Business Overview:

Starting your own lampshade business is a great way to use your creativity to make beautiful home accessories that will sell for major profits. You can easily run this part-time business from the comfort of your own home, working as much or as little as you wish. All you need is some fabric, decorative trim and either a sewing machine or fabric glue. If you don’t know how to make a lampshade, it’s quite simple, and plenty of instruction abounds on the internet. It can be as complex as taking the time to create a template to as simple as purchasing inexpensive lampshades and covering them with unique fabric and adding more lavish decoration. This may be a good way to start out with this business idea, at least until you get more comfortable with making shades from scratch. If you plan to sell your lampshades online, you’ll need to have a robust website that shows your designs and lets customers order and pay online. If this piece of the business is not in your comfort zone, you can always hire a professional to design and develop your website for you. This will be a good investment that will allow you to make sales 24 hours a day, even when you’re not working. You could also sell on websites like Etsy. You’ll need to have a good stock of lampshades to ensure timely delivery to your customers. You could also offer custom lampshades to customers who wanted to use a special photo for their personalized lampshade. In this case you would need a method of transferring a photo to fabric. Another way to personalize your products is to allow customers to send you a piece of fabric (that matches other items in their house, for example) that you would make into a custom shade. Your website would explain all these options and give a pricelist that reflects different sizes and styles of shades. Be sure to check with local shipping companies to get the best prices on shipping your shades and don’t forget to include shipping costs into your price structure. Finally, you can advertise your business on home décor websites and put ads in your local phone book if you plan to sell locally. As business picks up, you will need to decide whether to take your business full-time and add more items to your inventory.

A Day in the Life of a Lampshade Business Owner:

Since this is a part-time business, you will work as much or as little as you wish. When you are working, you will spend some time working on lampshades, building up your inventory. You will take photos of your new designs and post them on your website. You will check your orders and prepare items to ship out in a timely manner. If you offer custom orders, you will want to contact your customers to discuss those projects.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for unique, handmade lampshades.

What You Need to Start:

• Some knowledge of how to make lampshades
• Fabric
• Decorative trim
• Fabric glue
• Sewing supplies
• Website (if selling online)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• People are always looking for unique decorative items for their homes and offices.
• Materials are inexpensive.
• Your return on investment will be high.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• The start-up costs are low.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to hone your skills at making lampshades.
• You need to be patient while you build up your inventory and build your website.

Resources:

• National Association of Decorative Fabric Distributors
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Apparel and Furnishings Occupations
• Wikipedia on Lampshades

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Business Overview:

Learn how to start a cruise travel planning business if you’re looking for a way to provide a valuable service to travelers wanting a fun and relaxing vacation. Perhaps the best aspect of running a cruise travel business is that you can operate it from home. You can do all your work by email, phone and by performing internet research. This type of online business idea requires a certain amount of dedicated time each day.  A cruise travel planning business is a great part-time business that you can devote as much or as little time to as you want. And if you need some help getting your business going, there are franchises available. Franchises usually take more start-up capital but they come with a proven business model as well as marketing assistance and ongoing support. If you’re not looking to buy a franchise but you already own an online travel agency or tour guide business, adding cruises to the vacation packages you offer will bring in customers looking for an all-inclusive option. Cruises are more popular now than ever since they give travelers so many alternatives from 3-day cruises to 2-week cruises to cruises around the world. Travelers can leave from a port near their hometown, which cuts down on airfare costs making cruising a more affordable option for many people. You’ll find that business ideas like this one that offer many different pricing options will widen your customer base and earn you more profit.

A Day in the Life of a Cruise Travel Planning Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking email and voicemail messages inquiring about your services. You will spend your day talking with customers and potential customers and arranging cruise travel for them. You will also spend some time exploring new ways to market your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals looking for excellent cruise planning services.

