Business Overview:

If you’re a stickler for safety and want to operate a business that helps protect little ones in their homes, learn how to start a baby proofing business. The baby proofing industry is booming with every new mother wanting to keep her newborn or toddler safe from every harmful possibility. You’ll find that this is one of the smartest part-time business ideas to explore because there will never be a shortage of new moms needing help. Before you start advertising your new business, you need to do some research. Start by baby proofing your entire house, top to bottom. Evaluate different products and decide which work best and which are easiest to use. Toilet locks, for example, come in many different varieties and some are just as difficult for adults to figure out as they are for toddlers. Once you have a list of your favorite products, you can move on to your pricing list. You’ll want to have a variety of packages to fit the needs of different families. Include a price for baby proofing the entire house. This would include a home visit and consultation followed by a plan of action and installation of all the safety items. Not every family will need this type of full service package, however. They may just need the electrical outlets changed out or bumper pads placed on all the sharp corners around the house. Having pricing for the individual services will make your job easier since you won’t have to come up with a price every time. You will need to tweak your pricing list as you go when you have a better idea of what services are needed. If you already run a pregnancy planning business or you specialize in interior design for nurseries and baby proofing is not one of the services you provide, consider adding it to boost your profits. Market your new business with newspaper ads and ads in local family magazines. Look for safety expos in baby stores where you can hand out business cards and show customers what your business offers. Talk to area hospitals to see if you can include a business card in the take-home packets they give to new moms. Keeping babies and toddlers safe is a top priority for parents and offering excellent baby proofing services will help you build a successful business.

A Day in the Life of a Baby Proofing Business Owner:

If you have appointments, you will need to make sure you have all the necessary safety equipment then you will travel to your client’s home and perform the installation. If you do not have any appointments, you will spend your day handing out business cards and looking for new ways to advertise. You may also participate in a safety expo in which case you would need to bring various safety items to display as well as copies of your price list and explanation of services you offer. You will also need to visit local baby stores from time to time to evaluate any new products that have recently come on the market.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be parents needing assistance in making their homes safe for their children.

What You Need to Start:

• Excellent attention to detail
• Familiarity with baby proofing products
• Vehicle
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Start-up costs are minimal.
• No training or certification is required.
• It’s rewarding to take some of the burden off of a new parent.
• You do not need a storefront for this business.
• You can easily run this business part-time.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to get your first few clients.
• Some parents do their own baby proofing so it may be difficult to sell your services to the do-it-yourself type parents.

Resources:

• International Association for Child Safety
• Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association
• Safe Kids USA
• Wikipedia on Childproofing

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Business Overview:

If you enjoy working with your hands and find satisfaction in making people’s memories last a lifetime, you should start a picture framing business. Picture frames are needed for everything from fine art and diplomas to posters and snapshots and can be made in any size. Operating a framing store that offers customers plenty of frame choices as well as excellent customer service can turn a hobby into a lucrative business idea. In order to have a large enough display area to properly show all your frame options, you will need to have a storefront. You should look for a location in a high traffic area, perhaps in a mall or outdoor shopping center. People love one-stop-shopping and if they can get a piece of art framed on the way to buy their child some shoes, they’re more likely to stop in. If you’re unsure how to start a picture framing business, you should look into purchasing a franchise. This will be a more costly investment but the benefits are huge. A franchise will come with training so you don’t need to have any prior experience in framing. You will also receive branding, marketing assistance, equipment and materials. Very few decisions need to be made when starting up a franchise which is great if you’re ready to get right down to business. However, if you’re interested in a more unique framing shop that perhaps caters to fine art, personally selecting each frame for your store would be important to your business model and a franchise wouldn’t be the best option. If you already operate an arts and crafts business, you could add framing to your services to bring in more customers. You can quickly learn this skill by reading a how-to book and practicing with a few pieces of your own before handling others’ art and photographs. Market your business by placing ads in the phone book and in magazines that cater to your market. If you specialize in framing large pieces, try to contract your services with a local art gallery so you can handle all of the framing for their business. They can also refer local artists to you for their framing needs. With excellent selection, skills and service, a framing business can be fun, exciting and quite lucrative.

