Have you ever wanted to set up your own business?

Yes, I have always wanted to have my own business and I actually had one.

About 5-6 years ago I started a small online clothing business. I used to sell ladies casual wear and stitched suits through Facebook and WhatsApp. Alhamdulillah it was going very well in the start, I was getting good orders from my city and other cities too.

But then due to my physical health issues I had to stop it completely for almost 3 years. It was a difficult time for me. I couldn't manage packing, going to market, and handling customers. So I closed everything.

Now my health is much better and I really want to start it again from zero.

What sort of business and will it be online or physical?

It will be purely online clothing business again. I don't want to open a physical shop right now because rent is very high and online is easier to manage from home. I will work from home, keep stock at home, and take orders on Instagram, Facebook page and WhatsApp.

My Basic Business Plan for Restart:

1. Start-up Costs:

Since I am starting again, I will start from small investment.

• Initial stock (30-40 suits of 2-3 designs) = $600
• Packing material, tags, shopping bags = $50
• Page promotion and paid ads = $100
• Courier account balance = $50
Total to start = Around $700 - $800

2. Competitor Analysis:

There are many clothing pages online now, competition is very high compared to 3 years ago. But I noticed most pages are selling same designs with high price. My plan is to keep quality good but price reasonable, and focus on personal customer service - quick reply, honest size chart, clear videos of dress.

3. Price Setting:

If I buy a suit for $15, I will sell it for $22-$25. So I can keep $7-$10 profit per piece after delivery cost. For premium collection, profit will be a little more.

4. Operating Costs (Monthly):

As I have experience of doing this business before and by considering it these experiences will require for a month

• New stock buying = $400
• Facebook/Instagram ads = $100
• Courier charges (mostly paid by customer) = $50 for returns
• Internet + mobile package = $20

Total monthly expense = Around $570

5. Cash Flow Forecast:

If I sell 40 suits in a month with average profit of $8 per suit:
Profit = 40 x $8 = $320 profit in first month.
It will be slow in start but once old customers come back and reviews increase, it can go to 80-100 suits per month.

How do I market my business?

Before I used to market only through my personal Facebook. This time I will make a proper Instagram page, post daily reels of the dresses, use WhatsApp broadcast list, and also ask my old customers to share my page. Word of mouth works best in clothing business.

Plans to grow:

For now my only plan is to restart and stay consistent. I don't want to rush. After 6 months if it goes well, I want to add wedding collection and kids collection also, and maybe later make a small website.

I am a bit nervous to start again after 3 years, but I am also excited. I hope this time I can continue it properly.