How do you start trying to get investors?

[hubbarddanny]

I am trying to go big here. I want to build what i feel would be the perfect range/training facility. What I need is investors. What i want is like nothing i have seen before in a range or training venue. I have seen the components in the same venue just not utilized the way i want to use them. So without trying to bash my ideas, can anyone please help me and just point me in the right direction?

 

[StantonCree]

Marry a really rich old chick.....switch life insurance policies........pay Baltimore resident to murder......money obtained!

Ok please don't follow that advice!

But good luck with your business venture I hope it works out!

 

[aaronn]

Start with a business plan Project costs and gross/net profits. A timeline for operations. It's also easiest to find investors when you're putting in some of your own money as well. If you're truly confident you may want to borrow against a property/car/credit card/ etc.

 

[coopermania]

Find your local SCORE office and make a appointment with them. They will tell you if what you want to do is a viable business and if so, They will help you with a business plan and help you through the finance process with banks and what not. The mentors who volunteer with score are generally retired business men and women.
Google SCORE And read what's on there website.

 

[hubbarddanny]

Find your local SCORE office and make a appointment with them. They will tell you if what you want to do is a viable business and if so, They will help you with a business plan and help you through the finance process with banks and what not. The mentors who volunteer with score are generally retired business men and women.
Google SCORE And read what's on there website.

thank you for the input! and I think i will hold off on the rich chick idea...lol

 

[Mooseman]

thank you for the input! and I think i will hold off on the rich chick idea...lol

At least you did not rule it out all together.

 

[Blaster229]

You are going to need millions. Can you cultivate the necessary business, other than walk-ins, that would make a solid, steady profit enough to satisfy an investor of a payback?

What kind of experience, Special Ops, extensive military/years of specialized law enforcement do you have that your networking would attract and bring in qualified instructors and students to your state-of-the-art venue?
Contracting to .gov and .mil agencies to come to your site and take classes there?

Or are you talking about some land and some wooden range benches and some tin roof covers for the weekend crowds? Not bashing, but pretty sure nobody would be interested in some joe schmoe with no experience in the business to help him build his dream hobby facility.

 

[hubbarddanny]

You are going to need millions. Can you cultivate the necessary business, other than walk-ins, that would make a solid, steady profit enough to satisfy an investor of a payback?

What kind of experience, Special Ops, extensive military/years of specialized law enforcement do you have that your networking would attract and bring in qualified instructors and students to your state-of-the-art venue?
Contracting to .gov and .mil agencies to come to your site and take classes there?

Or are you talking about some land and some wooden range benches and some tin roof covers for the weekend crowds? Not bashing, but pretty sure nobody would be interested in some joe schmoe with no experience in the business to help him build his dream hobby facility.

Yeah i have 13.4yrs USAF Security Forces and 7 yrs of that was a Combat Arms training and Maintanence instructor. I am NRA certified and MD State Police certified. I want to have the classrooms with dedicated ranges for HQL/NRA classes. I also want to tailor to Protective Service Officers to help them with passing the ICE course of fire. I would also have an additional range for those just wanting to come an shoot, so they wont have to compete with classes

 

[coopermania]

You are going to need millions. Can you cultivate the necessary business, other than walk-ins, that would make a solid, steady profit enough to satisfy an investor of a payback?

What kind of experience, Special Ops, extensive military/years of specialized law enforcement do you have that your networking would attract and bring in qualified instructors and students to your state-of-the-art venue?
Contracting to .gov and .mil agencies to come to your site and take classes there?

Or are you talking about some land and some wooden range benches and some tin roof covers for the weekend crowds? Not bashing, but pretty sure nobody would be interested in some joe schmoe with no experience in the business to help him build his dream hobby facility.

Jesus dream squasher, Did your daddy not take you to Disneyland ?

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Something like this? http://www.pantheratraining.com

 

[Blaster229]

Jesus dream squasher, Did your daddy not take you to Disneyland ?

Lol that's me, the realist. :-)

 

[Ragnar]

Something like this? http://www.pantheratraining.com

Wow.

 

[hubbarddanny]

Something like this? http://www.pantheratraining.com

well i would love to have a range/facility complex like this, but it doesn't look like it has the classroom/range set up that i want. but that would be an AWESOME place to train!!

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

How about The Athena Gun CLub ( http://www.athenagunclub.com/ )?

