Business Overview:

If you love home décor and want to find a way to turn crafty creations into a lucrative home business, learn how to start a vinyl lettering business. Vinyl lettering is used to make everything from wall stencils to stand-alone “initial” letters. If you’ve ever stenciled a witty saying or quote on your wall, you likely used vinyl letters. And you probably paid several dollars per letter. Why not start your own vinyl lettering business and put those dollars into your pocket? With very little startup capital, you can get this online business idea up and running by cutting your own letters and selling them not only to friends and family, but all over the world via the Internet. You can also use your own letters to create other products like picture frames, decorative tiles, pillows and much more. Once you know what quotes and other decorative items are most popular, your products will fly off your shelves. You can easily run this business from home and still have plenty of time to care for your children if you want to be a work-at-home mom. Perhaps you’re a retiree looking for some extra income. This business idea is perfect for anyone who enjoys crafts and can devote a little time to creating unique decorative items. These items also make great gifts and you will find your customers coming back again and again for more of your artistic products.

A Day in the Life of a Vinyl Lettering Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any new orders. You will want to finish up any products that need to go out first and then start working on new orders. You may want to do some research to see if any new products or quotes are becoming popular and add that to your list of items to work on in your spare time. Then you’ll spend some time marketing your business via Internet ads, phone calls, classifieds, etc. Finally, you’ll want to review your finances to ensure your invoices have gone out and your bills have been paid.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be home décor enthusiasts looking for unique items for their homes or perhaps gifts for others.

What You Need to Start:

• Vinyl
• Vinyl cutting machine
• Patterns
• Other decorative items (frames, pillows, etc.)
• Marketing plan
• Computer with finance software
• Website if selling online

The Good:

• This business is easily run from home in your spare time. You can work as much or as little as you want.
• Demand for home decorative products will always be high.
• You can sell your creations for much more than it cost to make them.
• If you’re a craft lover, you can spend your days doing something you enjoy.
• You can easily run this business and take care of your children at home.

The Bad:

• It could take a little time to spread the word about your new business.
• If you’ve never done vinyl lettering before, you’ll have a learning curve to go through while you master this craft.

Resources:

• Craft and Hobby Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Craft Artists

Technorati Tags: how to start a vinyl lettering business, vinyl lettering business

Business Overview:

Attention dog lovers: Starting a dog grooming business can be the key to your professional happiness and your ticket to financial freedom. If this business idea piques your interest, you’ll be happy to know that learning how to start a dog grooming business is easy and straightforward, and the startup costs can be minimal. You can initially start a dog grooming business from your home and build your company from there, eventually renting or buying a space that enables you to create a truly professional grooming atmosphere. Until then, a tub with a long shower nozzle, a grooming table, and well-kept grooming tools can get you your first customers. The beauty of this business is that, for most customers, it doesn’t matter how fancy your shop is but whether or not the canine customers that emerge from it are clean and happy. This is where your business model comes into play. You will want to have a business license and insurance to start so that you’re well-protected—legally and financially. You will want to familiarize yourself with popular grooming techniques and practice on the dogs of your family and friends to master the skills. You will also want to create a grooming services menu with prices listed clearly so that your customers know exactly what they’re getting from your company, and you will want to spell out what you expect from the dogs you work with. In other words, you can refuse a biting dog, or charge more for a dog that requires a cage or muzzle. When your business gets up and running, you can decide to hire groomers to work for you and expand your business exponentially. Additionally, as you make a name for your company, you can review your price list and decide if your service is worth more. After all, people love their dogs so much they will often pay a great deal to ensure they’re clean and contented.

A Day in the Life of a Dog Grooming Business Owner:

In the early days of your business, you will start each day reviewing which dogs you’ll be working with that day and what you’ll need to complete each job. You will also want to confirm any upcoming appointments, and work on advertising your business and recruiting new customers. Then you will do your actual work of grooming—washing, drying, clipping, brushing, and enjoying time with the dogs you have to groom that day. After cleaning up and restocking your grooming area, you will want to review your profits for the day as well as your expenses. If and when you desire, you will be able to hire groomers to work for you and you can either continue grooming or work solely on building your business.

