HANDYMAN

Take your skills at fixing things around your house, and build a business around it. You probably already have all the tools you will need. Many people do not have any skills in doing around-the-house light repairs, and really need affordable help. If you can change out a doorknob, install a shelf, fix a light socket, or install a door, you have a very marketable skill. You can advertise this type of business inexpensively with flyers on doors or a small newspaper or yellow-pages advertisement. Best yet, often the work is at night or weekends, when the homeowner is home from work, so it won’t interfere with your day job.

We think that this is a great start-up if you have the skills and also good people skills (you will need to sell your service and interact with customers). It costs almost nothing to start this business, and if you’re good at it, there is no limit to how big you can make it. You could even hire on additional assistants if the demand required it.

PET SITTING

This is a service that is growing in demand as more retiring Americans are traveling and need someone to watch over their pets while they’re gone. It requires no tools or equipment, and only basic skills with animals. You need to be a responsible person who is happy spending time at home for a few days with good book or T.V. and some animals. You can advertise this start-up with flyers on doors, a small newspaper ad, and flyers or business cards at all the local veterinarians. It can cause a scheduling problem with your day job is you do it on a weekday.

We think that any business that is free to start-up, and fits your schedule, is a great idea. The demand is there, and the marketing is inexpensive, as well. This type of job is great for people who like to be by themselves, and works for college kids as well as older adults.

APARTMENT FINDER

In this business, you help match people with available apartments in your city, or another city. You find out all of the available apartments, their size and rent. You then run advertisements offering your apartment locator service, and when you get a caller, you offer to find them their desired apartment at no charge. The apartment will pay you a fee for your service. You need to arrange this fee in advance.

This is a great part-time business as it requires no capital other than the initial cost of advertising (and how you do that is up to you). You can perform this task anywhere, from just a cell phone and access to a fax line. You can easily run this business without any disruption to your day job.

HOME CLEANING SERVICE

Clean houses for extra, or full-time, income. Find customers through flyers on doors, or any other form of advertising that works. Use basic skills, and buy cleaning products at the store, and you are in business. Over time, you will find regular customers who ask you to clean their house once per week, or once per month, so you will develop a consistent schedule and earnings.

One of the earliest and most consistent part-time or full-time concepts. Everyone needs to have their house cleaned, so the demand for this is enormous. It’s really all about marketing and pricing. As important as cleaning skill is trust – the customer is allowing you to roam throughout their home unsupervised. You can increase this trust by adopting “branding” ideas such as shirts with your logo on them, etc. You can schedule only on nights and weekends, if you want to, so that it does not interfere with your day job.

STREET SALES

In this business, you basically sell merchandise on the street, from a card table or cart. The merchandise can run from jewelry to watches to toys. This business will flourish during the Christmas season, if you have a hot product at a great price. You will need to get the necessary licenses from the city, and also find a high-traffic location that you can sell from.

This concept is as old as America. What makes it viable is finding a legal, high-traffic location with a lot of foot traffic, coupled with a hot product that most people would want to buy, of only as a gift. Make sure that whatever you are selling is legal. For example, it may not be legal to sell purses that look like Chanel, even if you acknowledge to the buyer that it is an imitation, due to trademark infringement. The same goes for fake Rolex watches. A successful idea, for example, was the spinning disc “helicopter”. They were cool, legal and, at $20, looked cheap.

MALL CONCOURSE SALES

This is the same concept as the one above, only you sell the product from a cart in a shopping mall, as opposed to an open-air street location. You will need the same great, high-traffic location, and a hot selling product for this to work. You will also need some type of lease agreement from the mall, possibly coupled with a city permit.

This is a time-proven winner if you have the right mix of location and product. Beware of malls with little foot traffic, or a bad location at some end of the mall that nobody goes to. Also be sure not to make any long commitments with the mall – you don’t want to be stuck in a lease if the business does not work. Also make sure that the mall will let you do this part time, just on busy weekends or nights, and not every day. Not only will it wreck your day job, but the morning and afternoon hours at malls are not very impressive.

