I want to start selling the chemical products i have developed as a researcher.

[khamaar]

Hi,

I am a researcher in chemistry. I have produced a number of types of Nanomaterials, such as Uniform nano particles of Alumina, Zirconia, Silica, Zinc Oxide, etc. These materials exhibit such remarkable morphologies, that the ones available in the market, are absolutely no comparison. I have estimated that i can produce these materials on large scale, yet with "not that much" investment. However, i dont know where to start, i dont know if i'll have customers.

Please do tell me, should i find customers first, who would buy my products, would anyone buy my products, should i contact some company....Im really confused, because i am what i am and nothing more, im a researcher, not a businessman.

[Fergal]

Welcome to Business Advice Forum khamaar, thanks for joining.

I would say that the most important thing for you to do at the moment is to think long and hard about how potential customers would benefit from your products. Write a list of the benefits that users of your products could gain from them. Then think about the type of customers who might be interested in those benefits and write a list of those customers.

Once you have done all that you could begin to write a short business plan, to give yourself some clarity as to how your business would operate and make a profit. You can find links to some great business plan templates in our Useful Business Resources / Links thread.

Does that sound like an approach that could work for you?

[cesspadilla]

Well have you tried to work on a Chemical or any companies that needs you skills? Do you know what kind of companies need your products? I don't know much of the chemical industry works especially in terms of business. Although researching and having contact with someone in this field might help you have your business going.

[Mark T]

Hi,

I am a researcher in chemistry. I have produced a number of types of Nanomaterials, such as Uniform nano particles of Alumina, Zirconia, Silica, Zinc Oxide, etc. These materials exhibit such remarkable morphologies, that the ones available in the market, are absolutely no comparison. I have estimated that i can produce these materials on large scale, yet with "not that much" investment. However, i dont know where to start, i dont know if i'll have customers.

Please do tell me, should i find customers first, who would buy my products, would anyone buy my products, should i contact some company....Im really confused, because i am what i am and nothing more, im a researcher, not a businessman.

One thing that I know would probably be your customers are looking for such as laboratories and facilities that do hold such types of chemicals. However, what you need to know is the safety training and certifications for business individuals who would want to start our such business in the said indsutry.

[kimipatel]

Well chemical product is very risky product to sell.. First you have to license to sell your product... If you have than which company want you product you have to find out.. Also you need certificate to do business like this way...
More important is marketing. You have to promote your product first... Ad than you need some contact of chemical employ how work in this industry...That things help you in your business to take ahead.....

[khamaar]

Thank you all for your replies.

I wish to seek some kind of advice from u people regarding my current situation. The thing is that what i have developed over the years, really is of astounding quality, (these chemical compounds i mean). And as i have searched over the internet, people are making these compounds but with extremely low chemical characteristics, yet they are selling them at very high costs.

So i know that the things i have developed ARE of some value but i dont know where to start. Now i have to options.

1- There is a huge company, and its head, who met me in a conference was highly impressed, he is in constant pursuit of me, and is willing to take my products to the market.

2- I can make a business plan myself and start from zero, hoping to become $$$

Which option should i pick? Should i start myself, or should i go with the company? what should i do in the future?

[Fergal]

It's difficult to say which option you should go for, without knowing all the facts and the full business background. What you could do is write down lists of the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Also pay heed to what your instinct or intuition is telling you to do. There is a lot to be said for partnering with a large established company. They can give you access to experience, people and resources that would not be available to you, if you were working on your own.

[cesspadilla]

I've talked to a good friend of mine just awhile ago. She was a manufacturing support for a company that makes Solar Panels. One of their biggest client is Obama. The factory is based here in the Philippines so pretty much of the stuff needed is imported from the US. One of the things that ring the bell was that they were using chemicals in their process. Maybe you can talk to some companies like this.