Since it is almost Halloween, today’s weird Wednesday post is adapted from the book 1001 Ways to Make Money If You Dare. All these businesses have risk factors and they all can potentially provide some income. On a personal note, I would not be willing to do any of them!
FYI: Question marks (?) indicate the risk factor and dollar signs ($) indicate potential monetary reward.
Clean Out Attics, Cellars, and Barns
OK, you will have to deal with cobwebs, dust, and debris, but folks are willing to pay so they don’t have to do it themselves and haul the trash away. It is also quite possible that you might find things of value in their junk. ?? $$
Be a Gardener – Plant Flowers and Tend Gardens
Flowers can brighten anyone’s day, but planting seeds or transplanting seedlings can do in a lady’s nails. Get the word out in your town that you will plant the flower gardens and tend them all summer. ….
Get more customers who have vegetable gardens. These folks start out with high green ideals as they plant the seeds or transplant the tomatoes, squash, and eggplants. Only problem is their green zeal quickly disappears as the weeds appear. Go doubly green and save their gardens for a price. ? $$
Breed Feeder Animals Where do pet stores get those little mice that get fed to pet snakes? These mice are spawned for one purpose. Talk to local pet stores and see if you can under-price its feeder animal supplier. ?? $$
Farm Emus
If you have some space, you can raise emus. The market for these big birds in the U.S. is growing, The birds are adaptable and do not take up as much space as livestock. Their meat is low in fat, but the entire animal is valuable. Not only the meat, but the claws, skin, oil, and feathers can be used and sold. ?? $$$
Build Solar Panels and Windmills
Sunlight and wind are free. Construct and install solar panels or build windmills and help people bring their electric bill down to almost $0. To find out how visit http://www.earth4energy.com/video or http://www.makeyourownwindmill.net?? $$$
Sell Write-It-Yourself Term Papers
It’s not ethical to sell term papers to students but you can do the research and give them an annotated outline! You can do research on subjects you love then write the outlines for papers on this topic. Provide the excerpted research and annotated outline to desperate students who can now legitimately write their term paper. Advertise on Craig’s List in college towns. ? $$
Home School Other People’s Kids
Maybe you don’t want to home school your kids but if you have the teaching skills you can hire yourself out to teach on a one-on-one basis, so overprotective parents who have no idea how to teach can still home school their child. ? $$$
Deliver Nondelivery Take Out
Some of the best restaurant food is take out only. Make money picking up the foods from restaurants and delivering it to apartments and dorms. ? $$
Be a Belly Dancer
Secretly you watch Bollywood movies and imitate the dance moves. No one needs to know who you are. With a veil over your face you can get paid for your hip-shaking dance routines. Post your ads online and get paid for entertaining. ? $$
Become a Boudoir Photographer
Scantily clad photos of oneself make the perfect Valentine Day present, but women need someone they feel comfortable with to get au natural in front of a camera. Help them relax. Use aromatherapy candles and serve some chamomile tea then start the photo shoot. ??? $$$
If you are seeking ideas for what type of business to start do try shadowing someone who doing something you are interested in like a bed and breakfast or wine bar. The suggestion for doing an informational interview is also a great suggestion, but you may want to interview someone who is operating a business at least 50 miles from where you might start your business, so you do not appear to be a competitor.
No ideas at all!
Look at a copy of the noncredit course being offered at your local community college. Some of these course may suggest a new business idea.
Visit www.fabjob,com Check out the dream careers and purchase any books you are really interested in.
Consult a Profiting from Your Passions coach for one or more sessions. Explore you passions, skills, interests, assets and who will want what you have to offer.
Some businesses slow down on a seasonal basis, summer or post Christmas; other businesses see income dwindle in response to economic factors. So what can you do if a slowdown occurs.
Mind Map
First, do some brainstorming and then pick an important project or goal that will help increase income. Some ideas to jump start your thinking process are listed below. Second, create a plan, you want to get all your ideas out of your head onto paper, and then organized before you begin. Make it a visual, you want to be able to see your plan Create a flow chart or do mind-mapping to produce doable action steps. Never tried to use mind mapping, YouTube has some good instructional videos.
