So one night at the end of 16 hours shift I started dreaming about providing people with custom First Aid Kits... After putting few of them together for my friends and coworkers I decided to make a list of what I would want in a perfect FAK with quality instruments and no substandard equipment, price it and than possibly maybe offer it to a public and than retire.

Mind you I have access to some "free" medical supplies such as 4by4 and band aids and alcohol wipes so originally I would use it in order to start up my business. First I didn't want to branch out into many different types of FAKs so I came up with the basic EDC model which had everything you needed with room for expansion for your custom needs. I wanted to be competitive with other manufactures out there so I decided to make it $25 shipped. I realized that TAD gear or REI sells many different kits ranged from $17 to $22 so that was my target market. So... I first figured out the shipping which was $4.55 and paypal feels @ $1 and donation to forums $1 per kit... so that roughly left me with $18 of working money to put all the dream items in there.

So the quest for the case started. Pelicans/Otterboxes were my choice at first but too expensive. Finally I set on basic pouches from CountyComm which were about $11. That left me $7 for medical/instrumental component. All the meds were priced at about $4 and that's including all "free" stuff I had access to. That left me with $3 for instruments and profit. Chances of retirement in just a year looked slimmer with every punch of the calculator button. Basic small LED light was $1.75 and fit perfectly into the pouch. And there was no way I could get tweezers or mini trauma shears for leftover $1.25. So I decided to "keep" the $1.25 as profit. First I fired the imaginary accountant, than the truck driver, imaginary packer and stock boys and last to go was my imaginary bombshell personal assistant. Mind you above numbers are quoted on amount needed to make 20 FAKs. In theory I would make about $25 profit when selling 20 kits. It takes about 15-20 minutes to put the kit together so roughly about 5 hrs to do everything not including time spend advertising, ordering and shipping.

Than the dark side of me came out and I started calculating cost of my FAKs using substandard equipment (what other guys use). My case from solid expandable material became a cheap pile of nylon that was suitable for rain coat carry. Wow I just saved $8. My tweezers and light combo quote came from China at amazing $2.25. AT that point I started pricing few small islands in the Pacific. Meds I also cut down to what other guys had it as and shaved of $1.25. Now we talking. I managed to email John Travolta if he wanted to be my personal pilot. I also rehired my imaginary personal assistant. Just when I was bathing in gold and puffed on my private stock Cuban cigar I realized that by selling crappy first aid kits I will be just like the other guys. I will be selling stuff that looks good on paper but when you open it up it looks horrible. So I told my broker to stop the island buying process, Travolta had to take a rain check and personal assistant was fired again. And I’m back to the drawing board.

$5 an hour may seem like an honest wage after day of work. for every $500 invested I get $25 back. Not enough to retire in a year but than everyone has to start somewhere. I must have slept thru Basic Economy 101. My search is still on and maybe one day I find what I’m looking for.

Great post, and isn't that the truth. The quality stuff costs money. I'm amazed that Doug's AMK PSK is as cheap as it is...

Don't give up, you'll have that island someday! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I got a good chuckle out of that one Polak. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If it's any consolation, the minimum wage will soon be going up. (Hurray! scream small businesses and astute economists!)There'll be a heck of a lot less people working but man, those that are working are going to be raking in the cash!

Polak, how about subbing-out the entire kit to the Chinese for $15, you sell for $25, make $10 on each kit, keep working at your day job and retire later? hehehe

Maybe buy items for FAK's in large quantity and resell them in smaller quantities. I look at the places online where for $100 I can buy a bazillion bandages but I have no use for that many, I wish I could buy a few of each item but still get the decent quality items.
You won't get rich but can have a nice little side business going.

How about some sort of custom FAK-consulting service?
People tell you what they want in the kit and you assemble and pack them?

I think that you need to rethink the hourly wage thing. Here's the secret...you put them together at work! On company time! That way your hourly wage is your normal pay PLUS the $5 per hour you already figured out. In no time at all you can have Travolta upgrade from his aging 707 to a Dreamliner!!!

Exellent post Polack! I enjoyed reading this and got a good chuckle out of it.
Over the last couple of years I learned a lot about business, costs and slim margins.
Hang in there, and you will eventially find your gold mine! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />