

I was just beginning to think about the insurance implications of a caravan: I think it would be prohibitive because you'd be using your car for business towing it around. 

There's a fair few trike / bike businesses round our way: coffee carts, for example. Just wondering about that for them?

Marcon

ohwhatdoido said:

Thinking this is going to be a no go now as I don't think they'll be able to get insurance in their name and I can't put it in my name as that will make me part of it and possibly affect my benefits

Such a shame for them. But I can't afford for their trial venture to risk my benefits at the moment

Back to the drawing board with ideas for them 😏

Assuming another family member would be willing to get involved, starting a limited company (and limited companies are 'legal entities' in their own right) and getting the company to buy the insurance is one option - BUT that puts various obligations on the family member, especially if they are the sole director and shareholder. There's also the little matter of having to make a full declaration about who will actually be carrying on the business - two schoolchildren, which would make the premium prohibitive, always assuming you could find an insurer to take on the business.

I'm loathe to quash initiative, so if anyone reading this who has a better idea....