BUY AND SELL PERFORMING MORTGAGES OR NOTES

In this business, you buy notes and mortgages from folks who are wanting to get a lump sum for something they sold, rather than an endless stream of smaller monthly checks. Examples of such loans are real estate mortgages and notes created from the sale of a business. It can even include car loans and promissory notes. You can buy these without using your own capital, by finding buyers who want to buy such notes and, as the middleman, you get a fee or percent of the deal for putting it together. You would find these note holders who want to sell from small newspaper or magazine ads, or some other manner that works.

This has became a fairly hot concept in the last few years – maybe too hot. If you look on google, you will see that there are a whole bunch of people doing this. If you decide to go forward, be sure that what you are doing does not violate any securities laws, etc. Some rules require registration and certification to sell financial products.

AUTO DETAILING AND MOBILE WASHING

Under this business concept, you go out to a client’s home or business and wash and detail their car right where it sits. You have a menu of options from a simple wash, to an in-depth detail job. You can buy the cleaners and tools you need at most any auto parts store, or more specialized items from a website. Marketing can include door-to-door flyers, or an advertisement in the yellow pages, or whatever else works for you. You can do this on nights and weekends, if you want, or whatever fits your schedule. The biggest expense is some type of water tank to pull around to wash the cars off.

Every major city has a service like this, and they appear to work. This service allows for extreme flexibility of hours. The tools are inexpensive – this business is all about labor. The big ticket item is the water tank to rinse cars with. Check around farm stores, and construction stores, to find the least expensive alternative. And make sure you know what you are doing – the last thing you want to do is ruin a car interior by using a vinyl product on leather, etc.

BOAT DETAILING AND MOBILE WASHING

Same as the auto detailing business, only for boats. Boat owners are notorious for not getting out to the marina enough, and letting the boat get filthy from just sitting idle. Then when they want to use it, they spend all their time cleaning it before they can take it out on the lake or ocean. This business is actually easier than the auto business because you don’t have to provide the water – it’s already there. Just bucket out water from the lake or ocean. And the customers are less discriminating – unlike their cars, they rarely even visit their boats. You can buy the tools and chemicals you need from boat supply stores, or the internet.

This business has been around for a long time, and it really works. It allows for very flexible hours, and can be kind of relaxing work. Obviously, you have to live near a lake or ocean to make it happen. Obviously, buy the right chemicals and equipment – you cannot afford to harm someone’s boat. You can advertise at the marina, or boat supply stores, or run a yellow page or print ad.

BUSINESS BROKER

In this start-up, you try and match business buyers and business sellers. The key is specialization in an industry that you know well. For example, if you have worked in car sales your entire life, you probably know who buys car dealerships or used car lots, and can demonstrate that skill to a potential client. You should get a percentage of the final sales price once it closes, which should be agreed to by the seller before you begin finding buyers.

This business is very old, and works well. Make sure that you have the correct licenses, if necessary, to do this legally. It allows you very flexible hours, except for those occasions where you need to show the buyer a business – but that still can be managed at night and weekends normally. Be sure to have the seller sign a contract assuring that you will get paid if successful.

FLOOR CLEANING AND POLISHING

A hybrid of the housecleaning business, this job is related to big commercial floors, or gym floors. It requires special equipment and chemicals. If you can find the clients, such floors must be cleaned on a regular basis and, if you do a good job, you can have recurring income. You can buy the cleaning products and equipment on the internet, or from most janitorial supply businesses. Many times, they can be rented. You can call on the clients, or send them direct mail.

This business is fairly steady if you can find the clients and keep them happy. It is not extremely difficult to master if you work at it. You will probably need to specialize, like being the best at gym floors, etc.

PAINTING INTERIORS

In this business, you paint interiors of homes, apartments – anything. Especially at apartments, you may be rewarded for good work with a steady stream of new assignments. It’s a good bet that almost every interior has to be repainted every few years – and many people have no desire to do it themselves. The only equipment you need are some brushes, dropcloths, masking tape, and some paint. You can outfit your entire business in one quick trip to Walmart. You will need a certain level of skill to get started – nobody will pay you for a job poorly done. You can market this service through flyers, small ads, whatever works.

