So you have chosen to dive into working at home. Good for you! It will be nice to wake up every day, grab a cup of coffee and walk into your office. No more rush hour, no more cubicle, and a chance to make it on your own. Sounds great doesn’t it? Yes, but there is a small hitch before you can start your business. You have decide on what type of business to run.

There are a myriad of opportunities for your small business needing very little initial investment. If you are stuck for some business ideas, see if any of these help get the ball rolling.

Branch Out From Your Current Job
If you are already a professional, but want to get out on your own, this is often the best way to go. Plumbers, handymen, painters, computer technicians and cleaners are in all in demand. You simply start up your own niche of these growing fields. All it takes is the right tools and a willingness to get your name out there. Advertise in your local paper, on the Internet, and in the yellow pages. If you are a landscape designer, you probably have a drafting board already. If you are a motorcycle mechanic, it is a safe bet that you already have the tools you need. Make them work for you in your own business.

Handyman/Home Repair
If you like doing home repairs and maintenance, you can turn this skill into self employment. Not everybody knows how to patch drywall, grout a ceramic floor, or install a new countertop. Chances are, most people don’t even want to know. However, people need this stuff done and you can be the person to do it. If you are handy around the house you can use that knowledge to make a living. Advertise your reasonably priced services in the newspaper and the yellow pages and people will call. The best part is if you do a great job at a great prices, your clients will happily refer you to their friends. Word of mouth is very big for those who work on houses.

Landscaping
You already own a lawn mower. You have a hedge trimmer and an edger. You have a large collection of lawn and garden bags. You have a pickup truck that can haul them around. And you like fresh air, sunshine, and working in the yard. Well, now you can get plenty of all three.

In case you hadn’t noticed, there are many people who do not enjoy mowing their lawns. Make their day by offering your services to them. Do some market research and figure out how much you should charge for your services. Get some quotes for your yard from other landscape companies. Figure out the area of your yard and translate that into the price you should charge. Then, you are ready to start. Put fliers on the neighborhood door handles and wait for the calls.

Computer Consultant
In case you have been in, say, a small plastic bubble on the bottom of the ocean for the last fifteen years or so, you may want to know that computer work is in high demand. For all the talk of the dot-com bust, the shrinking technology sector and outsourcing, computer professionals are in high demand. If you know how to program, how to repair or upgrade a PC, or how to configure a network, you can turn your knowledge into your own home-based business.

Web design is a great opportunity for those with strong graphic skills and an understanding of what is needed for a successful website. You’ll need to learn basic HTML and spend some time studying other website designs. Languages such as PHP, ASP, Java, and JavaScript would be useful, but they are not necessary for a great deal of web design work.

Fixing/Restoring It
You already get a kick out of repairing electronics, refinishing furniture, or rebuilding Chevy small-block engines. You have all the tools that any good repairman would own. You can turn your hobby into cash by starting your own home business.

There are a lot of people out there who want their toasters fixed, their vintage record player working again, or their car’s body repaired for a decent price. If you can do any of these things, you can put yourself on the map with an ad in the paper and the yellow pages. By working from home, you’ll have a low overhead which helps ensure a good profit. Be careful though. If you are doing something such as automotive repair, your neighbors won’t be happy if there is a line-up of wrecked cars in your driveway. Check your zoning codes on work of this nature. However, if you are working on smaller items, even appliances, you can easily do this work without the neighbors being too much the wiser. So start advertising and make your small business go!

Giving Lessons/Tutoring
If you have a special skill, such as playing the piano, playing tennis, dancing, or sewing, you can give lessons from your home. There are plenty of boys and girls, and even adults, who want to learn to swim, type, or speak Spanish. So translate your abilities into some dinero. You have the skill set that others want to learn. They are a great place to start a home-based business.

Likewise, if you are a former teacher who wants to see the faces of young students again, tutoring may be a rewarding pastime. If you can, and if you are allowed, talk to your former teaching colleagues to see if they have any students who are interested in receiving extra tutoring.

Cleaning/Maid Service
Another home business that does well is a cleaning service. You already clean your own home, why not help somebody else with theirs? With a few of those household cleaners and chemicals, you can start up a nice little income. You need to be thorough, detailed, and willing to scrub everything to a shine. But with some effort, time, and patience this business opportunity can quickly pay dividends.

Arts & Crafts
If you like crafts such as making candles or soaps or sewing teddy bears and pillows, you can start a business selling your creations. Be prepared, this will probably not start out and be very lucrative. However, with a little time, a few days selling at the local market and talking with potential customers, your knowledge will improve, your ability to know what’s hot will grow and your sales should grow consistently. The work can be fun, and some extra money won’t hurt either.

Artistic Pursuits/Graphic Design
Another business opportunity that may take your fancy is in the pursuit of the arts. Whether you happen to paint, perform graphic design, take photographs, illustrate, or write calligraphy, you can start a business that caters to the needs of those who want something not merely done, but done prettily. Wedding invitations require a calligrapher and photographers. Books need illustrators. Businesses need great logos that well designed. Living rooms can be livened up with a painting. You can use your special, unusual skills and turn a leisurely pursuit into a home-based business.

Communications/Writing
If you happen to enjoy writing, you can turn your writing and proofreading skills into your own cottage industry. Perhaps you can start writing articles and send them to the magazines you enjoy. Or you can spend your time translating foreign language texts. As well, good proofreaders, book indexers, and researchers are needed by both writers and publishing companies. Sell your skills in these areas to people who need this sort of work done. As well, if you are a writer, you may even want to sell your typing prowess to those folks out there who can’t bang out 40-80 words a minute at the keyboard. Perhaps the local high school or university could bring some business your way.

These are just a few of the business opportunities available to those who wish to work from home. In fact, the possibilities staggering. You could open a dog kennel,work with antiques, provide day care for working families or decorate cakes. You could sell house-painting services, wedding cakes, patent searching, permit filing, and event planning. The possibilities are endless. Find the right home business and you can have a home based career that’s both rewarding and profitable. See what demand there is for particular services and what people are willing to pay. Then, the rest is up to you.

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