Start an independent clothes boutique

Local shoppers, people looking for gifts and customers who want something different from the big chains.

You buy stock at wholesale prices and sell at a retail mark-up. Profit depends on choosing stock that sells, limiting end-of-season sales and keeping rent under control.

• An eye for style and what sells
• Stock buying and budgeting
• Friendly customer service
• Basic bookkeeping

• Lease terms: check the length, break clauses and who pays for repairs
• Business rates: check with your council whether small business rate relief might apply
• Shop insurance covering stock, contents and public liability
• Unsold stock tying up cash, so start with small orders
• Consumer rights rules on returns and refunds, and labelling rules for textiles
• Register as a sole trader or limited company, and check when VAT registration applies

Startup costs are typically around £10,000 to £50,000, depending on the premises, fit-out and how much opening stock you buy. These are estimates, and starting with small orders can stop unsold stock tying up cash.

Check your lease length, break clauses and repair responsibilities, and ask your council whether small business rate relief might apply. Also check shop insurance, consumer rights rules on returns, textile labelling, and when VAT registration applies.

Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on location, range and footfall. That is revenue, not profit, and you should plan for at least 40 hours a week.