About Your Customers:

Your human customers will be dog owners looking for a safe, competent, and reasonably priced groomer who is willing to cater to their dogs and get them looking and smelling their best. Your canine customers will be of varying breeds and temperaments that either love or hate being groomed. Being able to work well with both groups of customers will ensure that your business takes off.

What You Need to Start:

• A love of dogs and the ability to work well with many types of them
• A business license
• Business insurance
• A location to run your business
• Grooming tools and products
• A contract for services provided
• Financial-tracking software

The Good:

• You can do something you can really enjoy.
• The business can be profitable if you’re good at it.
• You can hire groomers to work for you.
• You can set your own business and build your company as you see fit.
• You will be providing a valuable service to dog owners.

The Bad:

• You will certainly encounter dogs (and their humans) who are difficult to work with.
• If you’ve never done dog grooming before, you’ll have a learning curve to go through while you master the wide variety of techniques.

Resources:

• National Dog Groomers Association
• American Mobile Groomers Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Animal Care and Service Workers
• Wikipedia on Dog Grooming

Technorati Tags: how to start a dog grooming business, start a dog grooming business, starting a dog grooming business

Business Overview:

If you are looking for a way to capitalize on the latest advertising trend and own your own business, you should look into a starting mobile billboard business. Companies large and small are always looking for new and inventive ways to advertise. What better way to spread the word than to take the advertisement to the customers. A standard billboard sits in one location and is dependent on drivers driving by and seeing the advertisement. A mobile billboard can target potential customers in different areas. Not only is the mobile ad seen by other drivers but by passersby on the street. Park your vehicle in a parking lot during a sporting event and you’ll have thousands of sports fans exposed to your advertisement. Set up next to an office building during lunch and your audience will be business people. You can change your advertisement once a day or once a month depending on your contracts with your clients. The best part about starting a mobile billboard business is that you need no experience, no employees (unless you choose to expand your business later) and no special permits or licenses. You can run with this business idea in your spare time and make a huge profit without having to dedicate all your free time to your new business. Low startup costs and the consistent need for advertising make the mobile billboard business a smart move for an entrepreneur.

A Day in the Life of a Mobile Billboard Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your schedule to see which advertisements you need to drive around that day. If there are any specific locations you want to set up, you’ll map those out and get on your way. You can either drive around a certain area or park your vehicle and go do something else like market your services to other businesses. You’ll spend a little time on the phone contacting potential advertisers as often as you want to bring in business. If you have a fleet of billboard vehicles, coordinate with your employees so they know where to be and how long to be there.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be business owners and managers looking for a unique way to advertise their business services.

What You Need to Start:

• Vehicle
• Signs (either professionally made or supplied from your customers)
• Marketing plan
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• There is virtually no overhead in this business.
• Return on investment is very high.
• This business can be easily run from home in your spare time.
• As your business grows, you may be able to add employees and more vehicles. Soon your business will make money without you having to do much at all.

The Bad:

• It could take some time to spread the word about your new business and secure some clients.
• If you hire employees so that you can expand your business, you’ll need to ensure that they are where they tell you they will be with the mobile billboard.

Resources:

• Mobile Billboard Association
• Mobile Billboard International Association
• Wikipedia on Mobile Billboards

Technorati Tags: mobile billboard business

Business Overview:

If you’re a dog lover and want to provide a great service that can offer you large profits, you should look into how to start a pooper scooper business. The pet industry is booming and people will always have pets regardless of the state of the economy. As people’s lives are getting busier, they don’t have the time to properly clean up after their dogs. This is why starting a pooper scooper business is such a great idea. The startup cost for this business idea is minimal and dog owners will pay quite a lot for someone else to handle their dogs’ mess so running a pet waste removal business is a lucrative option for a small business owner. Not only can you remove poop at dog owners’ homes, you can branch out to local boarding facilities, vet offices, dog parks and anywhere else dogs do their business. You can set up your route however it works best for you, whether that means you visit a location once a week or once a day and you can easily operate this business part-time until you have enough clients to take it to full-time if you wish. You may even find yourself needing to hire a team of pooper scoopers to sufficiently handle all your business. The bottom line is there is money to be made in the dog waste removal business and there will always be room for a new business owner.

