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Home Business For Fun And Profit
Self-Employment and You : The world of self-employment can be a personally and financially rewarding
one for the right individual. Many people dream of owning their own business but
don't believe it will ever happen for them. The majority of these folks see all
the positives of working for yourself, but lack the drive and determination to
make the transition from employee to employer.
Self-employment is the ticket to higher earnings without limit and the right
to control and work your own schedule. But it's not easy work. A lot of
self-employed people are working longer hours and weeks than ever in their own
business. The difference is they are doing work they truly enjoy, and are
getting paid for it!
You have the talent and ability to work on your own! Perhaps you're just not
sure what business you'd like to specialize in.
Sales aren't just the slick folks on the automobile showroom who want to know
what it will take to get you in that car today. Selling is the process by which
a product reaches a consumer. It can take many forms. If you have some
preconceived ideas about sales right now, erase them from your mind. Start with
a clean slate by remaining open to all possibilities in your home-based
businesses.
After all, if you're marketing a product you would buy yourself, it will be
easy to convince others of its value. Since you're selecting the right business
opportunity, you'll unquestionably choose the business that has the most appeal
to you. Selling something you love almost never feels like work, or real
selling!
How to get started?
If you currently have a job, you may want to break into your home-based
business on a part-time basis until you've built up enough earnings base to
leave. There will probably be no greater feeling than when you walk out the door
and into a business where you call the shots!
If you're between jobs, then by all means go at this full-force. All you need
to do is to contact the businesses listed here that interest you and begin the
process of determining if this is right for you.
There may be several opportunities here that are franchises. There is no
available data that says that electing to go the franchise route to start your
business has any lower success rate than beginning a new business from scratch.
Again, view these choices with an open mind and investigate the opportunity
thoroughly before making the commitment. If you're working part or full time,
you can, perhaps, be even choosier.
The Top 10 Ways to Earn
Money at Home :
1. ANTIQUES
The buying and selling of antiques has been and should continue to be a very
productive business, financially, for those that do it. Here, you only need an
extra room in the house, or the use of your garage -- and you have an
office!
If you have a large home that has some antique furnishings, you might
consider turning it into a showroom for your antique acquisitions and sales,
providing you satisfy any local zoning regulations. The interest in antiques
will survive into the foreseeable future. Many people choose to spend their free
time on the weekends "antiquating" from place to place to try and pick up a few
odds or ends and maybe a jewel or two. If you know anything about antiques, this
may be a great opportunity for you.
For more information, check out the book, "Buying and Selling Antiques", by
Don Cline and Sara Pitzer. Your local library may be filled with other
publications on this subject that can get you started quickly. Your only
overhead may be inventory and advertising!
2. BAKING
Have you ever been told that you have a recipe which people would line up to
get if they could? Ever had anyone tell you that you should be selling those
cupcakes you make? There are a number of success stories about people who have
launched successful businesses by cooking at home and then marketing to local
people first. Word of mouth on a good product may start to get restaurants or
bakeries interested in acquiring your culinary masterpieces. Then you progress
to selling them state-wide and presto! A winning home-based business!
For more practical advice on the assorted aspects of setting up a specialty
foods business, you should contact your local U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home Extension Agent in your county. Since every U.S. county has such an
individual, that person shouldn't be hard to find!
3. BED AND BREAKFAST PROPRIETOR(S)
Have you ever stayed in a bed and breakfast and thought, "hey, I can do
this!" You probably went on vacation and simply chalked your thought up as one
of those pipedreams one gets when they stay in a beautiful spot.
Don't toss that thought away! While it's not easy work as the hours can be
long and it's usually a seven days per week business, it's often something that
you can work into a daily schedule. After all, it's merely an extension of doing
the housework for family, right? More and more Americans are taking after
Europeans and opening their homes to travelers. If you have an extra room or two
since the kids moved out, you can start a bed and breakfast in your own
place!
