95 Best Home Businesses of the 90’s reviewed for the Noughties – [91-95]
Posted on 26. Jan, 2007 by Stuart in Home Based Businesses
Even though the Edwards book has as it’s tagline “Profiles of 95 Top Businesses” there are only 92 that have been mentioned. Small sticking point, I know! So, I shall finish this series with their last two and add three that I think that will be winners of this recent decade and beyond.
91. Directory Publisher
A Directory Publisher is someone who organises data so that users will be able to source useful information with the least amount of effort.
Relevancy in the Noughties
Directories are important sources of information retrieval. However, publishing a directory can only be profitable if it is useful to the target audience intended to source it. There are many opportunities opening up for directory publishers (especially online) and these will continue to grow but need to be considered well.
Having said that, here’s an example of an garden blog directory that I started yesterday. It’s extremely useful for garden bloggers more than any other blogger because gardener’s are limited by their environments. And, in the ever increasing blogosphere finding one that discusses subjects that may be pertinent to your gardening climate is almost impossible.
This is the beauty of directory publishing: Finding a niche and then matching that niche to your users requirements.
Expected Lifespan:Indefinitely.
92. Manual Developer
A manual developer writes user-specific information for software publishers. These manuals can be accessed, either online or via some other multimedia medium or even in written form.
Relevancy in the Noughties
This is a growing home based business opportunity as many software developers need to get their products into the market as quickly as possible. Most of these publishers are unable to put their software into “normal” forms of communication, so finding people that can is a great option.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely
93. Virtual Office Assistant
A Virtual Office Assistant is just a glorified way of saying a ‘Secretary’. Although, this secretary isn’t just employed by one firm but contracts themselves out to many and works mainly online in their own homes.
Relevancy in the Noughties
This is a personal favourite business idea of mine as it allows many secretaries to become their own bosses plus they can enjoy some lifestyle without always heading for the city. This home business idea will continue to gain momentum.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely.
94. Babysitting Services
A babysitting service coordinates babysitters who are well scrutinized to mind children. Parents are able to arrange for a babysitter with minimal fuss and in the knowledge that their children are taken care of.
Relevancy in the Noughties
A demanding business service this is only good if you are a great organiser. Submitting to government regulations, demanding parents and casual workers can be extremely difficult. However, this is a growing industry and should continue for a long term.
Check out one babysitting service that’s already doing well.
Expected Lifespan: Indefintely.
95. Personal Life Coach
I’ve mentioned business mentors and the like before but a personal life coach looks at the individual’s whole life, not just their career.The personal life coach will keep their client focussed on areas such as career, family, recreation, diet, time management, spirituality and personal development.
Relevancy in the Noughties
These coaches are becoming more in demand as people strive to keep their lives in balance. A personal life coach may support many clients and can either work of their own home or visit them at work, at their home or in other neutral locations. This home business will continue to surge forward well throughout the noughties.
Expected Lifespan: Indefintely.
That concludes this series. I hope you found it helpful and also gave you a few ideas for home business ideas that may continue past your working lifetime.
95 Best Home Businesses of the 90’s reviewed for the Noughties – [1-10]
Posted on 06. Jan, 2007 by Stuart in Home Based Businesses
1. Abstracting Service
The main task of this home based business is to read articles from journals and other periodicals and condense them into a brief synopsis for computer storage and data retrieval. An abstracter will produce lists of relevant keywords that make it easy to find information.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Here is a classic example of technology superseding a profession. RSS (Rich Site Summary) feeds are now allowing every online magazine, blog and journal to be indexed automatically. As more and more publishers move their magazines and newspapers online this service will become redundant.
Expected Lifespan: 5 years max.
2. Advertising Agency
This home based business allows people with skills in both marketing and computer design to offer a service to companies both big and small. Not dissimilar from the major industry players, a home business in advertising can search out and compete comfortably in well-fitting niches.
Relevancy in the Naughties
An industry that was once controlled by major players is now breaking down into smaller competitive niches. This allows smaller players such as home business operators to respond quickly to change whereas a big company would struggle. As online advertising gains momentum (it’s only a baby industry at the moment) more and more opportunities will exist for this type of home business.
Expected Lifespan: Easily >10 years.
3. Association Management Service
An association management service offers small volunteer organisations administerial skills. When these small organisations grow beyond the willingness of volunteers to actively participate, or they just become too complex, this service can aid them to keep a handle on their regulatory obligations. This home based business may offer clerical help, updating membership lists, preparing meeting agendas and reporting to regulatory bodies.
