Member Avatar for Neel Jonson

How about we dedicate this thread to ideas for starting a home based business? Just post an idea you may have, it may not be the right idea for you, but it may be great for someone else!

Here are the points:

1. Find a local manufacturer of products that ship well through couriers, and start and ecommerce website.

2. Define your hobby. Start a content website that you keep updated daily, or at least weekly. If you have a niche market, you may do well with ads!

3. Provide a service to local businesses. For example you can do some accounting from home.

Looking forward to more of your ideas!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by leelee

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Building on ideas from , , and , here is a compact, practical plan to move from "I have an idea" to a low‑risk market test in a month or less.

Start with a quick screen: score each idea 0–5 on (1) your ability to deliver it, (2) how painful the problem is, and (3) how easy it is to reach customers. Use demand signals to score the last two: check Google Trends, keyword volume with Google Ads Keyword Planner, and category demand on Amazon Best Sellers. Pick the top 1–2 ideas.

Run a micro‑validation (minimal time and cash):

  • Create a single landing page that states the offer, price, and a single CTA (preorder or email signup).
  • Drive small, targeted traffic ($50–$200) via one channel (search or social) and measure clicks, signups and conversion.
  • Use simple unit economics: profit = price - cogs - shipping - fees and CAC = ad_spend / conversions. A sustainable test generally shows CAC < profit or a clear path to repeat purchases (LTV > CAC).

If offering a service, validate by listing a small, time‑boxed gig on marketplaces (for example Upwork) or doing direct outreach to 10 local prospects and tracking replies and bookings.

Practical cautions: order samples or trial the fulfillment process before scaling, document assumptions, and stop fast if conversion or margins fail. For step‑by‑step market research guidance see the U.S. Small Business Administration’s market research page: SBA Market Research.

Test one idea end‑to‑end in 30 days, record the metrics, then iterate or move on.

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Member Avatar for cayden

For those of you who can not afford to stock up on merchandise and ship it directly from your house - I will recommend a drop shipper. This is only for those who are willing to invest into an e-commerce website.

There are many avenues in the business world today with the fast growing technology and IT revolution. One must keep himself updated on the latest happening in the business world. I personally keep myself updated by reading Business Week. Recently I came across an unique service an audio version of BusinessWeek at http://bw.infoble.com/bwlaunch/launch.html I could download the content to my Note Book and listen to it while doing something else. A great service I must say.

Member Avatar for Barefootsanders

I am very interested in this thread. I would like to know what there is a demand for out there. I would like to start some sort of online business but I dont know what there is a need for. I have spoken to entrepreneurs and the main thing is to find "something that people dont want, but NEED." If you convince them they need it, then you are golden.

So I guess what I'm asking is some suggestions to find my niche.

Member Avatar for leelee

If someone finds a niche, chances are they're going to save it for themselves.

There is no silver bullet, and I see so many people in forums like this seeking one. The only sure answer is working hard, and working clever. If you find something along the way that can make you a quick buck, then you'll know when you see it, and that is your opporunity to pounce.

Until then, find something you like doing and RESEARCH. Once you've done the research (and I'm not talking 10 minutes with Google, it actually involves doing some work) then you'll know more or less where you want to go, or if you're going to move onto something else.

It's that simple.

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