A Guide To Starting A Harpeth River Canoe Rental Enterprise

By Angela West


Kayaking down the waterway can be extremely therapeutic and relaxing. This makes it one of the most popular outdoor activities the world over. However, as an entrepreneur, you can also look at the activity in terms of the business opportunity it provides. Here are some of the top tips for opening a Harpeth River canoe rental business.

A kayak rental business is most suitable for someone who enjoys the outdoors and likes interacting with lots of people. That said, you still need to first research on what running a canoe leasing venture involves. Your day to day operations will revolve around communicating with clients, taking the bookings, training them, inspecting your equipment and repairing them. You will also need to keep finding out what your clients think of your services.

To succeed in any venture, you need to understand your target market. It is important that you define them as well as take note of their numbers. You should also go ahead to understand what they are looking for and what the market is currently providing. This will help you carve out a niche that will enhance the profitability and sustainability of your enterprise.

Your success will also depend on how clear the plan you come up with is. When creating your business plan, there are certain topics that you have to address. It is vital to look into your start-up costs and work on the sales projections. Such calculations will go a long way in helping you work out the amount of time you will require to break even.

To operate a legal venture, you will need to acquire a few permits, licenses and certifications. The local municipal officials can help you with the relevant licensing, certification and compliance issues. If you do not comply with the applicable laws, you may end up being fined lots of money. You should also protect your kayak rental venture against liabilities by purchasing the right insurance cover.

Seek financing. If you want to start small, your capital requirements will be minimal. Nevertheless, you may need to seek a bank loan when you want to go big from the onset. Irrespective of your capital requirements, there are many ways by which you can obtain funding for your enterprise. These include getting a bank loan, borrowing from family and partnering with a friend.

A huge chunk of your capital will go into the purchase of the vessels you need. The number of canoes you should buy will depend on the size of the business you are looking to set up. You can source for quality kayaks from local stores or the internet. However, you have to do your research if you must buy durable and comfortable equipment that your customers will like.

Market your venture. With proper marketing, you can easily reach out to a huge client base. The internet provides lots of marketing tools that suits start-ups like yours. You can also come up with a basic website to help your clients reach you and make bookings online. However, providing excellent services is arguably the most effective way to advertise any new business.




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