What You Need to Start:

• Marketing plan
• Franchise or experience in the travel industry
• Website
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Cruises are a very popular travel option.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• Franchises in this industry are relatively inexpensive.
• You can scale up your business as needed by hiring other travel planners to work from their homes.

The Bad:

• Competition is high; you’ll need to set yourself apart to earn a good profit.
• You must have some experience in the travel business (or be able to invest in a franchise).

Resources:

• Cruise Lines International Association
• U.S. Travel Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Travel Agents
• Wikipedia on Cruise Ships

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking to start a business selling products that will always be in high demand, you should learn how to start a vacuum cleaner business. Anyone with carpeting must have a vacuum cleaner so starting a business that sells and services vacuums is one of the best business ideas available, especially if you’re able to purchase a franchise. A franchise will come with name recognition, marketing assistance and most importantly, an inventory of vacuum cleaners to sell or a deep discount so you can resell the vacuums at a high profit margin. There are a couple different options for selling vacuums, however, so you’ll need to closely examine your situation and determine what will work best with your business model. You can choose to open a storefront business and stock multiple models of vacuums as well as accessories. Offer extended warranties and repairs and you’ll add value to your business. Another option for your vacuum business is to sell door-to-door. In this case, you’d only need one vacuum (per salesperson) and you would order additional vacuums once they’ve been ordered by your customers. This is a more labor-intensive option but you can easily operate this type of business part-time. You can also hire salespersons to do the footwork for you so you can concentrate on marketing your business. Make your vacuums available through advertising as well. Create a website so potential customers can see all the models you carry as well as other important information such as pricing and warranty information. Contact professional cleaning and organizing businesses to see if you can supply their future vacuum needs. You’ll find that supplying high quality vacuum cleaners to satisfied customers is an extremely rewarding business.

A Day in the Life of a Vacuum Cleaner Business Owner:

If you operate a storefront, your day will begin by arriving at your store early and making sure your inventory is properly displayed. You will spend your day helping customers find a vacuum to meet their needs. You will also handle repairs (you could outsource repairs or send the items back to the manufacturer for repair). If you operate a door-to-door business, you or your staff of salespersons will canvas a particular area, showing homeowners the value and benefits your products offer. You will also spend some time marketing your business locally and online.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals or businesses who need high quality vacuum cleaners.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Franchise (optional)
• Inventory of vacuums or relationship with distributor
• Knowledge of vacuum products
• Website (optional)
• Staff (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The demand for vacuum cleaners will always be high.
• You can operate this business from a storefront or door-to-door.
• This business can be part-time (if you don’t have a storefront).
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent vacuum cleaners.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment can be high.
• It might take some time to make your first few sales.

Resources:

• Vacuum and Sewing Dealers Trade Association
• Association of Vacuum Equipment Manufacturers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors and Related Workers
• Wikipedia on Vacuum Cleaners

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Business Overview:

Attention musicians: if you’re looking to start a fun part-time business that you can run from home, learn how to start a jingle writing business. Many business that advertises on television or radio have a catchy jingle associated with their product or service. And in these days of internet marketing, businesses include jingles in their online ads as well. These tunes are short songs, usually 30 seconds or less, that directly promote whatever the business is selling. They are designed to help potential customers remember a product, service, telephone number or web address. The better the hook in a jingle, the more likely it is that people will remember it (and even gets it stuck in their heads – which is what a business wants). If you are a singer or songwriter, adding jingles to your repertoire is a great way to start a small business and earn some extra income. Writing can be done from the comfort of your own home and you can work as much or as little as you like. Before you start writing, research what businesses in your area might need a jingle for their advertising. You can do this by contacting the businesses directly or viewing their current ad campaigns. You could write a jingle first, then present it to the business and try to sell it or you could sign an agreement with the business first, then draft one or more jingles for them to use. If you don’t play an instrument, consider teaming up with a pianist or guitar player. You can write the songs and your partner can compose the tunes. As you can see, this is one of the more unique business ideas available but it is perfect for a musician or songwriter looking to start a business.

