Business from scratch: shoe repair. How to open a shoe repair shop with your own hands Shoe repair as a business reviews

Why shoe repair?

This type of service is one of the most stable in terms of security during crises. Even if the economic situation in the country worsens, at this moment the shoe businessman not only does not risk going bankrupt, on the contrary, he receives additional profit. The poorer the population, the more often shoes will need to be repaired - there is no money for new “boots”!

The master will not be left without work even in the event of general prosperity - the more shoes and boots they buy, the more often they will be sent for repairs. In any case, you can always earn money for your piece of bread and butter.

As practice shows, inspection authorities are not very interested in shoemakers. Although you need to be prepared for the fact that the prosecutor’s office will still have to repair the shoes of the tax inspector and the shoes of the prosecutor. This is an extra plus of the profession, since the government’s too close interest in business often ends in failure.

Another advantage is that the cost is minimal. Basically, the price includes the work of the master. And this concept can be manipulated quite boldly - it all depends on reputation.

Why aren't others doing this?

Probably every successful businessman is perplexed: why don’t other people who complain about poverty think of doing the same thing as him? After all, although it is difficult, it is so profitable! So if you open a shoe repair business, everyone will be overcome by doubts. Standard thoughts: “If it brought in income, everyone would do repairs.”

“I will definitely go broke, since I have never been involved in business.” “I will be ‘eaten up’ by the authorities.” This is all completely wrong. When organizing a small business, you need to act according to the Napoleonic principle: first get into a fight, and then sort it out. You need to think in a positive way. If no one takes on this, then there is a good niche that can be filled.

You also need to take into account that shoe repair is hard daily work. And now it’s fashionable to be a PR specialist, a lawyer, or, at worst, a journalist. And many would prefer to work for pennies in the office and show off their profession than to earn normal money in a serious business.

Why should you read this guide?

Below we will tell you step by step how to organize your own business without losses. The goal is to give the reader detailed and, most importantly, practical advice. Therefore, those who had already gone through all this at one time and gained unique experience were chosen as experts.
It’s not for nothing that popular wisdom says that smart people learn from the mistakes of others.

We tried to cover all aspects: from paperwork to choosing suppliers and the art of marketing. Without this there is nothing to do in the modern market. Get ready for the fact that you will have to urgently acquire new knowledge and restructure your thinking. Let's consider the legislation - so as not to pay extra money.

Marketing - to make the business truly profitable. Economics - to know by what laws your business will develop. It is clear that it is impossible to become a professor after reading one article, but you simply need to know the basics. However, since you have read this far, it means you are ready to learn.

Attention, start!

• Brief introduction. Review.
• Beginning: collecting papers.
• We calculate and invest: prices and costs.
• Marketing and advertising.
• Expansion: business expansion.
• Advice from "experienced" people.
• When you can’t say “yes” (a brief overview of the legislation).
• The art of sales increases profits (tips for communicating with clients).
• Combine and conquer (ideas for selling additional services and products).
• In the footsteps of the “sharks” (tricks of large companies that can be adopted).
• Happy End: summing up /

Without a piece of paper - nowhere. Let's become entrepreneurs!

Where do we start? From registration!

In our country, relationships with money, as well as with women, are subject to mandatory registration. Just not in the registry office, but in the relevant authorities.
Nowadays, becoming an entrepreneur is quite easy.

First you need to contact the tax office that is closest to your place of residence. Most likely, you treat her territorially. If you live in one place and are registered in another, officials should tell you the address of the institution where you should apply.

The fact is that you can do business anywhere, but you only need to register an individual entrepreneur with the tax office to which you are “attached.”

Paper details

To receive a treasured certificate, you need to provide the following documents:
Completed application form P2100. Writing it is not the easiest thing, but the tax office usually tells you what to write and what not to write.
The application will need to be certified by a notary.

After the notary, you will need to pay a state fee - pay the state for the right to engage in commerce. Don't forget to check the tax code for the budget classification - it must be indicated when paying. You can pay for registration only at SBR branches.
Next, you should provide the following documents to the tax office: a notarized application, two copies of your passport, a copy of the individual’s identification number, a check from the bank confirming that the state duty has been paid.

After this you need to wait five days. According to the law, this is exactly how long it takes to register an individual – an individual entrepreneur. The tax office must issue a receipt indicating the list of documents you provided, as well as the date the certificate was received.
When you arrive at the specified time, you will need to show that same receipt, as well as present a passport or other document proving your identity.

3. What's next?

It is advisable to open a bank account for non-cash payments. This will come in handy when it comes time to pay for equipment and materials. After opening a current account, notify the tax office within ten days, otherwise you will have to pay a fine.
In any inspection there are people responsible for mass explanatory work. Do not hesitate to contact them for advice, not only when registering an individual entrepreneur, but also while doing business. This will help you avoid trouble.

Obstacles on the way to the goal

As with any government agency, there are long queues at tax offices throughout the country. Because of this, the procedure may be somewhat delayed. So, immediately prepare yourself for the fact that you will have to spend quite a lot of time: not on the registration itself, but on waiting for an appointment with a specialist.

If you have neither the time nor the desire to stand in the corridor, you should contact specialized companies. For a relatively small amount, they will collect all the documents themselves and bring you a certificate on a “silver platter.”

It is likely that “experienced” acquaintances will convince you that it is best to work illegally. Don't believe it. If you don’t have an uncle in the Presidential Administration or an aunt in the FSB, then sooner or later you will have to pay, and in full. Those who hide taxes are not treated on ceremony (of course, we are talking about small entrepreneurs, not oligarchs).

Investing in business: how not to pay too much:

Lists are the boss of everything

Since you have reached this point, it means that you already have an idea of ​​what you will need on a free commercial voyage. Unfortunately, it is impossible to make an exact list of everything needed: it all depends on the region in which the master lives, as well as on the size of the starting capital.

As practice shows, it is wisest to purchase a used instrument - prices will be an order of magnitude lower. Shoe repair master from Novosibirsk Alexander Mishin has compiled for us a short list of what we can’t start without.
So, to complete your first orders, you need:

• - Heels,
• – Overlays,
• – Heels,
• – Leather,
• - Glue,
• - Nails,
• - Threads,
• - “Lightning”,
• – Soles,
• - “Patches”,
• - Arch supports.