A Day in the Life of a Picture Framing Business Owner:

Your day will begin by opening your store. You will help customers throughout the day with their framing needs. If you have a staff person helping you, you can work on framing during business hours while your employee mans the front of the store. You can also train your staff to do the framing as it’s a skill that many people are eager to learn. At the close of the day you’ll want to check your inventory and take of the finances to be ready for the following day.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals who need excellent framing services for their art, documents and photos.

What You Need to Start:

• Picture framing business plan
• Marketing plan
• Storefront
• Frames and mattes
• Framing skills (or you can hire an experienced framer)
• Equipment and other supplies
• Staff (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The demand for custom frames will always be high.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent framing services.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You get to work with interesting people and unique art pieces.
• Excellent service will earn you repeat business.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• It can take some time to build your client base.

Resources:

• New England Professional Picture Framers Association
• Professional Picture Framers Association
• Bureau of Labor and Statistics Article on Framers
• Wikipedia on Picture Frames

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Business Overview:

If you are looking for an excellent mobile business with plenty of potential, consider starting a leather and vinyl repair business. If you have experience with leather and vinyl repairs, you know that the possibilities are endless as far as items that are in need of repair. All sorts of industries use leather, vinyl and plastic in their goods – furniture, automobiles, restaurants, airplanes, boats, specialty health related items like dental chairs and physicians’ tables are just a few examples. Leather and vinyl items like these are sizeable investments that cannot simply be replaced when they start to show wear and tear. A professional repair technician is an invaluable asset to businesses in industries like those mentioned above as well as for fashion items like leather jackets, boots, handbags, etc. And depending on your area of expertise, you might be able to secure a repair contract for an entire medical building or pre-owned car lot. If you’re not trained in leather and vinyl repair, there are plenty of franchises available to help you get started. A franchise will be more expensive up front but the advantages typically outweigh the cost issue. As a franchise owner, you will receive training, equipment and supplies, ongoing support, marketing assistance and, in some cases, a vehicle. If you’re looking to take your window repair business to the next level, consider a franchise that includes vinyl siding repair. If you own a car detailing business, imagine the boost to your profits if you were also able to offer automobile leather and vinyl repair. As you can see, there are a number of items that need this type of repair so this could be one of the most profitable part-time business ideas out there today. Since you will be in your vehicle during your working hours, large magnetic advertisements will spread the word around town of your new business. A website will be a good marketing tool as well as you can post before and after pictures to show potential clients the quality of your work. Distribute business cards to those in your target market (auto dealers, medical offices, boat owners, etc.) and in no time, you will have enough work to explore the option of hiring a staff and transitioning to full-time repair business.

A Day in the Life of a Leather and Vinyl Repair Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You will perform repairs on site during the day and you will distribute marketing materials anywhere you go. If you have a staff working for you, you will coordinate with them throughout the day while concentrating on marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be auto dealers, office managers, medical professionals or anyone with a leather or vinyl item that is in need of repair.

What You Need to Start:

• Leather and vinyl repair skills
• Repair supplies and equipment
• Vehicle
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• There is no end to the number of items that need this type of repair.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• With excellent repair skills, you can scale this business up to full-time.
• If you contract your services with an office manager or auto dealer, you will have plenty of repeat business.

The Bad:

• Franchise fees are high; you will need to have financing set up.
• It can take some time to build your client list.

Resources:

• United States Hide, Skin and Leather Association
• Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
• Bureau of Labor and Statistics on Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
• Wikipedia on Leather
• Wikipedia on Vinyl

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Business Overview:

Open a pool maintenance business and use your knowledge and experience to help pool and spa owners keep their investments clean and refreshing. Pools and spas take a lot of attention to keep them in pristine condition. And it takes an expert with plenty of experience to guide pool owners in their quest for a blue and sparkling pool. If you have worked in a pool store or as a cleaning technician for a pool company, owning your own pool maintenance business is the next logical step. You will need to have expertise with both above-ground pools and in-ground pools. Particularly in the summer months, offering pool consulting services is one of the best business ideas you can find. There are so many different types of pool chemicals available and the layperson simply doesn’t have the expertise to know how much of what to put in the pool. There are home testing kits and charts and a pool owner can make an educated guess as to what chemicals to add and when, but having a go-to person who they trust causes many pool owners to gladly pay for this service. You won’t need a storefront for your maintenance business since you—or your staff—will be traveling to your clients’ pools to do chemical correction, cleaning and other pool maintenance. Put large advertisements on your truck or van and let them do the marketing for you as you drive around town. Find out which pool stores in town do not offer water testing and contract your services with them so that their clients are referred to you for chemical services and cleaning. If you choose to buy chemicals in bulk, you will need a storage facility that is separate from your house (garage, off-site storage locker, etc.) in case of a spill. You could also choose to buy chemicals as you need them from a pool store. Depending on the climate you live in, the pool business could be seasonal. In the warmest climates, pools are open and in need of regular maintenance all winter but in cooler climates, pool owners close their pools during the winter. Consider adding pool closing and pool opening to your list of services so you can earn extra profits during the cooler months.

