How To MAKE MONEY Without Leaving YOUR HOUSE !!!

How To MAKE MONEY Without Leaving YOUR

HOUSE !!!

OVERVIEW

When Ronald Reagan took the oath of office for the Presidency in

January of 1981, one of his earliest pledges was to make life a little

easier for the small business person. Reagan believed that America

was founded on the backs of intrepid folks who took a chance and

gambled everything they had on a chance to start fresh. Small

business today is the embodiment of that idea. Less regulation and

lower taxes during the former California governor's first term in office

sent the number of small business formations skyward and the

industry, despite increased taxes and regulation, has never looked

back. Today, as much as ever, there are outstanding opportunities in

the small business market.

Think about it. Big business puts out a controlled product that

appeals to the masses. When selling nationwide, little attention is

paid to particular regional differences. Small business fills this void.

It's not necessary, in an environment of lower overhead and more

flexibility, to have a product that necessarily appeals to the masses.

You might produce T-shirts and apparel with local slogans and

insignia on them out of your own home. This product will likely appeal

to the locals and certainly may have some fascination for tourists,

too. It's not something a major company is likely to fashion because

of its limited audience attraction. But you don't need to sell as many

units to operate a successful small business.

There are numerous examples of small businesses having local

flavor that became an overnight sensation nationally. Ben and Jerry's

ice cream was a Vermont tradition that suddenly caught on big

everywhere. Numerous franchises and grocery distribution outlets

later, the original owners are ready to cash in- big time!

Perhaps you have that kind of ambition. It may be that your idea for a

home-based business may have a national market. It's wiser to start

smaller if you don't have a lot of initial capital. If you have access to

capital, that's a different story. Wayne Huzienga, owner of the

Blockbuster video stores, borrowed heavily to finance his outlets.

The first store didn't make any money. But he believed in his idea- to

have numerous video copies available for two or three nights at a

time. He thought people would pay a little more for this kind of

convenience. The first ten stores didn't make any money. Neither did

the first 100 stores. But Huzienga knew Americans. Suddenly the

profits started to come and Blockbuster has developed into a

commercial trademark for most shopping outlets in this country. But

you don't have to make it that big to be a financial success. You can

make thousands of dollars a week from your own home without

having to invest very much capital for business start-up.

BEING YOUR OWN BOSS

Most Americans dream of being their own boss. This is true for

many reasons. First, America has that kind of promise. If you play by

the rules, you can accomplish virtually anything; just ask any number

of Korean and Vietnamese immigrants who fled their countries to

come here and start up their own businesses. They are truly a late

20th century success story in this country.

Second, it's usually not very fun working for someone else. There are

plenty of rules to follow. There are specific hours to be in the office.

There are specific sales goals that must be met. And on and on.

Your own business isn't going to be a vacation, but when you go in

early and stay late, you're doing it for you; not for the person who

signs your paycheck.

Third, the control of running your own business is both exciting and,

at times, overwhelming. Responsibility is at your feet. There is no

one to pass the blame off to, but small business owners wouldn't

have it any other way. They take a chance every day by running their

own shop. Yet most wouldn't trade it for working for someone else

again if they can possibly help it. The risks are great, but the rewards

can be greater.

There are many sad stories around this country about people who

dreamed big, who had a good idea, but who couldn't summon up the

courage to take it any further than their own thoughts. Afraid to take a

chance, they passed up the risks and the rewards of striking out on

their own. At the end of their lives there is always that doubt, always

that wonder, always that speculation, about what their lives would

have been like if they'd only taken that one chance.

The independence that comes with being your own boss also calls

for rigid discipline on your part. Because you are the one setting your

own hours, there is no one to tell you what time to start, what time to

knock off, what time to take lunch or how much work must be

accomplished each and every day. This is the drill you must teach

yourself. You have to set your own goals and objectives, financial

and otherwise. You'll have to analyze your market, what you will

produce, how much it will cost to produce, who you will distribute the

product to and how much you will charge.

You must know what your profit margin will be on each unit. Knowing

the profit margin and how long it takes to produce one unit, will help

you to set up your work schedule. It might be ten to twelve hours a

day to start, much longer than you worked for someone else. But

instead of a paycheck equal to a small portion of the profit, you'll

keep the entire profit margin for yourself. It's a whole new world!

