Filed under: 200 Ways to Start A Business
200 Ways to Start A Business
by Janet Attard
So you want to be your own boss! Maybe you’re tired of taking orders from someone who doesn’t know as much as you do about your job . . . or tired of fighting rush hour traffic . . . or disgusted with office politics . . . . Perhaps you are convinced you can make more on your own than you can working for someone else — or you just want to bring in a little extra money to pay for a few luxuries in life — or your family really needs two incomes but you don’t want your kids to be latchkey kids.Whatever your reason, being your own boss can be personally and financially rewarding–if you come up with the right business idea.
What kind of business idea is the RIGHT idea? Virtually any idea that meets these criteria:
It is something you know how to do and can do well.
It is something you LIKE to do and wouldn’t mind doing day after day.
It is something with a broad enough appeal to sell on a steady basis.
It can be sold at a price that will cover all of your expenses and overhead plus return a healthy profit.
You have or can raise sufficient funds to get the business started and keep it running until it becomes a profitable venture.
If you haven’t yet found your entrepreneurial niche, perhaps you’ll spot one or more ideas that sound promising (based on the criteria just mentioned) in the list below. Some can be started as homebased business, others really can’t. Most can be turned into full time businesses, but some are ideal for moonlighting, or as add-on sales in an existing business. All are viable ways to make money, if you know the business and market it properly.
Here, then, is the list of business ideas:
Consulting Service
Agricultural consultant
Air quality consultant
Coach (personal or business) or mentor
Computer consultant
Construction management consultant
Diversity consultant
Engineering consultant
Environmental consultant
Expert witness
Failure evaluation
Franchise consultant
Healthcare consultant
Human resources consultant
Image consultant
International consultant
Marketing consultant
Medical office consultant
Product development consultant
Proposal consultant (government contracts)
Proposal consultant (grants)
Retail consultant
Risk management consultant
Safety consultant
Total quality management consultant
Training consultant
Utility auditing consultant
Retail and commercial
Antique shop
Bar/Tavern
Used book store
Bicycle sales
Books
Boutique owner
Calligraphy
Chemicals
Chinese food take-out service
Clothing Store
Coffee shop owner
Craft broker
Craft supplies catalog
eBay consignment sales
e-Business
Fishing supplies
Gift Basket Service
Handmade soap
Homemade foods
Janitorial supplies
Jewelry
Mail order business
Pizza parlor
Posters
Restaurant and Food Businesses
Sewing crafts
Stamps
Tapes
Used books
Wood crafts
Sales
Manufacturer’s sales representative
Network Marketing Business
Telemarketing service
Sales coach or trainer
Advertising specialties
Direct selling
Printer toner recharging
Planning and organizing businesses
Business plan writing
Business turnarounds
Closet organizing
Event Planning Service
Meeting planning
Party planning
Show promoting
Wedding Consultant
Consumer and business services
Advertising specialty sales
Appliance repair
Audio tape duplication
Bed and breakfast inn
Bicycle repair
Bulletin board sysop
Business plan writer
Business plan writing
Cabinet maker
Car detailing
Carpet and upholstery
Catering
Chemical testing
Child Care Service
Chimney sweep
Cleaning Service
Clown
Coin dealer
Collectibles dealer
Collections service
Concrete construction and repair
Cook
Cosmetologist
Crafts instructor
Currency auctions
Dance instructor
Daycare for adults
Dental claims processing
Directory publishing
Disk duplication
Electrician
Employment agency
Environmental cleanup service
Errand service
Executive recruiter
Financial planner
Flea market seller
Food delivery service
Formal wear rental service (male or female)
Framing service (picture frames)
Genealogist
Grant writer
Hair dresser
Handyman services
Home automotive Tuneup service
Home or office organization services
Housekeeper
Information broker
Interior decorating service
Inventory control service
Janitorial service
Landscaping
Laundry service
Lawn cutting
Lawnmower and motor repair
Limousine service
Loan consultant
Locksmith
Magician
Mailing service
Market research
Medical Claims Billing
Medical transcription
Moving company
Novelty T-shirt sales
Painter
Personal fitness trainer
Personal Concierge
Pet sitting
Pet walking
Pet grooming
Pet waste cleanup
Plumber
Pool cleaning service
Portrait and wedding photography
Print Broker
Private investigator
Public relations agency
Public speaker
Remodeling service
Seminar producer
Screen printing
Shopping service
Shuttle service
Sightseeing tours
Small business consultant
Swimming pool maintenance
Tax preparation
Telemarketing service
Telephone service reseller
Tool rental
Translation service
Travel agency
Tutor
TV repair
VCR repair
Video duplication
Window cleaning
Yard cleanup
Editorial & graphic design
Advertising agency
Advertising copywriter
Cartoonist
Columnist
Commercial photographer
Computer animator
Directory publisher
Editor
Ghost writer
Graphic artist
Index books
Internet Publisher
Internet software developer
Internet marketing
Literary agent
Multimedia presentation creation
Newsletter production for clients
Nonfiction writer
Novelist
Proofreader
Publicist
Search engine optimization
Subscription newsletter
Translator
Web designer
Web content provider
Write audio cassette scripts
Write book jacket blurbs
Write company histories
Write Publicity Releases
Office services
Business Support Service
Desktop publishing
Bookkeeping
Commercial art
Legal transcription
Mailing list management
Medical transcription
Resume writing
Virtual Assistant
Computer & Internet
Computer consulting
Computer repair
Computer disk back up services
Computer programming
Computer training
Search engine optimization
Search Engine Marketing
Web site development
Web site hosting
Entertainment
Agent
Ballet studio
Band leader
Dance company
Dancer
One-man band
Singer
Song writer
Miscellaneous services
Environmental restoration
Fund raiser
Import/Export Business
Plant nursery (raise and sell house plants and annuals)
Raising and racing horses
Automotive
Auto detailing
Auto parts sales
Auto repair garage
Brake replacement & repair
Car wash
Junk car removal
Muffler shop
Filed under: 200 Ways to Start A Business by Janet Attard
Filed under: How To Create a Great Business Name
- A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here’s a quick how-to on creating one and making sure it’s not already used.
