Maybe your life circumstances have changed to where a home-based business would work perfectly in your life. Or maybe you’ve decided that you want to work from home — and you’re going to make it work no matter what.
No matter your situation, you’ll need ideas to work at home that actually work. So, here are five home-based business ideas to at least get the creative juices flowing.
Home Business Ideas: Be an Assistant
If you enjoy (and are good at) helping others, you could be a virtual assistant, where you support others in virtually any kind of field — customer service, research, social media responsibilities, website updates, maintenance or even data entry. Your own background and experience will speak to where you’ll find your virtual assistance niche.
Assistant-type jobs also include helping people with their pets, including dog walking or pet sitting — of course, more often than not, that’ll have you working in and out of someone else’s home.
Home Business Ideas: Write From Home
If you can write, there are a number of opportunities for telecommuting work. Writers create all sorts of content — websites, brochures, ads, books and e-books, technical documents, publicity and marketing pieces, magazine articles and newspaper articles — and many are increasingly doing so from the comfort of their own home. Some writers are employed by individual businesses while others work for large content companies that connect writers with different jobs. Others still go the freelance route.
If you really want to build something on your own, you could consider blogging. Some at-home bloggers — think the rise of the so-called “mommy blogger” — have made a name (and a business) for themselves by serving up ads against their increasingly popular blogs.
Home Business Ideas: Tutor, Mentor or Train
If you have specific training, consider sharing that knowledge as a mentor, trainer or consultant. This could include serving as a business mentor or coach or providing technical support locally or remotely. If you have an education background, you could provide subject-specific tutoring or lessons for individuals, or even groups. If you’re a master of exercise, with the right training, you can work as an on-site or virtual personal training.
Home Business Ideas: Be a Graphic Designer or Photographer
If you can create images, you could work as a graphic designer. This work often includes creating brochures, websites, displays, packages, business cards and even advertisements, or elements of these products.
If you care more about capturing an image through a camera, a photography-based home business may suit you well. Some photographers take photos of other people, objects or scenery, and many simply sell their work online.
Home Business Ideas: Open an Online Store
Maybe you’re crafty, or maybe just have a knack for selling things for others. You can easily set up an online store where you can sell such items. You can set up shop via sites such as Etsy or even through eBay (EBAY), or even use online tools to build your own outfit.
When you consider your options for a home-based business, keep in mind that the best idea is one you already know or enjoy. Additionally, you don’t have to take the immediate leap from your current work situation to a home-based one. You can always start your home business part-time, on the side … then when you are comfortable and confident, take the full leap to work from home.
