Missed opportunites

[Cricko]

I was about 29 then..I was in Canada for a 3 month trip, I had met a girl in London who danced for the World famous Ice dancers that used to do Disney on ice etc..I went for a visit to Canada.It ended up as 3 months...At that time I had a kitchen appliance import company so life was ok. I was shopping at one of those big malls in Canada when I saw this swing that was a revelation for kids..It was a once in a lifetime....It was the most obvious thing I had ever seen for a money making idea.....I came home to the UK and straight away contacted them, they said we do not have a franchise or distributor in the UK..we will send you samples and you can decide if you want to be our UK agent..I received them in a week "The Swingomatic", I thought this is it...I arranged most, the stumbling block was I had to buy containers full to make it viable. I managed to raise 50k , and don't forget this was 20 years ago, I had Harrods and the House of Fraser online for the goods..I just could not get the 100k needed inline for full containers.

Today this is http://www.graco.co.uk/en_GB/

Have you missed any?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Thank Gawd for that, thought this was going to be one of your maudlin posts! The bloke's rather nice in the picture btw!

 

[Cricko]

If you realise how big graco are in europe now I am kinda maulding lol

 

[BrettieAngell]

Where was Dragons Den when you needed it?

 

[OldBlueLady]

I know that, and I've seen the thing you're talking about there - just rather relieved it's that you're talking about!

 

[OldBlueLady]

Where was Dragons Den when you needed it?

Don't get me started - my sister's best mate and her husband's offering

 

[Cricko]

Where was Dragons Den when you needed it?

Rich had I had the monies inline it would have made me.

 

[canveyshrimper]

On a similar theme back in 1984 I was offered the chance to go into a business partnership with a couple of former colleagues. We all had contacts, but at the time I was settled were I was, and while the start up would have been 35/45k I decided against, to my eternal regret.

The company I worked for went tits up two years later. I still do a lot of work with the guys who set up on their own, and one recently sold out his third of the business for 400k+ and retired to Spain. The way work is at the moment it'll be another 25 years before I get the chance to retire.

I'm not bitter about it, as it was my decison to back away, but I've kicked myself many times since then.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Rich had I had the monies inline it would have made me.

Well thats life mate!

 

[EastStandBlue]

If my Aunt had balls she'd be my Uncle.

 

[canveyshrimper]

If my Aunt had balls she'd be from Colchester

Post edited for accuracy.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Don't get me started - my sister's best mate and her husband's offering

I just bought one of them as part of the Mrs' birthday...

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

A guy I used to work with started a business with his friend from uni and set up a dual operation whereby they had a high-class coffee shop that doubled up as a specialist chocolate shop. I was asked if I had £5k to invest in return for a decent amount of shares and future profit share, if it had been 3 months later when my redundancy cheque had come in then I would have handed him a cheque no questions asked.

Today this company is now running concessions in a number of John Lewis, House of Fraser and soon I believe Selfridges. They also have a number of high class stores throughout the UK and a heavy online presence.

 

[Cricko]

Well,it was a kind of serious post....but as seems normal, not worth typing.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Oh boo hoo,stop feeling sorry for yourself,if it helps you john i enjoyed your story,not as good as mine,i turned the Beatles down and brought into 8 track players and sinclair c5s,hoo hum.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I was offered the opportunity to go thirds on a nine bar when I was at university.

I declined but two of my mates went halves and parlayed this into a lifestyle subsidising business.

 

[steveo]

Oh boo hoo,stop feeling sorry for yourself,if it helps you john i enjoyed your story,not as good as mine,i turned the Beatles down and brought into 8 track players and sinclair c5s,hoo hum.

Should have invested in CB radio - just after it became legal.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Should have invested in CB radio - just after it became legal.

One-nine for a copy.

 

[steveo]

One-nine for a copy.

10-4 Cyril, 10-4

 

[Napster]

Got offered the chance to
a) be Wreckless Eric's roadie
b) be the UK agent for Stones Throw records

Turned both down, regret both immensely.