Here are some ideas to jump start your brainstorming session:
Redo your website: Home page, About page, Product or Services page. Make sure your copy is compelling. What will they gain from hiring your or buying your product?
Your Opt-In Gift. Is it old and tired? Should be something more interactive like a “quiz” or a choice of the best opt-in gift. Maybe your Tip Sheet or White paper should be turned into a video.
Create more visibility for your business. At the very least be on YouTube. If you want to be more professional, start an online radio show or an online TV show.
Not using Facebook Fanpage or Twitter – get started.
If you have content, turn it into products and generate a new income stream.
Turn your content into an online course or create a membership site.
Offer Teleseminars or Webinars to attract new clients.
Plan a workshop or group program.
Clarify your niche. Are you reaching out to the right audience? Is your language and imagery appropriate? This is important if you are not a member of the demographic group you are trying to serve.
Get support. A business or writing coach; someone to help you with technology, join a Meet-Up entrepreneurial group ……
When you are buying or selling a house only three things count. Location, Location, and Location.
Is location a factor if you are starting a business?
Location Factor #1 – Mindset: Your location may make a difference in terms of what you think and know about small businesses. I have only lived in Massachusetts, so I will mainly use my state as an example. In the medium –sized cities, especially in the central area of the state, I see few examples of small businesses; a few small restaurants usually owned by immigrants, insurance agencies, psychologists and counselors. In the smaller the cities and towns I see more examples or small businesses and seasonal businesses, especially in western Massachusetts, on the North Shore and on Cape Cod .
In Worcester, my current hometown, my resume clients want jobs, even those well over 60 years who have been out of work for several years. If I suggest that they start their own business – I get a response of “NO…. never heard of anyone doing such a thing successfully.” They don’t even notice the examples that do exist – solitary massage therapists, yoga studios, in which one owner began slowly ant then hired additional instructors. In the small towns to the west, my older clients are more likely to look around and see people who have started a “Boomer” business – Photographer, Handyman, Mideastern pastries, computer repair.
Gallery
Last week I was on vacation on Cape Cod. Small businesses
Gift Store -consignment
are everywhere. Mini art galleries, gift stores, gift stores that sell gifts and crafts on a consignment basis, (fairy doors and accessories, any one?) photographers, wood carvings, all kinds of jewelry businesses, massage therapists working out of colonial homes, and many homes that apparently convinced their owners to start bed and breakfasts. On the Hyannis waterfront, fishing shacks have become the artist’s
Artist Shanty
shanties.
Fairy Door
Location Factor #2 – Working from Home: If you are just beginning it is convenient and you can’t beat the low price. For some part time businesses, it is ideal: an internet business, landscaping, dog walking, coaching, some types of crafts. Since no customers visit your business, all you need is some space, a telephone number, and your lap top.
Your home may not be suitable for businesses in which you will be having face-to-face contact with your clients, unless you have a separate space for your business. I run my resume business, halfpreneur.com, and my college teaching profession from what used to be our dining room. I can easily block off the room from the rest of the house, if clients enter through my front door. Unused In-law apartments can become a business space, a friend ran her Reiki and hypnosis business from the “apartment” that no relative needed.
If you plan on seeing customers, you also need to check on the zoning requirements of your city/town.
Location Factor # 3 – Choosing a Location: If you cannot work from home for some reason, you will have to rent, lease, or share space. Subletting an office or using a space that specializes in new businesses (sometimes referred to as incubators) may give you some instant visibility, and the price will be lower than renting a place on your own, which as a part-time entrepreneur you probably do not even need.
If you are making a food item, you may need to rent time in a commercial kitchen. Check the laws in your area, if you a producing a version of your family’s famous salsa or fudge. Before renting or leasing a store for you craft items, check the market by starting at craft fairs or specialty consignment shops. Look at trends in your area, you may want to run your craft business only during the summer in an area that has tourist traffic and use the internet and craft fairs the rest of the year.