Equipment urgently needed:

• - Sewing machine,
• – Multifunctional machine,
• - Lamp,
• - Hood.

The latter is to prevent glue vapors from putting the master in a hospital bed - the glue is very toxic, despite the sellers’ assurances of its safety.
Also include a table and chair in the equipment cost estimate.

Moreover, there should be at least two tables: on one, repairs are performed, and on the second, receipts are filled out and incoming shoes are inspected.
Shelves are also needed on which the necessary little things will be stored: from “spare parts” to tools.

Where to look for all this?

In the age of the Internet, this is, at first glance, a stupid question. But not everything is on the Internet - it’s much safer to leaf through newspaper advertisements and ask friends - maybe someone has heard something.

The best helpers in this matter are forums. Finding them is quite difficult, they are few in number. But on the other hand, the forum members will explain everything “on their fingers,” and will even put in a good word for you if necessary.

Online shopping is “Russian roulette”. If you don’t study prices and brands, you can buy a batch of goods at a fabulous price, and a week later find out that an unknown Chinese manufacturer makes everything of the same quality, but at half the price.

There are also printed business directories/price lists. For some unknown reason, they turn out to be more effective than the most popular ad sites. And even if they are not as convenient as specialized resources, the main thing is that you can find serious suppliers there.

How much product should I buy?

It all depends on how many clients your business plan is designed for. Please note that the shoes that will be brought in for repair are those for which there are no “spare parts”. This is the standard “law of meanness,” and no one has ever been able to escape its effects. Consider what season it is outside: as soon as it gets warmer, people bring light “boots” for repairs; when it gets cold, everyone remembers warm “boots”.

If your budget allows, it is better to buy everything at once - nothing will be superfluous. According to Alexander Mishin, the most common orders are replacing heels, sewing up holes and “flashing” new shoes. Take this into account.

It is also advisable to find suppliers of auxiliary products: creams, laces, “spoons” and sponges. Moreover, recently sales representatives are ready to sell goods on credit, “for sale.” Sell ​​- give away the money.

Do you know how to achieve success in business thanks to the experience of successful entrepreneurs?

4. A roof over your head: we rent a room

We are looking for passing places

In order for clients to come more often, you need to look for a lively place to rent premises. Markets are most suitable - here square meters are relatively inexpensive and traffic is good. The advantage is that you don’t have to invest money in renovations: no one expects a shoe workshop to shine like a boutique selling exquisite lingerie.

Another advantageous place is any large supermarket. The trends are such that people, especially in more or less large cities, increasingly prefer large, comfortable stores to the usual “crush” stores. Rental prices here are an order of magnitude higher than in regular stores or stalls.

Moreover, you will have to invest money in attractive renovations - otherwise the administration simply will not give the go-ahead. But the prices here can be raised in comparison with the citywide ones - after all, you are in a convenient, civilized place.

Knowledgeable people also recommend paying attention to bus stops. This does not mean modern open structures, but old brick stops with kiosks attached to them. There are still some of these left around. Such a location will also attract customers, because it is so convenient to have your shoes repaired while going to work, and pick them up after a hard day.

You may want to think about building a new pavilion in an attractive location. But is the game worth the candle? It is very difficult to rent city land or buy it - this requires powerful connections and a lot of money.

The construction of the structure itself will also cost a pretty penny - even if you build it yourself, so much hard-earned money will be spent on materials that such a shoe repair shop will take at least ten years to pay for itself. But at this time you will need to eat something, and also feed your family!

"Square Minimum"

Of course, you can repair shoes, as they say, “on your knees.” But it’s best not to engage in masochism, and immediately occupy a normal amount of square meters. To work comfortably and receive visitors, fifteen “squares” will be enough.

This area will have to be visually delimited into zones:

• 1. Client reception area. Here are comfortable chairs, a clean, beautiful table, a laptop or a solid notepad, and a place to store small money for change.
• 2. Work area: if it is not fenced, there should be perfect order here. It doesn’t hurt to immediately put several flowers in pots. For some reason, the abundance of decorative greenery inspires confidence in clients.
• 3. Recreation area. You will need it: due to the peculiarities of human psychology, you will want to spend a few minutes while working, abstracting yourself from routine work. And it’s best if you have a separate comfortable chair for these purposes.

Reducing the area

If rental prices are reasonable, you can arrange your home as you please. And if they demand an obscene amount, you will have to go to furniture specialists and draw the future interior in a 3D editor: now there are many ways to optimize the workspace. If your hands grow from the right place, you can make all these shelves and cabinets yourself.

If your hands are not friendly with the machine and saw, you will have to pay. Although, if the monthly rent is so high, maybe it’s worth thinking about: will it be possible to pay the owner of the territory every month? Even if the location turns out to be profitable, rent can eat up a fair portion of the profit.
There is another option: in the supermarket you can set up not a salon itself, but a shoe collection point.

That is, hire an employee who will accept shoes, issue a receipt and take money. And do the repair itself elsewhere, even at home. The main thing is that there are no problems with transport and the repaired shoes “arrive” exactly on time specified by the receiver.

It makes sense to have a reception point instead of a workshop if you are confident of a consistently large number of orders. You may have to accept the shoes yourself for several months and repair them in the evenings. But you will know how to more profitably organize the entire procedure of prima “boots”.

5 The art of courting clients

Greeted by uniform

Whatever one may say, people’s stereotypes are standard. In our case, we need to use the following belief: “any repairman must be in uniform.” Everyone is accustomed to working people dressing appropriately.

It is clear that we are not talking about a greasy robe, quilted pants and dirty shoes.

Now they produce workwear for every taste. So why not buy a comfortable, lightweight jumpsuit that you can sew on with your workshop logo? And people will understand that the master is a serious person, and you will be comfortable. What can you do, you cannot disappoint the client in his conviction.

There is probably no need to remind you that clothes should always be neat and have a pleasant smell. At the very least, good cologne.