Relevancy in the Naughties
As legislation continues to grow on the upkeep and transparency of any organisation, this home business will grow with it. Volunteers are less willing to actively participate in these areas because they can’t keep up with the ongoing changes and aren’t prepared to carry the possibility of being sued for negligence. Therefore, this business opportunity can only increase.
Expected Lifespan: Easily >10 years.
4. Bed & Breakfast Inn
Many small businesses are now popping up offering tourists an alternative to larger motel and hotel chains. Bed & Breakfast Inns allow a couple the opportunity to offer their home as an accommodation option. It requires the couple to host, serve and maintain the facilities to a level where guests feel they are treated well.
Relevancy in the Naughties
This is not a new industry and shall probably continue indefinitely. However, if the market share continues to grow larger hotel chains will find ways to enter it and will have larger advertising budgets to compete well. This may become harder to make successful.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely but becoming less attractive.
5. Bill Auditing Service
Many businesses pay huge amounts in utility payments and are often overcharged without knowledge of such. They realise that they may be paying more than they should but often don’t have the time to audit these bills.
Relevancy in the Naughties
This is a growing industry as these types of home businesses are also offering competition analysis on bills. Many operators will take a business’ bill and try and find other providers who offer more competitive prices for the same service. This opportunity should continue for some time but it won’t be long before providers offer their own competitive analysis to businesses.
Expected Lifespan: Maybe 5-10 years.
6. Bookkeeping Service
This is a home based business that has been going for some time and is likely to continue indefinitely. It offers small business a way to have their financial records updated without having to employ additional staff.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Bookkeeping will always be with us and as labour charges continue to escalate and the keeping of financial records becomes more complex more businesses will opt for this service. For people with bookkeeping skills it’s a great home business and can be operated around your own lifestyle.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely.
7. Business Broker
Like a real-estate agent for businesses a Business Broker facilitates the sale of a business to someone wanting to buy one. According to Edward’s book 20% of businesses change hands each year in the US (and I wouldn’t think that this number is much different in other western countries) so the need for business brokers is massive. It’s a viable home business opportunity as many of the transactions are done without the need for rented office space anyway.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Businesses will always be for sale and brokers will be needed to sell them. Regardless of regulations the method of transaction will remain predominantly the same and therefore it will always be viable as a home based business.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely.
8. Business Network Organiser
A Business Network Organiser aids small businesses in networking with other relevant businesses so that they can exchange ideas and market their services. While Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs etc offer similar opportunities this home based business service can organise more specialised networks.
Relevancy in the Naughties
I can’t see this type of business lasting for too long as more businesses become connected through the internet. Places like myspace, Yahoo and Google Groups enable like-minded people to interact and find each other quite easily. As the previous mentioned services are all free and readily available most businesses won’t be prepared to pay for a Business Network Organiser.
Expected Lifespan: <2-5 Years.
9. Business Plan Writer
A Business Plan Writer performs the service of writing business plans for smaller companies. The service involves meeting with the business to discuss their dreams and aspirations and then combine that into a workable plan with goals that can be accurately measured.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Businesses will always require this service and even though there are many software programs available to help managers achieve the same result discussing these plans face-to-face with a consultant will always be a common desire.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely
10. Caterer
This home based business allows entrepreneurial chefs and unqualified cooks to go out on their own and compete with in the catering market. Many businesses have catered functions outside of a restaurant or convention centre and require a catering service to accommodate their needs.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Catering as a home based business is becoming harder and harder to achieve. Regulatory bodies now require stricter food-handling conditions and to set yourself up in this type of home based business can be quite expensive. It is still a very possible option but of the other nine home businesses reviewed today, catering would be the most expensive to get into.
Expected Lifespan: Indefinitely but hard.
Tomorrow we will review the next ten from [11-20].
If you want more specific knowledge of setup costs, educational prerequisites and experience required then try reading the book – The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century
95 Best Home Businesses of the 90’s reviewed for the Noughties
Posted on 05. Jan, 2007 by Stuart in Home Based Businesses
If you were a farrier, blacksmith or coach builder at the turn of the 20th century knocking back work contracts would be a daily pastime. 100 years later you would be lucky to find one and certainly there are few training institutes educating the next generation in preparation for a skills shortage in one of these professions.
Paul and Sarah Edwards, authors of the bestseller “The Best Home Businesses for the 90’s” profiled 95 top home businesses. Their subsequent book The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century
Will each home business stand the test of time or will they be replaced or superseded as our previous examples have been?
Each day we’ll take a look at 10 in the list with the last day finishing off with the final 5 (for those who were struggling with how 10 went into 95!). I’ll review whether their perceived longevity is growing or reducing and whether the profit levels are as as good.
Stay tuned as we start the series tomorrow.
Photo source: skarpetka86