For any small business, especially for one serving actual customers in real time, you first must determine that there is a need for your product or service. Location will make a difference in terms of attracting business and what you can charge. If my resume service were located in Boston or New York, I could be charging much higher prices for my services! www.career-development-services.com
Coaching and blogging are supposedly activities that you can do from any location (provided you have phone and internet access) So I decided that one of my posts this week would be done from my vacation location – Cape Cod. Should it be one of my typical blogs or something different? A visit today to the Truro Vineyards resolved my dilemma.
Grape Vines – Truro, MA
It’s not quite a story of halfpreneurs but it will do. In 1990, two women familiar with the wine industry of New York’s Finger Lakes region visited Cape Cod and saw the property that was for sale. At that time it was an old dairy farm. The gently sloping south-facing fields caught their attention as the perfect orientation for the grape plants. They checked soil conditions and rainfall information and decided the farmhouse and barn would make a good location for a winery. They were thinking a starting a winery in the Finger Lakes region but there were many new wineries being started there. What about being the only winery on the outer (lower) Cape – was their thought.
They bought the property and turned the farmhouse into a Bed and Breakfast to bring in an income until wines were being produced. They planted grapes and turned the barn into the winery. Three years later they were producing three varieties of wine. More fields were planted and contacts were made to buy grapes grown in other areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York. Eventually grapes from California made the long truck journey from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast. The bed and breakfast continued to supplement their income. More income came from a gift store/wine store.
Red Wine – In Process
More grapes, more wine. Red wines typically take more time to produce often 18 to 24 months, while some white wines are ready in only a few months. Some September grapes are bottled white wine by Memorial Day, and the future red wines are still fermenting in their second oak barrels.
Seven years ago, these two women decided it was time to move on. One of the frequent visitors to the winery who was in the beverage trade was intrigued. He knew one side of the industry and he was approaching retirement age. Time for a new challenge and an economic opportunity for his family! The beer brewing son learned a new process and took over the winery. The bed and breakfast is gone but tours of the property and wine tastings are available. 19 wines are now produced, and if I remember this afternoon’s lecture tour 12,000 cases of wine are produced annually. A winery with not even four acres of grapes is one of the leading wineries in New England.
As for my vacation – we had one beach day and are now experiencing “GRAPE WEATHER.” Grape weather is cool, foggy summer weather that grapes love! Maritime species of grapes can absorb water and minerals through their skins. Great weather for the grapes and wine, but another gray day with temperatures in the 60s F; and an Internet connection that makes me long for the days of dial-ups, and I may start to WHINE!
If you search the Internet looking for ways to make additional money, many sites will point you in the direction of Internet marketing. It’s a great opportunity for some and totally unappealing for others. I will not say that Internet marketing does not help people but what if your ideas of helping others fall more into the areas of listening to them, caring for them, etc. What if one of your goals is to make the world a better place? There are plenty of opportunities for part-time entrepreneurs of all ages in the helping fields. And there are lots of ways to make the world a better place.
Coaches, Wellness Experts, Nannies, and Others ……
Coaching ……
Coach
Coaching. Coaching is not counseling or therapy. Coaching helps motivate people, set goals and make moves in their lives they may not have considered without support. This is a career in which life experience and maturity are major assets.
No state as of yet has certification requirements for coaches. http://www.fabjob.com has guide books on coaching and setting up a coaching practice.
Personal Organizer… Declutter Coach. If you hate clutter and love order, you probably have discovered that some people are clueless when it comes to organizing their belongings and space. Their lack of time or ability could be your next career opportunity. There are organizations for organizers. Visit their sites to discover what a Personal Organizer or Declutter coach does.
National Association of Professional Organizers www.napo.net
Personal Concierge … Get paid for doing all the things a wife used to do and more. Run errands to the bank, post office, pharmacy. Wait around for repairmen. Chaffeur children and older relatives. Get tickets for events. Plan dinners and parties…… Except for all the waiting, you can set your own hours. Information atThe National Association of Professional Organizers www.napo.net
Doula. Doulas help women through labor, childbirth, and the postpartum period using nonmedical interventions including breathing techniques, massage, aromatherapy, and massive amounts of emotional support. Dona has certified more than 7000 birth and postpartum doulas.
