Entrepreneurship

Usually the first thing that comes to your mind when planning to start a business is, if your business idea is good enough. This stage of planning often involves some amount of uncertainty, because one is not sure if his proposed idea is worth making a success. Dont let this scare you away, moreover you don't need to invent something new in order to succeed as an entrepreneur. It is entirely okay if you can present your product or service in a different way than that of your competitor's. There are several branches from which you can draw up your ideas. Here are a few:

Business ideas

• Work from Home: This business method is usually preferred by parents who want to spend more time with their children. Pensioners who need extra allowance or people with disabilities. Also couples who due to their professions might have to change their residence often. Note that working from home demands a lot of time and concentration, it takes self discipline, motivation and ambition to succeed.
• Paid online surveys: can be operated as part time job or full time jobs from home. You will have to sign up with online survey companies to be able to take part in such surveys. The surveys might be inform of online questionnaires, testing specific products or services. Taking part in such surveys are usually very flexible because you can do them at your own convenient time. Moreover in order to make more money, you will have to participate in more surveys. Below are list of some companies that offers paid surveys:

• GlobalTestMarket
• Ipsos
• Nielsen
• My survey
• Opinion Outpost
• American Consumer Opinion
• E-Poll rewards
• Legerweb
• Mindfield
• Opinionsquare

Please search for more companies on the net.

Before starting, try to research the market to find out the need for your practice. Get all relevant information about your competitors and the needs of your potential customers. Find a location for your business e.g from home, on net, an office etc. and inform yourself about the zoning laws. Write a business plan, which should include your finances, regulatory steps, possible risk factors. Create a legal entity for your business, if you want to form a partnership or operate as a sole proprietor. Apply for a business license and for a permit to operate as a health agency, also check your country or city websites for more information. Very important also is to insure your business

Healthcare areas you might want to setup: provide gymnastic and aerobic trainings, home care services for old and disabled people. Offer courses or seminars on first aid, nutrition and diets. Sales of medical equipments. Open a maternity home, pharmacy, home for disabled people, old peoples home etc.

• Virtual marketing: This type of business depends on your skills and your ability to complete a project within a scheduled time. There are a lot of companies looking for virtual assistance to work for them since they cannot afford permanent employee. Jobs like data entry, administrative assistance etc
• Sales of products and Services: It is becoming obvious, that offline marketing can only be operated in limited geographical regions. To make more profit or let your products and services known nationally or internationally you need to present them online. If you are very creative and can produce unique goods e.g.an artist, you can present your craft works on the net. You can also offer services like online researcher, translator, web designer, internet trainer etc.
• Advertising: Help companies to know the right advertisement for their products or services by advising them. Help companies advertise their sites online by creating an online advertising agency or consultancy. You can also help others plan their campaigns.
• Arts and Craft: Sell your own creative works or make products according to customers needs.
• Automobile and Transportation: Offer courses like car maintenance and repairs. Provide services like face-lifting workshops, towing, car wash second-hand Automobiles sales or rentals.
• Beauty an cosmetics: Cosmetics, body care products, perfume and Hair extension retail business. Spa, sauna, massaging studios. Hair-, Makeup- and Manicure/pedicure saloons.
• Business Services: Call centers, copy shop, Internet cafes and administrative services. Business plan consultant, carrier coach, Headhunter services, Job application coach, marketing consultant, logo designer, temporary employment agency, home office planner and a cleaning agency.
• Childcare: To become a babysitter you need years of experience, working as a nanny or in a related childcare environment. You will also need to weight your strengths and weaknesses to find out if you are qualified to become a nanny. Some parents still employ people without nanny experience, if you have significant child care experience as a nurse, teacher, babysitter or possess a degree in related field. it also involves lots of paper work.
  Also producing and selling children books, toys, party articles or songs. Offering security courses, private lessons, riding courses etc for kids.
• Computer and electronic business: You can support companies with repair and maintenance services, if you have some knowledge of hardware you can provide services like hardware supplies, installation upgrade, equipment cleaning services and computer trainings.
• Education: Driving, sailing, or dancing school. Sewing, first aid, stress management, hand craft, decoration, table manners and language courses. Online tutor, security trainings etc.
• Entertainment und Events: Events Agency or planner, spectacle, DJ, and theater producer. Music courses, organiser, Wedding and party services. Photographer, video game shop etc.
• Healthcare: The health care field is one of fastest growing areas worldwide, this is because our population are aging and we are desperately seeking for a long and healthy life. The majority will pay anything to achieve a healthy life. Despite the present economic hazards, this branch seems not to be struggling, therefore starting up a business in this branch could be a good idea. However be aware that health care is highly regulated, there are some steps you will need to take to ensure you are properly complying with license, permit and other regulatory requirements.
• Media and publishing: create catalogs, city maps, campus newspapers, greeting cards, Business descriptions, copywriter etc.
• Nutrition: Bakery, manufacturing mineral water, restaurants, catering services, cafe, online cooking recipes, Sales of fish and other sea foods, snack bar, fast food, Barbecue shop, sport bar, wedding cakes shops and wine retails.
• Online-Business: Web designer, online researcher, Sales
• Sport: Boxing center, Golf trainer, Fitness center, snow board course, Sport camps, Surf trainings etc.
• Travel and tourism: Provide adventure trips and services for tourist, help them to get to destinations without difficulty, help them look for accommodation at an affordable price. Offer them services like Bus, Limousine, Bicycle tours or car rentals, pickup services. Adventures like surfing, caving, mountain biking make them never forget their visits. Also selling items that are unique to the visited areas remain in their memories.

There is certainly every thing you can think of as a business. But you may also ask yourself why are there about 3-5 pharmacies on my street. Should young engineers not get employed because there are already thousand of such on the market? The competitive rate is very high that is why you should present your products and services better, elegant and accurate

Some people decide to start up in a branch where they are presently working because they already have a deep knowledge about the field. It is still important to get a detailed knowledge about the prerequisites of entrepreneurship. Proof to see if you have adequate knowledge or if you need some top ups.

If you already have an idea, then use the internet to do more research on the market, analyse the tools the competitors are using, create a business plan. Ask your self if your potential customers will be interested in your idea. If yes, how high is the demand? which competitors are already on the market and in what ways and manners do they present they goods and services.

Think of what you can do better than your competitors. Have there been changes in the branch in the last few years? How will this branch look like in the feature. It will be reasonable to get hold of such concrete information. Below a list of sources where you can get such information free:

• Your local authority office
• Internet
• Financial institutes
• Statistical Services
• Branch associations

How do I get the best location for my business: No matter the kind of product you intend to sell, the location as well as the specialty of the product is very important. How high is the traffic flow in this location? Are there any special attractions, business, schools or higher education which attracts visitors to this area? Find out if the location is close to a pedestrian zone, it is sometimes even better to setup your business near your competitor's in order to benefit from his efforts. Check if the building is big enough and if its appropriate for your business. These are some of the few questions you should ask yourself before you start.

Where do I get the products: great, you now know what you actually want to sell. Your only worry is now, where to get the products at cheap prices in order to make profits. Here are some suggestions: you may contact companies and wholesalers directly, asking them if you could resell their products in your town, most companies will be interested in making business with you and will want to be sure you are granted a loan, they sometimes even need references. Check your local telephone books or alternatively the board of trades register for more information about companies. You may also visit events like trade fairs in order to establish some direct contacts to companies or search the internet. There are lots of suppliers, compare offers and prices. Read reports written by the present customers of the supplier to get more information about the quality of his products and how reliable he is. You can also get contacts in social networks.