A Day in the Life of a Pool Store Business Owner:

You will spend your day during the busy time of year traveling to your clients’ homes to check chemicals and clean pools—unless you’ve hired staff to do this work for you. You will also spend some time marketing your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be pool and spa owners in need of expert pool care and chemical consultations.

What You Need to Start:

• Experience with pool chemicals (or a trained staff)
• Truck or van
• Water testing equipment
• Chemicals
• Storage facility for chemicals (or you could just buy them as you need them)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Pool maintenance services are essential for pool owners.
• Pool owners will gladly pay for experienced professionals to care for their pools.
• The start-up costs are relatively low.
• Your customers will likely hire your business to perform regular maintenance/cleaning which means a steady income.
• You can boost your profits by offering additional services like pool closing and opening.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build your client base.
• This business can be seasonal depending on your area’s climate.

Resources:

• Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
• Independent Pool and Spa Service Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Maintenance and Repair Workers
• Wikipedia on Swimming Pools

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Business Overview:

Swimming pools are big business and if you have experience in sales or pool service, it would be a wise business decision to open a pool store. You don’t even need to live in a warm climate to operate a successful pool business. Heated pools and spas are popular in cooler climates and there’s always the option of indoor pools to keep swimmers out of the elements. Since a pool store is a large investment, it’s a good idea to draft a solid business plan to keep you on track. Determine what type of pool store you will operate, what other items you will stock and what services you will offer. The largest part of your business will be pool sales and installations so it’s important that you have a working knowledge of in-ground pools and what is needed to install them. You can contract the actual installation with a third party construction company but your business will need to consult with the customer about what type of pool they want, how much land is needed, what type of filtration equipment they will need, etc. Other than pools, you can also sell spas and even display a few in your store if you have space. Outdoor furniture is also a nice addition to your inventory and it gives customers the option of buying everything they need for their outdoor entertaining area at your store. Your pool store should also stock maintenance items like skimming nets, skimmer baskets, vacuums and poles and you need to have a relationship with the major pool parts distributors so you can order larger items like sand filters and vinyl liners. A third area of your business will be pool chemicals. Pool owners will come to your store for water analysis and to purchase chlorine and various other corrective chemicals. In cooler climates, pool owners tend to close their outdoor pools for the winter so your business should also offer pool closing and opening services if your customers need it. In warmer climates pools stay open year-round which means a steady stream of customers even in the winter months. Homeowners are not your only target market; you will also sell to apartment managers, athletic facilities, parks and schools. Anyone who wants to install a pool or needs chemicals and supplies for their pool will need to come to your store. Particularly if you live in a warm climate, a pool store is one of the best business ideas you can start since pool owners simply cannot go it alone.

A Day in the Life of a Pool Store Business Owner:

Your day will begin by opening up your store. You will spend the day helping customers find what they need in the way of supplies, accessories and chemicals. You will consult with potential customers interested in buying a spa or installing a pool and you will check in on any pool installations that are ongoing. You will order parts from your distributors and check to see if any new items have become available.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be pool owners and those looking to install a pool or purchase a spa.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Storefront
• Pool installation services (can contract with third party)
• Maintenance items (vacuums, replacement parts, skimmer baskets, etc.)
• Accessories (floats, thermometers, toys, etc.)
• Chemicals
• Water testing equipment/personnel
• Staff
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The pool business is casual, fun and exciting.
• It’s rewarding to help people get the sparkling pools they desire.
• In warmer climates, pool services are necessary year-round.
• You can sell items like spas and pool furniture to boost profits.
• Selling pool installations is big business and can earn your company big profits.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• It could take some time to turn a profit.

