01 / THE QUICK RUNDOWN
What this Play looks like in real life
Compare quotes and terms for something a small business buys often, then charge for a report that shows the best overall option.
Public prices, quotes requested from suppliers, and conversations with buyers
Small businesses without an employee dedicated to comparing suppliers and purchases
Several vendors may quote the same purchase in different ways. Businesses pay someone to compare the real total and catch hidden terms.
Three quotes can look comparable and still buy three different things. The useful work is getting every vendor onto the same specification, then showing the owner the real cost after fees, minimums, service, and switching pain.
Why somebody pays you
Several vendors may quote the same purchase in different ways. Businesses pay someone to compare the real total and catch hidden terms.
02 / HOW TO START
Get the first one done without getting ahead of yourself
Take these in order on your first small test. The point is to learn with one controlled job or purchase before you put serious money behind it.
Define the purchase before calling vendors
Record current volume, exact specification, delivery pattern, required service, contract end date, pain points, and what cannot change. Get the client to approve the comparison rules.
Ask every supplier the same questions
Request current written quotes with product, quantity, freight, tax, surcharges, minimums, term, renewal, cancellation, lead time, and support. Note where a quote is not truly equivalent.
Compare total cost and operating fit
Calculate a realistic month or year using the client's volume. Score quality, reliability, service, changeover work, and risk alongside price.
Present choices, assumptions, and expiration
Show the strongest options and the tradeoffs in plain language. Attach the source quotes, date the report, and let the client make the final decision.
03 / WHAT YOU NEED
Keep the starter setup simple
04 / WHERE TO OFFER IT
Go where the need is already showing
You do not need to pitch everybody. Start with the places below and use the approach that makes sense for this Play.
Restaurants and small retailers
Start with a repeated purchase such as packaging, uniforms, waste service, or supplies. Offer a fixed-fee current-market comparison.
Clinics and professional offices
Focus on nonclinical categories with clear specifications and recurring invoices. Protect vendor and client pricing.
Bookkeepers and fractional operators
Ask which expense lines have not been reviewed recently. Provide an independent brief they can discuss with the owner.
05 / ROOKIE MISTAKES
The moves that make a good idea go bad
Comparing unit prices while one quote excludes freight, setup, or required minimum purchases.
Taking a referral fee without telling the business before making the recommendation.
Promising annual savings from temporary prices or volume the customer does not actually buy.
“I take one expense your business buys repeatedly, make sure the vendors are quoting the same requirement, and show you the full cost, contract terms, service tradeoffs, and switching work. You get the source quotes and make the decision.”
Use this as a starting point. Replace the bracketed words, make it sound like you, and keep only the promises you can deliver.
07 / SIMPLE MONEY EXAMPLE
Run the math before the idea runs away with you
A salon with four locations pays $850 for a supply-price comparison. Research help and phone calls cost $145. You keep $705 before taxes and paying yourself, while the salon may save more than $4,800 a year if the quotes hold.
08 / HOW TO GROW IT
Scale the part that already works
A bigger version should feel more organized, not more chaotic. These are the next moves once the small test has real customers and clean numbers.
Own a few spend categories
Build strong question sets and cost models for purchases you understand. Current category knowledge makes each brief faster without making it generic.
Offer scheduled market checks
Recheck quotes near renewal or once a year, depending on the category. Use fresh pricing every time instead of reselling an old savings claim.
09 / WHAT CAN BITE YOU
Protect your money and your name
The biggest risk
Hidden contract terms, a secret referral payment, expired quotes, or comparing the wrong products can make your recommendation useless.
The safety move
Disclose every financial relationship and separate estimated savings from guaranteed contract terms. The client should be able to audit your math from the original quotes.
What a lunch conversation should tell you before the check comes
Tell the client about every referral payment you may receive. Do not promise savings until you check current quotes and the full cost of changing suppliers.
This is an educational example. Check current laws, platform rules, insurance needs, local demand, and taxes before you act.