Home Preparation Service

What can you do if you are ready to sell your home, but lack the time and energy to do what’s necessary to get it ready for potential buyers? You hire a home preparation service, of course. Such a service can patch the walls and spruce up the paint, improve curb appeal with some quick and easy landscaping tricks, and provide advice on eliminating clutter that might turn potential buyers away. Should you launch a home preparation service, you will likely find customers through advertising in community newspapers under “Home Services” in the classified section. Once you get going, you can do some direct mailings to your local Board of Realtors, who should be able to off er a dozen or so good referrals at a time. Keep in mind that they are often the first to see homes that aren’t in pristine selling condition, despite protests to the contrary from the current owners. A good realtor, if he or she knows about your services, can be the perfect “rainmaker” for your business. Make a “home checklist” to help you determine what needs to be done quickly and efficiently. This can also be used to provide the customer with a written estimate of how long the job might take.


All you really need, besides some ?yers or business cards and a few classified ads, is a general home repair tool kit. Depending on the extent of your services, you may need to add on everything from ladders and gardening tools to cement and paint. Having an account at a local hardware store will help you purchase what you need until your client reimburses you.


It might be a really good idea to have lots of “before” and “after” photos in a portfolio that can be shown to potential clients so they can see the dramatic diff erence your service can make. Better yet, put those photos on your Web site, along with free tips on how to get organized for a move. You’ll be surprised how quickly your phone will start ringing once people recognize the benefit of using a service like yours.

Approx. cost of start-up:$500 to $1,500


Approx. potential earnings:$25,000 to $50,000 Typical fees: $25 to $50 per hour


Where to promote: Local real estate publications, community newspapers, bulletin boards, direct mail, coupon books


Qualifications: Handyman skills, an eye for decorating detail


Things needed: General home repair tools, a large enough vehicle to transport ladders and landscaping equipment (if you offer these services)


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Liability insurance, advertising

Financial Aid Consultant

The cost of higher education continues to escalate. And while one often hears that many types of financial aid are available, finding them is quite another matter. Families need guidance and assistance in finding the sources to which they can apply and in preparing the paperwork. Your services as a financial aid consultant will be in great demand once your name gets known to the community at large. Word of mouth from students you have helped and from their parents will bring you new business regularly. You will need a lot of familiarity with financial aid options to make a success of this type of consulting, and you will need excellent people skills as well. Some financial aid consultants research options on the Internet, while other specialize in aid for private secondary or even elementary school tuition. The bulk of the market, though, is for students entering college.


Keeping your own knowledge up-to-date and providing a suitable place for interviewing clients are your two main expenses ($2,000 to start). Part-time work could earn you $15,000; rates could range anywhere from $150 to $500 per job, depending on both complexity of paperwork and your geographical location.


Many parents experience major shock when they first realize how much having one or more children enrolled in the ivied halls is going to set them back. And even the “simple” financial aid forms for determining basic financial need are far from easy to cope with. You can also provide vital help in finding the multitude of special scholarships available for students with a certain heritage, a special academic interest, or some other specifi c characteristic.

Approx. cost of start-up:$2,000 to $4,000


Approx. potential earnings:$15,000 to $40,000


Typical fees: Flat rates of $150 to $500


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, classified ads, direct mail, membership to and participation in community organizations related to education, seminars and speeches for community groups, networking, Web site that’s easily located via search engines


Qualifications: Experience as a school guidance counselor or college admissions officer, extensive knowledge of the field, ability to relate well to college applicants and their parents


Things needed:Office with conference table for meeting clients, computer, suite software, Internet access, fax, printer, business cards, letterhead, envelopes


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Subscriptions, Internet Service Provider fees, association dues

Rare Book Dealer

Some avid readers will go to extraordinary lengths to find a used or rare book that they’d relish having in their private collection. Whether you’re providing this service in addition to running a bookstore (as many rare book specialists do) or running it as a separate business, you’ll need to be highly detail-oriented and well organized to make this business profi table. The good news is, there are plenty of publications that you can subscribe to, and these provide monthly listings of what books are currently available through other dealers. Sometimes, you’ll be lucky enough to work out an even trade (and maximize your own profit on the book you’re selling to the customer). Most often, however, you’ll derive your income from a search fee ($10 to $15 in some areas) and a sales commission on the book itself, which you will have priced accordingly to suit your bank account’s needs. The older and more rare the book, the harder it is to locate. But if you can manage to drum up one yellow-paged copy, your earnings could be quite high on just one book.


It will take between $5,000 to $10,000 to get started with your computer and online searches. Expect to spend $1,000 or so on advertising in your first year. If you are good at what you do, you could earn between $20,000 and $40,000 per year.


The stress level is actually quite low in this field, and you can search for a book at your own pace for the most part. However, you don’t get paid as much for looking as you do for finding. Sign on with Web-based services such as www.abebooks.com to expedite your searches as well as to automate your sales.


Approx. cost of start-up:$5,000 to $10,000


Approx. potential earnings: $20,000 to $40,000


Typical fees: $10 to $15 plus a percentage of sale on book (based on your markup)


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, book industry publications, networking with bookstore owners and managers, Web site, and banner ads on book club Web sites


Qualifications: Good organizational skills and excellent follow-up ability


Things needed: Computer with Internet access, printer, fax, phone with toll-free number


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Internet service provider package, phone bills

Nanny Service

Not just your average babysitter, a nanny provides daily care for children in addition to helping with household chores. Obviously, then, nannies should enjoy being essentially another mom in a busy household. You need to carefully screen your nanny candidates (including running a background check with the police to make sure they have a clean record) and match them carefully to prospective households. Make sure that your client homes fill out a questionnaire detailing their preferences and exactly what kinds of work they expect to have done by the nanny. Also, since many nannies drive kids to soccer practice or other recreation activities, be sure that each nanny has a valid driver’s license. Your nannies should be CPR certified as well.


Your costs to start a nanny service are generally quite high for a number of reasons, including liability insurance, office overhead, and benefits. Once you factor in your advertising costs (a good-size ad in the Yellow Pages and ?yers or brochures for parents’ and professional groups), you’ve spent anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000. Nanny services are particularly lucrative in large cities, where most of the need is.


It is a challenge to match the right nannies to each of your clients’ households, but if you ask all of the right questions up-front, your chances of success will be high. Nannies are filling an important void in the lives of working families, and if the two-income family trend continues to rise, your service will be among the most profitable businesses to start.