Resources:

• Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
• Independent Pool and Spa Service Association
• Swimming Pool and Allied Trade Association (UK)
• Wikipedia on Swimming Pools

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Business Overview:

If you like working with your hands and appreciate the value that a piece of furniture can have, you should start a furniture restoration business. That value may be monetary in the form of an investment such as an antique Chippendale chair. Or the value may be sentimental in the form of an heirloom rocking chair used to rock several generations of babies to sleep. Being able to keep a piece of furniture in its original condition ensures years of use and/or preservation and the ability of the owners to pass it down throughout the years. If you are a talented woodworker or seamstress, operating a furniture refinishing or re-upholstering business is something you could successfully do from your home. Business ideas like this one are great part-time ventures that let you do what you love while earning a secondary income. The only thing you’ll need, other than excellent repair skills and a few tools, is a large area in which to store items while you work on them. Furniture items can be quite large (think chests of drawers and chairs) so you’ll need a storage area which can be in your home or garage. If you already operate a home repair business, adding furniture restoration to your list of services would bring in more customers and keep your part-time business busy. This is also a good business opportunity for a partnership in which one person does the wood repairs and the other handles the upholstery repairs. You could choose to specialize in certain types of furniture – antiques, contemporary pieces or just chairs. You need to be familiar with how to properly estimate a job since most customers will request estimates before letting you do the job. If you run into a problem along the way, call the client to discuss the higher costs before proceeding. If your estimate was firm but you realize while you’re working it will cost quite a bit more, sometimes it’s wise to just absorb the costs in the interest of customer service. Be sure to take before and after photos and post them on your website, or if you don’t have a website, put them in a portfolio to show to prospective clients. Market your business around town by putting fliers in local antique stores and resale shops. Consider buying items to refinish and sell. You could do this by placing ads online or selling on your website. There are many options available to an entrepreneur with excellent woodworking skills looking to put a little time and care into a furniture restoration business.

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

If you have items needing work, you will continue to work on them. You will take calls from potential customers and will offer estimates to individuals who bring items by for you to assess. If you choose to buy items to fix up and sell, you will spend some time looking for pieces in garage sales or at auctions.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals needing expert furniture restoration services.

What You Need to Start:

• Woodworking and/or upholstery skills
• Space to store furniture items
• Marketing materials
• Portfolio with before/after photos
• Website (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Start-up investment is low.
• Return on your investment can be quite high.
• It’s rewarding to restore an old piece of furniture to its original condition.
• You can easily run this business part time and from your home.
• You can choose to buy items, repair them and sell them.

The Bad:

• You must know what you’re doing in order not to damage furniture.
• It can take some time to build up your client list.

Resources:

• British Antique Furniture Restorer’s Association
• Outdoor Furniture Restoration
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Reupholstery and Furniture Repair
• Wikipedia on Antiques Restoration

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Business Overview:

Learning how to start a snow removal business is the perfect business opportunity for an entrepreneur who lives in a cold climate. If the winter months bring not just inches but feet of snow to your area, chances are a snow removal business would do very well. But before starting a snow removal business, you must decide what types of services you will offer. You could simply shovel driveways and sidewalks in your neighborhood or you could invest in a snowplow and take your business on the road. Plows can be attached to truck, SUV or UTV (utility terrain vehicle) you already own. Having a snow plow makes it possible to clear roadways and parking lots so you could market your services to business park managers, apartment managers, schools, churches, etc. Anyone who has a parking lot and needs to have parking spaces available for customers, students or churchgoers must hire a snowplow business to clear their lot. You do have the option of handling multiple types of snow removal with this business. You could buy a plow and run a snowplowing business and also hire a staff to handle the shoveling of driveways and walkways. To add value to your service, you could offer additional removal options like removing snow from cars and roofs. On the weekends, you could even hire teens to help handle the demand. They are usually looking for odd jobs to make some extra money. You should start purchasing your equipment and hiring your staff (if you will have one) during the warm weather months so you will be ready at the first snowfall. You’ll also want to do your marketing before winter so your customers will have your number handy when they need you to dig out their car before work or shovel their driveway so they can get their kids to school. Try to contract your services with property managers so you’ll be first on their call list to clear parking lots and driveways. Keep in mind that business ideas like this one are seasonal so you will be very busy during the winter months only. If you operate a seasonal business during warm weather months like a lawn care business, this would be the perfect opportunity to expand your operation and earn profits year-round.

