Where can I find estimates of the startup costs of a copy/print/mail center?
By Brad Sugars •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
I'm a student with a project that requires a PowerPoint presentation of a proposed new business. I chose a copy center. I need some help obtaining costs for startup, equipment, staffing, etc. Where I can find examples with dollar amounts attached?Industry associations are great for this type of information. Look there first or talk to some business owners in the industry (you’d be surprised at how much information people will share with you).
Get your hands on some good entrepreneur's manuals (at the bookstore or the library) and continue your research on the web. There's a ton of information out there--especially relating to startups--in a range of different industries. Many costs are similar, and you can get a good idea of what to benchmark.
Realize, though, that costs always run more in a startup than projected. Your project would benefit by showing what that percentage is for the industry (20 percent, 30 percent, 50 percent), so you can better show how cash flow will vary as your proposed "business" gets off the ground.
All the best,
Brad Sugars
