9 Great Home-Based Business Ideas
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While you may notice lots of ads for home-based business opportunities, they often turn out to be little more than piecework at best, and scams at worst. In reality, though, more and more entrepreneurs are finding ways to build on the business idea of their dreams while finding a way to do it from home. Home-based businesses are increasingly the choice of many small business owners who want to strike out on their own while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Here's a list of 9 home-based business ideas we think have great potential to succeed right now.
Small businesses know they have to get online, but finding the time to figure out how is proving a real challenge for small business owners of every stripe. If you're Internet-savvy and know how local businesses can harness the power of local search, coupon pages and social media, you could be working from home helping small business owners <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1789-smb-marketing-channels-.html">promote their companies online</a>. Since your client base will be local to you, your commute to clients will be close to home.<br><br> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1748-business-ideas-2012.html">10 Business Ideas We Love for 2012</a> </ul>
Research continues to prove that <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1654-online-shopping-research-migrating-mobile-drives-sales-.html">mobile apps or mobile Web browsers </a>.are a must for businesses of all kinds. But most don't have the in-house teams to create them. Smaller companies also don't have the budget to hire an expensive firm to create their apps. A freelance app designer who works from home could specialize in creating apps for one or two industries and build a strong following.
Consumers want to buy from companies that are making efforts to turn their operations "green," or eco-friendly. In fact, research has shown that consumers are willing to <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/702-manufacturers-green-supply-chain.html">pay more for green products</a>. Big companies often have whole staffs and outside consulting firms dedicated to that cause. Small business owners don't have those kinds of resources, but many would still like to find ways to be more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. A home-based green consulting business allows you to travel locally to meet with clients, review their environmental impact and make recommendations on how they can cut their energy use, waste and costs. There's no need for an office outside the house for this business.
Ever tried to find child care on a Saturday afternoon? Unless you've got a standing relationship with a babysitter – and even then, it can be hard – there are few places you can count on for evening or weekend child care. Most states allow you to operate a home child care business and there's little competition and a great need for off-hours care. Licensing requirements are different based on your state, but many don't require a license as long as you keep below the minimum number of children.<br><br> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1733-small-business-financing-options-.html">7 Ways to Finance a Small Business</a> </ul>
Ready to figure out what business idea is best for you? Try our <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3253-business-idea-generator.html"target="_blank"> Business Idea Generator. </a>Answer 21 "yes" or "no" questions and we'll tell you the top five business ideas that might work for you. Click <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3253-business-idea-generator.html"target="_blank" >here</a> to get started. Don't worry, it will open in a new window and you won't lose your place in this countdown.</p>
You'll need some extra space at home if you want to run this business out of your house, but with a well-organized basement or garage space, you can do it. E-commerce is a huge business, and it's an especially appealing one for small business owners who can't afford to rent a retail space. The problem, of course, is that packing and shipping all those orders can be a real hassle. Many e-commerce companies would like to outsource this function to a third party who can keep the inventory in stock and ship orders as they come in. There are not many of these companies who offer their services to small retailers. It's a business you can start at home and grow into a larger space once it's a success. <br><br> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1749-starting-business-2012.html">5 Reasons to Start a Business in 2012 </a> </ul>
During the recession, many companies, especially contractors, had to lay off office workers. And, while the economy is recovering, most still can't afford to hire a full-time office assistant. That leaves an opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to offer invoicing, bookkeeping, human resources and other clerical services to business owners on a contractual or part-time basis. With just a laptop and a few clients, you can get the ball rolling from home.
Just about every company has a website that has the potential to collect data from its customers. Furthermore, many businesses store their customers' data, personal information – even credit card numbers – in their company computers. But, how many smaller firms can honestly say they know the data is safe from identity thieves and hackers? Most small companies can't afford to hire a full-time <a href="http://www.ittechnewsdaily.com/216-firewall-security.html">data security specialist</a>. That's where your home-based security consulting business comes in. If you've got a background in IT, you could be working as a consultant helping small businesses shore up their data security.
We might be in a recession, but many parents will still spend big bucks to throw their kid a great birthday party. While they could just throw a party at home, many people don't have the time or energy to pull it off. That's where a kids' party business comes in. Parties that take place at local sports centers and play zones are expensive. There's demand for party planners who can arrange the whole event, mail the invitations, stock the goody bags and arrange discounts with local party places. Parents are often willing to pay handsomely for the service.
These days, it seems as though everybody has a tablet, but have you ever tried to get one fixed? It's not as easy as you think. In fact, <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111123005641/en">recent research revealed</a> that it costs almost as much to repair a tablet as it does to buy a new one. If you're capable of servicing and fixing this kind of technology, there's going to be a big demand for reasonably priced tablet repair. Especially, if you're willing to make house calls. <br><br> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1646-great-business-ideas-2012.html">17 Great Business Ideas for 2012</a> </ul><br><br><i><font size="1">Jeanette Mulvey is the managing editor of BusinessNewsDaily. She has written about small business for more than 20 years and formerly owned her own e-commerce business. Her column, Mind Your Business, appears on Mondays only on BusinessNewsDaily. You can follow her on Twitter at @jeanettebnd or contact her via e-mail jmulvey@techmedianetwork.com.</font></i>
If you're thinking about starting your own business, there are lots of decisions to be made. What kind of accounting software will you use? Will you do your own payroll our outsource it? BusinessNewsDaily's <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2526-small-business-resource-center.html"target="_blank">Small Business Resource Center </a> will help you sort through the choices. Visit it <a href="http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2526-small-business-resource-center.html"target="_blank" >here</a>.
