Small business ideas you can take to the bank

If you are like hundreds of working people, you are ready to leave the rat race of the corporate world and strike out on your own.  But what can you do and can you make money doing it?  Short of any type of illegal business, there are some really good small business ideas that can make you money.

The first thing you need to do is find out what your passion is.  For example, do you like a certain product or enjoy providing services to people? 

Tutoring kids and adults is becoming a very lucrative small business.  But if you can’t even spell “cat” or have problems adding up numbers unless you use a calculator and absolutely don’t know where China is on the map then this is not for you.  But if you have at least a high school or college degree then look into becoming a tutor.

For those of us who don’t’ have the educational background the next growing small business idea is the Home Party Sales.  Now I know we all remember the Tupperware parties and the Avon parties but there is real money to be made from this.  Even I took a chance in my former life to sell in home party goods.  I sold Stanley Home Products and really enjoyed the in home party idea and made some money.  Statistics show that in 2004 Home Parties accounted for roughly 29 percent of the nearly $30 billion in U.S. direct sales.  This is about 13.6 million Americans who bought or sold goods from home.  We are talking about direct sellers who are selling everything from organic gardening supplies to wine, apparel and power tools.  Today, you can even host virtual parties online.

Here are some Home Party small business ideas that are out there for a small initial fee: pet products; design your own handbags; jewelry; hats; clothing; fuller brush; pampered chief.  My former neighbor started selling Pampered Chief products and within a couple of years is now a supervisor with her own territory and making some nice money.  She won trips to Hawaii and Disneyland.  I’m not saying that everyone should sell Pampered Chief products but I think you get the idea that by working hard and being passionate about your small business anything is possible.  You need to develop relationships, be a good salesperson and not be afraid to follow up with your customers to see if they need more products.

If in home party sales are not for you, have you considered this small business idea – pet waste removal service.  This is one of the hottest new small business ideas.  Think about it, who wants to pick up after their pets?  Somebody has to do it.  Your investment is minimal.  You need a vehicle, a few cleanup tools like a rake and a dustpan, a closed-waste disposal system for your vehicle and some advertising.  Pet clean up scooper services usually charge as little as $25 a month to clean up after one to three dogs and up to $125 a month for twice-weekly services.  Or you can offer biweekly plans and charge $40 to $50 per month.

Do the math – if you have 100 biweekly customers each at $50 you would gross $5,000 a month or $60,000 annually.  Spring and fall are the busiest months and the optimal time is between April and November.  You can even charge a spring cleanup fee of $85 to $100 to get the grounds in shape for regular waste removal services.

I know that some of these small business ideas may sound bizarre, but if you really want to be independent and make some money the key is to find out what people need and how to service them.  Ask your friends and family what their needs are, don’t assume you know.  Then develop a plan and go with it.

Look for my next blog about the Reality of Freelance and Contract Work.

Until later,

Linda