Hypnotherapist. Hypnotherapy is a growing area of the mental-health profession.There are plenty of niches for hypnotherapists: weight loss, smoking cessation, pain management, hypnobirthing, stress relief. For articles and information on training …
http://aaph.org American Association of Professional Hypnotists
Personal Trainer. Create a niche for yourself: mature bodies, special needs. Let’s face it; most of us over age 50 don’t have the bodies you see in the fitness ads. Get certified to build, shape, and sculpt. Two sources of training to consider….
http://nfpt.com Personal Trainer and Certification and Fitness Education
Yoga Teacher. Yoga is mainstream and for everyone. Start your search with Yoga Journal Magazine or visit yogasite.com and click on the link for teacher training. One of the best and most respected schools in the country is at the KripaluCenter in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Reiki Practitioner. Reiki is healing energy that facilitates balance, healing and personal insight. Many Reiki practitioners are inspired to share their Reiki energy and training by setting up a practice or a business. Reiki practitioners and teachers impart their love and supportive philosophy through classes and therapy sessions. Setting up a formal business or practice for Reiki is relatively easy to accomplish for an experienced Reiki Master or practitioner; it just involves paperwork and preparation to meet requirements of your state and locale, as well as your customers (clients and students).
Massage Therapist. A growing profession with much job satisfaction. In most states, you will need 500 hours of training to be licensed. Be sure any program that you select is accredited by the Commission on Massage Training. Physical fitness is essential for this job. Practitioners are on their feet all day and some forms of massage require physical strength.
Nanny. Love children but no children or grandchildren of your own yet. Look after other people’s children. There are many internet sites on the topic including the International Nanny Association an umbrella association for the in-home child care industry that provides information, education and guidance to the public and to industry professionals. Nannies work part-time as well as full time.
English Teacher ESL or EFL. English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) are in demand in the U.S. and around the world. You can teach English in your community, on-line or by Skype, or satisfy your wanderlust and take a position in a foreign country if you are looking for a seasonal half-time “career” or are one of the working “retired.”. Housing or a host family is usually provided.
Used Book Seller. Sell used books on Amazon.com. If you know what books to sell and the best ways to find them you can develop a profitable business. Some information is available from Thriving Business, but to get the whole story you will need to buy their 28 page special report for $7.00.
Tour Leader. Provide informative and entertaining tours showcasing your areas local attractions. Ghost tours have been popular for years and food tours are beginning to gain popularity. There are restaurant and pub tours, as well as tours to farms that allow picking veggies and fruit. This tour should end with a restaurant meal. Organic!? Garden tours are another option, and recently I met the founder of Boston Pilgrim – tours of some of the most historical religious sites in Boston, MA. www.bostonpilgrim.org For more information on starting a business as a tour leader, there are courses and informational web sites.
Chocolate Maker: Does chocolate make the world a better place? The business of making chocolate candy can improve your bottom line. If you would love to learn how to make chocolate cancy, EcoleChocolat (Chocolate School) offers professional Chocolatier training that consists of an intensive online three month program
Cake Decorating Instructor: Teach cake decorating as a free lance instructor. Or learn to decorate cakes first and then become an instructor. Bilingual English/Spanish instructors are in demand.
Wine Expert: Even wine experts have accreditations. You can become an accredited wine expert through The International Sommelier Guild which offers a six month diploma program. Their training is conducted in a variety of cities in the U.S. and Canada
This post is for the aspiring part-time entrepreneur who does not really like computers and prefers animals and the great outdoors to working closely with other people. Well, you cannot totally avoid the human animals, but there are plenty of opportunities to work with animals and/or be outside.
Pets …..
Dog Groomer: LearnToGroom offers a video training course. Learn how to hold dogs and properly use the tools needed to properly clip Terrier breeds, Spaniel Breeds, Poodles, Mixed breeds and other breeds (Old English Sheep dog, Bichon Frise, Maltese, etc). A second course is available if you want your business to be mobile groomin.