Approx. cost of start-up: $10,000 to $40,000


Approx. potential earnings:$40,000 to $70,000


Typical fees: $20 to $35 per hour


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, newspapers, parents’ groups, business associations, Web site with testimonials and information about your fees and services


Qualifications:Business experience, preferably experience in managing a sizeable staff


Things needed: Computer with high-speed Internet access, cell phone, fax


Required staff: Yes (about 20–30 nannies)


Hidden costs: Liability insurance, health benefits and possibly background checks for your nannies (however, some nanny services require candidates to cover that cost)

Incorporation Service for Businesses

With more business start-ups than ever before, the need for quick, inexpensive help in forming a corporation is greater than ever. Many people who consider starting a business simply have no idea which form of business is more advantageous for them. A nice benefit to incorporating is that you are personally protected from any lawsuits fi led against the company. In other words, you probably won’t lose your house or car. You’ll be networking with entrepreneurial groups to fi nd clients in need of your services or fielding calls from your advertisements, then meeting with the client(s) to fill out the necessary, and often straightforward, forms required by the government. You may also have to set up the client’s Employer Identifi cation Number. You’ll present them with their corporate package, which will include easy-to-fill-out forms such as the Articles of Incorporation, any minutes from board of director meetings, stock certificates, and so on. Essentially, you’ll be getting a company started on the road to greater growth potential.


Advertising will be your largest out-of-pocket expense (between $500 to $1,000). It would also help you to have business cards for networking (add another $100 to $200). But you could charge as little as $175 and as much as $300 for your services, depending on your area or the size and complexity of the client company.


If you like working day in and day out filling out the same forms, this job could be just what you’re looking for. If, on the other hand, you thrive on excitement and variety, perhaps you should look into starting a business that specializes in putting together business plans.


Approx. cost of start-up:$500 to $1,000


Approx. potential earnings:$25,000 to $45,000


Typical fees:$175 to $300


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, business publications, direct mail to entrepreneur groups, classified postings on online services, banner ads on entrepreneurial Web sites, your own Web site with information about why incorporation is a good idea for business owners


Qualifications: A good working knowledge of incorporation law


Things needed: Computer, cell phone, fax, legal forms, business cards


Required staff:No


Hidden costs:None

Computer Maintenance Service

Computers and dust don’t mix. That seems like a simple idea, but many people have little understanding of that concept. They don’t understand why computers tend to crash without regular maintenance, and they need much reassurance before they will trust you to remove a cover and begin cleaning the drives. Once you gain trust and develop your clientele, though, you’ll be able to negotiate ongoing service contracts that will give you a steady ?ow of work, and income. Twice a year you can service each client on your list, cleaning the vital components of the machines that keep their businesses running. You may also develop connections to possible add-on services you could offer, such as training, software installation, file backups, and so on.


The computer for your own office is the largest expense because the actual computer cleaning tools are quite simple and not very costly. Fees are usually in the $50 per hour range. Your biggest challenge is to make potential clients aware of the benefit of maintaining their systems. All too often they’ll wait until something catastrophic happens before they call you. Consequently, a decent Web site, some advertising and maintenance reminder cards will cost you at least $1,000 to $2,000 per year.


If you have the ability to clean computers and peripheral equipment, you can provide a service needed by almost all businesses and many individuals as well. Satisfied customers will probably provide you with plenty of referrals, but you will occasionally be working with distraught clients. You might need to work at your customers’ sites, so careful planning is necessary to make best use of travel time.


Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $10,000


Approx. potential earnings: $50,000 to $70,000


Typical fees: $50 per hour on cleaning or repairs


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, flyers, business card, opportunities to teach classes, Web site with links to related resources


Qualifications: Knowledge of computer hardware and interfaces, ability to deal with upset clients diplomatically and sympathetically


Things needed: Computer with Internet access, printer, fax, tools, cleaning supplies, diagnostic software, spare parts, office furniture, business cards, reference books


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Staying abreast of new technology

Auditor

As bills become more complicated, the opportunity for finding errors and overcharges in them increases. For most businesses, though, the tedious, detail-oriented work necessary to check each bill and interpret all the data is just too time-consuming. An auditing specialist can work through all the paper records, uncover overcharges, collect a percentage of the money saved, and make an excellent living. To be very successful, you will need the ability to consider what lies behind the rows of figures on a utility bill. Something as basic as a misplaced decimal point can have a huge effect, but it’s harder to spot incorrect rate assignments, double billing for small segments of the service, or opportunities to use a different rate structure.


You’ll need a good place to work. This is a lot of detailed reading, calculating, and thinking, so your equipment needs to fit you comfortably (around $3,000 to start).


If you focus on utility bills, look for organizations that consume large quantities of electricity, such as businesses that are open all night. Government organizations, churches, and other institutions with big buildings and inadequate staffing are excellent prospects also. Some auditing services focus on insurance costs or telephone charges. In spite of the clear benefits you will offer, however, marketing is a challenge. People aren’t used to the idea of auditing specialists, and they probably have no idea how much money they are pouring down the drain each month in their businesses. In other words, they undoubtedly need your service, but they don’t realize it. You will succeed when you find a way to help them understand the benefit you offer.


“I don’t just punch numbers into a computer . . . I delve deeper to find out more about my customers and how I can help them on a long-term basis,” says Dianna Stahl, President & CEO of E.R.S., Inc., in Akron, Ohio.


Stahl says she absolutely couldn’t do without a computer and a phone.


“Find a good mentor in whatever area you’re weak in. I was weak in sales, so I found myself a good sales mentor and it helped immeasurably.”


“Know the people you’re going to go into business with well before you do it. I was starting my business based on someone else’s promises, and they didn’t come through. Fortunately, it worked out.”


Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $8,000


Approx. potential earnings: $50,000 to $75,000


Typical fees: Percentage of the savings you find for clients: often 50 percent for past savings and about 10 percent for two or more years into the future


Where to promote: Business and trade publications, direct mail, membership in business groups, networking, your own Web site with free, money-saving tips for businesses


Qualifications: Accounting degree and certification, knowledge of area of specialty (utility bills, telephone options), excellent math skills, good detail orientation, selling skills


Things needed: Cell phone (with or without hands-free accessories), office furniture, computer, suite software, printer, calculator, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, marketing materials


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Ongoing marketing time and materials, continuing education

Business Form Production and Sales

This type of business is so standardized and easy for people to learn that it is among the top franchise businesses on the market today. All you need to do is find out what potential customers are using for business forms (such as inventory records, receipts, invoices, and other important documents). Then you sell them on your customized service, quick turnaround, and easy terms. Remember, though, that you will be competing heavily against some fairly large organizations (such as Office Depot and Office Max) as well as other independents like yourself; you will need super sales skills to stay on top of it all and make your regular goals. In the old days, cold-calling was the primary way of finding new business, but now you can place banner ads on entrepreneurial Web sites and you’re one click away from finding new customers on a regular basis. The income potential is great for those who sell online and who can stomach the competition. If you capitalize on your strong points, you should be able to come up with forms that make every customer happy (and, ultimately, result in your own profi tability). You can either design your own forms, or purchase them from paper suppliers and related sources found on the Internet.


You’ll need between $20,000 to $40,000, particularly if you buy into a franchise operation, but can get away with $5,000 to $10,000 if you do the whole thing on your Web site. This investment will usually cover your catalogs, inventory, and training materials, and may also cover printing equipment (typically including specialized software). You may also partner with a supplier who helps you develop your own Web page that links to their site, and from which your customers can purchase and download forms. You’ll charge $25 to $30 per type of form; more if it’s a complex custom design your customer wants you to create from scratch. In the end, you’ll wind up making between $35,000 to $65,000 per year if you’re working full-time and full-throttle. Expect to make anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000 per year, but more like $35,000 to $60,000 as a Web-based business.


There is probably no more straightforward, easy business to learn than this. But do recognize that you’re going to need to be well connected to get regular, dependable business. Network with anyone who’s anyone, and make the daily fifty or so phone calls it may take to get one fresh, new lead. After all, you’re competing against major office store chains, and you need to tell people that what sets your business apart is the customized service. On the Web, offer special deals (such as 10 percent off ) to customers who purchase three or more forms at one time.


Approx. cost of start-up: $20,000 to $40,000


Approx. potential earnings: $35,000 to $60,000


Typical fees: $25 to $30 per form; more if it’s a complex custom design versus a predesigned template


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, classified ads, direct mail, Web site with e-commerce capability (for easy online purchasing and downloading of forms)


Qualifications: Basic editing and desktop publishing/design skills, knowledge of e-commerce, sales experience


Things needed: Computer, Adobe Acrobat software (for .pdf creation), printing equipment (if not using a subcontractor), extensive online or color catalog of your goods, inventory of a wide variety of forms


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Costs of cold calls—use the Internet to your highest benefit by advertising your Web site in as many places as possible

Event Planner

Whether large or small, corporate or intimate, religious or ceremonial, any event requires a lot of planning as well as the ability to execute that plan like clockwork. As an event planner, you will map out themes, strategies, resources, and supplies for events as diverse as bar mitzvahs, birthday parties, retirement parties, weddings, fundraisers, and corporate sales meetings. You will develop a timeline for all of the components of your plan, and will network with key suppliers to ensure that you are getting the best deals on the most innovative elements and points of interest involved in your event. You can probably order a lot online, but you might also look at opening a vendor’s account with a local craft supply shop. If you are not 100 percent sure you can make it on your own at first, you might consider doing an online search for a “party business in a box,” which has everything you’ll need to launch your business successfully, including tips from many others who have launched similar businesses before you. You may also offer to work with another event planner fi rst, serving as a backup and then branching off with the pro’s over?ow work. That would help you understand all the details involved in operating an event planning business. There’s a whole lot of pressure to get everything right, but there’s also a whole lot of reward for those who can stand the heat while running the kitchen.


You will most definitely need a computer with Internet service and a good event planning software program. Together these will cost around $1,000 to $1,500, but the software program will be well worth the investment, as it will keep you organized and take some of the think-work out of the entire process of event planning.


Networking with those at churches, rental halls, and party centers will help you to spread the word about your business. You will sometimes need to do events for less money than you might like, but when you do, try to make sure the events become photo opportunities for your local newspaper. Keep a clipping book and scan your own event photos into an online gallery on your Web site. People will enjoy seeing samples of your work, as well as reading testimonials from your happy clients. Do surveys at the end of each event to capture their thoughts, and gain permission to post their comments on your site and in your marketing materials.


Approx. cost of start-up: $500 to $1,500 ($5,000 to $15,000 more if you need a delivery van)


Approx. potential earnings: $45,000 to $150,000+


Typical fees: $25 to $50 per hour (depending on market and your reputation) for small events; 10–15 percent of total event cost for large events


Where to promote: Community and business publications, Web site, eye-catching marketing collateral, referrals


Qualifications: Extremely attentive to details, strong project management skills


Things needed: Computer with good event planning software program, cell phone with hands-free accessories (if mandated by your state), e-mail access, a PDA, a good delivery van would be helpful


Required staff: May need to hire assistants to help occasionally


Hidden costs: Staffing costs might take a bite out of your profits when you’ve just begun, since you’ll likely need some help from time to time

Ticket Broker

How many times have you wanted to buy tickets for an event or a show only to fi nd that they’re all sold? For those who simply can’t get to the big tickets, ticket brokers provide a welcome relief by offering tickets, often at a discounted rate, and the convenience of purchasing by phone or via the Internet. Organization and responsibility are key to this business. Your job includes assigning seat locations, providing ticket sales information, making recommendations about ticket pricing according to the area or event, soliciting group sales, and keeping a customer ticket list. You’ll need to purchase specialized software that allows you to search online for ticket availability and accept credit card orders over the phone. Or, better yet, purchase an e-commerce Web site that allows you to make money while you sleep. An accounting or bookkeeping background would prove especially helpful, as there are a million little details that need to be managed on a daily basis to keep this one up and running.


Computers are a way of life for this occupation. You have to be able to hook up to the ticket distribution center. Your fee will depend on the event and place. Typically your cut is between 5 and 40 percent of each sale, depending on whether you’re selling locally or nationally.


You may need to hire a staff to run this from your home; it all depends on how big you want to get. There may be some travel involved, and you’ll want to attend all of the trade shows so the industry knows you are out there. Most of the big ticket brokers have been in business a long time and have a good reputation. Get to know them; you may need to network with them sometime.


