To start in this business, you need a strong business background, good knowledge of financial statements, good business writing style and the ability to see a business both from the perspective of the owner and the financial source. It would help if you have already put together business plans before so you know what questions to ask and what information to find. Study the various business plan software available in the market, but learn to adopt it to your client's particular situation.

Start-up costs for this business can be low particularly if you already have equipment like computer, fax, and Internet access. Your biggest cost may be professional liability insurance to help protect you when your recommendations for the future direction of the business turn south. Earnings, on the other hand, can range from $2,500 to $5,000 per project depending on the time it takes to write the plan (usually three to four weeks) and the amount of research you need to do. Your price can increase to as much as $25,000 per project, particularly for big corporations seeking new funding. You can also supplement your income through business editing and revising existing plans because of the change in your client's circumstance.

Like any new business, finding the first client is the hardest. Networking and referrals are the most effective ways of finding clients. Join chambers of commerce and economic development groups. Make contacts with bankers, venture capitalists, angel investors and organizations that offer business mentor programs or entrepreneurship centers. Hone your skills by preparing business plans free of charge at the beginning, in order to have a portfolio of plans you can show to prospective clients.

The tasks of an event planner normally depend on the needs and requirement of the clients as well as on the planner's specialization. Your main tasks are to establish meeting design and objectives, select and negotiate with site and facilities, create the budget, handle housing and transportation, plan the program, establish registration procedures, prepare back-up contingency plans, manage food and drinks, produce and print meeting materials, schedule promotion and publicity, manage exhibits, among others. To start in this business, you need to have a perfectionist's attention to detail and a wide array of contacts in the travel, presentation, transportation and hotel industries. In addition to handling a wide array of elements needed for a successful event, you should be adept at negotiations and troubleshoot crisis situations.

This business is ideally suited for those with background in public relations, communications or travel. You can start by volunteering to coordinate an event for an employer, a friend's company, church or other groups. You can also start by working with a meeting planner in your area and taking on a portion of the tasks. This will allow you to gain skills in organizing events, and a first-hand look at what it takes to succeed in the business. The best ways to get ahead in this business is through networking in business groups and associations, contacting visitor's bureau and city's convention to learn of forthcoming events.

Typical annual revenues for this business ranges from $45,000 to $60,000. You can charge either by the hour, by the day, by the number of attendees, or by the project. The average hourly fee is $40 to $60 per hour, while daily fees can run from $400 to $500 per day. Or if you are expecting 50 attendees, you can price the event at $40 per attendee. Others may charge 15 to 20 percent of the projected total budget for the event.

As a public relations specialist, you can specialize in a variety of ways. Some specialize in crisis communications, Web publicity, copywriting, annual reports, non-profit sector, or authors and writers. To start in this business, you need to gain training and experience. You may want to get professional accreditation as an APR or Accredited in Public Relations (in the U.S., check with the PRSA). You may start with your own business by developing a plan publicizing your new venture and credentials to the right market. You can also offer volunteer to do publicity for your favorite charity, your friend's business, or even a local candidate.

Earnings from a home-based public relations business can range from $65,000 to even as high as $175,000. Overhead expenses are low to moderate at 20 to 40 percent of income.

To maintain and repair computers, you need first to know how they work and what to do when they don't. You need to know the mechanical workings of a computer, their interfaces and connections. If there are parts that need replacement, you must know where to get the components. You can develop your technical knowledge through reading books, taking courses on computer repair, videos and hands-on experience. Succeeding in this business, however, entails more than technical know-how. You need to have the personality and ability to provide a high level of service, as this is a customer-service oriented business.

Computer repair is one of the most lucrative home businesses available. You can potentially earn $48,000 to $60,000 a year, assuming your billable hours are about 1,200 to 1,500 a year at $40 an hour. Some computer technicians charge as high as $85 an hour. You can also charge for either travel time or a flat fee for a service call. Overhead costs for this business is moderate at about 25 percent or less.

Superior listening skills, fast typing speed, and aptitude for science and language are required to succeed in this business. You need to have an understanding of medical diagnostic procedures and the medical specialties you work with, enough to know the medical terms and spell them correctly. This business is a good fit for those with medical background. If you have not studied or worked in the medical field before, you can take home-study course, correspondence course or classroom training in a vocational or technical school. To get clients, check with your existing contacts, other transcription services or solicit clients directly. You can also check out Internet sites that contract medical transcriptionists and use the Internet to send out documents.

You can charge for your transcription services in a variety of ways: number of lines (10-20 cents per line), number of characters, per page (typically around $5-$6 per page), minute of dictation (from $15 to $50 per hour depending on the level of difficulty to understand), or the number of kilobytes in a text file. While actual earnings depend on the type of work done and the equipment used, average earnings of a medical transcriptionist ranges from $30,000 to $90,000).

One downside, though: the emergence of voice-recognition technology where doctors could sit down on their computers and dictate their notes while the computer "types" may reduce demand for the medical transcriptionists. Nonetheless, even with the presence of this technology, medical transcriptionists will still be needed as it allows medical professionals to dictate notes on the tape recorder or over the phone while driving, walking or in the elevator. In addition, such technology can even be a boon for transcribers as it allows them to focus on their editing skills instead of typing speed.