A Day in the Life of a Jingle Writing Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any ongoing projects. You will spend some time writing and try to finish jingles you are working on. You will contact local businesses to try to sell your jingle writing services.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be business owners or advertising agencies looking for catchy jingles for ad campaigns.

What You Need to Start:

• Musical talent and the ability to write catchy jingles
• Digital recording device
• Computer with digital editing software
• Finance software
• Transportation (to meet with customers at their places of business)

The Good:

• The demand for catchy jingles will always be high.
• You can be paid upfront and work out a contract where you’re paid every time one of your jingles plays.
• You can work as much or as little as you want.
• This business can easily be run part-time and from home.
• You are likely to get repeat business if your jingles increase your customers’ sales.

The Bad:

• Competition can be high; you must be talented in this area in order to be successful.
• Work will not be steady and will depend on what businesses need jingles for ad campaigns in your area.

Resources:

• American Song Writers Association
• American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Music Directors and Composers
• Wikipedia on Jingles

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Business Overview:

Learning how to start an upholstery business is the perfect part-time job for an entrepreneur who enjoys working with fabric to beautify a piece of furniture. The term upholstery applies to any fabric used to cover chairs and couches as well as seating and other surfaces on boats, cars and airplanes. While boats and cars typically are upholstered with leather or vinyl, home and office furniture is upholstered with softer fabric and uses foam for cushion. If you do not have any experience, an internet search for "start upholstery business" will turn up plenty of results that can help you get started. You do not need a storefront for your business but you will need a workshop area large enough to work on several pieces of furniture simultaneously. You will also need some special tools and equipment as well as a stock of commonly used supplies. Look online for upholstering kits that will come with all the tools you’ll need to get started and add items like screwdrivers, drills and pliers to make sure you’re able to make most repairs. Customers will typically supply the fabric but you should have a relationship with an upholstery fabric supplier so customers can purchase fabric through you if they choose. Business ideas like this one are great part-time ventures as you can take on as much or as little work as you feel comfortable with. If you will only work on items on the weekends, be sure to give your customers an accurate turnaround time. However, if your full-time business is furniture repair, adding upholstery repair to your list of services will greatly increase the value of your business and will build your client list.

A Day in the Life of an Upholstery Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking on your current projects. You will work on items and either deliver them yourself or notify your customers that their items are ready to be picked up. You will spend some time marketing your business by distributing flyers around town.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals or office managers who need furniture items reupholstered or need upholstery repair.

What You Need to Start:

• Upholstery skills
• Upholstery tools and supplies
• Work space
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Upholstery services will always be in demand.
• Start-up investment is relatively low.
• You can easily run this business part-time and from home.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent work.
• You are likely to see repeat and referral business.

The Bad:

• There is plenty of competition in this industry; you will need to position yourself correctly to gain some of the market share.
• You need to have some training with upholstery before working on other people’s furniture.

Resources:

• Upholsterer’s Association of North America
• Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (UK)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Textile, Apparel and Furnishings Occupations
• Wikipedia on Upholstery

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a fun part-time business that lets you express your creativity while helping others celebrate, consider running a party balloon business. Balloons are used for all kinds of occasions from birthday parties and baby showers to high school proms and New Year’s Eve parties. If you can set your business apart from the competition, this can be one of the more popular part-time business ideas available. The start-up investment needed for this business is minimal. All you need are some supplies and a large enough room to work in and temporarily store inflated balloons. You could offer simple latex and mylar balloon bunches but your business will be more successful if you can make more elaborate balloon creations. Similar to a candy or cookie bouquet business, the more unique your arrangements are, the more customers you will attract. You can find plenty of online tutorials that will show you how to create distinctive bouquets and displays. Before you try to sell any of your items, you need to practice and take pictures of your creations. Build a website or portfolio featuring these pictures so your customers can see exactly what you can do. It’s a good idea to have a few standard items in your catalog but also be able to customize products to meet specific needs of your customers. Once you have a good-sized portfolio of photos, you’ll need to attract some customers. Contact real estate agents who will use balloons for open houses and car dealerships who use balloons to advertise sales. Talk to area event planners whose clients need balloons for various party events. Place flyers around town in libraries, coffee shops, toy stores, baby stores, party stores, grocery stores, etc. Be sure you have plenty of supplies such as balloons, streamers, wooden or plastic sticks, a glue gun and a helium tank. This business can easily be operated part-time but expect to be busier on the weekends since that’s when most people have their parties. When demand increases, hiring an assistant to help with balloon transport will free you up to work on more balloon projects.