Pet Sitter: If you love animals Pet Sitters International can prepare you to be a pet sitter or a dog walker. The PSI Accreditation Program is an in-depth educational coursework that has been tailored exclusively for pet sitters. The curriculum includes topics on Pet Care, Health & Nutrition, Additional Services and Business & Office Procedures (37 informative topics in all). The coursework was developed with input from some of the most knowledgeable professionals in the pet-care industry.
Pet Massage: Massage therapy for people is now integrated into traditional Western medicine and wellness care. Massage Therapy and Physical Therapy may soon play a similar role in veterinary medicine and home-based animal care. PetMassage offers basic training and materials for both in-house workshops and Distance Learning courses. Additional courses in energy work and water work are also available.
Equine and Canine Massage: Equissage is the oldest and leading trainer of animal massage therapists in the world. Since 1991, Equissage has graduated more than 10,000 Equine & Companion Animal Massage Technicians, from every state in the US and 20 different countries around the world. As of March 2008, Equissage began it’s nationwide and worldwide expansion of satellite teaching locations.
Equissage offers on-site program for those in the New England and New York area. The five day intensive program provides certification for Equine Sports Massage Therapy. .
Dog Trainer: The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) has established a series of standards for professional competence. The site lists the various organizations and links so you can begin working to toward the title of Certified Pet Dog Trainer.
Pooper Scooper / Dog Doo Remover. Yes you can do this professionally. Pest waste is a health problem and many cities and towns have laws mandating that owners pick up after their pets when they are on public property. The Pooper Scooper cleans yards and private property, discarding the wastes in receptacles belonging to the pets’ owners. Generally scooping is scheduled for once a week. This is a business a teen-ager can start. Scoopers charge $12.00 to $25.00 per week depending on the number of dogs. There is even a professional organization. The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists
Seasonal or Year-Round Work in National Parks: CoolWorks.com is the Portal for more than 70,000 seasonal jobs in national parks. http://www.coolworks.com/older-bolder is for you if you consider yourself “Older & Bolder” and are looking for a seasonal job in a great place, the employers listed in this area are interested in older, bolder workers. Each position has varied accommodations; some have RV spaces, some offer private rooms, and others have rentals nearby.
Seasonal, Year-Long, or Volunteer jobs for nature lovers and others. (for example work or volunteer at retreat centers) Back Door Jobs offers jobs and learning experiences in ecology, sustainable agriculture, teaching English as a Second Language and more.
Rancher: If your love of wildlife includes the animal variety, consider alpaca ranching. The Alpaca Owners and Breeding Association can provide information and contacts.
Professional house sitters / property managers get free board and sometimes a salary. Live on estates, mansions, farms, ranches, resort homes, retreat centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, vacation homes, and even private islands. Great work is you want to do something seasonal or if you are one of the “working retired.” Caretaker Gazette is published bimonthly and informs member of new caretaking and house sitting jobs via an email update service.
Organic Farmer, Landscape Company Owner, Winery Owner, Travel Writer, and Archeologist Yes, you canget paid to go on digs. There are E-books telling you how to get started, priced from $15.00 to $30.00 at http://www.fabjob.com/
Initially you are excited about starting your own business and then the obstacles to self employment begin to emerge. If you are planning a seasonal or weekend business, some of these obstacles will apply but they may be far more relevant for the potential entrepreneur who is starting out part-time with the hope of pursuing their entrepreneurial venture on a full time basis.
Erroneous Advice and Lack of Support
Avoid Negative People
The erroneous advice is most likely to come from people that you care about and people who care about you. You may get a litany of “90 percent of all businesses fail.” “Remember your uncle who did Amway and was left with a garage full of soap.” “You’ll never be able to afford health insurance or save for retirement.” “If you’re no longer making enough money, tighten your belt, downsize your house, move to an area of the country where the economy is better.” “You don’t have enough experience or knowledge to start a business.” “You’ll never find the time.”
Chances are these people want what is best for you and what is best is, at least, for them is SECURITY. It is quite likely that they are afraid of trying new things and therefore you should be afraid, too. These family members, relatives, and friends can throw a wet blanket on your plans and dreams. If you have any fears or doubts about starting a business they may make your anxieties even worse.