- Difficulty: Average
- Time Required: A few hours
- Here’s How:
- Brainstorm. Think about how you want people to feel when they hear the name. Write down the words on paper and then categorize them by primary meaning.
- Relate. Think about related words and phrases that evoke the feelings you want. Hit the thesaurus and find all the synonyms for your words and phrases.
- Relate more. Find out the Greek and Latin translations of your words. Figure out what colors, gemstones, plants, animals, etc., relate to your words.
- Experiment. Start playing with combinations of your various words and partial words. Don’t be judgmental now - just make a list.
- Reflect. Review your list and just give some thought to each name. How does it make you feel when you hear it?
- Communicate. Go over the list with someone you trust. Have them tell you how each name makes them feel, and how memorable they think it is.
- Prioritize. Throw out any that just don’t fit and make a prioritized list of the rest.
- Check trademarks. Make sure no one is using that name in your line of business. You may be able to use the name in a completely different business, but be aware that it may create confusion for both you and them.
- Check domain names. You want to make sure that an appropriate domain name is available. You want YourCompanyName.com, of course. If that’s not available, you may want to reconsider.
- Search the internet. Even if someone doesn’t have the domain, you still want to see what else is out there that has the same name. That doesn’t mean you don’t use it if you find something, but you need to know.
- Check company names. If you’re planning to incorporate, check with the Secretary of State (or other appropriate office outside the U.S.) of the state you’re planning to incorporate in.
- Check assumed names. For sole proprietors, check for local assumed names (also known as DBA). In the U.S., you check this with the County Clerk.
- Stake your claim! Register your assumed name or file your incorporation papers right away. Also, start using either TM (trademark) or SM (service mark). You do NOT have to register them to use them.
- Get the domain(s). Find an inexpensive registrar and register your domain and any obvious variations on it. You shouldn’t be paying more than $10 a year for each, and at that, it pays to prevent poachers.
- Protect your brand. A U.S. trademark or service mark costs $325. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to trying to defend it later. It’s not really necessary, though, for a small local business.
- Tips:
- Avoid generic names based on names, such as Joe’s Bar, Sam’s Hardware, etc. They’re not memorable and are nearly impossible to trademark.
- Avoid generic names that literally describe the product or service, like Computer Consulting Company, Appliance Sales and Service, Inc., etc.
- Generally, avoid geographical names. Besides not generally being very memorable, what happens if you decide to move or expand? The exception is if you’re trying to create a strong local affinity like, say, a neighborhood bar.
- Preferably, don’t restrict future product or service lines. Be broad enough to include your wildest long-term vision for the business.
- Try to keep the name short and easy to pronounce.
Filed under: HOW TO IMPRESS A WOMAN.
HOW TO IMPRESS A WOMAN.
* Wine her,
* Dine her,
* Call her,
* Hug her,
* Support her,
* Hold her,
* Surprise her,
* Compliment her,
* Smile at her,
* Listen to her,
* Laugh with her,
* Cry with her,
* Romance her,
* Encourage her,
* Believe in her,
* Pray with her,
* Pray for her,
* Cuddle with her,
* Shop with her,
* Give her jewelry,
* Buy her flowers,
* Hold her hand,
* Write love letters to her,
* Go to the end of the Earth and back again for her.
HOW TO IMPRESS
A MAN
*Leave him alone
* Bring food …
* Don’t block the TV …