Approx. cost of start-up: $15,000 to $35,000


Approx. potential earnings: $25,000 to $35,000+


Typical fees: 5 to 40 percent of each sale


Where to promote: Industry trade publications, newspapers, Web site with e-commerce capability via secure server


Qualifications: Knowledge of state licensing requirements


Things needed: Computer with specialized software program/hookup, toll-free phone number, e-commerce capability on Web site


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Being liable for unsold tickets because contract didn’t state otherwise

Executive Search Firm

Executive recruiters (also known as “headhunters”) are paid by companies to fill management, professional, and technical slots within their firms. Most of a recruiter’s work is done via phone and E-mail, so you can do this job anywhere. You will collect as many qualified applicants as you can, gleaned mostly from your vast resume collection and a few friends in high places. Many consultants choose niches in which to specialize; others serve all areas. A sales personality is helpful in this business, as is the ability to be self-motivated. Often fi nding good people for the positions is easier than finding clients who will hire you to conduct the job search. You will need self-confidence, tenacity, and good networking skills to make it as a recruiter. This career choice gives you a great deal of ? exibility and personal freedom, since you can work from any location that has a phone.


A computer and printer are essential, as is database, word processing, and communications software and a professional-looking Web site that showcases some of your current job openings. These items will cost from $2,500 to $5,000. You will need a telephone, a headset, and fax, along with office furniture and business cards, letterhead, and brochures to promote your business. These pieces will cost $1,500 to $4,500. You’ll earn an average of 25 percent of the new hire’s salary, so it behooves you to search for the high-end, top-level managers.


Competition for the best companies and top-notch candidates is stiff, and you get paid only when you successfully match a company with a candidate. But the fi nancial rewards can be considerable, and the satisfaction of helping a good candidate to find a job and your client to fill a key position, makes your eff orts worthwhile.


Approx. cost of start-up: $5,500 to $9,000


Approx. potential earnings: $40,000 to $150,000


Typical fees: Varies, but often equals 25 percent of first-year earnings of person placed with client


Where to promote: Cold calls, attending trade shows, newsletter to potential clients, direct mail, business and regional publications, Web site


Qualifications: Excellent people skills, patience, self-confidence, knowledge of specialized fields to be able to select appropriate candidates for jobs


Things needed: Cell phone, computer and office equipment, telephone, business cards, letterhead, brochures


Required staff: None


Hidden costs: Phone expenses and advertising costs could exceed budget early on

College Application Consultant

Nowadays the hardest part of getting into a college is choosing the right one; it’s a vital decision for a young person’s future, one with far-reaching implications. Now more than ever, a bachelor’s degree is almost a requirement to secure a decent, well-paying job. And although some high schools do have respectable advising departments, many do not invest the time and money into this important aspect of continuing education that they could and should. That’s where you come in. As an independent college application consultant your services are in high demand in a low-competition field. What more could a business person ask for? If you are amenable to long hours of research and documentation, this business could provide you with just the intellectual challenge you need. Your main hurdles are problem-solving for high school seniors and their families and dealing with emotional/sentimental issues (primarily of the parents). You would conduct a skills/ needs assessment, match them to an appropriate choice of universities, assist the customer in obtaining and fi lling in financial aid and application forms properly (and mailing them on time). You will also relay necessary facts about ACT/SATs, placement tests (such as math, English, and foreign languages), degrees, program requirements, extracurricular activities offered by schools that might be of interest to students, and so on.


A computer is the largest expense at about $1,500, if you choose to buy one. It isn’t a necessity but it will tremendously speed the search process. College catalogs available online show listings of courses and a description of each, as well as some information about application procedures, fees, deadlines, requirements and other general facts about the schools. Buying many of these print catalogs, as well as a few specialized publications that rate universities or give little-known information about them, will cost several hundred dollars. Placing only small ads will help keep advertising costs down to $100 or so, but the price of calls to colleges may add up quickly, so remember to monitor your phone time. Charges for these tasks could be determined a number of ways: per task, per package of tasks, hourly, or however else seems reasonable for the area and best covers the particular request.


Good listening and problem-solving skills are your biggest assets in this business. Customers are trusting you with a very important part of their lives: their futures. High self-motivation and research skills will also help keep you enthused and knowledgeable about colleges and what’s new on campuses. If you enjoy being the middleman, then college consulting is for you.


Approx. cost of start-up: $500 to $1,000


Approx. potential earnings: $15,000 to $30,000


Typical fees: Extremely varied; some consultants charge as little as $150 or as high as $1,000 for this service


Where to promote: School and local papers, direct mail, Yellow Pages, banner ads on college-oriented online message boards, your own Web site with helpful information


Qualifications: Familiarity with various colleges and programs


Things needed: Computer, variety of available databases, reference materials


Staff required: No


Hidden costs: Long distance phone calls and Internet Service Provider fees

Food Item Manufacturer

The sky is the limit in food production. Anything from eggs and bottled water to candy and organically grown tomatoes can be manufactured by a home-based entrepreneur. What’s involved in such a business varies greatly, depending upon which product you choose, but either offering a unique food item or marketing a tried-and-true favorite in a new way spells success. A package of pasta, for example, can be produced for as little as 46 cents and sold for $3.50 or more. How about pizza? Everyone loves pizza, it’s easy to make and, with your own marketing or recipe twists, you can make a tremendous amount of money. Want more ideas? How about food by mail order, a food-preserving business, specialty breads, sassafras tea, holiday cookies, or maple syrup? If you are willing to learn the ins and outs of producing and marketing a particular food product, you can establish a profi table business.


Start-up costs depend on the food product you choose. If you need ovens or an assembly line to manufacture your products, it may be relatively expensive to begin. On the other hand, a product such as soup can be started on a shoestring. Packaging and marketing costs for any product must be carefully considered. Explore your market area, examine packaging of similar products, and research the costs.


Your livelihood is greatly affected by weather and the seasons if it requires growing a crop. You may need considerable knowledge about fertilizers, plant diseases, and so on. You must have a consistent supply of ingredients and a consistent manufacturing method to ensure that your products always taste the same. Any food product is subject to safety and health regulations. The good news is that many food manufacturing operations are quite simple, requiring few ingredients and no great technical skills. Everyone loves to eat, so food products are always in vogue.


