Small business or home business ideas

Mods please move this if necessary.

I'm just looking for ideas to start up a small business or something home based.

Me and my wife are tired or corporate slavery and wish to go into business for ourselves. My have many different skills and are open to suggestions. I am willing to try anything at this point.

We have around 10k available for startup costs. My wife was thinking of starting a maid service as we live in an area with many rich or elderly people and currently lack a choice in available services. To my knowledge there are only two business out this way that do this and there is a population of about 165k.

Anyways looking forward to suggestions.

Originally posted by metaldemon2000
Mods please move this if necessary.

I'm just looking for ideas to start up a small business or something home based.

Me and my wife are tired or corporate slavery and wish to go into business for ourselves. My have many different skills and are open to suggestions. I am willing to try anything at this point.

We have around 10k available for startup costs. My wife was thinking of starting a maid service as we live in an area with many rich or elderly people and currently lack a choice in available services. To my knowledge there are only two business out this way that do this and there is a population of about 165k.

Anyways looking forward to suggestions.

I may just have the perfect thing for the both of you. My cousin recently started doing clean outs and repairs on foreclosed properties, and she is making pretty decent money doing it. She contacted a local realtor that she knew and got into contact with the list of houses that need to be cleaned out/repaired. The nice thing about the clean outs is that whatever is left is yours to keep if you wish. They have no interest in the items, they merely want the property cleaned and ready for sale.

She is now bidding and cleaning out 2-3 houses a week and making a good living on that alone on top of selling the items that have value as well for extra profit. I know that it sucks that these houses used to belong to someone and the items might be missed, but someone is going to step up and make the money, and it might as well be you.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


Include lawn care and snowplowing and you may just be onto something....but it requires weird hours, especially in the winter.

Hours of operation are not a problem. As long as I am working for myself I am happy. And all I'm looking for is to break even with what I make now, I don't care about being a millionaire.

Lawn care and snowplowing is something I considered. Would be a n expensive startup to compete locally as lots of folks out this way are doing it on the side. Would be something to think about if considering expanding in the future though.

My big advantage is I can take a three month paid leave from work so I have a bit of trial and error time to work out the bugs with whatever I start.

Buy a van and say you will collect scrap and junk for free in your neighborhood, old fridges, cookers and washing machines, and other random junk and take it to a scrap yard and cash in on other peoples junk that you collected. Although this is by no means a steady income, you can make a killing in a single day.

reply to post by Snoopie


I have heard of people raiding trash bins in industrial parks at night and making a killing on the decent items they find. Also my job brings me into the homes of thousands of people yearly. I see tons of good stuff I could sell just collecting dust in peoples basements.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


What I am implying is that you tie in lawn care and snowplowing with your wifes idea. A well taken care of house sells faster if it looks good. And if you can get into it during the winter.

Who knows, maybe the buyer will add you to their list.

Walla! A new steady client.

reply to post by TDawgRex


I see what you mean. Of course I would include these services. Who cares if the house is clean if no one can get into the driveway in the dead of winter to view it.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


SpaDe_ has a good idea that can be grown and franchised over time. That's where you can really accumulate wealth, when you start having others pay to use your good name and follow your successful Business Plan.

Learning how to write a Business Plan will do you a world of good. There are so many expenses that will surface when taking on a business venture that most inexperienced entrepreneurs will overlook. A few dollars spent on used Business 101 / Marketing / How-To Write Your Business Plan college level texts will pay off greatly in return on investment. Same holds true for taking a few adult night courses on basic book keeping and tax preparation. Knowledge is king. I've owned and run several businesses over the years, I'm an old fart, I have no reason to steer you wrong.

Here's a potential money maker for someone with access to large spreads of business campus environments. If you have to drive five hours each way it's not for you. Also, one has to use their suit and tie voice on the phone, know or learn some skills in making a Features and Benefits Brochure for mailings, and be willing to don business casual attire when visiting clients (by previously arranged appointment, of course). I too love my rock t-shirts but sometimes the old "When in Rome.." prevails.