Let's remember good old Carnegie

If you enter the query “The Art of Selling” into a search engine, about a million links will appear. Moreover, those on the first pages will most likely lead to paid course sites. Of course, nowadays sales are taken very seriously, it’s a whole science.

But really, enough advice from the unforgettable Dale Carnegie. And it is not necessary to read thick books - the author himself says that his recommendations can be placed on the cover of a matchbox. Let's look at them in more detail:

• – Sincere interest in other people makes you feel good about yourself.
• – A smile is the easiest way to make a favorable impression.
• – Call the client by name. This will help build trust.
• - Listen. The few extra minutes you spend listening to your client’s problems will make him come to you again and again.
• – Try to find out what the client’s interests are and talk about it. Nothing unites people more than a common love for kittens or dacha chores. But if you don’t understand a hobby, it’s better to remain silent, otherwise you’ll hear about someone else’s hobby until the end of your work shift.
• – Satisfy the client’s delusions of grandeur. Address people as “you”, regardless of age or appearance. It also happens that people prefer a polite master to a more experienced, but rude one.

Most of the expensive trainings offered on the Internet will tell you the same thing, only in more detail. However, no education has ever been superfluous.

Little tricks of big business

When setting up your workshop, don’t forget about the “tricky little things”. Remember, there is always music playing in supermarkets. Why? Yes, because it makes people spend money. This is all calculated by professional psychologists hired by “business sharks”.

Let a quiet but pleasant melody flow from your speakers - since corporations do not disdain such techniques, then small entrepreneurs should especially not neglect this. You can also order small souvenirs. And give clients, for example, calendars with the workshop logo. It's a small thing, but nice.

For a large order, you can give the client a pen or notebook - such things are usually not thrown away, and the logo will become firmly ingrained in the memory during the use of the souvenir. Which, in fact, is good for you.

You can’t do without bags for packaging - this is an indicator of quality service. And since you have to buy them anyway, why not put your logo on them?

The layout of related products also has its own nuances: according to the laws of merchandising, an expensive product should be at eye level. And whatever is cheaper can be placed down or up. If the products are in one row (for example, shoe care creams), the expensive product should be placed on the left - the shelves are viewed the same way as the text is read, that is, from left to right.

Additional small items can be placed in a cabinet with lockable glass doors so that petty thieves are not tempted to steal a tube.

How important it is for a novice entrepreneur to know all the benefits and benefits of starting a business with a quality franchise:

6 Shoe creative. We increase profits

Promotions are a guarantee of attention

The good thing about stocks is that there is practically no loss from them, but profits can be significantly increased. The main goal of any such event is to tell people about your business. And remind those who know about it.

You don’t have to give away huge discounts and accessories left and right. Evgeniy Strakhov from Omsk, for example, told us that he attracts clients in the following way:

• – When I feel that the increase in clients is stopping, I place advertisements on local websites that on Tuesdays there is a discount on shoe repairs of minus ten percent. Only a few come for the promotion itself. But many people remember that they have been postponing a visit to the shoemaker for a long time, take shoes or boots, and come to me. I have a business card printed on the back of the receipt so that when the person is about to go again, they can call and find out how much the repair will cost and how long it will take. Little things like this are extremely important for your reputation.

How to conduct promotions?

Like all. There is no need to reinvent the wheel; let advertising agencies compete in creativity. After all, they charge a lot of money for it. For a shoe repair shop, the best option would be “Discounts of the day”: “Only on Mondays, shoe repair at half price.” Explain to clients that “half price” is a discount for the work of the master; it does not apply to materials.

There are hundreds of options for luring service buyers. For example, every tenth person can be given a shoe sponge. Or a certificate for warranty service (which you must do anyway - there is a law). If you personally liked some promotion of a supermarket or store, feel free to copy it, slightly altering the name. As a rule, time-tested is the best.

Advertising. The radio rules.

Nowadays there is nowhere without advertising. You will have to fork out money and place your block in the media. Advertising on popular radio stations sells services most effectively. The best results are on TV, but the prices there are simply astronomical. If you are creative, try to come up with names for your services.

For example, for expensive shoes you need something like “Elite Repair”, for sneakers – “Sports Repair”, for boots “Express Repair” or “Heel Plus”. It all depends on your imagination. But each service can be presented as exclusive - and this is an additional percentage to the cost.

Advertisements posted around the area still work well. Pillars, walls, bus stops—everywhere people walk. And don’t let pangs of conscience torment you. Everyone is picking on you - why are you worse? All the same, the authorities are not going to install bulletin boards in the required quantity.

7. Business empire: building a network

Briefly about the main thing

You can only expand your business if you already have:

• A). Hired employees you trust.
• B). Stable income that allows you to make investments.
• IN). Free time to work on expansion.
• G). Willpower that allows you to go ahead through numerous obstacles.

A business network is relevant if you have remarkable administrative talents. If you do not have the skills to delegate authority or understand the laws by which business lives and develops, it is better not to get involved with large-scale projects.

Some details

The path described in previous chapters will have to be followed to open each new outlet. Isn’t it necessary to re-issue a certificate of individual entrepreneurship?

Given that the tax system in the world is not the simplest, it is best to hire an accountant, otherwise the reports will take up all your free time. You will also need a good lawyer who can answer your phone calls at any time, day or night. After all, you never know in advance what “surprise” firefighters, sanitary inspectors or representatives of the Pension Fund will come with.

Accounting, accounting and more accounting

Each new retail outlet should be opened only after careful study. Everything will have to be taken into account: the crowdedness of the place, the presence of competitors nearby, the standard of living of the area, the reputation of the district authorities. It is quite possible that local deputies will have a “pleasant” habit of taking over successful businesses.

You can conduct a short opinion poll on the street on the topic: “Does this area need a shoe workshop?” At the same time, you will find out what people expect from going to this kind of establishment.

Any network works according to the rules that were formed a good half century ago:

• – The network must be recognizable.
• – Prices are lower than competitors.
• – Service is at the highest level.
• – Advertising and marketing are at the forefront of everything.

8. Legal self-defense

How to avoid becoming a victim

“You may not be a lawyer, but you must know the laws” - this is how you can paraphrase the classic. Why do I have to? Because, having founded a business, the owner must protect it. And current representatives of government agencies are very fond of issuing fines based on decisions made up from thin air.