Solutions
Surround Yourself with Entrepreneurs
Do not “go public” with your idea too early. Do your preliminary research and surround yourself with people who have started businesses and believe in you and your business. Begin to seek out people who you may need to consult with about skill sets you lack such as web design or accounting. Although a business plan may not be necessary for a small, self-funded business, having a plan may make you more confident when you have to deal with the naysayers. If one of the chief naysayers is your partner or spouse be direct in your communication. Be clear on why you need to pursue this dream and don’t set your relationship up for future resentment.
Lack of Confidence, Fear of Failure
You realize there are new things to learn, skills that you may lack, or that you may fail. If you lack support, your forward movement may be paralyzed and this may set off a vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecy
Solutions
Meditate
Pay attention to your thoughts and engage in practices to help you detach from them: meditation, journaling, yoga. Thoughts are powerful and if you become obsessed with the possible problems and obstacles to your success, you will not launch any of your plans into action. Thus you create the self-fulfilling prophecy.
Again, surround yourself with other who are entrepreneurial and who believe in you and your business. They probably have experience with fear and failure as well as with success.
Lack of Finances and Time
If you are starting a part-time business and keeping your full-time or regular job, you need to finance your business but you do not face the financial anxiety of being totally self-supporting. We cannot create more time! To find the time to start and run your business, you probably will have to make some sacrifices.
Solutions
If you goal is to be a full-time business owner, take time to transition into this role by starting part-time.
TIME – Skip TV viewing and cut down on your computer time, especially FaceBook and surfing the web. Use your weekends for your business. Depending on the type of business, get up earlier in the morning, to work on your information product , write your blogs, or your ezines, or your book before the family gets up. Sacrifice but don’t be a martyr! Take time to rest and recharge; take vacations. No breaks from work often decreases productivity.
Have a Yard Sale
– raise some money by selling what you don’t need. Reduce some living expenses, if possible, like what you are paying for telephone and cable TV. Cut back on fast food, eating out, and entertainment. When starting your business, keep your overhead low. Work from home, or a coffee shop, or an office co-op, or sublease your office space. Start off with a website that you can do yourself or with minimum assistance. Weebly and WordPress are fairly easy to use. (I use both – one for my blog and one for my website). Vista or moo.com are sources of inexpensive business cards. Use PayPal or Square with your mobile device to accept credit cards and do your marketing on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Yelp.
Self-Sabotage
Self-Sabotage can come from many things: perfectionism, unrealistic attitudes, attitudes about money, lacking a clear business plan, or not thinking like an entrepreneur.
PERFECTIONISM – Don’t wait for things to be perfect. The website, the blog, the information product just has to be good enough.
Solution: Strive for excellence but not perfection.
Easy Money
UNREALISTIC ATTITUDES – If we are looking at self-employment –related websites on the Internet, we are bombarded by sites telling us we can earn a six-figure income and only work four hours a week, just purchase whatever it is that they are offering. It takes time to grow a business. Unrealistic attitudes may also take the form of overestimating your market.
Solutions: Research – Talk to people who in similar businesses to yours or to the one you want to start. Read magazines and journals written about this business.
Invest in Yourself
ATTITUDES ABOUT MONEY – Do you have issues with money? Have you been told that it is the root of all evil? Is it more noble to be poor? Does having money mean your selfish? Does starting a business mean that there is no money to invest in yourself? Not charging what your service is worth is another problem that will bring your business down. Finally, back to finances and on to business planning , you must be willing to work on how you will manage your income and expenditures.
Solutions: Daily mindfulness – become aware of what you are telling yourself about money. Get coaching on this issue. Invest in yourself as well as in your business.
LACKING A CLEAR BUSINESS PLAN – Do not begin your business until you are sure what you are in business to do. A lack of focus and vagueness as to who your business will serve is a recipe for disaster.
Solutions: Assess your passions, interests, strengths, talents, and skill sets. What can you offer to a specific niche? Research similar businesses online, what are their strengths and weaknesses. What do they offer. Join a local Chamber of Commerce or meet-up group to develop a professional network of people who share a similar interest. Dream/imagine what you want your business to look like. Creating a vision board might be helpful. Set short and long term goals for your business or use business plan software that will help you develop your ideas.
