As with all new ventures mobile business ideas require careful consideration and although going mobile is not without risks this approach has fewer entrance barriers and is less risky than if the alternative is to be based in bricks and mortar.

Inevitably startup costs for any new business puts pressure on even the most optimistic entrepreneur, but opting for the mobile approach will certainly ease stress, which is why so many are now choosing to take this route.

Mobile business ideas in action

The terminology “mobile” has become synonymous with and no doubt forever inextricably linked with the phone industry, but this should not be confused with the ever-increasing number of new businesses now said to be “going mobile” by which they mean the use of van conversions and larger chassis cab vehicles. Although this rapid growth in mobile business ideas is recent it is fair to say that it is far from being a new concept! There have been street vendors in the form of knife sharpeners, rat catchers, hawkers, milkmen and more based on hand pushed carts from way back when but just because it has been done before shouldn’t put anyone off.

The opportunities for itinerant knife sharpeners may have been consigned to the past to be replaced in today’s world of mobile business by a multitude of products and services of which a few are:

Food trucks : Coffee and speciality drinks : Mobile bars : Pet transport / animal ambulance services : Handyman and repair services : Cleaning services: Mobile retailing and refill : Pet grooming: Barbers : Mobile beauty salons: Mobile mechanics : Market vendor : Video gaming parties : Mobile veterinary practices : Mobile fitness : Tutoring and training : Photographer: Advertising billboard : Locksmith : Catering services : Mobile health check services

The fact that so many varied mobile business ventures exist, with most performing very well, a saturated market it is not. Whilst there will be some geographic areas of saturation for some ideas, there remains a wealth of opportunities for others throughout the country.

Advantages of developing a mobile business idea

The costs, long term commitments and bureaucracy associated with setting up a new business in traditional fixed premises prevents many from getting off the ground. It is not just the cost of rent, but legal fees, business rates, the requirement for unrealistic deposits and planning regulations that can be off putting.

Against this the straightforward investment in a vehicle (plus the specialist conversion required) comes out at a fraction of the cost, even when you take vehicle and equipment depreciation into account. Invest in a vehicle (new or second hand) which can be easy to finance over a number of years to the benefit of cash flow, provides an asset from day one.

Admittedly, no matter what the mobile business idea may be there will be no escape from the need to maintain full accounts! A profitable mobile business is like any other in that taxes must be paid, and the chances are that profits will kick in over a shorter period than a non-mobile based venture! The result being a much faster and greater return on investment ……which will be music to the ears of any bank manager!

In addition to the financial benefits a mobile business offers even more when it comes to marketing either goods or services. Being mobile takes the business to the customer and no longer reliant on the customer coming to it. This makes a mobile supplier a welcome and beneficial one to both commercial and consumers alike.

Any new mobile business idea will require some refinement but being mobile this facilitates flexibility and rapid response to market changes allowing an expansion of territory covered to maximise the business and even a total relocation to a new area, without incurring additional costs.

Another key advantage of being a mobile business is that it cuts the cost of attending outdoor and indoor events and shows since you can simply role up and start trading without the added expense of a trade stand (which can be considerable!). Incidentally, vehicles can also be taken into large event venues such as NEC or ExCeL (where stand building can be a prohibitive cost).

Long term most mobile business ideas turn into being remarkably successful ventures which are easy to grow being relatively simple in requiring investment in additional vehicles and personnel to support increased demand or geographical spread.

Becoming your own boss

“When you find an idea that you just can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue.”   Josh James

Many of our clients are large companies using the mobile business idea to promote and grow their existing sales by taking their products and services to distribution outlets and end consumers, but the majority of enquiries we handle and transform into new ventures are from people wanting to set up and run their own business ….to be their own boss. And who can blame them!

To assist these entrepreneurs, we are developing a range of “off the shelf” mobile business ideas with the first based on our mobile gaming van concept. With the UK video gaming market estimated to be worth around £7 billion per annum it is no surprise that we have built several gaming vans. It is fair to say that the concept although well-established is not universal geographically so there are many towns and cities where opportunities exist for those interested in video gaming to run their own business.

We also plan to update our animal ambulance and pet transportation designs. It may come as a surprise to some but there is a huge demand for pet transport services from owners, some of whom are too busy or otherwise unable to transport their pets. Animal ambulance services combined with pet transportation can make a rewarding business for those interested in pets and animal welfare.

None of the mobile business ideas we show clients are set in stone. Our speciality is in the creation of bespoke vehicles, and we fully appreciate the importance that each new venture needs to exploit its own unique selling points, and our role is to help in this process.

Our approach to mobile business ideas

 “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing” Walt Disney

 At MVTech we pride ourselves on the high quality of our vehicles (we are ISO 9001 Approved) and on our customer service and support. We may be large enough to manage fleet work, but we are just as committed to the one-off project for those exploring new business ideas.

If you are eager to be your own boss and planning to establish your own mobile business please get in touch with us on 0116 326 0989 or write to us at sales@multivehicletechnology.co.uk and we will be happy to help and support you in every way that we can.

The MVTech product range includes van conversions and chassis cab construction for a wide range of markets including veterinary ambulances, exhibition vehicles, mobile shops, product demonstration, mobile libraries, incident response vehicles, search and rescue vehicles, health services and much more.