72 Home-Based Businesses You Can Start Today
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Small businesses have always been the backbone of the American economy. Despite the attention that tall corporations receive in the media the majority of businesses in America are actually small businesses. In fact, according to statistics provided by the US Census Bureau, 74% of US firms reported receipts of less than $100,000 in 2002 [1]. The US Census Bureau’s Scrutinize of Business Owners (SBO) further identified that half of the 16.7 million business owner’s surveyed were operating home-based businesses in 2002 [2].
Anyone considering launching a home-based business is in good company. These government statistics only mediate businesses that are reporting business activity – not people who conduct a part-time hobby from their home but do not judge it to be a business. Yet half of US businesses in 2002 were being operated in a home. The SBO data also reveals that 33 percent of non-employer Small Business owners started or acquired their business with no capital at all [3]! There are many reasons to start a home-based business. In fact, there are probably about as many reasons as there are small business owners! Starting a small business is hard work, but it is also rewarding work. Working for yourself also provides a measure of security and flexibility not available in any job. How remarkable security and how much flexibility depends on the type of business you operate as well as your motivation and determination to succeed. 
The Substantial Recession, as the 2008 economic recession has come to be called, has resulted in frightening numbers of layoffs for American workers. There are many areas of impact with this level of recession, including significant losses in retirement and investment funds, distrust of corporate decision-makers and executives, and a loss of confidence that any job is really safe from sudden downsizing or layoff. For many people, being self-employed or operating their own home-based business has always been a dream. Leaving the corporate world gradual, eliminating long commutes to work, spending more time at home with family, and a desire for a simpler lifestyle have all been listed as reasons why people decide to trade the “security” of a corporate job for a home-based business. Individuals with disabilities are also frequently attracted to self-employment or small, home-based businesses. “Information from the 1990 national census shows that people with disabilities have a higher rate of self-employment and small business experience than people without disabilities (12.2 percent of people with disabilities versus 7.8 percent of people without disabilities)” [4]. This is not surprising for several reasons, whether ease of accommodation or greater scheduling control than would be available with a conventional job. There are many reasons to launch a home-based business. In fact, there are probably about as many reasons for starting a small business as there are tiny business owners! Starting a small business is hard work, but it is also rewarding work. Working for yourself also provides a measure of security and flexibility not available in any job. How much security and how much flexibility depends on the type of business you operate as well as your motivation and determination to succeed. Starting and operating a little business is an exciting adventure filled with variety and surprises. You will not be alone on this spellbinding chase though. Petite businesses have always been an important part of the American economy and continue to be so today. I have compiled a list of 72 business ideas that are well favorable to operating as shrimp, home-based businesses. Several of these ideas are businesses that I have actually participated in myself. Other ideas are businesses that I have known others to participate in starting and running. Not every idea will appeal equally to everyone; however, there should be at least a few ideas that are spirited to everyone. Most of these ideas can be started on a right shoestring budget using tools or equipment that you probably already own or can readily access. A few are seasonal, may require a larger investment to run well, or may require some degree of experience or training thus limiting who may be able to start that particular business. Overall this list should be a useful too to anyone considering starting a home-based business but unsure of which direction to explore. 72 Home-Based Business Ideas
I hope you have found this list useful and thought-provoking. I plan to add more articles in this series highlighting each business suggestion. Please consider subscribing to my RSS feed or becoming a fan so you will know when a new article is published. I also welcome feedback on which business ideas you are most interested in seeing highlighted in future articles. I would also love feedback on more ideas that I may not have thought of already! SOURCES |
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