Either the deadlines are violated, or the documentation does not correspond, or simply the moon is in the wrong phase of Jupiter - and for this there is also a fine.
If you demonstrate to the inspectors your knowledge of the laws, you can be sure that they will no longer find fault with trifles. More valuable to yourself.

Where to begin

To get at least a little up to date, you can read the Tax Code. Not the most interesting literature, but you can understand the basics and learn the terms. A lot of interesting things (and not only in the business sphere) can be found in the Code of Administrative Offences. Find and read the rights and responsibilities of officials that you encounter most often.

This will help when they once again start “teaching life” and “pulling the bagpipes,” hinting at gratitude, which in the Criminal Code is called a bribe.

In addition, the Civil Code and the Constitution will be useful - these are the regulatory frameworks with which a sensible official will not argue.
It is also necessary to read the orders of local authorities.

Scandal or peace?

Many believe that it is better not to anger civil servants once again and to comply with all their demands, no matter how stupid they may be. It is not right.
Practice shows that those who can protect themselves have the least trouble. If you make a couple of complaints about your inspector, he will start talking to you in a whisper and using “you” - because he doesn’t want to fly out of work after several penalties.

If appeals to the immediate superiors of the culprit did not bring results, or he is trying to “put pressure,” you need to write to the federal level authorities. They don’t particularly understand whether the official is right or wrong - he will get screwed in any case, even just for the fact of your appeal. Officials, as a rule, are more afraid of their superiors than a snowman of the sun.

And this same boss, in turn, is always happy to report to the top that “the culprits have been punished and measures have been taken.” Guess who will be the last one in this system? That's right, the same civil servant against whom the complaint was received.

Remember: there are always the prosecutor's office and the media. The former are interested in indicators (they receive good bonuses for identifying violations in the public sphere), the latter are always happy to tell people about how bad life is for small businesses due to various kinds of authorities.

If they are really pressing with inspections and fines, there remains the “heavy artillery” - the FSB, the Duma and the Presidential Administration. It is almost impossible to get through to the final authorities, but if you succeed, the result will exceed all expectations.

All these “legal wars” are possible only if you have competent legal support - you don’t have enough knowledge, and spending five years to get the necessary diploma and knowledge is, to put it mildly, not advisable. Nobody goes to medical school to cure their runny nose, does they?

In Christian churches, believers give ten percent of their income to the needs of the parish. This tradition has stood the test of time, so why not make it work for you? So, when calculating net profit, subtract 10% from the total amount.

At first it will seem like pennies, but after three months the stack of bills will grow to a respectable size. After a year, you will be able to take out microloans from yourself, without hassle and extortionate interest rates. The main thing is to treat this money as if it were not yours: do not spend it without reason, make up for the shortfall and do not tell anyone about it - neither your wife nor your friends.

Let the bank work

No matter what they write on the Internet, it is best to keep money in special institutions. Why?

• A). "Interest is accruing."
• B). All money transactions can be easily viewed at the end of the month/quarter/year.
• IN). There is no temptation to go out and spend it all, even if a super-profitable offer arrives.
• G). Banks teach financial discipline.

Another advantage of banks is that they offer online account management tools. That is, now it is not necessary to go to a branch to transfer money from account to account or find out the balance in the account. All you have to do is send an SMS from your mobile phone and all operations will be performed automatically. In addition, smartphones allow you to install special software, thanks to which financial management is simplified a hundredfold.

It’s up to you to decide what to invest in, what deposit to open and which bank to entrust your hard-earned money to. Experts say that long-term deposits in foreign currency are the most profitable. But in this case, the bank usually prohibits early withdrawal of capital, and in a business it should always be possible to withdraw the required amount. It is also profitable and safe to invest money in gold bullion bars - they do not become cheaper, so the deposit will not go bankrupt, and interest will accrue as expected. Unlike the same dollar deposit.

Under no circumstances should you trust so-called credit unions, mutual aid funds and other organizations that promise mountains of gold. They promise huge percentages, but hundreds of criminal cases and thousands of lawsuits throughout the CIS show that these “financiers”, if they help anyone to become richer, are clearly not investors.

PC to help

You can keep records even without accounting education or experience. There are now a lot of free programs on the Internet that take into account literally all items of expenses and income. All you have to do is enter the necessary data, and the program itself will summarize how much and on what you earned, and how much and on what you spent.

As a rule, such software is not demanding on computer resources, so an old laptop or cheap tablet is enough to maintain the database. And even if an accountant works for you, it wouldn’t hurt to compare his data and yours at the end of the reporting period - you see, suddenly the numbers don’t add up.

Naturally, the computer must be password protected. And to be on the safe side, you can also password-protect the accounting program itself—almost all of them allow you to do this. It is better not to store personal databases in the workplace - if the data in your personal database differs from the information that you provide to the tax office, this is called “double-entry bookkeeping.” And there is a punishment for this.

10. Summing up

Experience is a gain

Just an example: when you sign up for a lease, most likely you will be asked to draw up two agreements. One is for the tax office, it will say that you pay pennies per square meter.

The second agreement is drawn up to protect the landlord - it specifies the real amount, and he will be able to defend his interests in the event that you do not want to pay. The second contract is renegotiated every month so that the owner of the commercial space has the opportunity to declare that the previous, “minimum” contract is not valid, and you have not paid in a new way.
There are a lot of similar subtleties.

Be patient

If you are hoping that your shoe repair shop will be profitable immediately after opening, you will be disappointed. It will take at least a year for income to become more or less stable. What is this connected with? Unknown. But in practice this is true, and it doesn’t matter what the entrepreneur does: sells socks, repairs shoes or sells elite tea in bulk.

All that remains is to wait for the business to get back on track, and only then can you make some forecasts and think about something new.

Learn while you still have time!

While the business is gaining momentum, you need to read more than a dozen books. We have already talked about marketing and jurisprudence. It is equally important to understand economics - such information will greatly help you when conducting business. If you are going to hire people in the future, be sure to learn the basics of HR management. Motivating staff, working with personnel – all this is extremely important.