Learn to Think Like an Entrepreneur
NOT THINKING LIKE AN ENTREPRENEUR – You are an entrepreneur, even if only a seasonal or weekend entrepreneur. Thinking like an entrepreneur may mean that you will need to give up something called entitlement thinking. No this does not mean that you need to become right-wing and against Social Security and Medicare.
Solutions: According to Barbara Winter, author of Making a Living Without a Job there are a number of differences between how an entrepreneur thinks and the entitlement thinking common to many who work in corporate/state-funded positions. EntrepreneurialThinkingEntitlement Thinking
How much can I give? How much can I get?
Embrace problem-solving Others should fix my problems
I am responsible It’s not my fault
Instigates Waits
I can create my own benefits I deserve lots of benefits
Let me stretch Let me stay in my comfort zone
Work is endless discovery Work is predictably routine
Most people are trustworthy I don’t trust anyone
Flexible Ideas set in concrete
Welcomes change Fears change
Forward-thinking Clings to the status quo
Capacity to shift gears quickly, not Resentful and complaining during driven by economic ups and downs economic downturns
So you want to start a part-time business, but computers and being online or creating informational products is just not your thing. You are creative or like working with mechanical objects. Yes, you should still know how to use a computer, but not all part-time businesses are internet based.
Training and Marketing Ideas for: Artists, Photographers,Speakers, Storytellers, and Writers
artist
Artist or Photographer – ArtShow.com specializes in helping artists and photographers market their work and gain exposure for their art.
Fine Art, Illustrations, Drawings, Digital Painting, Cartoons/Comics, Anime/Manga, 3D Rendering, Photography. ArtWanted.com and its sister sites promote and sell the work of artists looking to break into the art world. Free and paid memberships are available. Artist Rising gives you an opportunity to show and sell your work.
Sell your artonline. Upload your designs, and then create an online shop that sells t-shirts, posters, skateboards, bumper stickers, mugs, tote bags and more.
Create and sell your own designs, photos and images on a wide variety of products: posters, t-shirts, cards, and more. Also allows you to convert writings into publications.
Buy and sell handmade or vintage items, art and supplies on Etsy, the world’s most vibrant handmade marketplace. Buy and sell jewelry, art, clothing, vintage, bags and purses.
Graphic T-Shirt Designs. Threadless.com is a community-based company that prints awesome graphic designs created and chosen by the community. Members of the Threadless community submit t-shirt designs online; the designs are then put to a public vote. A small percentage of submitted designs are selected for printing and sold through an on-line store. Creators of the winning designs receive a prize of cash and store credit.
Photographers. Online photographer portfolios and stock photography catalog for photo buyers and professional photographers who specialize in nature, travel, outdoor and sports photography.
Speaker / Motivational Speaker. Do you have an area of expertise you’d like to share? Find out if public speaking is for you. Join your local Toastmasters group and explore some speaking websites to get a feeling for this career.
Storyteller. An old tradition that is finding new purpose. If you can keep a roomful of people spellbound this might be the new career for you. Two resources are:
Writers, Ghostwiters. Your name never appears, but if you love to write, can handle deadlines, and are a quick study of other’s interests, this can be a flexible, well-paying opportunity.
Resume Writer. “Getting” someone down on a sheet or two for a prospective employer is an art form. Making them stand out from the crowd is a marketing skill. If you can do both and are naturally curious about people this is a low-cost business to launch. If you have experience in business, HR, or a particular field like engineering or High Tech, this gives you additional credibility. AWAI provides basic training and certification is available through the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches and the National Resume Writers Association. Resume writers, today, are doing more than resumes and cover letters. Some help clients with their LinkIn profile and other help clients establish a web presence or a better web presence.
Training and Resources for the Inventive and the Mechanical
Inventor. The first step to creating/inventing a new product is prototyping. There are many scammers in the world of inventions, so do your homework. You can readings at:
Piano Tuner. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, piano tuners can earn very good incomes. In fact, in a recently published almanac on career opportunities, piano tuners were listed in thetop twenty professions out of a total of two hundred. Probably the best kept secret in the world is that now you can join the small and exclusive list of tuners who earn an average of $80.00 to $100.00 per-hour tuning pianos.