THE CONTINGENT WORKFORCE

Layoffs at big businesses have become a way of life. Companies

are constantly undergoing a reshuffling of the players and the

companies under their umbrella. The information age produces data

instantly, the analysis of which can be accomplished quickly. Once

digested, companies make moves much earlier than in the past.

Products evolve so much faster today, and the improvement in

technology can mean the need for less human involvement.

But technology has a bright side. Computers, fax machines,

modems and telephone answering machines have evolved to

reasonably priced equipment which can make you an instant player

in whatever field you choose to work when set up in your own home.

The future of America may well be in people working at home and

communicating with each other through increasingly sophisticated

equipment.

Let's say you work for ABC Company, a large firm that is undergoing

its ninth rightsizing move of the year. This time around you get the

pink slip. Your services are no longer needed at the end of the

month. Here's two months' severance pay. See you later. It's been a

great ten years. This is not uncommon today. There have been

thousands of layoffs at the Fortune 500 level in the last decade. But

unemployment has not changed that dramatically! Why? Where are

these people going?

Why aren't more of them filing unemployment claims, especially as

Congress made several efforts to extend benefits to the

unemployed? Some of these people were able to find full-time work

relatively quickly. Still others took the severance package and simply

retired, being eligible (or nearly eligible) for Social Security and

perhaps a pension benefit. Many of these individuals became a part

of what has come to be called the contingent workforce.

The contingent workforce consists of temporary, part-time, contract

and leased employees along with people who simply decided the

time was never better to start their own business. This is the group

that doesn't have a true employer-employee relationship, yet are

working and often making more money than their full-time labors

yielded in the past. Not everyone likes it. But the chance to be your

own boss has appealed to many Americans, those with that true

early pioneer spirit that former President Reagan spoke so warmly

about during his tenure as the nation's Chief Executive. Armed with

today's technology, many have set up their own businesses and have

gone to work- for themselves!

They've established their own businesses after deciding what fields

they wanted to go into. It may be the field they just abruptly left- or it

may be something they've longed to do for some time. Perhaps it's a

hobby they believe can make it big. Ask Mrs. Fields, whose cookies

that pleased friends and family are now being eaten in nearly every

major airport food court in the country. Working as a contract,

temporary or leased employee gives you the benefit of a paycheck

without much of the stress. You go home at the end of a day without

the same worry you carried as an employee- unless stress is just

part of your character!

But this isn't the same as working for yourself, as more and more

people are finding out. The downsizing by big business in the last

few years has created the opportunity for many to finally make the

big push- and start their own company. They are the President, Vice

President, Secretary, Treasurer and all of the other jobs to start. But

there is always light at the end of the tunnel. If you never take the

chance, you could be another of those sad stories where, in the

sunset of life, you sit and wonder what might have beenþ

CHOOSING YOUR HOME-BASED CAREER

There is one thing you can count on when you begin your own

business. You won't be bored. There are plenty of details to work out;

a number of tasks that await each day. You won't find yourself

looking at the clock very often, , that's for sure! What do you do?

That's easy! What ideas do you have? More importantly, what would

you like to do? What are your current interests? What hobbies do

you have that you'd like to work at more and make them pay? Let's

say you have a vivid interest in history. You've spent a lot of time

reading history books. Let's say you've even specialized and most of

your reading is about the American Civil War.

Do you think there might be something you can do about the Civil

War? Of course there is! If you have a computer and subscribe to the

Internet, why not try polling people via e-mail about their interest in a

Civil War newsletter that you will publish monthly- on line! A

substantial interest will help you set a subscription price and begin

enrolling people. If you have enough interest, this could be your full-

time job. You'll spend the month coming up with the assorted items

for the monthly newsletter, from articles about unusual aspects of the

war, to commemorations of anniversary-related events that month, to

news about meetings held everywhere for other Civil War

enthusiasts, to book reviews of the latest volumes written. If you have

an interest in the Civil War, you'll know that there isn't any period of

history which has generated more interest and more books about

the particulars. But what if you're not into computers? If you're

interested in the Civil War, contact the local universities and colleges

and find out who teaches the subject on their campus. Contact those

individuals for suggestions first. It could very well be that they long to

write their own book about the Civil War, but don't have the time

during the academic year to do the necessary research to write it on

their summer break. You have the time, though, and they may be

willing to hire you as a researcher for them.