For example, someone works well only with a financial incentive. And another person looks at money with contempt, but if you call him “The best employee of the company,” then he will simply move mountains to confirm his title. HR science teaches all this.

Time management will be helpful. This subject will help you manage your time wisely and also tell you how to set priorities correctly.
Since we are talking about business, take care of saving money when studying: it is much cheaper to buy a reader and download books from the Internet than to order paper copies, each of which will cost a pretty penny.

Despite the fact that difficult times await you ahead, do not be discouraged: for a persistent and talented person (and others do not even think about business) everything should turn out in the best possible way. And we hope that our advice will be useful and beneficial. If you have something to add, you are welcome to comment, your invaluable experience will be extremely interesting.

You might be interested: Video – “Business idea for shoe repair”:

Let’s skip the legal formalities, since this business is no different in terms of registration rules from any other. Moreover, at the moment there are several ways to register your own business, which are available to everyone, even without the necessary experience. For example, you can register an individual entrepreneur, select a taxation form and prepare the necessary documents in 15 minutes without leaving the Internet. Let's immediately move on to the technical details of organizing the case.

Despite the fact that “shoemaker” is an ancient profession that dates back centuries, it should not be considered obsolete. The services of people involved in this business are always in demand. Which results in a good and constant income. An additional advantage of this business is career growth. Initially, by repairing shoes, you can quickly accumulate the necessary amount to organize a workshop for individual tailoring of shoes, accessories and bags, thereby providing yourself with a wider range of clients.

Necessary equipment

The first thing you need to get started is a sewing machine. Experienced craftsmen advise not to skimp on this, since the sewing machine is the face of the craftsman. The same can be said about the rest of the equipment. Of course, at the start you can buy a used tool if you are good at it.

In addition to a sewing machine, you will need a multifunction machine. It is necessary for any master, regardless of what craft he is engaged in.

You will also need accessories, repair kits, fasteners, in general, everything without which it will be impossible to complete the order. Here is a small list of the starting kit that any shoemaker should have:

• Heel caps,
• heels,
• Leather in several colors, for repairing leather shoes,
• Heel pads for women's shoes,
• Universal rubber glue,
• Paint for leather and fabric,
• Shoe nails,
• Strong threads
• Arch supports,
• soles,
• Lightning.

It will also be nice if you take care of a high-quality hood and a lamp in the workplace, since good lighting and fresh air are necessary for proper work. Liquid glue is quite toxic, so do not neglect the hood.

Set up two tables in your work area. This is necessary so that work can be done on one table, and on the other, inspect incoming shoes, fill out receipts and carry out other operations not directly related to direct repairs.

Choosing a room for shoe repair

There is no need to chase space in a shopping complex. This seems beneficial only at first glance. Yes, there is really a lot of turnover there, but it is worth remembering that people come there for new purchases, and not for repairing old shoes. The best you can expect is an instant repair for a loose heel or a loose zipper. That is, there will be a lot of orders, but they will be small and inexpensive. For those who are extremely strapped for money, such a business will be a good start, but in other cases it is better to look for something else.

Also, premises in a shopping complex are unprofitable due to their unjustified price. You will have to spend money not only on rent, but also on decoration, because... the premises located in the supermarket should look appropriate.

Bus stops and pavilions are also not the best solution. Firstly, it is cold there in winter and hot in summer. Secondly, in such a room you will be sorely short of space.

The best option for a workshop is a full-fledged room, for example, in an office center. It should have all amenities such as water supply, electricity supply and sewerage system. By setting up a workshop in it, you can have not only a comfortable workplace, but also a comfortable relaxation area. Among other things, a stationary premises is convenient because you have a certain freedom, since you do not depend on any operating mode of the supermarket. A separate room will allow you to work as much as you want. When choosing a premises, do not forget that there is at least one parking space for clients near it. They will come to you by car, so you should take care of this.

Working with clients

You need a uniform. It may not be strange, but most clients evaluate a master by the way he is dressed. They are accustomed to the fact that a person in a working profession must wear special clothing.

Buy or order yourself high-quality workwear so that you won’t be ashamed to appear in it. You can sew the logo of your workshop onto the overalls. Having seen this approach to business, the client will not be afraid to entrust his shoes to the master.

Interpersonal relationships with the client. The advice here is very simple and banal. They are that you smile more often and are interested in the client’s opinion. It's no secret that any person enjoys being paid attention to.

Briefly explain all stages of your work, tell us why such a procedure is necessary, and offer several alternative solutions. Be friendly and attentive to the client, then he will definitely return to you.

How to attract your first clients?

The standard way to attract is stock. This is where almost any service business starts. By making even the smallest discount, you can attract your first customers.

There can be an endless number of stock options. For example, you can offer a 15% discount on shoe repairs every Monday. This method can be used both at opening and in the future.

Advertising. It would be nice if you order advertising in local media. The most effective way to attract customers is to buy advertising on a local radio station. TV can be immediately excluded, since advertising there costs a lot of money. Just remember to make the advertising text memorable and unique to your target audience; for example, the phrase “shoe repair” will not characterize your uniqueness. The phrase “express shoe repair” already touches hidden chords with the target audience. But, it will not provide you with a constant flow of clients. The task of your advertising is to attract customers, regardless of their place of residence, that is, to force them to come to you even from the other end. So think about what you are strong at and make it your competitive advantage. For example, the ad text “fast and high-quality repair of expensive leather shoes. guarantee for all types of work - 2 years" - will reflect all your best sides, will attract clients from all over the city, of course, if you can really quickly and efficiently repair leather shoes.

Don’t forget about posting regular advertisements, because this method still works to this day. By posting advertisements around your area, you will definitely interest local residents who live near your workshop. But, remember about the individuality of the text and the reach of the target audience.

Start-up capital

All shoe repair shops are divided into three classes: economy class, middle class and VIP class. Naturally, these options differ in the size of the investment.

We will consider only the middle class, since the economy class can only provide the simplest types of service, and the VIP class requires a large starting capital.