Approx. cost of start-up: $500 to $5,000 (depending on the food product)


Approx. potential earnings:$30,000 to $75,000


Typical fees: As high as $50 for some items, but most range $2 to $25 each


Where to promote: Mail-order catalogs, brochures, direct mail, groceries, farmers’ markets, Web site with testimonials about your products and an online store with a secure server for safe ordering


Qualifications: Knowledge of how to manufacture and market the item


Things needed: Depends on the item


Required staff:None


Hidden costs:Legal advice

Printing Broker

For those who are inexperienced in the world of printing and publishing, a printing broker can be a godsend. Relying on an extensive background in printing sales, a printing broker can actually save the client hundreds or thousands of dollars in printing costs by shopping for the best (and most current) rates. The broker does not work for one specific printer, but represents all of them, in a sense, because he or she will offer a client the best going rate without sacrifi cing quality. Clients could be anyone from advertising agencies to community newspapers and book publishers. To be successful, you’ll need to have a natural sales ability and the technical know-how to get printing jobs accomplished. You’re servicing two sides here: the customer who needs a brochure or book printed and the printing house. If ink is in your blood, this could be a terrific opportunity for you.


Your start-up costs are only $1,000 to $3,000, because you’ll only need to have a basic office setup and some advertising to get things off the ground. With a printing background, complete with contacts, and some heavy shoe action, you could make $35,000 to $50,000 per year, especially if you can build a solid reputation with documented savings for your clients.


Your contacts will make or break you in this business; always be honest and reputable, and you’ll reap the benefits threefold. Why threefold? Because your satisfied clients will tell at least two other contacts about your services and how much money you saved them. On the sour side, you could wind up spending a lot of your own time trying to negotiate deals that don’t materialize. And that means you’ll have to eat the related costs.


Approx. cost of start-up: $1,000 to $3,000


Approx. potential earnings: $35,000 to $50,000


Typical fees: 10 to 15 percent commission on sales


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, trade publications, direct mail, cold calls, referrals


Qualifications:Printing sales background


Things needed: Cell phone, computer, printer, fax, copier


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Insurance, mileage

Meeting Planner

You can have a great career as a meeting planner if you like handling the myriad of details involved in planning formal events and if you have the organization, negotiation, and communication skills necessary to pull it off . Corporations, associations, conventions, and trade shows are all potential sources of business. As companies become leaner, employees can no longer be spared to plan meetings.


Also, meetings and events are increasingly viewed as great sales and marketing opportunities. Therefore, creative, talented meeting planners are in demand. You will need to be knowledgeable about many areas, everything from hotels and catering to travel. You may need to negotiate a block of hotel rooms, find exotic locales for company meetings, book speakers and entertainers, set up promotions, and handle all the many small and large details that make for a successful event. In return, you may get to travel and stay at exclusive resorts and hotels, you will meet interesting people from many walks of life, and you will have the satisfaction of seeing people enjoy the event.


A computer will cost from $1,000 to $3,000. Additional software, printer, telephone, and fax will add from $900 to $3,000 or more. Office equipment, reference books, insurance, letterhead, and so on will bring the total costs to $2,700 to $8,500. Fees are typically $40 to $50 per hour or $400 to $600 per day. To get more assignments from the get-go, you should do a few “free” events to give potential clients a good idea of how spectacular your meetings really are.


Meeting planning can be very rewarding, but it often requires long days and hard work. If you are good at handling details, you’re halfway to success already, because all of those little pieces of the puzzle are crucially important. To hear about conferences and conventions, plan a civic or charitable event on a volunteer basis to gain experience. In addition to making sure you have adequate money for your start-up, bear in mind that a meeting planner’s livelihood is often tied to economic conditions, since companies may tighten their meeting budgets to cut costs. However small they may become as a result, meetings and conventions will always be around, and the trend toward outsourcing them to professional meeting planners will continue—good news for you!


Approx. cost of start-up: $2,500 to $6,500


Approx. potential earnings: $25,000 to start; possibly as high as $100,000 once established


Typical fees: $40 to $60 per hour or $400 to $500 per day; planners handling large events such as conventions may get 15 to 20 percent of the overall projected budget for the entire event


Where to promote: Networking with convention and visitors’ bureaus, caterers, and travel agents; ads in meeting trade publications; Web site with tips, resources and testimonials


Qualifications: Excellent organizational and negotiation skills; attention to detail; good business background; good communication and troubleshooting skills


Things needed: Office and computer equipment, high-speed Internet access (for using online meeting resources such as WebEx. com), fax, cell phone, PDA, reference books, business cards, stationery, envelopes


Required staff: No


Hidden costs:Phone calls

Employee Benefits Consultant

An effective employee benefits program is an important factor in building a loyal work force. The challenge is to create a combination of benefits that meets the needs of the organization and also fits its budget. As an employee benefits consultant, you will help growing businesses survey their employees to learn their needs and wants regarding employer-paid insurance. You will work with business owners to design the best combination of benefits for the dollars available. Businesses that have between twenty and 200 employees comprise the best market.


Most of your contact with clients will take place at their locations, so your office can be functional rather than impressive ($4,000 should get you started). You’ll need to be easy for potential and current clients to reach, and you’ll need to produce professional-looking presentations to client companies. You should plan to earn about $30,000 in the beginning.


Many insurance agents have terrible sales approaches. They seem very eager for their commissions and do not give ongoing service throughout the year. As annual review time rolls around, these agents show up again with a plan to change to new providers for a few dollars less. But implementation and employee education are lacking. You will be able to set yourself apart if your focus is on customer service, not your own profit (at least outwardly). Experience in assisting with claims and with con?icts that arise are also important selling points for your enterprise.


Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $8,000


Approx. potential earnings:$30,000 to $70,000


Typical fees: $25 and up per hour


Where to promote: Direct mail, networking, memberships in business and community organizations, Web site with links to related resources


Qualifications: Extensive experience in insurance sales, ability to reach business owners, detail orientation, communications skills


Things needed:Office furniture, computer, fax, printer, cell phone, business card, letterhead, envelopes


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Preparation of presentation materials, online fees, errors and omissions insurance

Personal Development Coach

Right now, there are thousands of people who work too hard and don’t have the balance they need in life to help them set and achieve their goals. As a personal development coach, you can help them attain new heights as healthy, well adjusted, and more fulfilled human beings. You likely have a background in counseling, education, human resources, or even theology. As a coach, you will off er your clients personalized goal-setting in addition to daily, weekly, or monthly motivation. If you are a licensed counselor, you can also offer psychological or emotional counseling. You will start with a detailed questionnaire to help your clients recognize what’s lacking in their lives, and then you will co-develop an actualization plan that seeks to significantly improve their lives. To do this most effectively, you should first go through such training yourself. Th e International Coach Federation (www.coachfederation.org) offers training and professional development and can help you to find a good coach to teach you all you need to know about being a good coach!


Training and certifi cation will be your biggest start-up costs, ranging anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. Certification, although pricey and not yet mandatory, is highly recommended since it will give you instant credibility. Use a search engine with the keywords “coaching certification” or visit CoachU.com to learn more about the process involved in becoming a good personal development coach. Of course, if you’ve spent a lifetime working as a productivity, financial, or image consultant and feel you have the know-how and reputation, you can forego the certification and hang your shingle out for immediate business. Just keep in mind that the International Coach Federation is pushing for a credentials program with formal training and certification. You may still need to do it at some point in your career.


The best way to break into this field is to first find your own coach, a good one who can serve as a teacher and mentor. Keep in touch with your coach as you develop your new business. Even psychologists visit other psychologists after they establish their practices, and it can always help you to stay on top of your game.


As a personal development coach, you may find that you have a tendency to be a sponge that absorbs your clients’ issues and clouds your own. Having someone else to talk to will help you keep your head on straight, which will only allow you to offer better advice and guidance to your clients. Take care of yourself as you help others learn to take care of themselves.

Approx. cost of start-up: $1,500 to $5,000


Approx. potential earnings: $50,000 to $150,000


Typical fees: $150 to $350 per client per month typically, 1–3 phone calls per month are included, with unlimited client access to you via e-mail


Where to promote: Community and local business publications


Qualifications: Certification depends on interest area


Things needed: Depends on area of focus, but in general, a computer would be handy for research and to develop resource lists for your clients


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Ongoing professional development courses, liability insurance, Web site maintenance and updating, networking

Modeling Agency

Do you think you can spot the next Gisele or Tyra Banks? Do you have an eye for that “special something” in child, female or male models? You might be able to launch a successful modeling agency. Since there are many so-called modeling agencies out there that try to lure wannabe models into huge fees and even illicit activity, you will want to work hard to set yours apart as professional and legitimate. Having a home office in a nice, safe location will go a long way toward accomplishing just that, but so will a high-quality, detailed Web site that showcases your agency and its personal, professional service. Such “down-home” touches will quell the fears of many worried parents—and win over skeptical clients. You will spend some of your time soliciting new models to join your agency, supervising photo shoots, and helping your models to build their portfolios. But you will also spend some time schmoozing with the best advertising agencies in town in order to secure auditions and well-paying gigs for your models. So plan to be in and out of your home office a lot.


You will likely want to partner with a good photographer to help your models build strong portfolios, and this may cost you a retainer fee (some of which you can charge back to the models as part of their sign-up fee with your agency). Since yours is a people-oriented business, comfortable chairs in your office are also a must. Don’t forget a computer with digital camera and photo-editing software; you may also want to design and/or update your own Web site. All said, you could spend anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 on starting your modeling agency.


In addition to networking with ad agencies, you might also consider partnering with event planners and promoters who specialize in fashion shows. Be sure that you carry your marketing materials with you everywhere you go. All the world is a runway, as far as you are concerned.

Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $25,000


Approx. potential earnings:$45,000 to $250,000+


Typical fees: 10–15 percent commission on modeling jobs; $150– $1,500 to train models (depending on your market and your experience/reputation)


Where to promote: Local newspapers, Web site, schools, bulletin boards, direct mail, participation in local events


Qualifications: Experience in training models for runway and portfolios, connections in the world of media and advertising


Things needed: Professional-looking home office, video equipment, music equipment, photography and portfolio books, business cards, Web site with extremely high-quality photos


Required staff: Yes, a receptionist/scheduler and perhaps more trainers (who can work on a commission basis)


Hidden costs: Liability insurance, equipment upgrades, TV/radio ads, business travel

Child-Care Referral Service

This is a perfect job for those who like to work alone and as a valued resource person. As a child-care referral agent, you will develop a database of names and phone numbers of reputable child-care professionals in your area at a cost of about $150 per member. Be sure that the database does its own background checks on the child-care professionals, or you will need to do background checks for each prospective hire. You would most likely get your start by placing a classifi ed ad in your local newspaper, then talking with parents/prospective clients to discuss their needs. For instance, some single parents or career couples are in need of a caregiver to watch their kids all week long, while others just need part-time care for their children. Some will want to interview each potential caregiver on your list, while others will want you to do the legwork.


First of all, you’ll need the ability to multitask and pay attention to details. But with a minimal start-up cost of $500 for your advertising and Internet expenses, you could begin to pull in a profit with this business almost immediately. You will need to build a vast network of reputable child-care professionals, which you can easily accomplish by posting ?yers in public places (such as Laundromats and grocery stores) and combing the ads in your local newspaper to find babysitters who are offering their services. If you have a little bit of extra money to play with at the beginning, you should also invest in professional-looking stationery and business cards to convey the best possible image to your babysitters as well as to parents. You might need to charge each prospective caregiver an annual membership fee of $150 and use some of those funds to conduct online background checks.


What’s not to like about setting your own hours and having essentially complete control over a low-overhead business? While this business might not work well if you live in rural area, it could really provide some decent cash if you live in a city or suburbia.

Approx. cost of start-up:$500 to $3,500


Approx. potential earnings:$20,000 to $65,000


Typical fees: Free browsing through your Web site; membership fee of $150 per year for parents to use your search services and interview and/or book childcare providers through your Web site


Where to promote: Classified ads, display ads in local newspapers or regional parenting magazines


Qualifications: You may need to be bonded or licensed in your state


Things needed: Pager or cell phone, computer with database program, high-speed Internet access


Required staff:No


Hidden costs:None

Personal Assistant

You are supremely organized. You can tell people where, when, and how to fi nd virtually anything in your city, and people often look to you as their personal errand service. So why not make a business out of it, offering such services to others in your community? You won’t need much to get started, except for a strong desire to help others solve their problems and get things done. How many times have you heard from people that they could get so much more done if they just had the time to do it? You can be quite a valuable person in the lives of many a harried professional, handling everything from picking up laundry and dry cleaning to grocery shopping or assisting with vacation plans. Your work will be different each day, as well as for each client, so the challenges are many and interesting. On the downside, you may need to put in a lot of hours to make a good living, at least in the beginning. Once you become more established and start getting more referrals than you can handle, it’s time for the personal assistant to hire a personal assistant.