You should also buy any Civil War magazine you can lay your hands

on and turn to the classified sections of their pages. A current issue

is best. Read everything you can. There may be direct

advertisements needing help, or names and companies with

interests in the Civil War whom you can contact. Find out if there are

any local Civil War Roundtable chapters in your area. Find out if

there are any Sons of Confederate Veterans (or Union) or United

Daughters of the Confederacy (or Union) chapters locally. Attending

those meetings will bring you into contact with a number of like-

minded individuals. Some of these folks might pay you to write about

their ancestors. Or they may know publishers who specialize in Civil

War history who would be willing to listen to an idea you had for a

book. Or you could contact some local community colleges and put

together your own course on the Civil War and get paid to teach it.

This is the kind of analysis you need to do with any of your ideas.

Make lists! Put your idea at the top and think of all the possible

connections to it. Leave no idea out! Nothing should be considered

silly or off-limits! This is your business now! The most obscure

contact can yield the greatest results. Try them all! This should also

serve notice that any idea is possible for business. If it's something

you like to do, why not try it? Many of these ideas can be followed up

on your own time, even while you're still working for someone else.

If you hate the job you're currently doing, wouldn't it be great to work

at something you truly love? Especially if what you love has an

interest for others- enough interest to have someone put down a few

bucks for your product or service. The Civil War is a great example.

People who have an avid interest in it will shell out a few dollars to

read anything about the subject. The more they read, the more they

want to know. And there are thousands of ideas that can sustain the

same kind of interest!

Securing clients for your service is the key. New subscribers to a

newsletter will more than offset the ones who, for whatever reason,

don't renew. The more new customers you obtain, the more likely

your business will experience tremendous success.

Prospecting for new clientele is an ongoing process. It never stops!

Some people may not care for that end of the business, but you'll be

different. Why? Because you're working in your own business, doing

what you love to do in an area that you have a great amount of

knowledge and curiosity. When you talk about it, there will be no

hiding the fact that you truly believe in your product or service.

Talking about it is fun. Talking about it is prospecting. Hence,

prospecting is fun! How do you get people to open up today when

you're in a conversation with them? You ask them about a subject

you know they like - and then let them talk. Prospecting in your

business is going to be much like that. You're going to feel

compelled to talk to people about a subject because it's your favorite

topic. Those that share that interest are going to like listening- and

talking about it! They're prospects! They're interested! They're

potential clients!

You may choose to advertise your product or service. This has more

start-up costs to it, depending on where you advertise. Try and be

market-specific! In other words, advertise to an audience most likely

to be interested in your subject matter. For Civil War buffs, there are

plenty of magazines that you can successfully target an audience.

Advertising the same product or service through your local

newspaper at two or three times the price makes less sense since

it's more money and not as efficient.

You can also reach an audience through some type of direct mail.

This also carries a significant expense in terms of postage costs.

Thus you want to be sure that you are reaching an audience base

most likely to respond. This should be a secondary approach,

however. Reaching out via the phone lines is more cost-effective.

You can start getting news out about your product or service through

your family and friends. They can do a lot of word of mouth

advertising for you. The more people they talk to, the faster the word

about your business gets around. If you are also prospecting by

calling others, even remote acquaintances, all the better. The more

people who know, the more likely you can get referrals. This is the

hardest part of the business- getting enough people to know about

what you're doing. But once you know how to do it and you've started

the machine rolling, this all becomes easier.

You may end up with more clients than you know what to do with- a

great situation to have! There are a number of resources for you to

review and contact as you get started. The advice and information

you can obtain may help you to avoid some of the more common

mistakes. Every connection you make might lead you to a nest of

prospects. Many of the organizations listed here can help you focus

in on the right direction and save you time and money pursuing

people who have no interest in what you're doing.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO GET STARTED

Publications:

Working From Home, by Paul & Sarah Edwards (Jeremy P. Tarcher,

publisher, 1994) Making Money With Your Computer At Home, by

Paul & Sarah Edwards (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Perigee, publisher,

1993) The Work-At-Home Sourcebook, by Lynie Arden (Live Oak

Publications, publisher, 1994)

Homemade Money, by Barbara Brabec (Betterway Books,

publisher, 1994) Retired? Get Back In The Game! by Jack & Elaine

Wyman (Doer Publications, 1994)