A Day in the Life of a Pooper Scooper Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your schedule to see what clients you will be servicing that day. You’ll need to make sure you have enough supplies to handle your day’s work. If not, you’ll make a quick trip to the store for more baggies or whatever you need. If you have a staff working for you, you’ll give them their assignments and make sure they have enough supplies. Then you’ll want to spend some time marketing your services. This could be in the form of Internet ads, fliers, phone calls, etc. Finally, you’ll check in on your finances to make sure all your payments have been recorded and all bills have been paid.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individual dog owners, boarding facility managers, veterinarian office managers, pet shops, dog park managers, and anyone who is responsible for keeping an area clear of dog waste.

What You Need to Start:

• Shovel or other removal tool
• Plastic bags
• Container to transport waste in your vehicle
• Cleaning supplies
• Marketing materials
• License
• Computer with bookkeeping software

The Good:

• The dog waste removal business is recession proof.
• Start up costs are minimal.
• You can charge high prices for your services.
• You can work as much or as little as you like.
• This business is easily scalable from a one-person operation to a full staff doing all the work for you.

The Bad:

• It could take some time to spread the word about your new business.
• If you decide to hire people to work for you so that you can expand your business, you may find it difficult to find new hires as some people find the job distasteful.

Resources:

• Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists
• American Pet Association
• Pet Care Services Association
• Wikipedia on Pooper Scooper

Technorati Tags: how to start a pooper scooper business, running a pet waste removal business, starting a pooper scooper business

Business Overview:

If you are the go-to computer person in your social circle, it’s time to stop fixing computers for free and consider starting a computer consulting business. Knowing the basics of how computers work is really the only thing you need to start a computer consulting business. Beyond the basics, you can quickly learn how to fix just about any computer issue by reading computer manuals and guidebooks and accessing troubleshooting websites. This is what separates those with computer issues and those who are able to fix them—the willingness to try without fear. Of course you will want to have a solid computer consulting business plan in place that maps out your fee schedule, your work guarantee, and your business details in general, including how you will build your customer base. Once you’ve got a few clients and your workload is growing, you can start thinking of ways to expand on this business idea beyond fixing computers and entice your customers to include add-ons and upgrades to their existing systems. When this online business idea really takes off, you can consider farming out your repair and upgrade work to employees while you work on advertising and growing your consulting business. Even as a basic enterprise the computer consulting business can be very rewarding, both personally and financially.

A Day in the Life of a Computer Consulting Business Owner:

If you’re ready to learn more about how to start a computer consulting business, consider what the daily grind will look like. You will begin each day with a review of the jobs you are currently working on plus any others you will be taking on that day. Returning computers to customers and getting them fixed promptly will be the key to your success. Then you will get to work on the jobs that you have. This will be the bulk of your workload. Finally, you will want to consider how to bring in new customers and you will need to monitor your profits and expenses. If you have employees working for you, you will want to oversee their work or at least check in with them daily to ensure they’re providing your customers with the same quality work that you have guaranteed.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be those who need computer help and who want someone who they trust and who offers competitive rates.

What You Need to Start:

• The ability to fix basic computer issues plus the resources to learn how to fix any other issue
• Good people skills
• A contract for your customers
• A business license

The Good:

• If you like computers, you’ll be happy in this line of work.
• The business can be highly profitable.
• You can easily add employees and build your customer base.
• As the technology sector grows, so too can your consultation business.

The Bad:

• There are many computer lovers and retail stores offering the same type of service—you have to ensure your company does it just as well or better.
• When you go to expand your business and hire people to work for you, you will need to do very thorough testing to be sure your employees are highly technically qualified.

