You have looked into running/starting your own woodworking business. But you are not sure where to start. Perhaps you are uncertain about your wood working skills and whether people will buy your stuff. Maybe you thinks its too big a job to get started.
 
I'd like to help. Here's a simple Idea how to get started. It doesn't need you to race out to the workshop and start building a stock pile of product or even do any woodwork at all. Though I know you'd love to...

 
Every body has a birthday right, and then there is Christmas and other gift giving occasion right through the year. Can you remember when you first became interested in woodwork?. You probably start your love of woodwork with a gift that someone gave you on your birthday or for Christmas.

Why not put together a gift pack. A package of patterns, tools and finishes need to make a simple wooden project. Then sell the package as your perfect wood work starters kit. Sure it has been done a thousand times before but not in the special unique way you will do it. Use your woodworking knowledge and skills to fashion the optimal tool kit to go with the gift. Work out who the gift is aimed at (children, middle aged men, women etc) and set a budget for the total cost of the gift and tools.

I'd actually suggest selecting a pattern for a bird feeder or bird house something pretty easy. Get a good pattern that has the amount of lumber needed for the project and a list of tools and supplies needed. A pattern with actual-size drawings is the best for a beginner.

Purchase the tools needed to complete project. If your target market is for people who already do some woodworking, just include the tools that are specific to this project and leave out the basics like hammers, saws etc. If its a fancy birdhouse and involves some carving include a nice beginners or intermediate carving set.

Next do a deal with the local lumber store or wood supplier and get either a discount voucher or a fixed price gift certificate from them that you can include in your kit. This needs testing but probably a voucher for all the timber required would make this a more attractive kit to the purchaser. Buying a kit that includes everything means that the receiver doesn't need to buy anything and the gift is more likely to get made.

Add a few extras like carpenter's pencil, chalk line, T-square, sandpaper, level, compass, handsaw, wood glue, Phillips-head and flat-head screwdrivers as bonus tools to make the kit more attractive to the buyer. You might want to test what extras to put in, as to many extras may make the kit to expensive for most purchasers. Also include paints, brushes and wood sealer if needed to the complete project.
    
Now I'd suggest packaging the tools in a toolbox. It's simple, practical and easy to store and handle.

There are hundreds of ways to market this idea but the simplest I've though of is to get a stall at your local markets. It also allows you to talk to customers and find out what they would like in a kit. Have one or two display / sample kits available with a small selection of simple plans. Just take orders from people and tell them you will ship anywhere in the country (remember to work out the freight rates). This way you have time to purchase and pack before you ship. It cut down on stock and you only purchase the content of the products you have sold.  If you can get people to pay a deposit for full payment at the time they ordering would be the best thing but not always the easiest.

Look there is a lot more that could be said, but you can see starting a woodworking business isn't that hard and it doesn't actually require you do any woodwork. The contacts you make selling gift kits will give you and opportunity to investigate other wood work markets and put you in front of potential customers to whom you can sell your services. Who knows where your business could go from there. 

Talk soon

Derryck 

The image above has been linked from http://www.toystogrowon.com/sku866  They offer this simple kits for $24.99

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