How To Make Money With Your PC! A Guide To Starting and

Running Successful PC-Based Businesses, by Lynn Walford (Ten

Speed Press, 1994) How To Succeed As An Independent

Consultant, by Herman Holtz (Wiley & Sons, publisher, 1993)

Newsletter: Barbara Brabec's Self-Employment Survival Letter,

bimonthly newsletter, $29/year, P.O. Box 2137, Naperville, IL 60567

Newsletter: ReCareering Newsletter, monthly, $55/year, Publications

Plus, 801 Skokie Blvd., Suite 221, Northbrook, IL 60062 Audio

Tapes: How To Make Money Doing Research With Your Computer,

by Sue Rugge, contact: Here's How, 2607 Second St., Suite 3,

Santa Monica, CA 90405

Audio Tapes: How To Publish A Profitable Newsletter: The Reasons

and A Roadmap for Getting Into Newsletter Publishing with your

Computer, by J. Norman Goode, contact: Here's How, 2607 Second

Street, Suite 3, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Organizations and Associations:

Home-Based Business Tips [ includes a free start-up guide ]

Contact: Answer Desk U.S. Small Business Administration 409

Third Street, SW Washington, DC 20416 1-800-827-5722

Home-Based Manufacturing Operations

Wage and Hour Division

Employment Standards Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S3516 Washington, DC 20210

(202) 219-7043

American Association of Professional Consultants 9140 Ward

Parkway Kansas City, MO 64114

(603) 623-5378

American Federation of Small Business

407 S. Dearborn Street

Chicago, IL 60608

(312) 427-0207

American Home Business Association

397 Post Road

Darien, CT 06820

(800) 433-6361

American Home Sewing Association

1375 Broadway 4th Floor

New York, NY 10018

(212) 302-2150

The American Society of Interior Designers 1430 Broadway

New York, NY 10018

(212) 944-9220

Association of Desk-Top Publishers (AD-TP) Box 881667

San Diego, CA 92108-0034

Association of Electronic Cottagers (accessible on-line through the

Working from Home Forum)

CompuServe Information Service

5000 Arlington Centre Boulevard

Columbus, OH 45220

(800) 898-8990

Chartered Designers Of America, Inc.

P.O. Box 348

Elmwood Park, NJ 07407

(201) 794-1133 or (201) 797-0657

Family Firm Institute

P.O. Box 476

Johnstown, NY 12095

(518) 762-3853

International Association of Independent Publishers P.O. Box 703

San Francisco, CA 94101

(415) 922-9490

International Information/Word Processing Association 1015 N. York

Road

Willow Grove, PA 19090

(215) 657-6300

Mothers Home Business Network

P.O. Box 423

East Meadow, NY 11554

(516) 997-7394

National Association for the Cottage Industry P.O. Box 14460

Chicago, IL 60614

(312) 472-8116

National Association of Desktop Publishers (NADTP) P.O. Box 508

Kenmore Station

Boston, MA 02215

(617) 437-6472

National Association of Entrepreneurial Couples P.O. Box 700

Aptos, CA 95001-0700

National Association for the Self-Employed 2324 Gravel Road

Ft. Worth, TX 76118

(817) 589-2475

National Association of Women Business Owners 600 S. Federal

Street Suite 400 Chicago, IL 60605

National Computer Graphics Association

2722 Merilee Drive Suite 200

Fairfax, VA 22031

(703) 698-9600

Newsletter Association

1410 Wilson Blvd. Suite 403

Arlington, VA 22209

(703) 527-2333

Support Services Alliance

P.O. Box 130

Schocharie, NY 12157

(212) 398-7800

HOME-BASED OPPORTUNITIES

There are a few businesses that you can get up and running quickly if

time is of the essence. If you've just lost a job or you can't take the

one you have much longer, here are a couple of fast start ideas.

1. Private Tutor. To start this business, you would have to be

qualified in at least one academic subject, have some teaching

skills and experience (being a training instructor could qualify). The

subjects usually requiring tutoring are math, foreign language and

any of the sciences. It's less demanding than full-time teaching and

you don't have to put up with the bureaucracy. It will undoubtedly be

evening and (perhaps) weekend work, but you can charge anywhere

from $25 to $75 per hour depending on the subject.