Anyway, businesses have female employees that run into problems with their attire from time to time. These ladies, from receptionist or secretary to management heads, VP's, or Presidents need and deserve a quick and convenient rescue from broken heels, ripped stockings and ill-fitting garments. I've seen ladies use staples, binder clips and many other things to get by and through the day. They deserve better.

The Solution: You create and provide to businesses two different Personnel Emergency Kits. Might look like a cardboard box with smaller boxes inside when you first start, but down the road you upgrade to printed corrugated, etcetera.

The first Kit holds say a dozen separate Mini Kits. Each Mini may be composed of a small emergency sewing kit (you can buy pre-made, just locate a supplier); one tiny tube of Super Glue, one of those lil Emergency Eyeglass Repair Kits (also pre-made), things of this nature. Use your common sense and imagination. Obviously the Kits sell for well more than you pay. Each Master Kit comes with a good supply of Brochures to be tossed into Office Workers mail box slots at the work place which informs them of their price, content and availability from Human Resources or whomever is given the responsibility by the company owner or person in charge.

The Second Kit is a common sense variety pack of medium or better quality Stockings / Nylons. No fancy styles or upgrade designer choices, just an assortment of perhaps two shades and several sizes. Women tear their hose in the work place every day of the week. It pisses them off royally, especially earlier in the day or if they have to give or attend a meeting, time with clients, etcetera.

You stay in touch with your clients on a monthly basis as you grow your client base. Hook up with a Business Checking Account and a Credit Card Service and run your sales on a pay for play basis. You drop off refills by appointment to a specific designated contact and collect payment at that time.

Keep track of all overhead expenses to maximize your profit potential. The upside to this business is you may start small with a reasonable investment, and you're not going to break a sweat turning this into a full-time business.

Another decent way to make money is a dog walking / pet sitting business. Money making people are often stuck at work long hours and their pets need tending to. Business people often travel and the whole kennel experience sucks for the pet, is costly, and in truth it's a hassle to do. My wife has a friend that makes serious bucks doing this. She has several people working for her now.

Hope you find what you're looking for.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


Well... I recently started a business. Although I'm not sure how much help I can be, at least I have some experience to share.

What I did was found a friend who had an invention in the nuclear technology business that he was interested in pursuing. I had enough knowledge of physics to understand his concept and that it would work, so I funded him and he found cheap sources of materials to build a prototype. Once that was completed, we contacted local colleges and corporations interested in the same field and started making contacts. We did this by e-mailing their CEOs and / or professors and then setting up meetings. Some people were met online through purchases.

The interesting thing is, a lot of other opportunities opened up for us after doing this. For example, we are going to be working on modular nuclear reactors and possibly setting up a cyclotron center in addition to our original invention, which was used as a conversation starter, really. Although there is great potential for it.

At the moment, we are working on setting up a website, writing a business plan and getting funding from either South Koreans, local nuclear companies, grants or other investors.

Hmm... so at least I can offer you some general steps to help you out:

I. Buy the equipment you need. Also, pay the price to make an LLC (limited liability corporation)
II. Start making contacts. Even competitors could be helpful or might be willing to negotiate business deals. This is where you learn how to run your business, whatever it is, and how to get customers, and even get new ideas.
III. Get a website and write a business plan
IV. Possibly get outside funding

That's all I have for now. Good luck!

what is your professional experience? Its not a good idea to go into something you aren't currently working in, whether thats home care, gardening, restaurants.

Grow organically rather than buying a business, find your product niche, and be sure you are across all aspects of how to generate revenue from it. Not pie in the sky "this is how it will come in for me" but focused on costs, and projected returns.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


Found your thread, and I'm curious if you were ever successful in starting up something.

I'm looking into my options right now too. I've got a few in mind, but I'm still doing my research for now. I had a cleaning business in college that was doing pretty good, but I ended up moving. Did your wife end up starting one?