15 Amazing Home Based Business Ideas

[toc]If you’re seeking home based business ideas, you are not alone. Lots of people today are facing unemployment due to a sluggish economy. Others simply want the freedom and flexibility that comes with working at home.

Regardless of your motivation, there are lots of opportunities worth exploring in this area. Some of the following 15 home based business ideas require some prior skill or experience. You can, of course, acquire any necessary training or education. On the other hand, some of these businesses can be started by just about anyone.

credit photo: Dragan-Sute

1. Virtual Assistant

This is a service for which there is an increasing demand. Businesses from all over the world require help with many different tasks. Virtual assistants may do things like data entry, accounting, SEO, graphic design or customer service.

Some VAs are hired to perform one or two specific jobs, while others may be required to do lots of different tasks. Depending on your experience, you may be qualified to advertise your services as a VA.

2. Translator

This is for people who are fluent in two or more languages. As commerce becomes more global, there is an increasing demand for translators. You can find many gigs for this on freelance job sites such as oDesk, and even on Craigslist.

People hire translators for everything from personal letters and emails to business reports and even full length books. They are also hired to translate phone or in-person conversations.

3. Medical Transcription

Medical jobs are one of the few sectors of the economy that is consistently expanding. Medical transcriptionists are people who can work in this industry at home. You will need some training for this, but once you get it you can be as busy as you want, and paid well.

You can look into degree programs at nearby community colleges or online training in this field.

4. Affiliate Marketing

This is an online business where you sell products on behalf of other companies, you act like a sales representative and you earn a commission, all online. The largest affiliate programs on the web are run by Amazon.com and eBay.com. There are, however, thousands of other companies with affiliate programs as well. You will generally set up your own website on which you advertise these products.

As I wrote on a older post there’s several affiliate marketing programs for beginners (and pros) that will suit your needs and website just perfectly. Be sure to read it if this is an industry you see yourself working on.

When you sign up as an affiliate, you get a percentage of everything you sell for these companies. The advantage is that you can make money without ever having to create a product of your own. You can even use the company’s sales copy. On the other hand, the field is quite competitive and you will have to learn how to promote your affiliate website.

5. Massage or Bodywork

If you are trained in therapeutic massage or in one of the many schools of bodywork or healing (e.g. Reiki, Feldenkrais Method, Rolfing, etc.), you can either work on your own or as an independent contractor with a spa or fitness center.

This can be a rewarding business where you help people feel better. If you are interested in this but don’t have the training, you can find many schools of massage and bodywork all over the world.

6. Web Design

New websites get built every single day, and if you have the skills, you can be one of the people building them. This is a service you can market locally or globally. Some web designers specialize in certain types of sites, such as WordPress while others are more versatile.

If you’re good at web design, you can market your services to all kinds of businesses. You can also bid for gigs on freelance job sites or place ads on Craigslist and other classified sites.

7. Tutor

This is another business that has many possible variations. If you’re good at English, math, science or any other subject, you may be able to tutor it. Tutors are hired by the parents of young children all the way up to college students.

While you don’t need any specific degrees or licenses to be a tutor, it helps if you have a degree or, even better, a graduate degree (especially if you want to tutor at the college level). You can advertise your services locally and online. There are also some internet tutoring services for which you may be able to work.

8. Copywriter

This is one of the better paid home businesses. Professional copywriters, whether employed or freelance, are always in demand. If you can write great copy, you can command nice fees for your work.

Copywriters may be asked to write sales letters, website copy or ads for TV or radio. It helps if you have a marketing background, but many great copywriters are self taught as well.

9. Personal Trainer

This is another growing field, as more and more people are concerned with health and fitness. You can help motivate people and plan their workout routines. Trainers may also give advice on nutrition and supplements.

To be a personal trainer, you only need to be fit, knowledgeable about exercise and enjoy working with people. There are also accredited programs where you can become certified as a personal trainer. You can work independently or through a fitness club.

10. Lawn Maintenance, Gardening and Landscaping

These are some of best home based business ideas for people who love working outdoors. If you have a green thumb, you can arrange lawns and gardens for people.

There is also a demand for simply maintaining lawns. All you need for this is a good mower and a vehicle on which you can transport it. Many people who do this switch over to snow removal in the winter.

11. Home/Office Organizer or Feng Shui Expert

Many people need help in organizing their homes and decluttering. If you have good organizational skills, you can help people rearrange their living or work spaces.

Feng shui is really a more esoteric version of the same thing. Based on ancient Chinese principles, it involves setting up spaces to maximize the flow of energy. There are many principles to learn here, such as which corner of the room is best for various objects and how to gain the benefits of the different elements (i.e. water, earth, wood, metal, fire). Feng Shui also places a lot of emphasis on getting rid of clutter.

12. Online Store

You can sell almost anything online, whether it’s something you made or purchased wholesale. Another option is drop shipping, where the drop shipper stores and ships all of the merchandise.

You can run your own online store using e-commerce tools. Most web hosting companies supply things like online shopping carts to make it easy to set up your store. You can also integrate your online store with retail sites like eBay or Amazon.com.

13. Pet Care

If you’re an animal lover, you can start a business where you help care for other people’s pets. Some of the options include walking dogs, dog or cat grooming and pet sitting while people are away.

As a pet sitter, you may host people’s cats, dogs or other pets in your own home. It can also be a variation on housesitting, where you stay at the person’s house and care for the pets.

14. Caterer

If you’re skilled at cooking and planning meals, you can turn this into a lucrative business. Caterers are always in demand, whether for parties, weddings, or business events.

As a caterer, you can handle small gigs yourself. If you start getting hired for larger events, however, you will have to hire help.

15. Photographer or Videographer

If you’re skilled with a camera, you can hire yourself out as a photographer or videographer. All you need for this is a good camera and the ability to capture great shots.

Aside from the traditional type of events (e.g. weddings, graduations) for which people need photos or videos, you can also market your services to businesses. Many businesses can benefit from promotional photographs or videos.

Home Based Businesses are the Wave of the Future

The above are just a few home based business ideas that you can consider. The fact is, you can turn almost any skill or interest into a business if you’re creative about it.

In some cases, you may have to do some research or get some additional training. This can unusually be done in your spare time. In most cases, you won’t need a formal degree or certificate (though there are exceptions, such as medical transcription).

Keep in mind that it takes time and perseverance to become successful with any type of business. So if you decide to try one of these home based business ideas, don’t expect to strike it rich overnight. Take the time to build up your list of clients, and eventually you will have a thriving business!

Here you have 55 samples that can help you to find your perfect home business idea.

Robert Kiyosaki talks about home based business:

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