2. Errand runner/driver. Many businesses today are in need of a

runner to bring material around from place to place. A company

which does a lot of printing may need constant business to printer

assistance. As long as you have your own car and are a safe driver,

you're in business. You don't need to learn anything about

computers, either. You're simply in business. You will likely always be

on call during the week (maybe Saturdays), and if you don't like

traffic this could be a problem. You should be able to canvass local

businesses for work and be paid upwards of $10 per hour. Your auto

insurance agent should be informed of the new use for your car.

3. Computer services for small businesses. You'll need a computer,

laser or bubble jet printer and a fax machine to offer these services,

but many small businesses need the assistance. It might be in

copywriting, mailing programs, newsletters or maintaining a billing

follow-up database. You can charge from $20 per hour and up

depending on the work. It's easy to get going since you've already

got the computer in your home. Canvass businesses locally for work

after you've devised an attractive flyer listing and selling your

services.

There are other jobs that may require more set-up, but can be

fantastic money-making opportunities. Among these are: 1. Tax

preparer/bookkeeping services. Being computer literate will help

you handle several dozen clients all at once. You may need some

training if you are not a CPA, but software programs today make it

easier to walk through even the most complex tax situations. You will

be overwhelmed during the tax season of January to April, but you

can charge from $25 to $50 per hour and make enough during the

first four months of the year to almost get you through the remaining

months. 2. Specialty grower. Let's say you have some land and you

love to garden. You enjoy working outdoors and are tired of working

inside a building for a living. Why not become a specialty grower?

Gourmet stores all over the country are looking for the unusual in the

way of plants and edible flowers. Herbs are also popular. You can

even sell the crops you grow at the local farmer's market on Saturday

mornings. If you already have the land and the desire to do this, why

wait. Start it part-time if you want, but you may find dozens of outlets

for your goods if you are up to the test. The risk is bad weather, of

course, but it's a chance worth taking if you love gardening. 3.

Cleaning services.

Commercial building maintenance people are often on the lookout

for good help in this area. You'll need a lot of cleaning supplies, but if

you can handle the evening hours and can find reliable assistants,

this can be a gold mine business, especially if you specialize in the

hard-to-do work like swimming pools, blinds and windows. People

hate to do windows. You can charge per house or per hour for

commercial buildings.

4. Massage therapist. If you're good at giving massages, consider

getting a license or certification to be a massage therapist. Health

clubs, running clubs, and conventions are all good candidates for

your work. You can earn up to $100/hour but you have to be in good

physical condition. Arm, hand and back strength are particularly

important. You make your own hours!

5. Caterer. If you like to cook, consider the catering business. If you

have a good kitchen set-up and can cook large volumes well and

have a few unusual, but tasty, recipes, you can become a local party

favorite. Repeat business is the name of this game and you can

charge per person for your catered meals or appetizers. Ethnic

dishes are the in thing for parties these days and the more

diversified you are, the better.

6. Computer consultant. If you are a programmer, this is certainly a

job that can lend itself to contract labor, run out of your own home.

Competition is heavy, but once you have a few clients, you will likely

make an excellent living at something you're good at and probably

enjoy. The low starting rate for programmers is $50/hour and you can

charge more based on your expertise and the problem to be solved.

The more diversified your experience, the more likely the calls will be

coming in for your services. You will need to stay up on current

technology, but most programmers do this naturally.

There is a plethora of magazines and other publications about the

latest and greatest technology. Canvass local businesses to

ascertain their computer needs. You're only selling your services, so

cold calling is a low pressure issue. Most businesses have some

complaint about their computer system and are looking for easy

answers from someone who is local and has good knowledge and

experience. Solid computer expertise is invaluable to small

businesses.

7. Bed-and-breakfast accommodations.Wouldn't it be great to

operate a bed and breakfast in the middle of a territory that attracts

thousands of tourists and other travelers each year? If you've a knack

for hosting people on a full-time basis and have the house to convert

to a couple of extra bedrooms, you can be in business. It's truly full-

time, even though you're only serving breakfast. There's laundry to

do, beds to be made, bathrooms to clean and reservations to

handle, but it can often be done at a leisurely pace. Room rates are

$75 per night and up, so the money can add up pretty fast. Be

careful of burnout, however, as there are no holidays from this job,

unless you have another person/couple who can take over for a

couple of weeks.

8. Arts & Crafts. If you have a propensity for things arts and craftsy,

you should consider selling your goods for a living, part- or full time.

