Millions of people want to own their own business.
There are thousands of choices and possibilities and millions of variations on them all too – so how are you supposed to figure out where to even begin?
Let’s dive in and see if we can help you figure that out.
Start With Making a List
Get a spiral notebook or just a clean piece of paper and a pencil or a pen – and yes we are going old school here – and it works better this way!
Relax for a minute or two.
Then begin thinking of things that you believe there may be a market for (services or products) and which you are interested in providing for a profit.
Just write down the top 10 things that come to mind. If you like make a much longer list if you have a lot of ideas and then whittle them down to just the top 10 and write them down on your list.
Next, let’s look into each one and do a little research.
Start with Google and ask a series of questions on your own. Start with “how to become a locksmith?” or “how to become a truck driver” and insert whatever it is you are considering. It can be anything you can imagine from how to become a real estate agent to how to become a beekeeper, and own and own it goes. The possibilities are endless.
So just pick what works for you from your list and ask the questions that come to mind.
Here are a few more to consider asking yourself;
1. How much do ______________ really make?
2. Is a license required to become a ______________?
3. What kind of training is needed to become a ___________________?
4. How much money do I need to spend/invest to get it started _______________?
5. How much time is needed per day and week and can I find it _______________?
6. Can I start this business realistically as a part-time business while I lean it and grow it ________________?
7. Why do I really want to do this in the first place ____________________?
8. What resources do I need and where can I find them __________________________?
9. Is there an existing market/need that I kind find a way to serve here ____________________?
10. Who can help me and how can I get access to them now __________________________?
Online vs Offline Business Opportunities
You have lots of information and lots of options to consider.
Two of the biggest options you need to carefully consider include whether you want to start an online business or whether you want to start an offline business.
Contrary to what so many will tell you there is no such thing as THE BEST BUSINESS to START.
The reason is that the reality of what is the best business to start varies significantly from person to person and even then it changes over time as people proceed through their lives.
For example, becoming an owner-operator truck driver is far easier and simpler for a relatively young person who is not married than it is for another person in their late 60s or beyond with a wife, a home, pets, and all kinds of other obligations.
Not that it is impossible – or even undesirable – or then again maybe it is for one person over another. That’s the point – whether it is or isn’t a good idea for you now or not depends on your present situation AND what you want and need right now.
With that in Mind Let’s take a quick look at each one a bit more.
Online Income Production Opportunities – Starting Your Own Online Business
There are several potential advantages to consider when thinking about ways of making money online.
Ease of access and the ability to get started with nothing more than a computer and internet access are among the top reasons.
There are multiple online money making business opportunities you can start without needing any mandatory formal training, no degree, no certificate, no approval, and no permission necessary from any regulatory agency. Nor do you need an expensive license, any formal business license or entity either — in some cases — but this does vary so do you homework before you leap.
You also have access to a massive WORLDWIDE market and even a few sales consistently can have life-changing consequences for you.
Some of the top contenders for types of online businesses to start include;
- Affiliate Marketing – One of the better choices for most people most of the time (but not all though!) because it is relatively easy to begin and the skills you will learn will be needed and can help you with ANY other kind of business you may decide to start later too
- Online Course Creation – Instructor – Chances are good that you already have some skills and abilities and experience that many other people would like to learn. You can teach them what you know and share your knowledge and specialized information – and they will pay you for it too! You can record and launch your own courses on online learning platforms that have their own marketplace like Udemy for FREE (though you do need to learn a few things first if you want sales) and begin building your own course library. That’s important to know – most successful instructors need multiple courses all combined to drive enough sales consistently to have a predictable stable income. One-hit wonders do happen – but most instructors can’t count on that – nor should they (and nor should you!) so they work to build a stable business over time systematically. It can be learned and you can do it too if you really want to do it bad enough
- Print On Demand– Digital Products – You can create all kinds of things from eBooks to stickers, planners, art, T-shirts, cups, clothing, and much more which you upload to your store (Etsy, Shopify, Redbubble, etc.) and once you have an order your production partner will automatically make and ship the item directly to your customer. You do need to track your sales and stay on top of your orders and thank your customer while you build a relationship with them – but you never have to make the product yourself or by inventory, handle shipping, and other things – instead you just keep creating more and more designs and uploading them t your stores/platforms and growing your sales
- YouTuber – There are multiple ways to use YouTube to make money. Most people think of monetization through YouTube once you have enough subscribers and watch time to meet the platform’s requirements – thereafter which you can get paid when ads run on your videos. But did you know you can monetize yourself from day one and video one – and you do NOT need YouTubes permission or blessing either? Use your channel to drive traffic to your other products and services, and market affiliate products. You do need to know the rules so you don’t run afoul of them and get booted (and that applies to all platforms and pretty much all businesses of all types too) but it isn’t hard to learn and understand
- Local Business Marketing Agency – Basically you use all the skills you need for all of these things we have been discussing – and more – to help local businesses set up and maintain their own websites and social media presence. You may offer to do it for them on an ongoing basis for a fee – and a fee per client with just a few clients can add up to a full-time income. Though personally, I like the teach it and make it their responsibility approach better – because otherwise you have created more of a self-employment JOB for yourself than a BUSINESS, never the less that is an option. It is also possible for you to do this and then have a third party (maybe the US maybe the Philippines and other places) who will take care of the actual ongoing day to day work for you on each account – and all you really have to do is keep getting more accounts, and of course coordinating and managing them even when the day to day work is being done for you – it’s still your account and your customer/client and that makes it your responsibility. It can be profitable if you can handle it all and if you want to do so
- Author and Publisher – Write your own books and eBooks and publish them yourself on Amazon and or directly on your own sites. Once upon a time, you needed a traditional publisher to have a book published – but no longer is that the case. You don’t need their permission either in any way shape or form. Just write your own books and eBooks and upload them to Amazon and publish them to the whole world. As always there are a few things you need to know but you can learn enough to get started in hours and have your first eBook published in a few days (less than a month from now!) and your first hard copy book finished and published in about 3 months or less – give or take depending on the book and you of course
It’s a Matter of Choosing Your Own Course…
That is really what it all comes down to – what you want and what you are willing to do to achieve it.
There simply is no single answer that is the right answer for everyone at any given time in life. You have to figure out what will work better for you, then start taking action and working to achieve it.
That is another reason I really like Wealthy Affiliate so much. You can use my affiliate link and join me inside too if you like – just click HERE and come on in.
The skills you learn and the resources you have available inside Wealthy Affiliate can help you with ANY business you may choose.
That includes both online business opportunities and offline brick and mortar businesses as well as home-based businesses of all kinds.
So, choose something then start taking action – and keep taking action and you WILL make progress. Just don’t forget the ACTION part.
It doesn’t have to be perfect (It won’t be) nor even pretty – but it just needs to be something that helps you keep doing a little better every day over time ad making progress consistently.
Until next time, take care and be safe.
Best regards,
L.D. Sewell