Does this business work? Certainly. And it fits well around part-time schedules. It is simple, easy to manage, and some find it therapeutic.

COLLECTION AGENCY

If you are good at negotiating with people, and relentlessly following up with them, then a collection agency business might work for you. You will get accounts in the form of unpaid bills from various businesses, such as doctors, and then receive a percent of everything that you can collect. Over time, you can even buy pools of debt at pennies on the dollar (for unsecured debt). You will do most of your phone work at night and weekends, so it will not interfere with your day job.

If you have an interest in this business, make sure that you have a complete understanding of the Fair Debt Collections laws. There are limitations on what you can and can’t do to try and collect a debt. You do not want to break these laws, as the penalties are large. With the many abuses of credit over the past decade, you should always find accounts to work on.

TUTORING

In this business plan, you tutor students who are having trouble learning certain subjects or study skills. You normally work with a student for an hour at a time, several times a week. You charge by the hour. Make sure that you have a mastery in the subject you are teaching. Students can range from elementary to high-school to college to adult. You can tutor them at their place, or in your house. You can get clients from small ads or flyers, or referrals from teachers with struggling students.

This is a time-tested job which fits neatly into your schedule without disturbing your day job. Make sure that you truly know what you are teaching – a lot of high-school classes are pretty advanced and may be over your head, even though you knew math pretty well in high school. If you do a good job, you can quickly pack your schedule with a few long term clients.

INCOME PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Many people own rental property, and most hate being landlords. In this business, you act as the manager for rental property on behalf of the owner. Unfortunately, most everything you deal with is unpleasant – that’s why they hire you. You will do management of repairs, tenant disputes, collections and evictions. You will receive a monthly fee, often tied to a percent of the revenue (normally 5%). Apartments, condominiums, duplexes – anything that can be rented is a potential client. You can find clients from cold-calling, or running small ads. You can often find more willing clients at evictions court.

This business as been around for about 100 years, and is a logical win/win for the owner and the manager. You have to be pretty thick skinned and comfortable in sometimes difficult positions with tenants, but the work is steady and can conform to your schedule so it does not hurt your day job.

COMPUTER CONSULTING

Even if you only have rudimentary computer skills, you will be amazed at how many people have none, and need help to do such basic things as email, ebay, or Microsoft word. The more thorough your training the better, but you can start up a computer help business immediately and be of real service to your clients. Find clients through small ads or flyers.

There is a growing need for this type of service. Several large companies, such as Geek Patrol, have sprung from such beginnings. Put together an established price list and be flexible on what people are trying to achieve.

TRASH AND DEBRIS REMOVAL

Everyone has some junk lying around, and this business picks it up and hauls it away for a fee. Clients can include landlords such as mobile home parks, or individuals and businesses. You will need some gloves and a large trailer. It is also important to know where the city dump is and the procedure to get it done. Find clients through flyers or small display ads. You can also cold-call folks you see who have a lot of junk in their yards.

This is a very basic business that allows you to work hours that don’t interfere with your day job. Make sure that you are handy and strong enough to do the job. You may need an assistant to life really heavy items. Create a menu of prices for the most commonly requested issues, so that you can act on them immediately.

MOWING GRASS

In this business, you mow grass for someone who pays you, and then add supplemental items to the account for trimming hedges, picking up limbs, etc. All the equipment you need is a mower, an edger and a blower. Accounts are normally serviced weekly, so it is easy in summer to build quite a following. You can advertise with flyers, small dislay ads, and word of mouth. You can also put a sign up in some client’s yards who live on busy streets.

This is a great business. You totally control your own hours, and it fits perfectly around a day job. You can have the same customers year after year, if you service them correctly. The start-up cost is next to nothing, and the tools you can use on your own yard if it does not work out as planned.

DISC JOCKEY

If you are musically inclined, this is a fun, hobby job to have. However, you will have to make a fairly large capital investment in the sound equipment, so you better like it a whole lot, and be willing to do it for years into the future. The business revolves around being the “D.J.” at parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, etc. Other than the start-up cost of the sound equipment, the only additional cost is your time, and adding new music.

