Working from home is as common now as commuting and punching a clock. For many it arrived unexpectedly. For some it’s a godsend, while others find it a burden or nuisance. Whichever part of the spectrum you fall under there are advantages to starting your own business from home. Home based commerce is as old as human society. ‘Cottage industry’ is a term that speaks for itself. The present work from home environment will likely linger beyond the current crisis.
- The pandemic doesn’t have to stifle your entrepreneurial dream
- Everyone has a skill they can leverage into a home business
- Home business is like any other. Identify your capability. Plan ahead, and be professional
Here are eight home business ideas that take a minimum of set up, but can produce nice dividends.
Consulting Business
Everyone has a skill, and you’re probably no exception. If you’re an expert, or even reasonably good in a particular field, chances are you can leverage that knowledge into a resource others can use. Whether it’s technical or strictly informational, your expertise is valuable. Package it, and market it, and you’ll probably find a lucrative pot at the end of that rainbow.
To start, you’ll need to know and list your skills in detail. You should identify industries and persons who need the skill you’re selling. Present yourself to them in a professional way. Be clear about the services you offer; set clear prices and terms. Cover yourself and your clients for liability or mistakes. If there’s ever a doubt, suggest your client go to someone better qualified. Keeping them happy, as well as contacting superior talent yourself, is a sure way for any consulting business to prosper and grow.
Tutoring And Teaching
If you know how to do something, chances are you can teach someone else to do it. Put together a curriculum or course of study. Remember how you learned your skill, then think of the best way to pass it to others. You can teach one on one, of if you’re ambitious, to small groups. Either way, there’s money to be made mentoring and teaching others.
You don’t necessarily have to target young people, but it’s a fact they’re the prime candidates for learning. You may need certifications and licensing, but that’s not always the case, particularly if you have a reputation in your field.
Data Entry
Computers and data bases rule our world. For every scrap of data we see, someone targeted that information, and someone input it. Both keyboard and voice entry can be done from home. If the information isn’t sensitive or private, most companies may be open to outsourcing the data input. Look for large industries with sales and warehousing needs. Library systems and information hubs are also a good bet. Present companies with a business model. Show them how reliable you are, then give them a good price and good service.
Secretarial And Administrative
A step above simple data entry, secretarial involves co-coordinating for business and being there for them in executive capacity and beyond. This business usually requires more contacts and leg work to get off the ground. On the upside, however, it probably pays more, and can be more challenging and rewarding.
Writing
It goes without saying that writing is a natural fit for the work at home business. A profession noted for setting its own hours and pace (while paradoxically being obsessed with deadlines!), writing touches nearly every other field. Today’s world has blog entries and web copy as the number one way we experience the written word, Books, manuals, articles and ad copy all stem from the writer’s pen.
Getting connected to companies and individuals who have a writing need is sometimes as easy as sitting down and writing a few introductory words yourself. Whether its in short form or in detailed passages, writing is a proven way to make money throughout the business world.
Delivery
While not necessarily an obvious work at home choice, delivery service, using your home as a base, is a viable business alternative. Find your area, decide what you want to deliver, then set up a network that uses your home as its hub and headquarters.
Cleaning Service
Like Delivery, at first blush this entry might not seem like a natural fit. What we’re talking about here, however, is to have people bring their items to you. Clothing is a practical start, but you can clean everything from house pets to household items. In a society that’s always moving, keeping things clean is still a full time job.
Cooking
Arguably the first cottage industry, cooking solves a need everyone has and always will. If you’re alive, you have to eat. The old joke of the food industry is ‘No good cook ever goes hungry.’