Have you ever walked around an art show? There are plenty of these

around and you can get a booth and earn back your expenses for the

day with one sale. If you love to paint, sculpt, make pottery or

whatever, there is a lot of potential for you. You can also starve, too,

but you don't start up the business thinking that. Businesses buy lots

of arts and crafts each year for their firms' decorations or for sales

contest prizes, convention awards, etc. If you are already doing this,

you probably have studio space in your house plus some supplies to

get going. Step it up to the next level! There are many other types of

home-based opportunities which may require more specific skills,

longer training or more time to get up and running. They are no less

useful, however. Here are a few ideas for you. * Accounting/

Bookkeeping Small businesses may be especially reliant on

contract help for this type of work since many of them may not be

large enough to have their own accountant and/or bookkeeper on

staff.

Book resource:

Establishing An Accounting Practice. Available from: Bank of

America, P.O. Box 3401, San Francisco, CA 94137.

* Apiary

Raising bees for honey can be a part-time effort if you have an

interest in this type of activity. This is not a business for those with no

experience, but for those already doing something along this line, or

have a hobby in this area, try ordering the book ABC and XYZ of

Bee Culture from the A.I. Root Library, current edition, Garden Way

Publishing, Charlotte, VT. 05445

* Balloon Rides

Popular in areas where the weather is nice year-round, hot air

balloon rides are popular gifts for special occasions like a birthday,

anniversary, Valentine's Day and other holidays. Those of you who

are trained aeronauts can step into a needed void as a pilot for this

craft. You can start as a pilot, perhaps, and then accumulate capital

to invest in your own balloon. Other than advertising and the cost of

the balloons and their upkeep, little else is required except some

wide open spaces.

* Beautician

This is a popular home-based business. An investment in the

essential beautician supplies and chair can get you started. There is

a licensing course that varies by state. All you need for this, other

than the start-up merchandise, is an extra room in the house or a

garage. If you're working for someone now and were wondering how

to break away, it only takes a few dollars and your clientele to follow

you. This happens quite frequently. Book resource: Start and Run A

Profitable Beauty Salon. Author: Paul Pogue. Available from TAB

Books, Blue Ridge Summit, PA. 17214. It's a complete business

guide, organized for easy following of the text.

* Canning

Walk into a country restaurant like the Cracker Barrel and the first

thing you see is a foyer/waiting area where there is a variety of

goods, including a number of specialty food items. Pickles, sauces,

jellies, many of them homemade, all sitting and waiting for a buyer.

And people will buy these specialties! Specialty coffee shops and

gourmet stores are always on the lookout for the new treat they can

feature. Why not sell to these stores if you have a talent for this kind

of cooking? You can start out part-time and see how the demand

and the income goes from there. The next time you're in a specialty

food store, ask about their distribution.

* Chair Caning

Country styles for homes are as popular as ever and the ability to

cane chairs can bring in a sizable amount of side income if you have

the talent for this type of work. If you're already doing it as a hobby,

you've already established the necessary work shop, know where to

get materials, etc. The only thing that remains is who to distribute to,

a decision that may involve both private and public sales. There are

locals who would certainly hire you to handle a chair or two for them

personally. There are also specialty furniture stores and outlets with

whom you can also contract. You'll have to do a little research on it,

but the possibilities are there to expand a hobby that may already

give you many hours of joy. It's time to cash in on this hobby and get

your home-based business off the ground!

* Cheese making

Like making jellies and pickles, the art of cheese making can also

be turned into a tidy profit center for you, distributing to some of the

same chains and specialty food stores. Cheese has been and will

continue to remain a sought after food. Book resource: Making

Homemade Cheeses And Butter, by Phyllis Hobson, Garden Way

Publishing, Charlotte, VT. 05445.

* Chimney Sweeping

Wood burning stoves and fireplaces are still dominant home items

and the skill of chimney sweeping is a fine one with a number of

business opportunities to choose from in plying this trade. Very little

equipment is necessary and it won't take long to become proficient

at this work if you have the ability and liking for physical labor. Book

resource: Chimneys and Stove Cleaning, Garden Way Publishing,

Charlotte, VT. 05445.

* Consulting

If you've been in a specific field for a length of time, you've likely built

up an arsenal of knowledge about your subject. The more you know,

the more you can offer any person or firm interested in breaking into,

expanding or becoming more competent in this area. If your name is

recognized, so much the better. Consultants can earn high hourly

fees, expenses paid for. Book resource: Advice - A High Profit

Business, by Herman Holtz, Wiley Publications, New York.