The middle class of workshops allows you to perform a fairly wide range of services. The income of such a workshop can vary from 5 to 10 thousand rubles per day. The middle class is distinguished by the fact that in the workshop, in addition to simple tools, there will be a sewing machine and a processing machine. A sewing machine will cost from 5 thousand rubles, and a processing machine from 40 thousand rubles. The total cost of all equipment will be about 150-200 thousand.

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Perhaps you, as a budding entrepreneur, will be interested in a shoe repair shop. We will describe how to open it, in what format you can work, and provide feedback from owners of similar businesses. After all, in any business it is better to prepare in advance and know what difficulties you will have to overcome on the path to success.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push()); In almost every city there are several shoe shops that perform at least simple repair work. And just as 20 years ago, today they are in high demand among all segments of the population, even without much advertising from their owners. It is not surprising that this type of business is considered quite profitable and brings a stable income to the entrepreneur at any time.

• Relevance of the issue
• What documents do you need?
• Necessary equipment
• Personnel search
• Do you need advertising?
• Financial calculations
• Reviews

Relevance of the issue

It is a well-known fact that all shoes, even elite and expensive ones, wear out over time. And if cheap models can force the owner to turn to a specialist for help already in the first year of operation, then expensive products can withstand up to two years of active use. And all the same, sooner or later a person will have to think about what is more profitable - buying a new pair or slightly correcting a worn one?

It is not surprising that even people with high incomes often turn to shoe shops for the purpose of restoration, restoration and simple minor repairs of their shoes. After all, it is much cheaper to pay a specialist for his work than to buy a new pair for $500.

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This confirms the profitability of such an idea, because the demand for professional services is relevant at any time, regardless of the status of clients, their income level, social, political and economic situation in the country.

The only thing worth paying special attention to is the level of competition in a particular city. After all, sometimes a region already has a sufficient number of repair shops that have proven themselves among the population at a high level, and hardly anyone will turn to a new entrepreneur, since there will be no need for it.

The obvious advantages of starting your own shoe repair business are:

• stable income for the owner under any economic conditions;
• you can start your own business with a relatively small start-up capital;
• Working for yourself presupposes a certain freedom;
• This activity does not require a large room or expensive decoration.

True, this area has its own difficulties. For example, if you want to hire several employees to fulfill more orders, you will encounter difficulties in finding qualified personnel. And with high competition in some regions, it is quite difficult for a newcomer to build his client base.

What documents do you need?

To officially register, you will need to complete the following steps:

1. You should register with the tax service as an individual entrepreneur (IP). Some people decide to create an LLC (legal entity), but for this type of activity this is unnecessary.
2. The tax rate is chosen according to the UTII scheme. And since 2013, a patent form of taxation has become available. It is better to calculate in advance which one will be more profitable in your case.
3. You will definitely have to indicate OKVED codes that require the completion of work in a certain direction. For a shoemaker's workshop, these are enough - 52.71 and 52.74.
4. Even if the owner himself carries out the repairs without hiring personnel, he will still need to make contributions to the Pension Fund as an employee, so he will have to register with this institution as an employer.
5. Today, by law, when paying for services in cash, you must have a cash register, which must be registered with the relevant authorities.
6. It is advisable to create a company bank account for making non-cash transactions with suppliers or for paying taxes.

Before you open a workshop, you will also need permits from Rospotrebnadzor, SES and fire inspection. Having put the premises in order according to their requirements, you can invite representatives of these authorities to inspect and obtain the necessary conclusions from them.

Forms of organizing a ready-made business

A shoe workshop can look different and perform tasks of varying complexity. Today the following varieties are distinguished:

• Budget repair of economy class - involves simple orders for replacing insoles, soles, repairing heels, heels, locks, installing preventive maintenance and stitching. For the owner of this business, it is enough to acquire simple tools and inexpensive equipment. Low prices in such a workshop are preferable for people with low and medium incomes. But services of this kind are attracting less and less attention from the population, since repairs do not always pay off; sometimes it is easier to buy new cheap shoes than to pay for the repair of old ones at almost the same cost.
• Middle class - provides a wider range of services, shoe restoration. The price of the order will become more expensive, more premises will be rented, and equipment will be purchased to perform complex, professional-level tasks. The income for the owner in this case will be significantly higher.
• VIP workshops - expensive shoe repairs are performed for wealthy clients. It is not enough just to know how to properly repair products of any complexity and high quality. The owner will have to purchase special equipment that allows him to perform a variety of tasks. The room needs to be decorated accordingly. This is no longer a simple stall, but a workshop in an elite area with a good renovation, a separate room for receiving orders and a large enough area to accommodate several workplaces.

Depending on what audience you are targeting, the financial ability to purchase specialized equipment and certain skills in performing various tasks, it is worth focusing on specific figures for starting investments, as well as other nuances of organizing a business.

Selection and arrangement of premises

One of the main criteria for how many clients you will have is the location of the workshop. It is very important to find a building on a crowded street. The following options are most suitable:

1. Markets.
2. Public transport stops.
3. Supermarkets and shopping centers.
4. Close to various government institutions.
5. Ground floor of an apartment building in a densely populated area, etc.

It is worth noting that the following choice will also affect the size of the starting investment:

• you rent land from the state and set up a kiosk up to 10 square meters in size. m.;
• pay for the temporary rental of someone else’s pavilion;
• buy or rent a room on the ground floor in a residential building;
• build an elite workshop from scratch of a fairly large size.

All this will affect how much you will have to pay initially to organize a business and its payback period.

It is important to prepare the premises in accordance with the requirements of the above regulatory authorities, as well as install the electrical network. Since professional equipment consumes a lot of electricity, its capabilities should be designed for 300 V.

If the workshop is aimed at the middle and premium class, then the size is 10 sq. m. will not be enough. And it is advisable to divide the entire area into separate rooms - a work area and for receiving orders. The more equipment is installed in a room, the larger its dimensions should be. But for the simplest shoemaker, 6-8 square meters is enough. m., where the work is performed by one person.