A Day in the Life of a Snow Removal Business Owner:

If your area has just experienced a sizeable snowfall, your day will begin early as you will likely have appointments at businesses and schools. You will take calls throughout the day from customers needing walkways and driveways shoveled. If you have a staff doing all the work for you, you will spend the day coordinating jobs with them. During the off-season, you will work to secure a staff and market your business around town.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals who need snow removal services. They could be homeowners needing a driveway cleared or an apartment manager needing an entire parking lot plowed.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Staff (optional)
• Business license and insurance
• Snowplow
• Vehicle
• Other equipment (shovels, ladders, etc.)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• If you live in a particularly cold climate, the demand for this business will be high.
• You can hire a staff to do the work for you.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• You can contract your services for large areas like mall parking lots and apartment complexes.
• Once you make the initial investment, you can use the same equipment each year.

The Bad:

• This is a seasonal business so you will only be busy during certain times of the year.
• You have to do your marketing before the first snow so you must be very organized and plan well.

Resources:

• Snow and Ice Management Association
• Wikipedia on Snowplows

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking for a good part-time business that offers a useful service to a broad spectrum of customers, learn how to start a knife sharpening business. Knives of home cooks and professional chefs need to be sharpened from time to time. And although there are some home sharpening devices that work well enough, if you want a sharp edge that will last, you need to turn to professional equipment. Many different types of sharpeners are available for professional use and the type you select will depend on the types of blades you will sharpen. Restaurant knives are one area you could focus on, but if you decide to broaden your business beyond knives you could also add in lawn tools and salon sheers. Once you have selected your target market and have purchased your sharpening equipment, you can start practicing your craft. There are training programs available if you don’t know how to get started. Without the proper care, sharpening can actually damage blade surfaces so you need to be sure you have the proper training and experience before handling your customers’ knives and scissors. How you market your business will depend on what type of blade sharpening services you will offer. If you will focus on sharpening salon sheers, print up business cards and travel around town visiting local salons. If your customers will be in the lawn care industry, call local lawn care and landscaping businesses or mail them information about your business. Knife sharpening is one of the most versatile business ideas since it can be run from home, from a storefront or from the road. Consider offering mobile sharpening services to increase the convenience factor for your customers. Place advertising on your vehicle to boost the visibility of your new business. Regardless of who your customers are and how you choose to run your business, it is crucial that you stick to the turnaround time you give your clients. Using their knives, scissors and hedge trimmers is how they make their living and they cannot do without them for very long. Keeping an item longer than promised will not only eat into your customer’s profits, it will reflect poorly on your business and you are less likely to see that particular customer in the future. Excellent sharpening skills and customer service will turn this part-time business into a success.

A Day in the Life of a Knife Sharpening Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of any appointments you have. If you offer pick-up services, you will travel to your customer’s home or place of business and take the items that need to be sharpened back to your home or office. You will also accept items brought to your home or office. You will spend most of your day sharpening various items and either returning them or arranging a pick-up time with your customers. When you’re not working on any items, you will call and visit potential customers in your target market and let them know about your business.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals in need of blade sharpening. They could be chefs, hairdressers, lawn care professionals, etc.

What You Need to Start:

• Blade sharpener
• Sharpening skills
• Marketing plan and materials
• Vehicle (if offering pick-up and delivery services)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Demand for blade sharpening will always be high.
• You can select from a variety of customers to target.
• The start-up investment needed is low.
• You can easily run this business part-time.
• You can choose to run this business from home, from a storefront or operate a mobile business.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to build your client list.
• You must be properly trained to ensure you don’t damage your customers’ items.

Resources:

• Cutlery Allied Trades Research Association
• International Scissor Sharpeners Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tool Grinders, Filers and Sharpeners
• Wikipedia on Blade Sharpening

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Business Overview:

If you’re looking to start a business that will always be in demand, consider learning how to become a home inspector and start a home inspection business. Home inspectors are typically used each time a home is bought or sold. These inspections determine the safety of the house and they verify whether a home is up to code in various areas. A home inspector’s report can have a serious impact on the sale of the home so it’s crucial that you have the proper training to perform these inspections. If you are not already an experienced home inspector, you can become certified after taking courses from accredited organizations such as The American Society of Home Inspectors. Most courses can be taken online or at local trade schools and will fully prepare you for work as a home inspector. Other ways to become experienced in home inspection include working for other home inspectors or appraisers, gaining valuable knowledge about construction, city codes and the best methods of performing an inspection and preparing your reports. If you have experience in construction or have worked as a handyman, you likely have much of the experience you need to start this business. Once you are certified, check to see what licenses are required in your area and keep up with new information with continuing education courses. If you are not interested in becoming an expert in home inspection but you do see the profit potential with this business, you can always hire experienced inspectors to work for you. You’ll want to establish relationships with local real estate professionals so they will refer you to their clients when an inspection is needed. Join home inspection associations to boost your credibility and market your business online and in the phone book. Hand out business cards at every inspection you handle and you’ll find that referrals are a great way to build your business. There are also franchises available to help you get started. A home inspection business can be one of the most profitable business ideas available if you have the expertise and drive to make your business a success.

A Day in the Life of a Home Inspection Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You or your certified inspectors will travel to the home and perform the inspection. You will prepare a report for the homeowner and hand out business cards. You will spend a portion of your day marketing your new business which can be done with magnetic signage on your vehicle, in the form of online ads or purchasing phone book ads.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners or home buyers needing a professional home inspection report for the purposes of buying or selling a home.

What You Need to Start:

• Home inspection certification (or you can hire certified inspectors)
• Licenses
• Tools and equipment (ladder, flashlight, etc.)
• Vehicle
• Marketing materials
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Home inspection businesses will always be in demand.
• You can start this business for relatively little start-up capital.
• You can hire certified home inspectors to work for you.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You’ll be out and about each day, meeting new people.

The Bad:

• It can take some time to earn your certification or to find certified inspectors to hire.
• You must be properly insured so you are covered in case you miss something in an inspection.

Resources:

• The American Society of Home Inspectors
• International Association of Certified Home Inspectors
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Construction and Building Inspectors
• Wikipedia on Home Inspections

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Business Overview:

If you’re the do-it-yourself type and are looking for a business that will help people and the environment, consider starting a mold removal business. Unfortunately, mold is a big problem these days. It can be caused by a number of things from flooding to poor insulation on doors, attics, windows and exterior walls. Wherever it comes from, it’s important to remove it as quickly as possible. Mold causes health issues ranging from eye irritation to serious respiratory problems like asthma. The health risks are much greater for infants, children and the elderly. To make matters worse for a homeowner, often mold is not covered under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. A mold removal business offers an extremely valuable service to homeowners affected by this nasty fungus. Before you get too far, you should consider becoming certified in mold removal. Although it is not a requirement, it will give you a big edge over uncertified competitors. If you are not interested in becoming certified, you can always hire a crew to work for you who have their certifications. Once you and/or your staff are certified, it is time to purchase equipment. You will need testing equipment, wet vacuums, HEPA vacuums (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) and disposal supplies. When you consider how to market your business, you should talk to local insurance companies. Often a homeowner will call their agent first to see what their policy covers. Being on agents’ referral lists will be a great way to get customers in your doors. Home inspectors are another group you should talk to since they discover mold issues when buyers hire them. A third option is to work with established decontamination businesses to perform the mold removal duties for their clients. Mold removal is one of the most high-demand home improvement business ideas available to a hands-on entrepreneur. With excellent skills and customer service, you might soon need to add to your fleet and hire additional technicians to handle the work load.

A Day in the Life of a Mold Removal Business Owner:

Your day will begin with a check of your appointments. You or your staff will meet the clients at their homes, properties or offices, give estimates and complete mold removal services. If you have a staff handling the jobs, you will concentrate your efforts on marketing your business and forming partnerships.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be homeowners, property managers or office managers who need high quality mold removal services.

What You Need to Start:

• Business plan
• Marketing plan
• Staff (optional)
• Equipment
• Truck or van
• Certification
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• Mold will always be a problem so this business will always be in demand.
• Partnerships with home inspectors, insurance agents and other businesses will help you get customers.
• You can charge top dollar for mold removal services.
• It is rewarding to help making a living or working space healthy for its inhabitants.
• You can hire mold removal technicians to do the jobs while you concentrate on marketing the business.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is relatively large.
• The work is labor intensive.

Resources:

• National Association of Mold Professionals
• National Association of Mold Remediators and Inspectors
• Indoor Air Quality Association
• Bureau of Labor Statistics on Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
• Wikipedia on Mold Growth, Assessment and Remediation

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