Bed and breakfast popularity will continue as more and more vacationers and
business travelers seek a different accommodation away from the predictability
of the average hotel room. If they enjoy their stay, many become "repeat"
customers, coming back to the same familiar surroundings time and again.
If you don't need to do any major renovations in the house to accommodate
this type of establishment, you can be off and running with very little money
invested, other than advertising and some new "guest room supplies". If your
dream is to buy a bed and breakfast somewhere in a vacation paradise, there are
probably houses for sale that will work for this purpose.
Whatever your design, there are several good books on the subject of starting
your own bed and breakfast, including "Start Your Own Bed and Breakfast", by
Beverly Mathews. Check them out at your local library.
4. CHILD CARE
Due to the financial pressures many families face today, many parents work
outside of the home to bring in enough income to pay daily living expenses. A
single parent is obviously working but all too often both members of a two
parent family are in the workforce.
This creates a home-based opportunity. Children must be watched, all day if
they're not in school, or, otherwise, for a brief time after school before the
parents finish work for the day.
Caring for one additional child may not be that lucrative, but taking care of
several children can certainly be a full-time, financially successful business.
Often, taking care of several children is made somewhat easier as the youngsters
often will play together.
You can do this at home for only a small investment in basic equipment and
toys for the kids in addition to the advertising of your business. There are
several publications that address starting this type of business, including
"Family Day Care", by Betsy Squibb.
Another resource is the Day Care Council of America, 5730 Market Street,
Oakland, CA. 94608.
5. COMPUTER SPECIALIST
The advent of the computer age has changed the concept of self-employment.
Having a computer at home has opened a number of opportunities for running your
own business utilizing this equipment. Companies everywhere are "outsourcing"
work that can be done by someone else on their computer, out of their own
home.
If you're not that familiar with a computer, there are many low-cost (or
free) seminars and classes that will teach you what equipment you need and how
to use it.
If you're a whiz in computers, you may end up working as a consultant,
writing programs for companies. If you're a beginner, you may find yourself able
to obtain work as a writer, using your computer to produce copy that's easy to
edit. You can also keep accounting and payroll records for companies on your
computer's database.
Word processing software can be used not only for writers but for those that
can offer secretarial services out of their house. Desktop publishing software
can allow you to do newsletters for businesses and other organizations.
For more educational data, contact the Information Resources Clearinghouse at
Syracuse University's School of Education, 030 Huntington Hall, 150 Marshall
Street, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. Their phone number is (315) 443- 3640.
There are a substantial number of good publications, too. Your local library
will have several books on computer occupations. If you can operate a computer,
you can find work in the information age today.
6. GARDENING
If you like working in your garden each year and growing vegetables for your
family to eat, it's a definite possibility for home-based employment. Imagine
clearing a little more space and growing more items that you can sell directly
to the consumer.
Most produce stands will buy from you if your product is one of high quality.
If you enjoy gardening, this could be your ticket! If you have some more land to
use, do it! Plant what you can, when you can! Contact your local produce stands
to ascertain their buying habits.
You can even inquire about your own produce stand if you have enough product.
The more space you have on your land, the more likely you will be able to
generate enough crops to run the business.
People love home-grown vegetables. They just don't have the time or want to
be bothered doing it themselves. That's your open door!
For more information, consult books like "Plants for Profit," and "A Complete
Guide to Growing & Selling Greenhouse Crops", by Francis Jozwik.
7. IMPORTER AND DISTRIBUTOR
There are a substantial number of products manufactured in other countries
which can be bought inexpensively and sold here in the United States at a
profitable level. The recent passages of the Congressional bills, NAFTA and
GATT, may make it easier to bring in other products from other
countries.
This is a business easily operated out of the home, depending on the types of
stock you're carrying. You may have to rent some storage space, but the capital
required to start should essentially be limited to the products you're buying to
sell here.
Two good resources for you are:
* American Importers Association Membership Directory, 420 Lexington Avenue,
New York, N.Y. 10017; and
* American Register of Importers and Exporters, 38 Park Row, New York, N.Y.