* Copy Services.

This would obviously require the purchase of a copy machine, the

more versatile the better. You'll be surprised at the number of

individual needs for this machine. At 7-10 cents a copy, the machine

would pay for itself relatively quickly. Booklets and collating services

for small businesses can be a relatively lucrative practice.

* Floral Arrangements

You don't necessarily have to grow flowers to do this. You can

purchase, make up elaborate flower arrangements and resell them.

Dried arrangements and wreaths are popular in season. Some

advertising and competitive pricing can generate a substantial

workload for you.

* Home maintenance

How many times have you heard that someone is looking for help to

do a few odd jobs around the house. Or for a painter? Or someone

who can do a variety of work from landscaping to electrical wiring? If

you're good at putting up wallpaper, laying carpet and other assorted

tasks, advertise! The more diverse the skills you publicize, the better

your chances of regular employment.

Insurance Sales Many people start off in this field on a part-time

basis until they realize that a few sales a week will triple and

quadruple the income they're used to making. This field is not for

everyone. It requires extraordinary discipline and a desire to

succeed along with the belief that you're assisting people with their

financial goals and objectives. But if you can handle it, the insurance

profession can be one of the most lucrative for working out of your

home. Overhead is relatively low. You can get licensed through your

state's insurance department, located in your capital city. It may

require a certain amount of training and definitely an exam, but once

passed you can seek out insurance companies who would be glad

to work with you. Think of what your niche market might be. Who are

your natural business associates and friends? These will be your first

potential clients and you might test them by determining their interest

in having you do an analysis of their financial goals and objectives.

Kennel operator If you like animals, this could be a strong home-

based opportunity for you. Pets will always need to be boarded and,

although some capital will be required to set it up, it can be a

lucrative business just for doing what you love -- taking care of

animals!

Mail-order business This is a new rage among the home-based

opportunity seekers in this country. You can start your own mail-order

business quite easily and if you advertise in the right publications,

generate an ample amount of business. Book resource: How To

Start and Operate A Mail Order Business, by Julian L. Simon.

Publisher: McGraw Hill, New York, 10020.

Meals for Handicapped Contact your local social services for the

disabled and elderly to see if there are any openings for someone

who can cook meals out of their house and deliver them. This often

involves a hot meal for lunch and a cold meal for dinner which is left

with the client at the same time. If you like to cook, this can be

another outlet for your talents.

Music There are a number of opportunities for those with musical

talent, especially songwriting. There are plenty of great voices out

there, but a dearth of good material to sing. Some of the better

artists along with the up and coming ones are always on the lookout

for new artists adept at this skill. Book resources: Making Money

Making Music (No Matter Where You Live), by James Dearing, and

Song Writer's Market - current edition, from Writer's Digest Books,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.

Pet breeding As long as you're considering a kennel career

opportunity, you might think about breeding, an animal specialty that

can earn you many dollars. Breeding can be by specific request or

you can simply breed to produce animals for local pet shops like

hamsters, cats and dogs. This business can be run in conjunction

with the kennel. You can sell to the pet shops or take your business

directly to the public which can earn you a higher fee, since you don't

have to pay the retailer.

Real Estate Sales If you like houses and don't mind working the

evening/weekend hours, this could be a very rewarding career for

you. Sales of houses can earn large commissions. You have to be

very organized and always on the lookout for new listings, but once

you've sold a few houses in an area, word of mouth will bring your

next clients. The real estate market has been depressed the last few

years, which creates an opportunity for those who are adept at

selling homes. Sellers will tend to migrate towards the successful

Realtor. There is a licensing course involved, but you can take this

while you're still working at your old job. Like insurance, many

people start this business part-time, until they sell their first big house

and see how much money they can make from one sale.

Rental Property Manager If you live in a vacation area with a

number of condominium units, you will likely see numerous

advertisements for someone to manage the units for rental. There

could be some small maintenance duties required, too. But

essentially you are collecting rent, advertising for new renters and

managing the properties for the owner(s). It may well require that you

live in the complex, but this can often be part of the compensation

package. What a great way to live near the beach or in some

fantastic resort spot. This can be the job for those people who have

gone on vacation and wish they didn't have to go back to real life.