A Day in the Life of a Party Balloon Business Owner:

Your day will begin by working on balloon orders that need to be delivered that day. When working with latex balloons and helium, you can’t work too far in advance of your delivery date and time. If you have other elements to your balloon bouquets, you can get those ready a few days in advance, then blow up and attach the balloons a few hours before you’re set to deliver the finished product. You will drive your creations to the venue or you can hire a courier service to make deliveries. If you prefer, you can ask customers to pick up the items. You will spend any time you’re not working with balloons working on marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals needing elaborate and unique balloon creations for their parties.

What You Need to Start:

• Experience working with balloons
• Area large enough to work with multiple inflated balloons
• Helium tank
• Balloon supplies – balloons, streamers, hot glue, baskets, boxes, etc.
• Method of transporting your balloon creations
• Portfolio or website
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The demand for party balloons will always be high.
• Offering something different from the competition will bring in more customers.
• You are likely to get repeat and referral business from your customers.
• The start-up investment required is minimal.
• You can easily run this business part-time.

The Bad:

• Competition is high; you’ll need to set yourself apart to do well.
• It can take some time to become very skilled working with balloons.

Resources:

• International Balloon Association
• National Association of Balloon Artists and Suppliers (UK)
• Wikipedia on Balloons

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Business Overview:

Starting a real estate appraisal business is a great way to enter the real estate industry part-time and offer a much needed service to your customers. Real estate appraisal is the act of assessing the value of a property and is typically required when a property is bought or sold. Lending institutions need to know how much a property is worth so they can determine the loan details. If you currently work in real estate, you are likely well prepared to make the transition to appraising properties. However, if you are new to real estate, you will need to do some prep work before getting too far with this business idea. You need a license to perform real estate appraisals but there are several licensing options so it’s important you know what types of properties your business will appraise. A standard license qualifies you to appraise general property sites and works well in urban areas. If you’re looking to appraise homes worth over $1 million USD, you must get a residential license. A general real estate appraisal license allows you to appraise any type of property. Each license has a different exam and will require different study materials. These licenses can be obtained through various online or correspondence appraisal schools and cost approximately $1,200 USD. If you live in the US, you need to be sure the institution you select is accredited through the Appraisal Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation. Appraisal organizations vary by country. Once you are licensed, you’ll need to check your local government’s standards as some will requiring additional testing. Next you’ll need to purchase real estate appraisal software and a laptop computer so you can enter information while you are performing an appraisal. This will ensure the correct information is put into your report and a quicker turnaround time for your customers. Market your business to real estate agencies, banks and other lending institutions in your area. If you offer professional services, you are likely to get plenty of repeat business from your clients. A good way to ensure repeat business is to follow up with your clients regularly via an email or a letter. You may find the need to hire an apprentice to help you with the administrative side of your business so you can focus on appraising property.

A Day in the Life of a Real Estate Appraisal Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your schedule to see what appointments you have. You will travel to a property where you will meet with the selling agent, buying agent, buyers and/or sellers. You will perform the appraisal and create a report that you will give to your client. You will also spend a portion of your day marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be home buyers and sellers, realtors, banks or other lending institutions in need of accurate property appraisal.