Resources:

• Independent Computer Consultants Association
• TechServe Alliance
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Management, Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• Wikipedia on Information Technology Consulting

Technorati Tags: computer consulting business plan, how to start a computer consulting business, start a computer consulting business, starting a computer consulting business

Business Overview:

Whether you’re a hair stylist wanting to open a shop or an entrepreneur looking for a fresh business idea, you should consider starting a hair salon business. The hair styling industry is booming and with the popularity of celebrities’ hair trends, finding out how to start a hair salon business is a smart move. Before going too far, you should do a quick Internet search for “business plan for hair salon” and find one that meets your needs and then modify it to your specific goals. Once you have looked through hair salon business plans you may have a better idea of what’s involved in owning your own salon. Being a stylist in someone else’s salon is much different from operating your own salon and it’s important to have a good plan in place. If you are not a trained stylist, you will need to hire a team of stylists to work for you. Finding talented stylists is vital to the success of your business so you will want to implement an extensive interview process. You should discuss the stylists’ training, previous jobs and familiarity with industry trends. Before hiring a new stylist, you may want him or her to do a sample cut on a willing client. A stylist who already has a solid customer base is much more valuable than one without any clients. The beauty business will always be popular and having a great salon will be a lucrative business venture.

A Day in the Life of a Hair Salon Business Owner:

A typical day for a hair salon business owner will depend on whether you are a stylist or manage a team of stylists. If you are the owner/stylist, you’ll want check your schedule for the day’s appointments and ensure you have all the products on hand that you will need for those clients (hair color, perm solution, etc.). Between appointments or at the end of the day, you might spend some time working with your finances to make sure all payments have been recorded. Many clients will pay in cash so it’s important to track all payments accurately. During the day you will take calls for new appointments; be sure to write those down accurately. If you are not the stylist, you should check the appointment book for the day and make sure your stylists know which appointments they have. You’ll want to check in with them (or have your manager do this) to see what supplies your stylists need and then you’ll do a quick inventory to see if you’re running low on anything. You may need to make a quick trip to the beauty supply store to replenish products. During the day, you’ll check in with your employees and the customers to make sure everything is running smoothly. You may take calls for new appointments. Finally, you’ll want to be sure to record all payments and pay any bills that are due.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be men and women needing haircuts and other hair care services.

What You Need to Start:

• Salon
• Business plan
• Salon equipment (chairs, shampoo stations, hair driers, etc.)
• Styling products (curling irons, flat irons, shampoos, hair spray, etc.)
• Licenses and permits
• Insurance
• Computer with bookkeeping software

The Good:

• Hair salons will always be in high demand.
• Beauty supplies are relatively inexpensive.
• Talented stylists can charge high prices for their services.
• A hair salon is a fun work environment.
• You get to talk to people and do what you love every day.

The Bad:

• Finding quality stylists takes persistence.
• It may also take some time to spread the word about your new salon.

Resources:

• Professional Beauty Association
• Salon Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Barbers, Cosmetologists, and Other Personal Appearance Workers
• Wikipedia on Beauty Salon

Technorati Tags: business plan for hair salon, hair salon business plans, how to start a hair salon, opening a hair salon, starting a hair salon business

Business Overview:

If you’ve seen the flurry of activity around vending machines in an office building, you may have wondered how to start a vending machine business of your own. Starting a vending machine business is a wise choice since not only is this industry recession proof, it’s a cash-only business. However, before you start vending machine business operations, it’s important to have a plan in place. A vending machine business plan will help you to know exactly what steps you need to take to achieve your business goals. You also should do some research into what types of items sell better in which locations. After you have your machines set up and stocked, you’ll also need to know how to run a vending machine business. You don’t have to have any experience to be successful with this business idea but you do need some tips from experienced vending machine business owners so you’ll know how to avoid pitfalls and operate a thriving business. Before you know it, you might just have a full-time staff of vending machine stockers working for you.

A Day in the Life of a Vending Machine Business Owner:

Your day will start with a check of your schedule to see what machines need to be stocked that day. If you have a staff working for you, you’ll make sure they know which routes they will be on that day. Then you will need to check inventory to ensure you have enough supply on hand. If you are running low on supplies, you or one of your workers will need to make a trip to the store (or visit your online supplier) to replenish your snacks. You’ll likely spend some time marketing your services to potential clients. These could be office managers, apartment building managers, schools, etc. Finally, you’ll want to take a look at your finances to make sure all bills are paid and all income is properly recorded. Since this is a cash only business, you will be making several trips to the coin machine and/or bank each week.