Necessary equipment

Depending on which market segment you decide to target, what class of shoes to repair and the range of services offered, the main list of required tools and machines will differ. To perform the simplest tasks it is enough:

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1. Electric hotplates for heating adhesives.
2. Special shoe paw.
3. Sharpened.
4. Electric drills.
5. Shoe gun.
6. Sheela.
7. Pliers.
8. Nipper.
9. Hammer.
10. Various consumables and components - pieces of leather, nails, rubber for heels, blanks for soles, polyurethane, instep supports, etc.

To perform more complex tasks you will have to purchase:

• sewing machine;
• special processing machine;
• burner;
• and compressor.

Personnel search

Shoe repair as a business does not require a large number of employees. Only its owner can work in a small workshop. Sometimes a shift worker is hired to be able to go away on business or to increase the number of completed orders in a short period.

Staff is needed only when it is planned to open a serious medium- or premium-class establishment with many machines. But then another question arises - where to find good professionals who can carry out even complex orders and who understand the shoe business at a decent level? Such people are trained only in certain educational institutions, of which there are very few in our country.

Therefore, it is advisable to search for qualified personnel in several directions at once:

1. Contact vocational schools where such specialists are trained and select the best graduates.
2. Use the help of the employment center.
3. Place advertisements on the Internet resources of recruiting companies.

But you can also take inexperienced apprentices and train them yourself, then you will be sure that their skills and knowledge meet all the standards of your company.

For an economy-class and even mid-level workshop, almost no special advertising actions are required. Here it is enough to choose the right location for the pavilion, install a bright, large sign and do the work really well. The main way of disseminating information among the population is word of mouth.

If there is a high level of competition in the area or you are opening an elite workshop with expensive equipment, then be sure to use modern advertising methods:

• Create your own website where you can list the range of services offered, indicate the address and telephone number of the workshop.
• Place advertisements on city forums, on social networks, and use contextual advertising.
• Print out business cards and distribute them to everyone you know, leave them in crowded places.
• For a premium establishment, you should definitely work on creating a logo, brand, memorable name and take the help of advertising agencies.

Such actions do not always lead to the desired result. Sometimes nothing needs to be done at all. After each method, note how effective it was and decide what would be better to use in the future. Different cities require a different approach.

Here you can download a free business plan for a shoe repair shop as a sample.

Financial calculations

Even when creating a small economy-class workshop, it is advisable to draw up a business plan that will indicate all the steps for organizing and developing the project, as well as summing up the financial results of the initial investment.

If you plan to open a more elite establishment and perform complex tasks, then the cost of entering the business will increase several times, since professional equipment is very expensive. In addition, when hiring craftsmen, you will also have to pay for their labor, which also constitutes a large expense item.

How much can you earn from such a business? The simplest shoe repair, when all services are performed by the owner, brings in about 2000-3000 rubles of net profit every day. But in this case, there is no need to purchase complex machines and you can get by with a low rent for a small space, which significantly reduces the payback period, which does not exceed 1-1.5 years.

With an average project format, the starting investment increases, but by completing more expensive and complex orders, a specialist is able to earn about 10,000 rubles for each working day. An elite workshop brings even more profit, but due to high initial investments, this type of business pays off only after 3-5 years.

Video: how to start a shoe repair business.

The demand for the services of shoemakers has been and will always be high. According to experts, already in the first season of wear, every tenth pair of shoes needs repairing. Every thirtieth is made of expensive materials and therefore requires special care. Considering that the demand for shoes, including luxury ones, is constantly growing, the shoe repair business will always find its client.

Who wears shoes for repair and when?

For a long time there was an opinion that the shoe repair shop mainly caters to the middle class and below. They say that it is easier for the rich to buy new shoes than to repair old ones. But in fact, wealthy people seek repairs no less often than others. When buying luxury shoes, it is easier to pay for expensive repairs than to shell out another $400 for a new pair.

But cheap shoes are rarely repaired. In this case, it is much more reasonable to buy a new pair for 300 rubles than to pay 250 rubles. for repairs. Therefore, the main client of the workshops is the middle class and above.

It is believed that this is an off-season business - people always wear shoes to be repaired. But in practice, the shoe repair shop receives the most orders in the off-season, when people switch from one type of shoe to another.

Shoe workshop formats

Before drawing up a business plan for a workshop, you need to decide on its format. There is the following division of workshop levels:

• cheap;
• middle level;
• elite format.

The biggest competition is in the cheap segment. There are many craftsmen who use a minimum of tools and the cheapest materials to carry out repairs. Naturally, the quality of work offered is appropriate. In order to start such a business, it is enough to include in your spending plan the purchase of a special machine for 19 thousand rubles. and repair shoes at a kiosk on the street. But you need to understand that no matter how much you want, expensive shoes will not be brought here.

The medium format is considered the ideal solution because it can repair a variety of shoes. For work, various tools and materials of different quality are purchased for different types of shoes. They tend to open such workshops in permanent premises.

The elite workshop format has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is the cost of services. To repair shoes here, you need to focus on a price of a thousand rubles and more. That’s why such workshops are located in prestigious areas, for example, in shopping centers. A significant disadvantage of such a business is an extremely narrow target audience and a large spending plan on expensive materials, equipment, work of craftsmen and rent. All this can increase the payback period of a business. Therefore, next we will look at how to open a mid-level shoe repair shop.

Brief opening plan

Having decided on the field of activity, you can draw up a business plan for opening a workshop. With its help, it is necessary to solve such basic issues.

Enterprise registration

First of all, you need to officially register your business. To do this, you need to register your activities as an individual entrepreneur or legal entity. There is no fundamental importance on which format to choose. If you open a small workshop on your own, you can register an individual entrepreneur - this will make it faster and easier to then maintain all the necessary reporting documentation. If you have a partner or are starting a large-scale project, it makes sense to register an LLC. But then before registration it is necessary to form an authorized capital. To register with the tax office, you must select the type of taxation. Most often, UTII or a simplified system is recommended.

Also, when registering, you must indicate OKVED codes. In the case of a shoe workshop, these will be:

• 52.71 Repair of shoes and other leather goods;
• 52.74 Repair of household products and personal items not included in other groups.

Since this type of service is usually paid for in cash on the spot, it is advisable to purchase a cash register or use strict reporting forms. A cash register is, of course, an additional expense. In addition, it must be registered with the tax office, which means additional time costs. Therefore, workshops often work with forms.

