| Although it seems everyone wants to make | | | | to start a home business promoting special |
| money working from home, not everyone is | | | | events organized by local businesses, clubs, retail |
| suited to being their own boss. Operating a | | | | outlets or schools. The events could be over a |
| business from home can require a lot of | | | | period of time, such as a summer festival, or |
| determination and courage, especially in the early | | | | one-off events, such as the opening of a new |
| start-up stages of the business. | | | | store. |
| Most business start-ups being life with no | | | | 5. Cat and Dog Treats |
| customers, so it can be an uphill battle to win | | | | Provide fresh home-made meals for cats and |
| over custom and get into profit. That is where | | | | dogs, made from quality ingredients. Sell your |
| the persistence comes in. You need to have | | | | gourmet pet packs through pet stores or |
| confidence in what you are doing, be prepared to | | | | customers could buy direct from you. Again |
| work hard, and pick yourself up after each | | | | check regulations. |
| knock-back. | | | | 6. Gingerbread Houses |
| Working for yourself is not like working for | | | | This traditional craft/edible delight is a wonderful |
| someone else. There is no guaranteed wage | | | | way to bring a little magic to people's homes. |
| packet each week, and you need to be a highly | | | | There are many good books available from your |
| motivated self-starter. You will often be working | | | | local library, or bookstore, that shows you how to |
| on your own with no one else around to support | | | | make gingerbread houses both large and small. |
| or mentor you. | | | | The internet is a get source for research. Sell |
| However, despite all that, working from home can | | | | through specialty stores on order. |
| be very exciting and financially rewarding. There | | | | 7. Four Leaf Clover Plants |
| are literally millions of home business | | | | Why not bring someone unlimited good luck by |
| entrepreneurs worldwide. Many make money | | | | giving them a gift of living four leaf clover plants. |
| working from home on the internet, and other do | | | | Cultivate and package these lucky charms for |
| more traditional work. | | | | your clients. Sell through specialty stores and |
| Before getting started working from home, have | | | | garden centers. If you can't grow the plants, then |
| a good look around at some of the thousands of | | | | make lucky four leaf clover novelties or |
| home business opportunities that exist, and see | | | | collectables from plastic, resin, plaster, wood, or |
| what takes your fancy. Remember though, there | | | | some other suitable material. |
| always needs to be a market for any product or | | | | 8. Smelling Sweet |
| service you want to sell. There is no point in | | | | Handcrafted soaps make a beautiful gift for |
| coming up with a brilliant idea, if no one on the | | | | anyone. Incorporate aromatherapy essential oils |
| planet wants to buy it. | | | | for added impact and desirability. Sell either as |
| Here are 10 Business Start-Ups to get your brain | | | | individual items or make customized soap gift |
| ticking over. One of the ideas might stimulate | | | | baskets with a theme. For instance, you could |
| your thinking, and you might think of an even | | | | have a revitalizing gift soap basket with soaps |
| better idea. | | | | that have rose, mint and violet essential oils |
| 1. Garden Water Features | | | | incorporated into them. |
| It is becoming more and more popular to have a | | | | 9. Home Office Designer |
| special water feature in your garden. Create | | | | With a growing trend in people working from |
| water sculptures from stone, wood, clay or | | | | home, why not start a business designing office |
| plastic. Use lighting for added effect. Some training | | | | space for other home based businesses. Start up |
| may be required, start small and build on your | | | | costs are minimal, although you will need to |
| experience. | | | | develop contacts in the office furniture and |
| 2. Decorative Boxes | | | | accessories business. |
| Create individual boxes for special gifts. Decorate | | | | 10. Christmas Decorations |
| plain cardboard or wooden boxes with raffia, | | | | Make some quality Christmas decorations to hang |
| shells, fabric or any other material that adds a | | | | on Christmas trees. Use a variety of materials. |
| special look to the box. Sell to specialty stores or | | | | Package them in attractive boxes of six to |
| by mail order. | | | | twelve decorations, or crackers (bon bons) per |
| 3. Chocolate Easter Eggs | | | | pack. The key is to make the decorations |
| Make hand crafted chocolate Easter eggs for | | | | different to the kinds you normally see in retail |
| clients. Decorate the Easter eggs with a variety | | | | stores. You could even personalize them with kid's |
| of edible products and include solid chocolate eggs | | | | names or photos etc. |
| as well as those with soft centers in your | | | | Please note; if you want to make money working |
| selection of edible delights. Check local authority | | | | from home on the internet or in any job, always |
| bylaws etc to see that you comply with any | | | | check laws and regulations that could affect your |
| requirements, especially around food preparation. | | | | business operation. What may be legal in one |
| 4. Publicist | | | | country may not be legal in another. |
| If you have contacts in the media you may like | | | | |