You will need a decent computer with Internet access so that you can use a good search engine to find all the resources you’ll need quickly and efficiently. More than that, you’ll need a cell phone with hands-free accessories (if mandated by your state) to be in constant communication with your clients. They will almost always want you to do that“one more thing” before the day is done.A PDA would be most handy in keeping your files handy while on the road.


Stay organized by investing in a good goal-setting or time-management software package. You will always be juggling so many different tasks, and you will wear many hats for your diverse client list. Don’t forget to pencil in some time off to de-stress and re-energize, as you are your own best product and service.

Approx. cost of start-up:$100 to $1,000


Approx. potential earnings:$25,000 to $55,000


Typical fees: $10 to $45 per hour or a flat rate if the service is on a regular basis (such as weekly trips to the dry cleaners or grocery store)


Where to promote: Local/community newspapers, bulletin boards (especially at grocery stores), community coupon books, referrals


Qualifications: None (but will need a chauffeur’s license if carting people around)


Things needed: Dependable transportation, computer, cell phone with hands-free accessories (if mandated by your state) and/or pager, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or some such tool to keep you organized


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Fluctuating fuel costs, liability insurance

Monogramming Service

Baseball caps, sweatshirts, and jackets with company logos on them . . . you’ve seen them everywhere. You have a knack for knits and for transferring a company’s identity to the appropriate material. Or maybe you simply want to monogram initials onto towels, blankets, and other home accessories for the marriage-minded. Whatever your specialty area, you’ll need some equipment and marketing savvy to get your business off the ground. Silk screening is a good place to start; check your local art supply shops for information and creative options. For the more advanced monogrammer, research thermal transfer devices or computer-aided sewing machines in business and trade publications before making an expensive purchase.


This business can be started on a modest budget. However, depending on the equipment you invest in, you could spend as much as $15,000 or more to get started. You will most likely need to insure any equipment purchased, plus any supplies. Expect to earn back your initial outlay in about two to three years, based on an income potential of $20,000 to $50,000 per year.


Advertising and marketing skills will play an important role in making this business a successful venture. Monogramming is much more than just initialing towels, and you’ll need to convey that in every piece of literature you send out, particularly on your business cards.

Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $15,000


Approx. potential earnings:$20,000 to $50,000


Typical fees: $3.50 to $100 each piece (depending upon items chosen and number of units/volume discounts)


Where to promote: Yellow Pages, local school districts, direct mail to companies


Qualifications: Some sewing skills or ability to operate monogramming equipment


Things needed: Monogramming equipment, business cards


Required staff: No


Hidden costs:Insurance

First Aid/CPR Instructor

Many of us have been given CPR training at schools, churches, or swim clubs, and if you’ve always been interested in teaching people to save lives, this could be your calling. It is not particularly profitable since volunteers from many associations offer similar courses, but it could provide you with some extra cash. Set yourself apart by adding on a related service, such as a speakers bureau that offers tips on CPR on people with illnesses, disabilities, and so on.


It really doesn’t cost much to instruct others on the benefits of life-saving techniques; your biggest up-front cost will be for the practice dummy and related resource materials such as models and diagrams. You’ll find out from your instructor what educational materials you really need and what you don’t. One innovative place you could offer your services is at restaurants. Th eir staff s always have diagrams of what to do in an emergency, but do they really read them and have they actually practiced on anyone? Not likely. Offer them a group discount!


The challenge of setting yourself apart from competing services offered free of charge can seem overwhelming at first, but get creative. You can make a small, yet profitable, business for yourself. Be positive and look for the big guys who can help provide a steady ?ow of business, such as health clubs, restaurant associations, and human resource managers at large corporations.

Approx. cost of start-up: $300 to $500


Approx. potential earnings:$15,000 to $20,000


Typical fees: $10 to $20 per participant


Where to promote: YMCA, hospitals, churches, associations, schools, swim clubs


Qualifications: American Red Cross or American Heart Association certifi cation required


Things needed: “Annie-are-you-okay” dummy for practice


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Educational materials could cost you more than expected; you’ll find out what you really need and what you don’t from your training instructor

Artists’or Photographers’ Agent

Behind every successful artist or photographer is an agent who carts around resumes and slides from market to market, seeking the best opportunity to sell works of art to everyone from gallery owners to art catalog publishers and distributors. As an agent, you can also sell your clients’ work by using a well-designed, easily accessible Web site that you promote through e-messaging, blogging, and by hooking your clients into cash cows like GettyImages.com. The key is to juggle several artists and/or photographers at once and market them as widely as possible. To grow your stable of clients to represent, advertise in the publications that artistic types generally read. Invite them to send a detailed resume and plenty of slides. When you decide to represent someone, provide a contract that clearly spells out what services your client can expect from you and what commission per sale you expect from your client.


You’ll need to promote your services in each of the respective professional trade publications, and that will likely cost you in the neighborhood of $3,000 to $5,000 (some directories, however, allow you a free listing). Next, you’ll need to have a set of dynamic, yet professional-looking promotional materials of your own (including an impressive Web site) and a basic office set-up to keep it all running smoothly. With a commission of 20 percent on each sale you make, you should be able to earn an annual paycheck between $25,000 to $50,000, depending on where you live and how many successful artists you represent.


The art world is extremely tight-knit. Cliques abound, and if your name isn’t known as one of the “chosen few,” you may not succeed as much as you’d like.Work the art show openings and other functions and attend trade shows and the like if you really want to get your name out there fast. Above all else, be knowledgeable about art. If you’re not, it will definitely show. There are far more talented artists than there are folks to represent them, so the potential to develop your client base quickly is quite high. Be choosy about whom you represent and offer a wide range of artwork for sale to increase your chances of success.


Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $15,000


Approx. potential earnings:$25,000 to $50,000


Typical fees: 20 percent commission on each sale


Where to promote: Trade publications for artists and photographers, a listing in the annual Photographer’s Marketand Guide to Literary Agents/Art Photo Reps(Writer’s Digest Books), direct mail to related associations, a Web site with an online portfolio of your clients’ work


Qualifications: Ideally, an artistic and/or sales background


Things needed: Computer with Internet access, printer, fax, copier, phone


Required staff:No


Hidden costs: Insurance, bad risks (representing artists because you care about them rather than because they are marketable)

Cake Decorator

People love home-baked goodies. All it takes to satisfy that need is an oven, some recipes, and a way to let people know that you’re in business. Birthday cakes for children are especially popular; a home baker can customize and personalize them in countless ways to please the customer. Creating and selling wedding cakes can be very lucrative but require more time and equipment than cakes for other occasions. Nowadays people want to choose from more than chocolate, vanilla, or yellow cakes—the sky’s the limit!


The start-up cost for a cake-baking business is minimal. Some great recipes, baking pans, decorating supplies, utensils, and an oven are all that you need. You’ll also need to be aware of food preparation codes, and you may need to pay for inspection and permits. If you can’t easily learn to decorate cakes from a book or by trial-and-error, you may want to invest in an inexpensive cake decorating course. If you plan to deliver the cakes, you will need an appropriate vehicle.


The potential market is huge, especially since most working women and men don’t have time to bake, but still want homemade cakes. There are so many special occasions to celebrate, and most of them feature great cakes: graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, retirement parties, baby and wedding showers, weddings . . . the list is endless! A cake that can be made for as little as 60 cents can sell for as much as $9—a nice profit for your efforts! On the downside, it may take some practice to make beautiful cakes.


Approx. cost of start-up:$100 to $200Approx. potential earnings:$5,000 to $25,000


Typical fees: $10 to $1,000 per cake


Where to promote: Newspaper ads, neighborhood bulletins, brochures


Qualifications: Cake baking and decorating knowledge; knowledge of health regulations; possible food preparation permits; patience and good marketing skills


Things needed: Baking pans and utensils, decorating supplies, ingredients, oven


Required staff: None


Hidden costs: Possibly a second oven or other facilities as business grows; need vehicle if you deliver

Home Health Care Service

As the Baby Boomers grow older and more of us are living in two-income families, the need for high-quality home health care services for the elderly will continue to rise. Some of this care can be provided on a sporadic, as-needed basis for the


relatively able-bodied folks who just need a little assistance from time to time. But more often, you’ll be working as many as four or five days per week with clients who need someone to be with them 24/7—feeding, bathing, dressing, and providing companionship for them as they move through the final phase of their lives. The most profitable way to run a home health care business is to manage other home health aids and take a cut of their pay rather than going out on calls yourself. This route will afford you the most ?exibility too. When you employ others, you can make money while you sleep. However the downside is you’ll need to pay for their background checks and perhaps to get them bonded. Regardless of whether or not you personally provide care services, your clients will receive the best care from individuals like you who approach their jobs with compassion, understanding, kindness, and the ability to mix friendship with business seamlessly. Not everyone is capable of providing this specialized service effectively and reputably.


As a home health care aide, the most important ingredient in your business is compassion for others. However, the second most critical element is dependable transportation, because when your clients need you, they really need you. Keep your vehicle in good working order at all times, and keep your cell phone with hands-free accessories (if mandated by your state) handy and well charged too. You’re going to be using it a lot.


You could decide to join a franchise business in the home health care fi eld. Since it is such a competitive industry, you may fi nd that the name recognition as well as start-up support (which can include state licensing assistance) could really be worth the initial investment.


Approx. cost of start-up: $1,500 to $5,000 ($25,000 to $50,000 plus royalties of 3–5 percent if buying into a franchise)


Approx. potential earnings: $45,000 to $150,000+


Typical fees: $15 to $35 per hour or $175 per day


Where to promote: Local and community newspapers, direct mail to Baby Boomers in your community, bulletin boards, Web site


Qualifications: Some states require licensing and certification; also, you may need to be bonded, or cleared by a bonding company that checks out your background


Things needed: Computer, cell phone with hands-free accessories (if mandated by your state), dependable transportation


Required staff: Not initially, but will need additional home health aides once business becomes known in the community


Hidden costs: Liability insurance, franchise fees if buying a franchise, state licensing, chauffeur’s license (in some states)

Business Broker

Business brokers match clients who are interested in selling their businesses with others who want to buy. Many such businesses are home-based. Th is field is growing. Many people think it’s less risky to buy an existing business than to start a new one. Nearly all brokers represent the client who is selling a business, but a few choose to represent the buyer. Specializing in a particular size or type of business, or in a particular geographic area, brings success to many home-based brokers. Excellent communication skills are vital, particularly the ability to express empathy and to listen carefully. Strong sales skills, coupled with the essential legal knowledge and business background, will help you establish what could be a most lucrative business.


A computer, printer, and software (some specialized) will cost an average of $3,500. Add to this at least $700 for office furniture, phone, letterhead, and supplies. Your earnings will hinge on whether you’re able to strike a deal; if so, take a 10 to 12 percent cut on the selling price.


Network, network, network! Talk to people who own businesses, figure out what associations they belong to, and join them. Get referrals from lawyers, accountants, and bankers. Take some adult education courses, if necessary, to help you learn more about the unfamiliar aspects of your new business. Getting businesses to sell is hard work, but remember that it helps to specialize. It’s fun to act as matchmaker and satisfying to help your clients succeed. Your expenses and startup costs are low, and the opportunity to make a great living is excellent. Nothing succeeds like success, so once you make a great match, you’ll have a basis on which to build future business.


Approx. cost of start-up: $2,500 to $7,000


Approx. potential earnings: $100,000 (based on one sale a month for 10 months of the year)


Typical fees: Standard 10 to 12 percent of the selling price of the business


Where to promote: Direct mail, telemarketing, networking, ads in Yellow Pages and business publications, banner ads on entrepreneurial Web sites with a link to your own informative Web site


Qualifications: A real estate broker’s license in some states, ability to understand financial reports, solid business background, considerable legal knowledge, good sales and communication skills


Things needed: Cell phone, computer with Internet access, office equipment, business cards


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Travel, phone costs of arranging long, drawn-out deals, liability insurance