10038.
You can also look at books in your library such as "How To Make A Fortune In
Import/Export", by Howard R. Goldsmith, obviously an optimistic look at this
type of business.
If you know the type of product you want to import and the market most likely
to purchase your goods, you have great potential for a successful home-based
business.
8. INTERIOR DECORATOR
While this business will require you to be out and about, meeting with
customers, it's the type of work many people would love to do. If you have a
fascination for decorating a home, this could be your line of work.
Many people don't know where to start when they are remodeling or buying a
house for the first time. If you have the knowledge of colors and patterns and
what looks good together, plus the expertise of knowing where to get materials
and furnishings, this can be a winning home-based business for you.
One excellent resource to consult is the "Interior Design Directory",
available through Whitney Communication Corporation, 1050 E. 58th Street, New
York, N.Y. 10155.
9. PHOTOGRAPHER
The sky's the limit here! Armed with your trusty camera and some good
advertising, you can do weddings, models, family portraits, passports, student
photos, local newspaper coverage; almost anything that requires a
picture!
You can easily start this work, part-time, and work into full-time work based
on your success and inclination. Not much equipment is necessary to get going as
a camera off the store shelf can often do the trick today. Picking up a tripod
and having a room sufficient for developing your pictures, and you're in
business -- at home!
There are a number of excellent books available in your local library to get
you started on the path of professional photography.
10. SEWING & ALTERATIONS
Many people love to sew. If you're one of them, consider offering this
service out of your home. When someone buys a new outfit, it rarely fits
perfectly, meaning some kind of alteration must be done. People look long and hard to find reliable individuals to do their
alterations. If you can sew, you're well on your way to opening the doors of
this type of business.
One resource you can review is "Sewing for Profit", by Judith and Allan
Smith. Or your library will have a handful of capable publications on starting
up this type of business. These are our suggestions as to the top 10 ways to earn money at home, enough
to be a full-time self-employed businessperson!
But there are many other opportunities. The listings that follow may give you
some other ideas you need to get started in business for yourself.
Some incredible Small Business startup Guides:
01..Child-Care Service Business Startup Guide
02..Car Wash Business Startup Guide
03..Import/Export Business Startup Guide
04..Automobile Detailing Business Startup Guide
05..Consulting Service Business Startup Guide
06..Coin-Op Laundry Business Startup Guide
07..Hair Salon & Day Spa Business Startup Guide
08..Bar/Club Business Startup Guide
09..Staffing Service Business Startup Guide
10..Bed & Breakfast Business Startup Guide
11..
Event Planning Service Business Startup Guide
12..Freight Brokerage Business Startup Guide
13..Wedding Consultant Business Startup Guide
14..Home Inspection Service Business Startup Guide
15..Medical Claims Billing Service Business Startup Guide
16..Specialty Travel and Tours Business Startup Guide
17..Wholesale Distribution Business Startup Guide
18..Restaurant and Food Business Startup Guide
19..Cleaning Service Business Startup Guide
20..Online Business Startup Guide
21.. Retail Store Business Startup Guide
22..eBay Business Startup Guide
23..Senior Care Services Business Startup Guide
24..Home Design Service Business Startup Guide
25..Pet Business Startup Guide
26..Personal Concierge / Shopper Business Startup Guide
27..Lawn Care/Landscaping Business Startup Guide
28..College Planning Consultant Business Startup Guide
You will get more resources just under the heading "Discover how to break
into the career of your dreams" if you scroll a little below this web page. Are you ready to start up your own business now? Whether you begin from scratch or invest in a franchise, the time has never
been better to get a home- based business off the ground. It's become almost
routine in the business world to work with independent contractors. Many times,
it's more cost-effective, too.
Most of these businesses do not require a substantial amount of start-up
cash. Many of these franchise opportunities offer financing. With Internet's help, your home business can be moved online and expand
globally. Your profit will be significantly improved if you can integrate your
traditional business into online business.
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