A question that comes up often is what is the best home based business to start with, quickly followed by with no money or for free.
Working from a home based business is the ideal lifestyle choice, and certainly one that many people are aspiring to.
Your reasons for wanting to work from home can be numerous and varied, but often the desire is to just simply get out of the rat race and the 9 to 5 grind.
After all, we live in a connected world where communication can be instant, and face to face meetings no longer have to round an oval table in a corporate city centre office.
Your virtual office could simply be a workspace in a spare room in your house or a garden outbuilding.
There are certain challenges to working from home, the main ones being self motivation and distraction from other things going on in your family life.
One of my biggest distractions when working at home is my dogs barking everytime somebody approches the house, plus the amount door knocking from deliveries and cold calling.
However, if you become disciplined and set out your work area so that it is zoned off from the family home with clear guidelines not to be disturbed, then the advantages and cost savings with this style of working far outway the social aspect of reporting into an office everyday.
Whether you are looking to become an online blogger or you are considering opening a virtual store, working at home without startup costs is possible with a bit of planning and thinking outside the box.
With a little research and planning you could start a home-based business today.
It might seem frivolous or childish to start a business based on your hobby or interest, but passion based businesses are often some of the most successful as they are driven by enthusiasm.
After all, why would you want to start a business that you have no enthusiasm for. That’s known as a job, and the very reason yhat’s driving you to try something different.
Start by listing your interests and skills, and then think how you could turn one into a business.
Businesses like cup cakes and party catering take the hobby of home cooking out to the consumer.
DIY skills can turn into a home repair or renovation business.
A love of crafts such as knitting can turn into a successful blog selling craft goods, patterns, design and advertising space.
If you start brainstorming your hobbies, skills and leisure interests then you could begin building a business today.
Here Are 5-Simple Ideas That You Could Start From Home.
1). Virtual Assistant.
Becoming a Virtual Assistant is just the same as becoming a secretary or administrative assistant, just in another part of the world.
Because we now live in an interconnected world this industry is growing rapidly.
Check out this great article in Entreprenuer Magazine to find out more about the world of virtual assistants and how you can become one.
2). Fitness Personal Trainer
If sport and fitness is your thing then a home based personal fitness trainer business could be for you.
With an ageing population desperate to keep healthy and no shortage of money, coupled with an ever increasing obesity problem across all ages then it’s no wonder that personal fitness training is on the increase.
You can work on a one to one basis in people’s homes or one to many at a local fitness centre as a freelance instructor.
Check out the National Federation of Professional Trainers for guidance on certification, correct insurance and how to market and brand yourself.
After that you can branch out into other areas of expertise suce as Yoga and pilates for example.
3). Mobile Computer Repairs.
Computers are mainstream these days but the majority of users are nowhere near tech savvy.
If you have a good knowledge of electronics or how computers work, then consider a collect and deliver repair service, or even onsight repair service to local business.
All businesses are looking to make savings these days but are also looking for a reliable local business that can turn their repairs around with the minimum downtime and disruption that a faulty computer brings.
This is definitely one business you could start from your kitchen table…
4). Cake Design and Baking.
The recent explosion in interest for baking and designing fancy little cup cakes still amazrs me, and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of it slowing down.
People love cup cakes. and the more personalized the better.
You can offer your cup cakes online through a website, social media such as Facebook, by providing a daily cake run to specialised shops in your area, party planners, businesses looking for a lunch time treat or to brighten up a meeting.
The list is endless for ways to get your cakes and confectionary out there.
Just check out any food hygiene laws or requirements for your local area and ensure that you comply first.
5). Dog Walking.
The pet and pet care industry is massive as people in the West care deeply for the welfare of their animals.
The reasons for employing a dog walker are many and varied, but typically might be due to the owner’s poor health, temporary ilness, work comitments, fears or phobias.
If you like the outdoors and in particular like dogs, then this has to be the ultimate low cost start up business you could find.
You’d be advised to look into appropriate insurance in case a dog in your care caused an accident or bit somebody, but other than that you’d be good to go.
I suspect the best method of growth with this business would be word of mouth, so be prepared to give awesome service and some serious love to the dogs.
6). Blogging and Affiliate Marketing.
People often wonder how wring articles on a blog make people money.
Truth is that most bloggers don’t make enough to live off. However, that’s not a problem with blogging as a business, it’s more to do with lack of knowledge over how to set the blog up correctly, the direction to take the blog, how to moneytize it correctly and treating it as a part time hobby rather than a serious business.
The actual biggest mistake is the last one, treating the blog as a hobby. The other issues are easily remedied.
For those bloggers and entreprenuers that follow the successful people and get it right, their is no upper ceiling to the income potential.
Blogs can be monetized from affilate products such as physical goods off Amazon for example, downloadable training and hobbies from ClickBank, your own products, training or e-books and multiple ways to get paid for advertising.
Their really is no limit once you start to be creative.
You need to start by setting up a website, and if that is unfamiliar terrotory for you then you can watch this free training video that will take you through all the steps neccesary to launch your first blog or monetized website.
Starting a home based business with a blog and affiliate marketing is without doubt the cheapest and most fun way to earn a residual part time income, or even replace your full time job.
However, there are steps that need to be learned and you can find out more here >>>
http://onenetbiz.com/getting-started
As always I’m here to assist you.
If you have any comments or questions please leave them below and I will respond as quickly as I can.
Thanks for this article.
In an uncertain world where jobs are being cut all the time, it’s good to know that with a little thought you can do something else working from home.
Hi Jess,
Yes it’s true that you can successfully build a very good lifestyle working from home.
The traditional form of work is changing, and with a little thinking outside the box you can carry on after J.O.B and build a great lifestyle.
All the best.
Paul