Because this is a fun job, the competition is fierce. If you want to get into this, be sure to talk to some party planners, etc. and see what the realistic odds of getting any business are. You would not want to buy all the equipment and not be able to at least get your money back over time. Obviously, it’s a job at night and weekends, so it will never interfere with your day job.

NEWSPAPER DELIVERY

In this service business, you deliver newspapers to customers for some big newspaper company. The deliveries are made very early in the morning, and as a result do not present any problems with keeping your day job. There is virtually no financial risk or investment on your part, and your job consists of folding papers, delivering them ,and collection on the bills. It is a fairly stable business, with no anticipated changes unless newspapers all change to web content.

While some may scoff at getting up at 4 in the morning to throw papers, it pays normally about $400 per month, which is great extra income without any risk. The biggest obstacle is just being able to reorganize your life to get up that early every day. And rain and snow can be a challenge. But it’s very stable and the solitude may seem very peaceful to some people.

BRIDAL/WEDDING/PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

In this service business, you take photographs for paying clients, show proofs, and make prints. This business requires significant investment in a good camera, but you may be able to find one that is satisfactory on ebay for $500. The camera must be able to take professional quality shots. You can have the photos printed (all digital) at your local photo store, so you don’t have to have a printer. The key is to learn how to take good photos. You can get books on this for free at the library, and the practice is free. This business is about successful marketing and pricing of your service – and shooting good shots.

Once you have the camera, this business is just about 100% profit. It costs only a few dollars to print the photos, and you can run this business from your coffee table. The key trick is getting clients. The business is fairly competitive in big cities, and not too competitive in rural areas. You should be able to attract customers if you offer low introductory pricing. Additionally, you should call on people who supply weddings, such as planners, florists, etc. who can refer you clients. Once you have a client, make sure that you are there early, stay late, take great shots, deliver them promptly, and make a good impression. This is the type of business that you can destroy with a couple unhappy clients who tell all their friends.

SCHOOL FOR MANNERS

This business assumes that you have a good knowledge of etiquette, and a desire to teach it to others. Students would range for children to teens to adults. You could hold the class in your house (check your zoning laws) or another place. The start-up costs are nearly zero, other than any advertising expense. Try to joint venture it with a school or church or club – anywhere where there are lots of potential clients.

Due to the virtual absence of start-up cost, you really can’t go wrong with this business. Of course, you have to know what you’re doing, so if you are not big on etiquette, this would be a terrible choice for you.

MAKE PHOTO BUTTONS

In this business, you take photos of couples or individuals and then put them on a button about 4” wide, to be worn as a souvenir. This concept works on the street, or at an event. The only cost you have is the equipment to make the buttons. In the right market, where there a lot of people on dates for example, you will be busy every minute that you are there. And this business has wonderful margins – the cost of the buttons and photo paper is negligible by comparison.

This is a neat business because you can work it around any schedule, and everyone always like to see photos of themselves. They really do make great souvenirs, so it’s an easy sell. But you have to know what you’re doing, and have a great location.

ANTIQUES DEALER

With this business, rather than buy items and sell them on ebay, you will sell them at antique shows and fairs. It is a more difficult, risky venue that ebay, but you will reach more well-heeled clientele in an antique show. You will need some quality inventory and to rent a booth at a large antique show to display and sell them. Hopefully, you can find a niche that you are very interested in, and that you find entertaining regardless of the financial rewards.

This is a business that has been around for over 100 years. It works well around a day job, since antique shows are only on weekends. I would n’t even consider opening an antique store, as it’s hard to sell enough spread out over a week to pay any bills. Many people feel a real passion for antiques, and get compensated with a lot of happiness, even if the business never takes off.

AUCTIONEER

This business requires a certain skill – being able to handle an auction. We’ve included it because it’s a skill that most people can learn pretty rapidly, and it’s a job that will only get more demand as the economy falls apart. Also, it won’t hurt your day job when starting it up. Once you learn the skill, it’s all about marketing and doing a good job for your customers.