Repair of Equipment Every home is equipped today with all the

modern conveniences: television, VCR, stereo, refrigerator,

microwave, stove, dishwasher, etc. All you have to do is know how to

fix these pieces of equipment and you'll have a new home-based

business. This might be combined with the general all around

maintenance business opportunity mentioned earlier. A skilled

repair person is difficult to find, as is the general odd-job fix-it up

person. If you have any talent in these areas, there are plenty of local

options for you to attract business. People can't do for long without

their conveniences and the demand will be there for the work.

Consumers will bring the appliance into the repair shop, but in this

age of handiness, they would rather have someone come out and

repair it - it's easier!

Secretarial Services Small businesses can be counted on to look

for help on a contract basis from someone with specific secretarial

skills. A physician's office may be looking for a medical records

person or an insurance billing clerk on an independent basis. The

entire medical field, in its movement towards managed care, is

looking for simplified answers to common administration tasks. This

isn't the only industry utilizing outside secretarial services. If you have

the skills and the small capital needed for the basic equipment,

you're in business! Book resource: Starting Your Own Secretarial

Business, by Betty Loogren and Gloria Shoff. Published by:

Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL. 60601

* Sharpening Services

In many hardware, sewing and fabric stores, you may notice an

advertisement for sharpening services. Scissors and other craft

tools can be sharpened less expensively than purchasing a new one.

Often these businesses contract out the labor for the service. If you

know how to sharpen these types of objects, perhaps even doing it

for yourself as you knit or make crafts, then you can turn this into a

lucrative side business. You just call on your store clients once or

twice a week and pick up new work and drop off completed jobs. It's

an unusual, but needed service.

* Sign Design & Painting

Everywhere you look across this great country, you'll find signs!

Homes, businesses and individuals are all sign candidates.

Advertising for and specializing in all type of sings and banners and

even billboards (if you learn how), can create a substantial side

business which will grow into full-time, profitable work for you.

* Telephone Answering Service

Many small businesses are one or two person shops which have

only an answering machine to pick up calls should they have to leave

the premises. There is a great amount of business lost as a result.

This can cost the firm thousands of dollars as someone hangs up

when they can't reach a human voice and dials another number

where they can. As an answering service, you can be that human

voice at the other end. Even if you are just taking the message,

people have confidence when they can talk to a person in a service-

oriented business. If you can add a couple of lines to your existing

home phone system, you're in business. With just a few clients, you'll

generally be taking messages during the day. There are

organizations who look for answering services to be on later call for

product ordering and similar tasks. This can be a very profitable

venture - just for talking on the phone!

* Writer

There are a number of chances to obtain work doing copywriting.

The written word is still very much in demand and you can attract a

substantial amount of business in this area from smaller firms - even

just for their basic correspondence. Distressingly, people don't

possess the same writing skills as they did en masse a few years

ago and hence could use the assistance. The better a letter or

document or brochure is crafted, the more likely the business will do

well. This means work for writers in all phases of industry. A

computer at home can be all the overhead you'll need.

Summary

Home-based businesses are the chances of a lifetime for many of

us. It's the opportunity to be your own boss. This is not work without

risk. Knowledge of how to run a business is critical. For that reason,

consider contacting one of these Small Business Development

Centers for help in breaking out on your own- and getting the

information every employer needs to know. That's right! You're a

bona-fide employer now!

Dallas: 8625 King George Drive, Dallas, TX 75235-3391 (214) 767-

7633 Kansas City: 911 Walnut Street, 13th Floor, Kansas City, MO

64106 (816) 426-3608

Denver: 999 18th Street, Suite 701, Denver, CO 80202 (303) 294-

7186

San Francisco: 71 Stevenson St. San Francisco, CA 94105 (415)

744 6402

Seattle: 2615 4th Avenue, Rm. 440, Seattle, WA 98121 (206) 553-

5676

Boston: 155 Federal Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 (617) 451

2023

New York: 26 Federal Plaza, Rm. 31-08, New York, NY 10278 (212)

264 1450

Pennsylvania: 475 Allendale Rd. #201, King of Prussia, PA 19406

(215) 962- 3700

Atlanta: 1375 Peachtree St. NE, 5th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30367 (404)

347-2797

Chicago: 300 S. Riverside Plaza Suite 1975 South, Chicago, IL

60606 (312) 353-5000

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