My brother and I are wanting to start a company in WA together that during the beginning would advertise single pitch rock climbing trips (Vantage Leavenworth Exit 38, etc), backpacking and snowshoe tours. I’m pretty new to the idea of small business in the outdoor industry... I was wondering if anyone could give me some ideas on their thoughts what they think a successful company would have. Also insurance seems to be a big issue. Anyone know of any good providers. Do certain insurance providers require certain certifications. If so what are they? Thanks in advance! Any information will help.

I hear most guides are wealthy people in their own right already. And right now, business is tough. I also hear insurance takes most of the fees, up to half as I heard. You need to get a special use permit annually, and that is not chicken feed, either. Then accountants, attorneys, business advisers, tax preparers and more.

You'll need advertising and maintenance of your office and now, web expenses. You'd probably have to have clients lined up already, do not expect to have climbers running to you. I've been out of the scene looking at what climbers will do, but many of them have gone out of business or even got killed doing this. You might try to run it out of your home, say online requests only, but do not expect to earn very much. Most guides do it because they love doing it. If you see it as a job, you'll probably fail. You need clients coming back for more climbs, and I hear from some that the customers are so bad they gladly give up any more business from them!

I'd take a course in basic business ed, you need to be aware of the laws.

Me, I get no one even for free, and though I led easier peaks for the SC as did others, we are failing as far as getting up a good group to do any of this!

There should be a Small Business Administration office in your town, we have one here in Colorado. I took the "Start your own business course", was extremely valuable. The last poster provided much of that info, but they will go into details of why and how and even provide loans or services thru them. I own 2 businesses myself, and am looking into this same kind of business here, only a little more diversified.
Props to wanting to be self-employed, and good luck!

As others have noted, there are some obvious obstacles: regulation (do you need guiding permits? Permits to lead commercial groups on the routes you want to do?) insurance (can you find coverage that is affordable?) and basic business skills (incorporation, accounting, taxes, etc. You generally DONT need a lawyer for this stuff, but don't be afraid to pay for a professional, e.g. accountant, when needed, it can be well worth it. Start by finding an experienced business person (through your SBA maybe) you can talk to briefly for free, they'll tell you when you need more help.)
I want to emphasize one piece of basic business advice: none of it matters if you don't have customers.

in the beginning we will advertise single-pitch rock climbs

Marketing is a lot more than advertising. Your business plan starts with a clear understanding of who your customers are and why they will call you, rather than go to, say, the nearest rock gym. Maybe you can offer something the gym doesn't want to do, and the gym would be willing to provide you with referrals, maybe in exchange for a kickback? Ditto for outdoors stores like REI that sell or rent equipment... just tossing a couple of ideas out there. You won't know if these are good ideas until you talk to your customers and to these potential sales channels.

Start by looking for capital. You will need cash to get this thing off the ground and loans for this type of thing are scarce right now. If you don't have the money to start a new business, then none of the other stuff matters. Research your debt position as well as personal guarantee's, equity partners, possible joint ventures with established companies, and then above all what your plan will be. What makes you different than all the other services? These are the questions your debt providers will be asking and you need to have concrete answers before proceeding down the "start your own business" track.

I wish you the very best and good luck!

Start with a business plan. Don't be lazy. You have to write one out, even if you aren't going to a bank for financing. Without a plan you will get lost in starting a business. It took me almost 2 months to complete my business plan, but now I'm using it as a guide to stay on track. While writing your plan you will be forced to do the research for things like insurance, regulation, etc. and you will map out all your expenses, revenues and marketing details.

Check sba.gov for business plan templates. Don't buy one from a website.

Adayak wrote:Start with a business plan. Don't be lazy. You have to write one out, even if you aren't going to a bank for financing. Without a plan you will get lost in starting a business. It took me almost 2 months to complete my business plan, but now I'm using it as a guide to stay on track. While writing your plan you will be forced to do the research for things like insurance, regulation, etc. and you will map out all your expenses, revenues and marketing details.

Check sba.gov for business plan templates. Don't buy one from a website.

A business plan is the key if you're serious about making your venture go. Learn what the elements are and spend the considerable time it will take you to formulate one. Without one, it's like hiking into totally unknown territory without a map & compass.

A quick google search for "guide service insurance", "professional liability insurance" and "outdoor business insurance" turned up quite a few results. I'd just pick up the phone and call some of these insurance companies. Be prepared with a list of questions to ask them, even if you think the questions aren't related to their services.