This is a business that just gets better as the economy gets worse. There are virtually no start-up costs besides learning how to do it. You can build it into something as large or small as you want it to be, without interrupting your day job.

BRIDAL CONSULTANT

If you enjoy planning parties, and work well with people and sometimes in stress, then this business may fit you perfectly. There are virtually no start-up costs besides printing business cards, and you can open with immediately. The key is to do a great job of keeping the client satisfied – especially on the wedding day. You can find clients through advertising (yellow page, internet, etc.) and through word of mouth.

As weddings normally fall on weekends, and clients who have jobs can only meet on nights and weekends, this job should not interfere with your day job at all. Those who really enjoy party planning would do this work for free, so this is one job that you can get a lot of enjoyment out of. It requires good organizational skills, so if you can’t remember dates and times, this may not be your ideal choice.

INTERIOR DESIGNER

In this business concept, you help clients decorate their apartment, condo or house interior. You can also help developers decorate models, and apartments decorate their clubhouse or model units. You can even help people who have put their houses on the market for sale, decorate them for maximum sales potential. Other than training, which can be informal or degreed, all you need are some clients and a desire to get to work. It definitely can work around your day job, as clients normally want to meet when they are off work – nights and weekends.

If you enjoy designing room – picking colors, fabrics, and arranging and buying furniture and accessories – then this might be an ideal business for you. It requires virtually no investment on your part, and works well around your day job hours. You need to make sure you have an aptitude for this specialty, or you will have no happy clients and no business.

MOBILE PET GROOMING

This business is built around going to client’s homes and grooming their pets in your van. The van replaces the “bricks and mortar” business office – which saves you a huge amount of money. In addition, you can go the client, making it an easier sale and allowing you to make appointments to work around your schedule – and your day job. The tools are simple. The biggest cost is the van.

If you enjoy pets and grooming them, then this is an ideal job. If you hate or are afraid of pets, and find grooming disgusting work, then this is not for you. The business model is very simple, as are your tools. You can find clients through various avenues such as flyers at pet stores and yellow page ads. If you do a good job, then you will see the same clients every two months or so.

VALET PARKING SERVICE

This is a very simple business model – you park the car of a guest and retrieve it when they are ready to leave. It requires no capital except a uniform and a sign, and there are no complicated technologies to master, other than a stick shift. Although most of the high-profile venues have been taken, there are many restaurants that could use such a service, or you could go after the party part of the market. And almost all opportunities are at night and weekends, so it would not interfere with your day job.

This is a great business if you find the right location. With tips, you can earn a very nice living on only a few nights per week. Make sure you have scouted out a parking lot arrangement to park the cars you valet. And make sure you have your insurance correct, as well as any required licenses.

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Although you are not your own boss, you may feel like you are. In some sales positions, you handle a region, based out of your own home. You keep you own hours, set your own schedule, and are measured strictly on productivity – just like your own small business. Only unlike your start-up, you may get a base salary, and some pre-established accounts. There are literally thousands of such opportunities in the U.S.

This is a dream situation for many people. You have total time flexibility coupled with professional structure and direction. It may be the best thing to having your own business – or maybe better, for some people. Often, these jobs can be approached part-time, so you can continue with your day job, and sell only on nights and weekends.

VENDING MACHINE SERVICE

Everyone knows what a vending machine is. However, many don’t know that vending machines are placed strategically by their owners, who also service and stock them regularly and take the money. Vending machines are a win/win business: the landlord gets food and drinks for his clients, the owner gets steady money, and the customer gets a snack or drink when they want it. Gum machines start as low as $100, and you can find used machines on the internet at reduced prices.

Obviously, one big strength of this start-up is that is won’t interfere with your day job. In addition, it can be kind of fun strategizing over where to put machines and what to put in them. You get constant feed-back on how you’re doing every time you re-stock it. The key is finding the right location and right products. As you succeed, you can keep adding new locations and machines.

