Welding and manufacturing can be lucrative industries. Combine that with the appeal of working for yourself, and you may want to consider starting your own business. Here are some things to think about before you do, though.

1. Decide If It’s Right for Your Personality

Starting any kind of business from the ground up is hard work. It takes grit, determination, and a thick skin. If you like to weld but also enjoy working with finances, managing and working with others, and putting yourself out there to find new customers, you might enjoy having your own business. After all, you’re going to have to do more than welding to have a successful company. If this gets you excited, then starting off on your own might be a great idea for you.

2. Get the Right Certifications

No matter what kind of manufacturing you do, when you start your own business, it usually means that you’re going to be the expert at your new company—there’s no one to ask if you need help. When a customer comes to you with a complicated need, if you can’t meet it and ensure its quality, you lose the customer. So before you jump into a new startup full time, make sure you get all the training you need. Talk to other successful small business owners in your industry and local training instructors to see what certifications they’d recommend you get, and then start working on them. Or, if you have the ability to hire employees, consider starting by hiring people you trust to handle complex jobs.

3. Know What Type of Business You Want To Start

It’s important to decide what kind of business you want to start, because going to work as an independent contractor is very different than opening a fabrication shop. Working independently means that you will have few startup costs and will begin making a profit quickly, but it’s also difficult to expand from there. If you want to open a shop, on the other hand, you’ll need to invest a lot more money into equipment, employees and insurance up front. This option, however, makes it much easier to grow your company without having to find time to work on it in between completing the jobs yourself.

Just like any startup, building a welding or manufacturing business takes diligent planning. If you put in the work ahead of time, though, you’ll set yourself up for success in the long run.