Love gardening? Start your own business

It’s the classic dilemma. Should something you love to do be turned into a business? It doesn’t matter what the field of expertise is, how possible is it to make something that may be an enjoyable pastime into something different? In fact, it’s not difficult at all if the zest for doing something different is there, and if the love is of gardening there are excellent opportunities to develop and build a brand new business.

Make the gardening flower

It can be daunting to start a new business, but anyone who has a good understanding of how gardening works may be poised to do just that. It’s important that prospective garden business owners really know their subject, and what people and businesses will need from them. It’s all very well to know all the Latin names of flowers and foliage, but engaging prospective clients with jargon free information is an essential part of the initial sell.  It is important to simplify language, be outgoing but listen to what clients are asking for, and then deliver what they expect. It’s not difficult for those who are comfortable with their knowledge and have experience of growing flowers, trees or vegetables at home or in an allotment. The difficult bit is in knowing what needs to be done to start a business. Yet is by no means as difficult as some might make out provided the right advice is sought initially and is followed.

Starting a business

It can be terrifying but also hugely satisfying to start a business. Gardening may not appear to be an area to be considered for a business start up, but it offers many opportunities for those with green fingers to turn their skills and knowledge into a way to earn good money and to do something that they really want to do.

Business tips

When starting a new business it’s important to get the right advice. Depending on the way the venture is started, there are different regulations that govern what needs to be done. For a one-person operation, the sole trader set up is appropriate. It’s necessary to register with the tax authorities as being self-employed and to fill in a self-assessment tax form at the end of the year.

If working with someone else, a partnership can be set up. This must also be registered for tax purposes and a self-assessment form completed at year end. For sole traders and partnerships the liability for any debts or financial liabilities arising from the business apply personally to him or her, or the partnership equally.

Another option is to form a limited liability company, where reporting to various authorities in terms of tax, National Insurance and other potential liabilities can be complex. A good way to help with this is by using an umbrella company that can give great help with tax. An umbrella company can deal with all the tax, National Insurance and other issues that individual contractors or companies have to deal with. They can take the burden of these administrative aspects of running any kind of business from the business owner and provide an effective solution for the legal regulations that have to be followed.