WINDSHIELD REPAIR

In this business, you repair chips in car windshields. You basically inject them with a special gel to make them “vanish”, and to retard further cracking. These type of chips happen constantly, and many car owners do not want to have their windshield replaced due to the inconvenience and high deductible. It’s also a business you can do at nights and on weekends, so it will not hamper your day job.

This is a business which, if you do a good job at a fair price, could last forever. Windshield dings are continuous, and the repair is not that hard to learn. Even in a rural area, you may be able to find a steady stream of business. Your best source of customers are insurance agencies, like State Farm. In addition, you can run small display and yellow page ads.

DENT REMOVAL

This is the same type of business as windshield repair, with the same benefits. Like windshield repair, you go to the client’s car, so there is no need for fancy offices, etc. All you need to invest is for set of tools and some training on how to do it. Get in good with the local insurance agencies, and you should be set.

This is a business that is a win/win for all parties involved. The customer saves on the cost of real bodywork to make their car look good again, and you have a proftable business that is patient with you as you learn the ins and outs.

ENERGY LOSS PREVENTION SERVICE

Take advantage of the run-up in energy bills to offer a service where you analyze where the energy is going, and coordinate getting it stopped. You can inspect door weatherstripping, attic insulation, window design and condition, and make suggestions accordingly. You can also manage subcontractors to fix these issues (or do it yourself if you’re handy). This is a business that customers may see more as an investment than a cost – and you can advertise how much money you can save the customer by using your service.

This business is very timely right now. With energy bills soaring, who would’nt want to try and save money on electricity and gas? With some research, you can quickly become an expert on this niche, and truly can deliver a very important service to every homeowner. What’s especially neat is that you are not selling a cost but a return – they will actually make money by hiring you!

NEW NEIGHBOR SERVICE

In this business model, you get about 20 merchants together that need the business of new move-ins, and have them pay you $5 or $10 each to call on each new move-in and tell them about what the vendor has to offer and give them introductory coupons. Clients can range from home remodellers to grocery and stationary stores. If you are a “people person” you may really enjoy meeting with nenw neighbors, and everyone is always glad to see you since you are bringing free stuff.

This is a great part-time job. Make sure that you are in a market with enough new move-ins to make it worthwhile to put together.

SPORTS MENTOR FOR KIDS

In a lot of wealthy families, the father has no time to play catch with the kids. In this start-up, you basically take over that role as the “fun sports guy or gal”. You come over for an hour or so on certain days, and so nothing but play sports with the kids, trying to teach them the basics of such things as football, basketball, soccer, etc. You can charge an hourly rate of up to $100 in some markets, based on your credentials. If you played a sport in high-school or college, that’s a huge extra plus for credibility. Find clients through advertising in newspapers and magazines that reach the affluent.

This can be a very well-paying start-up, even for a high-schooler. The key is to find the right kind of client, and do a great job so that you get additional referral business.

BABY-PROOFING HOMES

In a normal home, there are many dangers and hazards that adults overlook when they bring home a baby. In this service, you locate all of the dangers in the home and fix them, using standard products you can buy on the internet and even Walmart. Such dangers include wall outlet covers, sharp edges, swimming pools, etc. You job is to find all of the dangers and then make them “safe”. You can find customers through media that reaches newborn parents, such as vendors of other baby items like strollers and clothes. And you normally meet on weekends or nights, so it won’t hurt your day job.

This is a very important service, and is very popular. There is a large amount of competition in large metro areas, but relatively little in smaller towns. It is a win/win type of business where everyone feels good about every assignment.

TOUR SERVICE

As the population ages, many people have time on their hands and want to travel, but aren’t up for a big trip. As a result, day-trips are becoming more popular. These events have a theme, and a tour guide to keep things lively on the way to, and way back, from the destination. The business model is simple, some up with an attractive tour concept, promote it, charter a bus that fits the number of tickets sold, and produce the event. Even if you are not in an area with a lot of history, you can take a group up to a couple hours away to something fun there. A lot of senior citizen apartments are also adopting this recreation, and they can afford to hire your service for an entire group.

