Tie Dye: good or bad idea?

[Tsiyu]

Okay, I have a dilemma. A friend of my son's moved in with us in September. His parents died when he was young and he was raised by a sister who grew resentful. We were worried he might try to commit suicide, as he weighed close to 300 pounds, was depressed and had no goals or plans. He is 19 and has never driven a car, been on a date, and didn't even have basic phone skills.

I got him his first two jobs. ( The first just a short stint cooking pizza at Bonnaroo.) He was laid off from the last one and has been unemployed for a month now. He's a great kid who just needs somebody to believe in him and show him the way.

My idea is to get him started on a his own business. He liked my suggestion of tie dye. For around $50 from Dharma we can get the stuff to do about 20 shirts. (If we don't sell them we can at least wear them.)

My question: has anyone else done tie dye as a business? What are the downsides, warnings? I knew a woman who made quite a good living off of her tie dye products. is this realistic or should I encourage him in some other area?

i have to run out. I'll check responses when I return. Thanks, guys. :grouphug:

[drumwolf]

1. I'm not the best person to ask about starting a business in general...

...but I do have a few questions. Has he made tie-dyes before, and if so, is he good at it?

[Tsiyu]

2. No, but Ive had him doing some other 'eye-hand"

coordination jobs- helping me fix a horse gate, etc and he is a fast study.

[Aiptasia]

3. I think self motivation is going to be his key to success

If he isn't self motivated, he isn't going to do well in any business, especially a home based one where he has to dicipline himself to do the work in making them and selling them.

My suggestion would be to get the kid some skills at a junior college and a part time job on or near campus. Most JC's are quite inexpensive per semester and he'll get some useable skills.

Next, he needs to get a life. He needs to get out and socialize instead of sitting on his butt feeling sorry for himself all day. He can walk or ride the bus/subway. Find him some hobbies or groups to join. It'll get his mind off himself and onto other things/people. Shit, sign up for a swim class or something. This will work on his self esteem issues and improve them.

[Tsiyu]

5. Um, we live in Appalachia

The bus and the subway are quite a way off.

This kid grew up in poverty, in the hills.

He is ready to do something. He is useful, helping around the place, and he socializes as my kids have friends over often. He has lost a great deal of weight and his clothes no longer fit but since he lost work can't afford clothes. Hopefully that will change next week, but it's hard to go on a job interview when you can't walk properly in your britches...

[TyeDye75]

4. Tie Dye Rules

but Im biassed

[Tsiyu]

6. Do you tie dye?

We've been studying the mandela designs and some of the shiburi ( hope I spelled that correctly) types and they look pretty cool.

Buddha ( our friend's knickname )has a great mind, wants to be a filmmaker. My next step is to get him in school, FAFSA's and tax forms for another kid! Yippee!!

[TyeDye75]

8. I dont Tie Dye myself

but I buy it occasionally... BTW I think its great the way your helping this guy out.

[Tsiyu]

9. Thanks. Wish I really was some help

Gotta have hope, huh?

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. When I was in college, we had a guy in town who made tie-dye tee-shirts

and sold them out of the back of his van or in the student center.

This is what his business looks like now:
http://www.globalgatherings.com/ecat/customer_about.asp?


Oh, and *HUGS* to you for being so wonderful to this kid!

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[Tsiyu]

10. Thanks for the hugs

Cool site! That's what I'm talking about. I think many of us need to rethink "working." The old 'Get a job" model isn't happening, so I think why not try our hand at a home-based, small business, put all of our profits back into it and try something different?

I'm encouraged by another friend who quit his mechanic position at a big dealership to open his own shop here in the hills. It's really cool to see the great minds of the mountain stay on the mountain and provide services here. Maybe it'll be a flop, but maybe not...

Hugs to YOU for responding! :hug:

[Dastard Stepchild]

11. Your support is more important than the idea...

Not to say that we all don't want to start and run successful businesses! But, I think the greater benefit this young guy will have will come from your attention to his needs and your encouragement of his abilities. Give it a go - even if it "fails," you'll still have shown someone that you believe in their abilities. I don't think you could put a price tag on that.
Libraries and the net have some great resources on starting up small businesses. The Small Business Administration has a lot of info on their site, if I am not mistaken. They may even offer free classes in your area.
Best of luck!