What You Need to Start:

• Real estate appraisal license
• Real estate appraisal software
• Laptop computer
• Transportation
• Finance software

The Good:

• The demand for real estate appraisal will always be high.
• You will likely have repeat business from your clients.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• You do not need a storefront for this business.
• You can hire an assistant or apprentice to handle some of the work.

The Bad:

• The licensing process can be difficult if you have no real estate experience.
• Your business will slow down during slowdowns in the housing market.

Resources:

• American Society of Appraisers
• Appraisal Institute
• Real Estate Appraisers Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
• Wikipedia on Real Estate Appraisal

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Business Overview:

If you’re good with your hands and love making beautiful art, you should consider starting your own ice sculpture business and let others enjoy your work. An ice sculpture is a sculpture that uses ice as the material. Ice sculptures can be decorative or functional and are usually seen at weddings and other extravagant events due to their limited lifetime. Sculpting ice is a specialized skill but if you’re an artist who works with clay, wax or wood, you should be able to make a smooth transition to working with ice. You will need a few tools you typically won’t see in an artist’s studio such as a chainsaw, some chisels and a die grinder. Search your area for an ice house that sells ice that is clear and not cloudy. It’s important you start with clear ice so you end up with a clear sculpture. Consider working out some sort of discount deal with your ice supplier since you will be purchasing from him quite often. Business ideas like this one are only successful if the work is topnotch. So it’s important that before you try to sell your sculptures, you practice a great deal. Start with smaller blocks of ice and work your way up to large blocks. You’ll need to be familiar with what each tool does to ice and when to use each tool. Take pictures along the way so that when you’re ready to sell your first piece, you can put photos of your better sculptures in a portfolio (or on your website if you choose to have one) to show to potential clients. You’ll need to work out a delivery method to transport sculptures from your workshop to your clients’ venues. You can either purchase your own refrigerated truck or you can choose to hire a courier with a refrigerator truck to transport your ice sculptures. Make sure the transport vehicle has proper tie-downs so your sculptures are stable and make the trip safely. Market your business by talking with event planners and wedding coordinators in your area. Show them your portfolio or website and give them plenty of flyers that they can then show to their clients. Your marketing materials need to include your price structure so customers know what to expect. You could have a few pieces that you specialize set at one price and if a client wants something unusual for their event (or just something not on your list) you would charge more. You may quickly find that your ice sculptures are the talk of the town and you’ll then be able to raise your prices.

A Day in the Life of an Ice Sculpture Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any orders you need to complete that day. Depending on how quickly you sculpt, you may only be able to do one or two sculptures a day and you will need a large freezer if you plan to keep them at your workshop for very long. This means you will probably sculpt and deliver pieces in the same day. You will arrange for transport of your sculptures and stay in contact with your clients to make sure the venue is prepared for delivery. On days you are not sculpting, you will work on marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be event planners, brides and anyone else needing an amazing centerpiece for their elaborate event.

What You Need to Start:

• Ice sculpting skills
• Relationship with an ice house
• Sculpting tools
• Method of transporting sculptures
• Marketing materials
• Website (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• For an artist, sculpting ice is a fun way to show your skills.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• Start-up investment is relatively small.
• You can charge top dollar for your sculptures.
• It’s rewarding to provide beautiful ice sculptures to your clients for their events.

The Bad:

• If you’re not already a skilled ice sculptor, you will need to spend some time honing your skills.
• It can take some time to sell your first few pieces.