This is a great start-up if you like to talk and are into history or just having fun. The biggest downside is that these trips normally are on weekdays, so it won’t fit well around your day job.

CUSTOM DOG HOUSES OR CAT CLIMBING FURNITURE

Americans are hugely into their pets right now. And most of the pet items on the market are not very aesthetically pleasing. In this start-up, you create unique, attractive houses and items for dogs and cats, and market them through the internet or fancy pet boutiques. You can do this from home, with no set hours, so it won’t interfere with your day job.

If you have an artistic bent, this start-up hits an enormous market of shoppers with deep pockets. Make sure that you have a unique niche, and do great work, because these shoppers are also very picky. If your products are attractive, you will have no problem finding willing retailers to stock them.

HOME INSPECTION SERVICE

In this business, you inspect homes and give reports of your findings to home buyers and mortgage companies. These inspections are used to look for defects in the property, such as roofs, foundations, walls, but not to repair them. Basically, your list is used to estimate the quantity and cost of such problems. You may need to be licensed to do this in your area, so make sure to check it out. As the housing market collapses, the future of this service is bright as banks often do these inspections as a part of foreclosure. You normally get immediate clients if you offer a dirt-cheap introductory special.

This is the type of business that can be grown into full time if you enjoy it and can find enough clients. It can be equally successful as part-time business, doing the inspections at night and on weekends. It does not require much in the way of tools, and has a bright future as it remains popular in both good times and recession.

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER

This start-up is a lot more complicated than it looks, since you must have a degree or related coursework to teach fitness, as crazy as it may sound. However, we’ve included this because, if you are willing to take the time to meet whatever qualifications are necessary, you can actually get paid to work out. That means you have a part-time job composed of getting yourself in shape. That’s a lot better than paying to work out. And fitness trainers get paid pretty decent money.

This is a great win/win for the trainer. You need to be in the gym a portion of every day anyway – so why not get paid for it! The work is interesting, and you get to talk to a lot of people (perfect for a people person). You can also plan the schedule around your day job, so it can be just a fun hobby if you want.

MAKING SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND SELLING IT ON THE INTERNET

The internet has opened up some unique ways to make money that would have been impossible before its existence. For example, there are individuals who are making a part-time or full-time living designing and sewing dresses from the Victorian era, or clothes for historical reenactors, or all kinds of things. They love building these items and would do so for free – and had to until now. However, the internet has opened up new frontiers for actually making money on such hobbies. You can reach 100,000,000 people or more through Google, and sell your items all over the world. Mail order would have been impossible in the old days, you could never have afforded the postage. However, now it’s easy to reach a market bigger than J.C. Penney overnight. If you have such a passion, then one of your best start-ups may be to build an internet site, or ebay store, and start selling your product. It can’t hurt to try since you already make it, and may be an exciting outlet for your creative energy even if it is not the best seller of all time.

This start-up takes advantage of one of the greatest tools ever for start-ups – the internet. If you hit the right niche, you may create long-term cash flow from something you’d do for free – and that’s the recipe for a dream start-up!

FIND AND SELL BILLBOARD LEASES AND PERMITS

This is a terrific, but little known, business concept. Locate billboard locations, obtain leases and permits, and sell them to large billboard companies. You can buy all the tools that you need for under $500, including the manual on how to do it available at www.outdoorbillboard.com, and sell billboard leases at prices up to $100,000. This is probably the best start-up of all time, based on chances for extreme profits.

There has been more big money made in this start-up than all the others combined. Of course, due to the profitability possibilities, the competition is much greater than most start-ups. However, if you work it hard, it is possible to succeed.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE SALES AGENT

Sure, the boom in single family homes is over. And most agents are starving to death. However, as a part-time job, this area still has promise. At a 6% commission, and a 50% split with the real estate company, you would net $9,000 on the sale of a $300,000 house. Since you can work around your own hours, and have no capital costs, even in a down market this still looks attractive. As a huge number of agents quit due to lousy market conditions, you will have fewer competitors.

With so little at risk, why not be a single family real estate agent? You really have nothing but upside, and you might find an undiscovered niche that could serve you well for years.