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1.
Candle making. If you are interested in the creative craft of
candle making, you can have a lucrative home business. According
to the National Candle Association, candle consumer retail sales
in the United States alone is projected at over $2.3 billion,
not including candle accessories. Candles have become a
must-have accessory in every home for its practical and
decorative elements, and it is used by 7 out of 10 American
households. It has become a popular give away as gifts at
birthdays, Christmas, and housewarmings. Once merely a hobby of
candle enthusiasts, candles are now sold in gift and specialty
stores, home furnishing stores, through mail order, craft shows
and through the Internet. While candles can be made at a
relatively low cost, candle making is a time-consuming process
and may require some space (working in your kitchen can both be
dangerous and very messy). Some people purchase candles already
made and add decorative touches such as pressed dried flowers
to the outside. Research on the kinds of candles that are being
produced, and develop your own unique candle line.
Associations:
National Candle Association (http://www.candles.org)
Books:
Candle Making in a Weekend: Inspirational Ideas and Practical
Projects by Sue Spear (1999)
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2. Antiques and collectibles
dealer.
If you are interested in
antiques and period collectibles, this business is for you. Many
people have earned income from scouring around neighborhood flea
markets and yard sales for valuable finds, and reselling them
for a handsome profit. You need to be able to learn how to
distinguish which items are a steal (and which are not worth
it), and how to price the bargains that you find. Your start-up
phase will be devoted to scouting for more merchandise to
resell. As your inventory grows, you can spend time marketing
your find. You can rent a small booth at the mall or flea market
every weekend. The Internet has expanded the market for antiques
and collectibles business. You can open an online store or sell
your finds on eBay.
Recommended
Books:
How
to Start a Home-Based Antiques Business (Home-Based Business
Series) by Jacquelyn Peake
Buying and Selling Antiques : A Dealer Shows How to Get into
the Business by Sara Pitzer (Contributor), Don Cline
Web Resources:
Antiques and Collectibles Guide ( http://www.acguide.com)
Antiques Roadshow Online (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow)
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3.
Cut-flower
business.
Flowers are all around us in our
lives, and work-at-home moms with skill in the garden are
well-placed to profit from people’s love for decorating tables
and sideboards with beautiful fresh flowers. Cut flowers is a
huge business in many parts of the world, and you can profit
from this business if you have a medium-sized garden with good
soil. Begin by establishing your garden and plant for resale
perennials like mum, carnation, orchid, evening primrose, or
whatever flower type you fancy. You are ready to find customers
once your garden is overflowing with mature blossoms.
Recommended
Books:
Field
Grown Cut Flowers : A Practical Guide and Sourcebook :
Commercial Field Grown Fresh and Dried Cut Flower Production
by Alan B. Stevens
Flowers
for Sale : Growing and Marketing Cut Flowers : Backyard to Small
Acreage (A Bootstrap Guide) by Lee Sturdivant, Peggy Sue
McRae (Illustrator)
Associations:
Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (http://www.ascfg.org)
American Institute of Floral Designers (http://www.aifd.org)
International Flower Bulb Centre (http://www.bulbsonline.org)
Bulb.com
Association
(http://www.bulb.com)
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4. Transcription services.
A transcription service involves
the typing of notes made from recorded records. There are
basically five major markets for the home-based
transcriptionists: academic, business, medical, legal and
professional writers. Academic typing, which is the most readily
available market and the most lucrative, normally covers
everything from a book report, doctoral dissertations, grant
proposals, course outlines and everything in between. Business
and commercial typing includes menus for restaurants,
consultants’ reports, mailing lists, brochures,
correspondences, and many others. The field of medical
transcription requires knowledge of the terminology used, and
covers filling up health insurance forms, transcribing medical
reports, preparing case studies for doctors, typing pathology
reports and helping medical/dental offices with overload work.
If you have acquired legal experience, you will be marketable in
a typing business specializing in legal documents.
Transcription can also be part of a business service such as a
secretarial/word processing service or office support service.
Books:
Complete Typing Business Guide : Everything You
Need to Know to Start and Successfully Operate a Home Typing
Business by Frank Chisenhall
Start Your Own Medical Claims and
Transcription Business (Start Your Own Business)
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5. Handicrafts.
If you are making crafts now, think about
kicking your hobby into a higher gear and turn it into a profit
generating endeavor. With the craft craze nowadays, experts in
the handcraft field estimate that the crafts industry generates
almost $10 billion in annual sales. Depending on your craft, you
can sell your crafts retail, wholesale, or one-of-a-kind in
fairs, bazaars, boutiques as well as mail-order catalogs, gift
shops and department stores. The challenge for many craft
enthusiasts is turning their hobbies into full-blown businesses,
and developing a more professional attitude toward their home
business. Finding the right price for their products has always
been a difficult task, but the cardinal rule is to always make
at least twice as much as you have paid for your supplies. Keep
up-to-date with the latest trends by reading crafting magazines
and try to find your own "niche" market for your
crafts.
Recommended
Books:
Arts,
Crafts and More by Barbara Lyerly Goins (Editor), Karen J.