Resources:

• National Ice Carving Association
• Sculptor.Org
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Artists and Related Workers
• Wikipedia on Ice Sculptures

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a great part-time business that you can start with very little start-up capital, consider learning how to start a furniture cleaning business. If you don’t have any experience with upholstery cleaning, it’s simple to learn by reading how-to websites and books. Start out by cleaning your own furniture and that of family and friends to get some practice. You’ll need materials like brushes, sponges, upholstery shampoo, buckets, vacuums, etc. If you already run a furniture business such as a retail store or a restoration business, adding upholstery cleaning to your list of services will add value to your business and attract a wider range of clientele. Be sure to market your new business by distributing flyers around town in places like grocery stores, dry cleaners and community centers. Everyone has furniture and from time to time it needs to be cleaned. Homeowners will gladly pay a professional to handle this task for them. Furniture cleaning is one of the best part-time business ideas available because it doesn’t require very much start-up capital. You only need to invest in some equipment, supplies and marketing materials. Once the word spreads of your quality services, you’ll get plenty of referral business. You may find demand grows to the point of expanding your business to full-time and hiring additional staff to help you with the cleaning.

A Day in the Life of a Furniture Cleaning Business Owner:

Your day will begin by checking your appointments. You (or your staff) will travel to your customers’ homes and perform upholstery cleaning services. You will spend some time marketing your business by placing flyers around town.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will typically be homeowners needing furniture cleaned, although you may also serve second-hand stores, apartment managers and business managers.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing materials
• Insurance
• Cleaning crew (optional)
• Vehicle
• Cleaning supplies and equipment
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Furniture cleaning services will always be in high demand.
• The start-up investment is low.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• You can hire a crew to handle the cleaning for you.
• As demand grows, you can transition to a full-time business and add personnel.

The Bad:

• The work can be labor intensive.
• It can take some time to build your client base.

Resources:

• Professional Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners Association
• Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration
• Wikipedia on Upholstery

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Business Overview:

If you have a unique speaking voice and are looking for a great part-time business, you should learn how to start a voice over business. Voice over work is used everywhere from radio ads and television shows to online tutorials and website narration. You don’t need a lot of equipment or even a professional studio to get started with this business idea. You just need a quiet, soundproof room, a high-quality microphone and digital editing software. This business is perfect for an actor looking to pad his or her income with a steady stream of residual profits. If your voice is used in a television commercial, for example, it’s likely your contract will pay you each time the ad is played. Once you have all your equipment in place, you should join voice over job sites like Voices.com that match those who do voice over work with those looking to hire voice over talent. When you have several jobs in your portfolio, you may think about scaling up your business. In addition to renting out a studio or building your own, consider hiring additional voice over talent and hiring a talent agent to help you and your employees get work. It’s important in this business to have a good idea of your worth. You don’t want to agree to read 20 pages of copy for $10 USD. Have a rate chart that you can refer to when negotiating with companies for your work. And feel free to increase your rates as your portfolio grows. The more experience you have and the more impressive your resume, the more your voice work is worth. Other than advertising on job sites, you should take out ads in entertainment magazines and websites. Look around your own area for local companies needing voice work. Some companies may want you to travel to their location and use their voice studios so be prepared for limited travel in your area. Digital technology, however, has made this business much easier to do from home.

A Day in the Life of a Voice Over Business Owner:

Your day will start with a check of any new jobs posted on voice over job sites. You will meet with potential customers throughout the day (either in person on on the phone) and you will record voice over files for customers you already have. If you manage voice talent, you will coordinate work with them.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be businesses looking for quality voice over talent for advertisements, web work, tutorials, etc.

What You Need to Start:

• Voice over business plan
• Studio
• Voice equipment
• Staff of voice talent (optional)
• Membership to voice employment websites (optional)
• Marketing plan
• Computer with digital editing and finance software

The Good:

• The start-up costs are low.
• You can run much of this business from home.
• You can do your voice work from a home studio or you can rent out a studio.
• You can hire voice talent to do the work for you.
• You can easily run this business part-time.

The Bad:

• Voice over work is very competitive; you must be persistent to be successful.
• It can take some time to get your first few clients.

Resources:

• Society of Accredited Voice Over Artists
• American Voice Talent Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Article on Voice Actors
• Wikipedia on Voice-Overs

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