Who is it suited to?
So who should open a sports business? This very much depends on your experience, desire and passion to make it happen, explains Chris Sardi, manager of Total Racquet sports, a niche business based in Dunstable that caters for tennis, badminton, squash and strangely bowls, something Sardi added on when he discovered that there were 5000 bowlers in Bedfordshire.
"I did a few Business Link courses when I was younger and come from a sales and marketing background so that side of things was covered and then the Prince's Trust gave me a grant which I'm repaying over three years. But you have to have the tenacity, mental staying power and the thought that 'nothing is cast in iron' to do it."
In theory, anyone can start their own business in this sector, but careful planning and the drive to see the business through it's early beginnings are the key. Sardi, for example, works seven days a week and only pays himself roughly £100 per week.
However, his ability to build up relationships within the local area as well as sending out mail shots and phoning the right people such as all the tennis, squash and badminton clubs and organisations in Bedfordshire, has allowed him to build up a database of over 6000 contacts. He says: "I had to sacrifice a lot of things such as selling my car, leaving a £35,000 a year job and put girlfriends on hold. So you've got to know in your heart of hearts that you want to leave lots behind to pursue a career such as this."
Knowing how your sport or sport in general operates is also important. Sardi runs tennis training for young people at a local club as well as stringing racquets in his shop and for the stars when Wimbledon starts at the end of June each year. This is a useful skill to have, particularly in a specialist environment and can give you a distinct edge over the competition.