[WingedShooter7]

I would like to know what goes into creating a decoy company, this is in no way to be a smart a$$ question. I realize you need someone to carve the decoys, figure out the paint scheme, then figure out where to produce them. What else goes into it? How do you get a factory started for this kind of thing? How much does it cost initially to get on your feet $ wise?

I could see me turning this into something I'm going to have to do for english this year so I'll bookmark it.

 

[diver_sniper]

Just give the guys over at Dakota a call. Tell em you're doing it for a school project. They're somewhat in your neck of the woods aren't they? I bet they'd be able to tell ya more than we could.

 

[shooteminthelips]

Product Devleopment
Product Testing
Patenting
Marketing
Creating a Buisness Plan
Exit Strategy
Financing
Investors
Packaging
Shipping
Getting Retail Invesotrs (Cabelas, Scheels, Gander etc...)

Do a google search on Small Buisness. Or Entrepreneurship. The principles are basically the same for every business.(Decoys, Hair Salons, Restraunts etc..) Each will have small differances, but all would need it to make it. There are many books out there on Entrpreneurship, infact some of the guys on here that went to college for busniess might burrow you one of their old text books.

 

[fubar]

a million dollars and a new idea

 

[Matt Jones]

I think you could start a small decoy company relatively cheap. I'm talking about carving a few decoys and making a mold (which you can do simply with bondo). Pouring them with urethane foam and either burlapping them or using por-kast for the exterior. Then air-brushing them (compressor, brush, and paints investment of a few hundred bucks).

Throw them on ebay and start selling them. Total investment to get started...maybe a $1000, tops. Obviously this is the "start it in your garage and grow" business plan, since I doubt you have the money to throw down on competing with the big-boys.

I'd look to fill a niche. I.E. try to make the most realistic, toughest, cheapest, etc. Right now there is a lack of burlap decoys on the market. Which would be very easy to manufacture, and there is a decent demand. All you'd have to do to start would be to carve some heads and then mold them (again, just use bondo). Foam you can buy, and burlapping them is easy.

Start small and grow. Take all your capital and invest back into your company and I think you could realistically have solid business in a few years.

 

[WingedShooter7]

Thanks guys! I'll have to give dakota a call.

 

[NDTerminator]

Just don't tell them of your infatuation with Avery!...

This is over-simplified, but you need cash or investors with cash, an idea or product that has more going for it than what is currently available, and far more drive than it takes to work a 9-5 job.

Speaking of Dakota Decoys, this is why they hit the ground running and are pushing the established decoy companies so hard, so quickly. Essentially, they took the best features of currently available FB decoys and combined them into their decoy, use a paint & paint system that matches that of G&H decoys which are legendary as having the best & longest lasting paint jobs, improved the base system beyond any currently made, sell their decoys at a competitive price, and back them with rock solid, no hassle customer service.

The majority of start up small businesses fail within, if I remenber correctly, 5 years. I bet that in the current economic situation, it would be darn tough to start up something completely new that is viable...