Goldfluss, Doris J. Guerrette
The
Complete Book of Dollmaking : A Practical Step-By-Step Guide to
More Than 50 Traditional and Contemporary Techniques
(Watson-Guptill Crafts) by Pamela Peake
Web Resources:
National Craft Association (http://www.craftassoc.com)
Crafts Report Magazine (call 1-800-777-7098 for subscription)
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6.
Niche newsletter.
Small newsletters are emerging to serve
the many needs of many different groups, from silk painting,
parenting twins to stock options. If you have special talents
(like writing), live in special locations (tourist areas), and
have special knowledgeable (money saving tips), you can publish
your very own newsletter and earn from it. Your newsletter need
not be extravagantly designed or extremely colorful, but it must
be well designed and readable. Your first step is to find a
valuable topic that will sell. By far, saving money and making
money are two of the best topics for newsletters. There must be
something in your idea that will compel audiences to buy your
publication will it help them improve their lives and can
they learn anything from it? It is also important if yours is a
researchable topic to ensure longevity of your home business.
Your idea must have a large potential audience, and there must
be a way to reach your target market.
Web Resources:
Newsletters and Electronic Publishers Association (http://www.newsletters.org)
Newsletters Only (http://www.newslettersonly.com)
Books:
Publishing Newsletters by Howard P. Hudson (1998)
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7. Home
sewing.
Consumer interest in sewing and crafting
continues to expand, as the home sewing industry grows to $3.5
billion in 2000. According to the Home Sewing Association, the
continuous demand for home sewing is fueled by the current
interest in home-based activities, the technical appeal of
sewing machines with computerized functions, and the growth in
the number of sewing-related sites on the Internet. If you have
the ability to sew, you can offer such services as alterations,
canvas repair, antique quilt restoration as well as sewing your
original creations such as custom bedding, Christmas ornaments,
custom slip and chair covers, hats, Christening gowns, prom
dresses, chef and barbecue outfits, swim suits, ladies’ suits,
soft toys and sculpture, and many more!
Recommended
Books:
The Business of Sewing : How to Start, Maintain & Achieve Success by
Barbara Wright Sykes
Associations:
Home Sewing Association (http://www.sewing.org)
American Sewing Guild (http://www.asg.org)
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8.
Herb
farming.
Herbs nowadays are very much in demand,
particularly with the popularity of specialty foods and cooking,
and homeopathic medicines. Many people are into aromatherapy,
which uses herbal oils and fragrances. Culinary herb varieties,
such as basil, chives, parsley, oregano, thyme, mint, rosemary,
French tarragon and many others, are growing in use. One
particular herb, the medicinal herb ginseng once grown in Asia,
is now grown in some parts of the United States and Europe. The
growing interest in alternative medicine and healing both in
America and the rest of the world ensures that this is a market
set to expand.
Small-time herb farming can be an ideal business for those
who love farming, as herbs can be grown in almost all seasons,
in greenhouses, sun rooms and/or outdoors in relatively small
spaces. Dried herbs can also be sold to crafters and florists
for wreaths, floral arrangements, etc. Your first step is to
decide what area of the business you want to develop (e.g.
plants, herb products, aromatherapy, etc.). You can sell your
herbs wholesale to local grocery stores and specialty food
markets, sell directly to customers on and off the Internet at
retail prices, herbalists and aroma therapists, caterers and
restaurants specializing in gourmet cooking, mail order, and
several other channels.
Re commended Books:
Resources:
Herb Growing and Marketing Network (http://www.herbnet.com)
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9. Party
planner.
If you love children and enjoy planning for
parties, a party planning business is right for you. You can
give busy parents help by planning the parties and arranging the
cake and entertainment, etc., or doing the entertainment
yourself. You can develop theme parties, from Power Rangers, 102
Dalmatians, Teletubbies, Pirates Treasure, and many more. You
can also offer theme menus and sell all the "fixings"
for the parties (related to popular children’s characters or
themes) in bags that can be ordered from you in advance
containing all the decorations, favors, and even game ideas.
Books:
The Birthday Party Business : How to Make a Living
As a Children's Entertainer by Bruce Fife(Editor)
Life of the Party : A Guide
to Building Your Party Plan Business (Fifty-Minute Series) by
Betty Bowes
Web Resources:
The Party
Works (http://www.thepartyworks.com)
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10.
Bookkeeping business.
Bookkeeping is a necessary evil for
most business owners: they know they must maintain their records
but it is a chore that these entrepreneurs would rather avoid.
Other business owners are overwhelmed by business bookkeeping
and do not have the time to do an adequate job or they may
relegate a (reluctant) family member to do this. Paying someone
like you to handle their bookkeeping is a smart business
decision as it allows the entrepreneur to concentrate on their
business.
Bookkeeping is an ideal home-based business: it requires
minimal start-up costs, has high profit potential, and enjoys a
steadily growing market. Knowledge of bookkeeping and accounting
is needed, as well as a head for numbers, computer affinity, an
eye for detail and personal qualities such as trustworthiness
and discretion.
Books:
Bookkeeping &
Tax Preparation : Start & Build a Prosperous Bookkeeping,
Tax, & Financial Services Business by Gordon P. Lewis
(Paperback - June 1996)
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