If your idea of part-time is seasonal or you are looking for an interesting “retirement” job……
Caretaker
Professional house sitters / property managers get free board and sometimes a salary. Live on estates, mansions, farms, ranches, resort homes, retreat centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, vacation homes, and even private islands. Caretaker Gazette is published bimonthly hundreds and informs member of new caretaking and house sitting jobs via an email update service.
With the 2008 recession and it’s effects, self-employment, home-based businesses and an entrepreneurial spirit have emerging as an economic trend. This trend is not new, but it has accelerated in recent years with statistics now showing that 61% of all Americans want to start their own business (Parkinomics, 2010).
If you are in this 61%, how do you make the transition from employee to being your own boss? Websites, books, e-books, and magazines may be helpful or they may leave you absolutely confused. Is it as simple as find your purpose and the money will follow? Do you really need to talk to your lawyer, your accountant, the volunteers at SCORE and then develop a business plan, decide on the legal form your business will take, and choose a domain name before getting started?
It is NOT as simple as just find your passion and the money will follow, but with the Internet, businesses are easier to start than ever before. Of course, if you are buying a business or a franchise then your lawyer and accountant definitely should be involved!
“Businesses are easier to start than ever before!” What if you want your own business but you don’t know what you want to do or where to begin? Get started by considering the FIVE Ps: Passion, Purpose, Problems, People, and Part-Time. For many individuals Passion and Purpose go together. Although they are different issues, the Problems you will solve and the People you will target are related. Your business is YOUR business, and it is your choice as to whether to pursue it on a full-time or part-time basis. If you are just starting out, there are good reasons to begin Part-time.
Passion: Yes, you do need to discover your passions or passions. If you feel that you have no passions or that this word seems too strong, what about your interests, skills, abilities or talents? If you won a lottery that would pay you for life with just one stipulation that you had to “work” at something until you were at least 65, what would you do? Dream a little – If you had your own business what would you be doing? If you can’t envision what you would be doing, ask yourself – would I be working by myself or with others? Where would I be working – from my home? In an office? On a stage? Would I be writing, talking, painting, walking dogs, arranging flowers, designing solar homes? Start off dreaming and brainstorming. Don’t be concerned yet as to how this passion will make money. Figuring out how to monetize your passion is a later step.
Purpose: Do your feel that you have a mission in life? A calling? A purpose? Some career coaches and counselors believe that having a purpose is essential, but it may be that a purpose is only discovered after one has had some life experiences. At this point, maybe you just want to make money, and there are plenty of young wealthy Internet marketers who know that they don’t want to work 40 hours per week. Knowing your purpose may make it easier to discover your passion. Purpose is related to the sense that your life is fulfilling and abundant, but a stool can stand very well on three legs or four legs. You can start a business without knowing your purpose or mission in life.
Problems: Businesses exist because they solve problems. Fixing cars, computers, plumbing… providing food, toys, and electronics from other areas of the world… assisting people to heal from sickness, find jobs, train their dog… Successful business continue to exist because they solve problems better than others do. These businesses or individuals make promises and then they over deliver. The solutions they provide are bigger than the promise that they offer so customers repeatedly return. What problem or problems will you solve? What can you offer that no one else is offering? Try dreaming or brainstorming again or look around your community and to see if there are any problems that no one is trying to solve. Do you have the passion or expertise to solve it?
People: Who, what niche or market, has the problems that you will solve? Do they have a common interest or need such as they need to lose weight or they’re technophobic? Are they members of a particular demographic group – working parents, baby boomers, etc. How will you market to this target group? An important aspect of monetizing a passion is to know who needs or wants what you have. This means your target may not be individuals; rather it maybe small or large businesses who need what you are offering.
Part-time: If you still have a job, build your new career on the side. When it is established, you can jump into it full time, or sell it, or keep it part-time. It’s your business! Starting part-time allows you to figure out whether this business really is for you, test the market for demand, master any web based technologies that you need, attend trainings and conferences that will improve your knowledge base.