You also need to register with a number of funds and obtain permits from Rospotrebnadzor, the fire inspectorate and the SES.

Search for premises

Logically, to open such a business, you need to look for a place where there is a large flow of people every day. It is advisable that your workshop is located on the route of movement of potential clients from and to work. Many people recommend looking for a place near the metro. But in fact, the choice of location largely depends on which target audience you are targeting more. The metro, for example, is rarely used by those who move around the city by car. And these are mostly very solvent clients. Therefore, it is better to open your workshop in a residential area, where you are guaranteed to reach several categories of the population. True, you need to carefully check the area for the presence of competitors and try to place your point as far as possible from them.

If possible, it is advisable to divide the room into two zones. The main one should be allocated for work areas, and a small area should be allocated for receiving clients. Today they pay attention to the level of service, so we must clearly respond to this market requirement.

Equipment

The next item that your business plan should include is the purchase of the necessary equipment and tools. For a full-fledged workshop, it is necessary to purchase at least 30 items of various equipment. Moreover, it is advisable to buy imported equipment, since it can be used to carry out work of much better quality. This equipment is not cheap. For example, a German-made combine costs an average of 20-30 thousand euros. But experts recommend first purchasing a minimum set for typical work, and then gradually expanding the arsenal of equipment and services offered.

You can save money by purchasing used equipment. Thus, a set of European used machines will cost 60 thousand dollars, and Russian ones - 10 thousand dollars. If you take a new imported one directly from the factory, you need to include at least 80 thousand dollars in the expenditure plan for this item.

Consumables

In addition to equipment and tools, you need to draw up a plan for purchasing consumables. At a minimum this includes:

• heels;
• overlays;
• heels;
• adhesives;
• leather.

Their purchase price directly depends on the quality. High-quality heels will cost 200-250 rubles. per pair, prevention stickers – 400-500 rubles. At the same time, you need to be ready to accept a non-standard order and have the necessary parts for it - people sometimes bring extremely non-standard shoes.

You can buy consumables both abroad and from domestic manufacturers. It all depends on the desired quality of the product. You can save on purchases if you place orders for supplies out of season, when purchase prices are significantly reduced. In addition, if the level of your business format allows, you can find domestic analogues and purchase them significantly cheaper.

Workplace

Particular attention should be paid to organizing the foreman’s workplace in accordance with safety requirements. Each work place must be located on an area of ​​at least 7 square meters. m. Also in the room, or better yet above each workplace, you need to install a powerful hood. There should be no dust, smell of glue or paint in the room. Each master must have work clothes, glasses, and a mask for different types of work. You also need to ensure that the master does not start work tired - this is extremely dangerous.

Other nuances

Think about your workshop schedule in advance. It is advisable to open from 7 am so that people going to work can bring their shoes for repairs. Work should be completed by 8:00 p.m. so that customers can pick up their shoes on the way home. It also makes sense to work on Saturdays and at least half of Sundays. Most people resolve everyday issues at this time.

Partnerships with other representatives of the service industry will help increase the work plan. For example, you can open an order collection point at a dry cleaner, laundry or sewing workshop. It will be convenient for customers to deliver all items at once, intermediaries will receive a percentage of orders, and you will expand your customer base.

Investments in opening

The financial plan will vary greatly depending on the size of the premises and the number of employees. To open a workshop of 20-30 sq. m. with two masters and one receptionist will need about 100 thousand dollars of investment. The bulk of these funds will be spent on purchasing the necessary equipment, consumables and paying for the rental of premises.

It is unlikely that you will be able to borrow this money from a bank. Startups are always associated with high financial risk, so banks can only provide such loans if you show good financial results for six months to a year. Therefore, it makes sense to consider franchising options at the start.

Cost plan for the first year of the workshop

The calculations do not include rent, since its size varies greatly within the city and region. In addition, the salary indicator is conditional. More often it is formed on the basis of a percentage of completed orders. As a rule, in subsequent years the expense item is reduced by approximately four times and consists of:

• rent;
• wages;
• utility costs;
• procurement of consumables.

The payback of the project depends on the number of orders. As a rule, at first you can receive about six clients per day, and by the second year of work - up to 30. Accordingly, if the services of your workshop are promoted, you can receive at least 35 thousand dollars per year. The profitability of the business varies between 6% and 18%, and the term The average payback period is about three years.

Development prospects

The most common types of work in workshops are:

• installation of heels;
• installation of soles;
• replacing zippers;
• replacement of heels.

But a modern workshop, equipped with the necessary equipment, is capable of performing up to 20 different types of work, accepting 20-30 orders per day. Of course, until the client base has been developed, such indicators will not be seen, but we must strive for them.

First of all, you can take on complex orders that “handicraft” workshops refuse. Having the necessary equipment, you can carry out exclusive orders. By the way, for exclusivity, as well as for urgency, you can set a certain markup.

You can increase the flow of clients by expanding the range of related services. For example, if space allows, you can allocate space for minor repairs of clothing, leather goods or household appliances. Or open a point to accept orders for such repairs. It makes sense to organize the sale of cosmetics for shoes, especially exclusive ones.

Marketing and advertising

It is important not only to open a workshop and offer quality services, but also to constantly expand the customer base, increasing the number of regular customers. Today the media are not used for these purposes, since they have lost their relevance in this sense. A significant part of customers come from the street, so it is important to make a beautiful and catchy sign. It also makes sense to distribute flyers and business cards near the workshop. Many people recommend giving orders to customers in branded packages: both the customer is pleased and you get some advertising.

It is also worth paying attention to the Internet. Today it is able to bring a significant number of clients. It would be justified for a workshop to open its own website through which it can accept orders. At the same time, charge an additional fee for the services of a courier who comes to pick up the order and then takes it back to the client. However, in order for the site to give the proper return, you need to invest in its promotion, and this is about another $250 per month. It makes sense to place ads on free boards on the Internet, create your own groups on social networks, and also use discounts and promotions through special resources. These steps will help create a base of regular customers, of course, provided that the work is done well.