 

[MaxVO2]

well i would love to have a range/facility complex like this, but it doesn't look like it has the classroom/range set up that i want. but that would be an AWESOME place to train!!

*****That range is awesome. Dunno how much more or different class space and range setup you would want. There are a few other ranges and training facilities out west with longer ranges for rifle work as well as a wider variety of rentals, but they are private clubs. I would think break even cost of membership or rentals, etc.. Not to mention liability insurance in our area would make things really pricey.

There are some very deep pockets in this area and plenty of money for venture capital for the right business plan to make it all happen, but folks with that kind of money would need to have a reasonable expectation of return on their initial investment, as well as having folks with decent business experience to take care of the business and revenue part of the venture - that leaves out Obama after he leaves office in a couple of years so you will have to find someone else.

First step is to plan everything out, and make a decent business plan/prospectus for potential investors. The SBA and other organizations can provide free assistance to at least get some of the more basic business plan stuff done but it will take some work after this is done to shop it around.

Good luck, it would be great to have something like this near by.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Blaster229]

How's your training facility plans/ idea from October coming along?
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=134246

 

[jonnyl]

In addition to your personal background with firearms and instruction, potential investors would be interested in your business background. Do you or any partners that have skin in the game have a track record at running a business?

I think one of the toughest things will be finding enough land that can be had at a reasonable price, while being close enough to population to provide enough clientele.

Best of luck to you and keep us posted!

 

[hubbarddanny]

How's your training facility plans/ idea from October coming along?
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=134246

My range idea hasn't moved yet....thats what i want to get started. Need money and investors. I already have clients lining up (Security Officers that i work with.....i have helped several improve their scores on the ICE course, so others have said they would use me. Especially because I told them i would be cheaper than the other places they go for quals.) Now about the old plans, one thing i would change to the idea is to add an additional range for general public to use that wouldn't compete with the classes/ranges.

 

[hubbarddanny]

How about The Athena Gun CLub ( http://www.athenagunclub.com/ )?

at the athena range i don't know if the classrooms are set up like i would but that has all the components.

 

[mtnwisdom]

Great businesses start with simple ideas (dreams), so don't stop thinking about it. But also don't just dream, ask yourself; what phone calls have I made, who have I met (formally or informally) that can help further the idea (not just potential future customers), have I contacted 'real' business people (senior executive staff, bankers, commercial realtors, etc) to seek advice, did I make an appointment with S.C.O.R.E. (it is free, personal business consulting)? Have I visited the high quality range operations as well as "Billy Bob's"? Have I called the NRA Range Operations section for advice (it is free and seasoned)?

Shooting experience is a must, instructor credentials a mandate (you will need more than NRA, look into Glock, Sig, Ayoob, LFI, Gunsite, Academi) NRA is akin to a undergraduate degree- a minimum threshold, your will need a graduate degree to sustain the teaching side of the business. Unless you already have a name of attraction in the shooting sports industry, you are going to need good, solid business management people, and you will need to listen to their input.

Visit (in person not just the web), the NRA Indoor range, Colonial Shooting Academy ( http://www.colonialshooting.com/rva/ ), the CCJA ( http://www.ccjatraining.com ) for some ideas and to get 'Ground Truth'. I purposefully left out the many local shooting establishments because I certain you have been to one or two, and I also think being a clone is a bad idea in the marketplace (Don't reinvent the wheel, but don't 'rediscover' gravity.).

All dreams that come to fruition take time and effort. Time measured in years and effort measured in dedication to the purpose. Work the dream every day, even if only a little-build the dedication everyday, become known to the business startup community as "that guy with the shooting range idea." and continue to work on our 'graduate' degree as an instructor-build the best teaching outlines and graphic aids (powerpoints, videos, etc.) learn as many techniques that help participants to learn shooting fundamentals by taking classes not just teaching them, volunteer your time to shooting events as a coach/instructor (Women on Target, BSA, etc.).

There is an underserved market in the Baltimore metro region, but saying that to the SBA loan officer is not a business plan; no plan-no cash. Biz plans are very individualized documents, written to serve one purpose for one business entity. Do not choose the low bid, or the unproven for this task. The outcome of the entire project is at risk. You are going to need $2-$10 million of startup for a quality project. Keep in mind, there are substantial overhead costs waiting...several employees, insurance, utilities, ominous regulatory burdens, etc.

Best Wishes, and see you around...

-Chuck