About Your Customers:

Your ultimate customers will be office workers, students and passersby who need a snack or a soda. However, you will also be working with location managers at places like apartment buildings, sports complexes, schools, grocery stores, etc.

What You Need to Start:

• Vending machine(s) (buy or lease)
• Snacks (candy, chips, pretzels, etc.)
• Sodas (if operating a soda machine)
• Business plan
• Good location(s)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Vending machines are popular in any economy.
• Cash-only means not having to keep track of checks or credit card information.
• This business is easily scalable to add more machines to your business.
• As you add machines to your business, it will transform into an automated system in which you do very little work and earn huge profits.

The Bad:

• At the beginning, you will be doing a lot of legwork getting things set up.
• Finding new locations to put your machines may be difficult.

Resources:

• National Automatic Merchandising Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Vending Machine Operators
• Wikipedia on Vending Machines

Technorati Tags: how to run a vending machine business, how to start a vending machine business, start vending machine business, starting a vending machine business, vending machine business plan

Business Overview:

If you’ve ever wondered how to become a DJ like those you’ve envied in clubs, you must learn more about what it takes to start your own nightclub DJ business. You might be surprised that learning how to become a club DJ is a fairly easy process and doesn’t require a huge initial investment. Obviously, knowing how to mix tracks and spin records is quite important, but the competitive business is more about getting gigs and drawing crowds than anything else. In order to make this happen, you’ll want to have an appealing demo and marketing plan. So much of this business idea is about image that paying attention to how you promote your DJ company is of utmost importance. In your marketing material, you will want to ensure you have a thorough contract with potential clients to secure the position as DJ, whether for a one-time gig or for a long-term position. This contract should include DJ fees plus any other entertainment services your company might provide. If your goal is to hire DJs to work for you, you will also want to make sure the DJs know what exactly you expect from them as representatives of your company.

A Day in the Life of a Nightclub DJ Business Owner:

The first thing that you will do each day is review the calendar to determine which gigs are on the horizon and what type of music will be needed for the events. Next, a DJ business owner will want to make it a priority to garner more business for the company and get hired for more gigs. This will happen either through your own promotional work or because of the popularity of your DJ skills—many DJs draw fans that will follow them to whatever club they’re playing if they like the music enough. You will also want to track your profits and your spending—as you gain more work you can add to your music and equipment collection.

About Your Customers:

As a nightclub DJ business owner, your clients will be both the clubs themselves and the patrons of the clubs. Ultimately, your true customers are the club goers as they’re the ones who can make or break your business.

What You Need to Start:

• DJ equipment
• A contract for hire
• Financial-tracking software

The Good:

• You can run your DJ company as a part-time or full-time business—it is entirely scaleable.
• The business holds up in tough economic times if you’ve got a following.
• The job can be fun—you can meet great people and make a name for your company.
• If you’re the one spinning music, you get to do what you love at every gig.

The Bad:

• The business is competitive; you really have to sell your company and its “brand” of music and entertainment.
• The hours are very late, often running into the wee hours of the morning. You need to be a night owl or this business will be difficult for you.

Resources:

• American Disc Jockey Association
• National Association of Mobile Entertainers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Disc Jockeys
• Wikipedia on Disc Jockey

Technorati Tags: how to become a club DJ, how to become a DJ, start your own nightclub DJ business

Business Overview:

If you are interested in owning a unique, highly lucrative business, you should consider learning how to start a bail bond business. Whether you are a former law enforcement officer or are just interested in helping to uphold the law, the bail bond business might just be the business idea you’ve been looking for. Unfortunately, there will always be criminals but there is a big business opportunity out there for someone interested in becoming part of the criminal justice system. If you’ve wanted to know how to become a bail bondsman, there are a few things you should know. A bail bond is the percentage of the bail set by a judge required for a person to be released from jail until his or her trial. The amount of money made by a bail bondsman varies depending on how much bail is set for and how many clients are taken on. A bail bonds business owner usually hires a bounty hunter, or bail enforcement agent, whose job it is to locate people who skip out on their court dates. Since the bail bondsman is liable for the money paid to the court for the suspect, it is in his best interest to find the person and turn him in. The first thing you should do when researching how to become a bail bondsman is to create a good business plan. This will keep your business on track and you will know how many clients you can take on at a time. You will also want to research your local bail bond laws and learn how to become a bounty hunter or else hire one (or more) to work for you. It should be said that bounty hunting is only legal in the United States and in the Republic of the Philippines. In most other countries, bail is set much lower so bail bondsmen are not necessary and standard law enforcement is used to recover suspects. However, where legal, the bail bond business will always be booming and for the right person, it can be a lucrative endeavor.

A Day in the Life of a Bail Bond Business Owner:

Your days as a bail bond business owner will vary greatly depending on what your clients are doing. You may be heading to the jail to pay a suspect’s bond, and therefore picking up a client. You may have to go out and track down a runaway suspect who skipped his court date or hire a bounty hunter to do this for you. This business is definitely exciting and rewarding. No two days will be the same.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be people who have been arrested and who cannot afford their bail.

What You Need to Start:

• License
• Business plan
• Knowledge of your state’s laws
• Marketing plan
• Background checks for bounty hunters and other employees (if applicable)

The Good:

• There will always be a need for the bail bond business.
• Start up costs are low.
• Recovering suspects is highly rewarding.
• Different challenges are presented every day.
• The bail bonds business is not a boring 9-5 office job.
• The work is very exciting.

The Bad:

• The hours may be long and irregular.
• Without a good bounty hunter, the bail bonds business can be financially risky.

Resources:

• National Association of Bail Enforcement Agents
• U.S. Bail Enforcement Agency
• Wikipedia on Bail Bondsman
• Wikipedia on Bounty Hunters

Technorati Tags: bail bond business, bail bonds business, how to become a bail bondsman, how to become a bounty hunter, how to start a bail bond business

Business Overview:

These days everyone wants a white smile and if you want to tap into this $15 billion a year industry, you should consider a mobile teeth-whitening business. A recent poll showed that over half of adults would choose to have cosmetic procedures done if price were not an issue and of this group, more than half would choose teeth whitening. The main thing holding people back from getting a whiter smile is cost. With a mobile teeth-whitening business, you can pass your low overhead costs on to your customers and give them the confidence that only comes with a beautiful smile. Even if you have not gone to dental school, you can be a success with this clever business idea. With a mobile business, you take your services to your customers adding convenience to the long list of reasons clients will want to take advantage of your services. In time, you may even have a fleet of mobile units and a staff of teeth-whitening experts working for you.

A Day in the Life of a Mobile Teeth-Whitening Business Owner:

Your day as a mobile teeth-whitening business owner will begin with a check of your schedule. If you have arranged to set up at a particular location, such as an office building parking lot, make sure your equipment and supplies are in order and head over to your location. If you do not have any jobs on the schedule that day, spend your time calling local businesses to arrange to have your services available at their locations in the near future. Check into health fairs, medical expos or anywhere else you might be able to park your mobile unit and advertise your services and gain new clients. If you have a staff working for you, make sure they have their location assignments and all their equipment is in order. If you are running low on whitening supplies, place an order for more. Finally, take a look at your finances to ensure all payments have been recorded and all expenditures have been paid.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be people who want a whiter smile. They may be office workers on their lunch break or passersby.

What You Need to Start:

• Mobile unit (van, RV, etc.)
• License
• Whitening equipment and supplies
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Once you have the proper training, teeth whitening is a simple process.
• Buying wholesale products means higher return on investment.
• Affordable services make teeth whitening a popular “luxury” in any economy.

The Bad:

• It may take some time to build a large enough client base to turn a profit.
• Finding the best places to set up your unit may take persistence.

Resources:

• American Dental Association on Teeth Whitening
• American College of Prosthodontists
• Wikipedia on Teeth Whitening

Technorati Tags: mobile teeth whitening business