| What are the best small business opportunities? I | | | | time situation by starting a small business of your |
| could just throw a list of opportunities at you and tell | | | | own, you need to thoroughly research your choices |
| you that I had thoroughly researched the topic and | | | | on this one. Maybe you're thinking "day trading", but |
| found that these, the ones I've listed for you here, | | | | you live on the West Coast. The markets open at |
| are hands down the best small business opportunities | | | | 6:30am, and you need to be bright eyed and bushy |
| out there. Some of you might say "great, I'll choose | | | | tailed before they open. Maybe the business you |
| one of these". The more astute reader would be | | | | were thinking of requires your presence to deal with |
| inclined to say "oh yeah, the best how, or according | | | | customer orders. Will you ever allow yourself the |
| to who"?No one opportunity is the best for | | | | luxury of being away from the business and missing |
| everyone reading this. We all have our own priorities | | | | orders?* Does It Require Me To Be Always In One |
| and preferences to consider. Instead of trying to | | | | Place -- Whether your idea involves raising animals |
| give you a "top ten list" of the best small business | | | | that need to be fed every day, or the use of |
| opportunities, I would rather give you a list of criteria | | | | machinery that is too large to take with you, you |
| to consider when choosing an opportunity. That way | | | | need to consider what kind of a toll it will take on |
| I'm teaching you how to compare all of the | | | | you to be always anchored to one spot and unable |
| possibilities you might run into instead of just pushing | | | | to take a few days off and go somewhere.* Can I |
| you in a direction that might work well for me and | | | | Get Out Of The Business Easily -- People change and |
| poorly for you.So here's my list of "things to consider | | | | their interests change. What seems like a fascinating |
| before choosing a small business opportunity":* How | | | | area to work in today may seem like pure torture |
| Much Money Can I Make Doing This -- We all knew | | | | after you do it 60 hours a week for a few years. Is |
| this one had to be here, and it really doesn't require | | | | this a business that has some sale potential once |
| much of an introduction. I will say that many people | | | | established? Many small businesses are so dependent |
| never get beyond this one criteria when choosing a | | | | upon the skills of the owner that they are difficult or |
| business for themselves. Many of those people fail | | | | impossible to sell. After you put so much effort into |
| because of one of the other criteria on this list.* How | | | | building a business, it is hard to just walk away from |
| Long Will It Take To Start Making Money -- This is | | | | it without some compensation.* Will The Income It |
| sort of a partner to the first one, but one that is | | | | Generates Always Be Tied To How Much Time I |
| often overlooked by those who are too focused on | | | | Spend Doing It -- Few people would immediately |
| the "how much" and not enough focused on the rest | | | | think of song writing or writing books as a business. |
| of this list. If you choose the one that pays the best | | | | Usually you first think of such things as artistic |
| but you go broke while you're waiting for the torrent | | | | _expression rather than a business. But, those two |
| of money to begin, that's not such a great deal.* | | | | activities do earn money, and they have an |
| How Much Money Will I Need To Spend To Get It | | | | interesting property that would be very welcome in a |
| Started -- This is another one that takes a surprising | | | | small business. Residuals, or getting money for the |
| number of people by surprise. People who haven't | | | | same bit of work over and over again. Residual |
| done it before tend to think of owning a business as | | | | income is one of the main things you should aspire to |
| a purely income centric thing. Almost all business | | | | get from a small business. Without that, it tends to |
| require some startup money, but the amount varies | | | | be just another job, but with a lot more risk and a |
| widely from one business to the next.* What Sort | | | | lot more stress. You want to build yourself a |
| Of Red Tape Is Involved -- Another one that | | | | perpetual money machine, that keeps on spinning |
| catches many a novice entrepreneur by surprise. We | | | | after you stop turning the crank.Well, there you have |
| live in a very heavily regulated society. Gone are the | | | | it, ten criteria you can use to compare any small |
| days when good intentions are the only requirement | | | | business opportunity you come across with others |
| for permission. The government regulates almost | | | | you have considered. This list will go a long way |
| everything, and business is certainly no exception. | | | | towards narrowing down the field when you are |
| These regulations are seldom intended to be for the | | | | choosing a small business opportunity. In fact, some |
| greater public good. Most of it is the result of corrupt | | | | people complain that there is nothing left after they |
| politicians making life better for their business | | | | apply this list to the ideas they've been working |
| partners and the rest is primarily invented as yet | | | | on.One reason that the Internet has created such a |
| another means of taxing the public. Some of the | | | | big boom in the small business world is that many of |
| best business opportunities are ruined by excessive | | | | the best small business opportunities (according to an |
| regulation.* Will I Be Swamped With Paperwork -- | | | | analysis against my list) are among the most |
| Many small business persons fall victim to this | | | | common types of Internet businesses.Take a |
| problem. They develop a business that more or less | | | | website business for example: Huge income potential |
| requires several forms of record keeping and billing | | | | if you do it right, almost no startup costs, no |
| and bill collection and payroll and taxes of every | | | | regulation (except for fraudulent activities), no |
| variety. It is easy for the small business person to | | | | paperwork or employees required, work whenever |
| get swamped by all of this "busy work" and have | | | | you want, grab your laptop and go, good sale of |
| very little time to devote to further developing their | | | | business potential, and among the best businesses |
| business.* Will I Have To Deal With Employees -- Talk | | | | there are for residual income.About the only one of |
| about red tape and paperwork! It is almost true that | | | | the criteria above that this one fails on is the startup |
| a small business person can never hire just one | | | | time. It will often take several months to a year to |
| employee, because that one employee will require a | | | | get a new website up to speed and generating lots |
| whole other person just to deal with all of the | | | | of traffic and income. Some of the other Internet |
| overhead that having employees brings with it. Add | | | | businesses don't suffer from this downside, but do |
| to that things like employee turn-over and training, | | | | have other transgressions against my criteria. All in all |
| personnel problems like drug use and no-shows, | | | | though, as a class of businesses, you just can't do |
| employee theft. Many small business owners work | | | | any better than an internet business when using the |
| themselves to death just to avoid all this.* Does It | | | | criteria I've set forth above.Scott J. Patterson is a |
| Have Unrealistic Time Requirements -- If you're a late | | | | self-proclaimed Dunce, yet last month he earned |
| sleeper or somebody looking to improve their free | | | | $12,124 from one of his online businesses. |