Don’t let the current economic situation prevent you from launching a business. Recently, I attended a student entrepreneurship social where a presenter indicated that 50% of the Fortune 500 businesses were launched during a recession.
So if now is the time to start a business, you may be wondering just which business to start. In Marika and Howard Stone’s book Too Young to Retire: 101 Ways to Start the Rest of Your Life, they do just that – provide a list of 101 ideas for your next career: self-employment. Here are five of their suggestions that caught my eye:
- Cruise ship lecturer. So much downtime between ports. So many opportunities to blow your diet. No wonder professors and other experts with presentation skills are in demand on the cruise-line circuit.
- Personal coach. Coaches help motivate people to set goals and make moves in their lives they might not consider without support. Six-figure incomes for coaches are not impossible.
- Drive/deliver cars for an auto-rental agency. If you enjoy driving, have a current driver’s license, and a clean safety record, this is a good way to see the country all expenses paid.
- Second-home, property-management business. Off-season, the condos are shuttered, unoccupied. A property manager pops in for 10 – 15 minutes a week to check for leaks, makes sure the AC or heat is working, and nips potential problems in the bud.
- Virtual assistants (VAs) are independent contractors who from their home office provide administrative support to small businesses through the Internet, fax, telephone or other methods of communication.
Not all the above ideas will necessarily replace your current income, but that may not be what you are searching for. Perhaps you are looking for greater balance in your life: more time with your family and/or more time to pursue other interests.
So what’s holding you back from starting the rest of your life!
