There are so many types of businesses you can do from home. This podcast is nowhere near exhaustive, but it can get you started in the right direction. Listen in to find out what home-based business is right for you.
The Farm Wife (website)
Let's Visit! (email)
Amazon Shop Page
There are so many types of businesses you can do from home. This podcast is nowhere near exhaustive, but it can get you started in the right direction. Listen in to find out what home-based business is right for you.
The Farm Wife (website)
Let's Visit! (email)
Amazon Shop Page
Welcome back to the last segment in the Home-Based Business series. Today we’re going to be talking about what you can do. There are so many types of businesses you can do from home. This podcast is nowhere near exhaustive, but it can get you started in the right direction. If none of these appeal to you, do an online search and see if anything is available that fits within your skills and interests.
First up is working remotely. Some companies offer remote positions. These are often found in the arena of medical billing, transcriptions, bookkeeping and personal assistant, just to name a few. But technical positions, such as software design, can also be done remotely. Some corporations, like Employee Assistance Programs and Insurance Companies, have remote ‘offices’, where incoming Customer Service calls are handled remotely.
Other positions offered through Established Companies include these:
Affiliate Marketing – this involves making sales calls or computer contacts in order to sell a product or service. Usually, this involves earning a commission, more so than a set salary.
Bookkeeping – This requires a certain level of education and certification. It can also be done through a company, or as self-employment.
Consulting – again, this can be done through a company or as your own business. Determine what you are good at and offer your services to teach and/or help others learn how.
Copywriting, Editing, Proofreading – If you are a writer, you may want to go to work for a company doing any of these. There are also online companies, such as fiverr.com, where you can open a ‘storefront’ and offer your services. Your earnings are determined on the amount set for the service, with a percentage of that amount which goes to the online company.
Grant Writing – if you are good at this, it can be a lucrative position. It does require taking classes and depending on where you live, some certifications. Grant Writing also takes strong writing, research, and math skills. ALL grants require financial breakdowns of how much money is needed and how it will be spent. Companies, especially non-profits, often hire professional grant writers, but it is also a service you can offer on a contract basis.
Virtual Assistant – Strong organizational skills are necessary to be a virtual assistant. Primarily, the basic jobs will be scheduling, making appointments, replying to emails, and other general office skills. But some virtual assistants are required to do other things.
Transcription – I am not sure if it is still offered, but when I was younger, I often picked up extra cash through working with court reporters. They would send me the court proceedings, and I would transcribe them and put them in a legal format. Physicians and professors also use this type of service. Keep in mind, you may be subject to privacy laws and be required to heavily password protect your work.
Programmer – This involves learning computer programming, but once you become proficient, you can make a lucrative income.
Web Design – more and more companies and individuals are learning the value of having a professional online appearance. However, many of them don’t know a host from a platform, much less what it takes to meld the two. With a strong knowledge of web design, you can quickly build a business that starts with the initial construction of a website and continue earning money with maintenance and updates.
Now let’s look at a few self-owned home professions. Some options to consider are:
Childcare – you will be required to follow local and federal laws with this, but keeping children in your home can be a fulfilling proposition.
Bookkeeping & Tax Preparation – If you have a love of numbers, this could be a perfect business for you. Depending on your state, there may be certifications and classes you have to take, so be diligent in your research. Although tax preparation is thought to be ‘seasonal’, some companies prefer to hire outside professionals to prepare monthly and quarterly tax reports, do payroll, and create budgets. Be sure that your local and/or state government does not require this work to be done by a CPA. Also, keep in mind that tax preparation may come with the necessity to attend any scheduled audits.
Handcrafts - Are you a crafty sort of person? Hand crafts are making a serious comeback. Whether you sell from home, at a craft mall, or establish an online presence through web-based shops such as Etsy, you can easily turn a hobby into a money-making opportunity.
Teach Classes - If you have talent for something, offer to teach others. Whether handcrafts, small engine repairs, or basic computer skills, there are folks out there who want to learn. If you are a homesteader, offer to teach a class on one or more of the basics – gardening, canning, and preserving, composting – or teach an entire eight-to-twelve-week course on all the different aspects of homesteading.
Repairs – This can start at home repairs, and continue with equipment, bicycles, small engines, and appliances. As a repair expert, you can choose whether the items need to be brought to a shop on your property, or if you will ‘travel’. Either way, you will have to consult local and federal requirements for such a business.
Digital and Other Products – If you love the idea of creating digital products, you can set up an online shop on sites such as PayHip, Shopify, and others. Some of these shops even allow you to offer courses or physical products, such as handcrafts, print books and planners, and more.
Let’s talk a bit about homesteading as a business. There are as many ways to earn money from a homestead as there are homesteaders. It all boils down to what your homestead produces and your creative talents.
Keep in mind that with some homesteading products, such as dairy and greenhouses, you are required to adhere to federal and local laws regarding permits and licensing.
Poultry
Fresh Eggs (duck eggs and quail eggs can bring in a bit more than chicken)
From the Garden you can offer:
Let me just add this here. When considering value-added products and baked goods, you may be required to follow the Cottage Industry Laws in your state. And selling fresh meat may require you to obtain special licensing and permits, and be subject to inspections.
Let’s talk about four other income producing avenues for homesteaders -
Writing is one of the easiest ways to work from home. It is a solitary profession and can be relatively inexpensive. You don’t even have to have a computer to do it, at first. However, I highly recommend you get one eventually. Manuscripts have to be formatted in a certain way, and a computer does that so much quicker and easier. And using a typewriter may seem a bit on the romantic side, but it can also make it more difficult in the long run.
With writing, you can choose your genre. Fiction has almost unlimited categories. Mystery, Sci Fi, Police Procedurals, and Faith-based are just the tip of the iceberg.
Non-fiction also has unlimited options. If you live on a homestead, you can write a book on homesteading in general, or drill down to a specific area. Some Memoirs sell well. Cooking, baking, computer tips and hacks…if you are proficient at it, you can write a book about it.
Writing is also one of the hardest ways to make money. Sales are dependent on the quality of your writing and strong marketing skills.
With the popularity of self-publishing, you don’t necessarily have to have an agent or go through a publishing house. But without them, you have to do all the hard work yourself – marketing, accounting, layout, design, covers and much more.
Blogging, at its very foundation, started out as an online journal. Now, they primarily focus on a specific niche, with categories in more specific areas of that subject. Although there may be one out there, you rarely see a blog that covers everything from changing a diaper to rocket science.
Think of it as Teaching. Most people today are in search of information – especially the ‘how-to’ type. They are interested in doing something and turn to the internet to find websites that can teach them how.
There are also pitfalls within any category. I will use homesteading as an example. In general, a Google Search of homesteading websites netted me over 31 million results. They ranged from individual blogs to real estate to books to tools, and on and on. I can’t even tell you how many pages I could view when I searched for just homesteading blogs. In order to set yourself apart within the homesteading blog world, you need to narrow – or ‘drill down’ to a certain area. That doesn’t mean you can’t add other areas of homesteading to your blog, but you do need to stand out as an expert in at least one major category.
Because there is so much to consider with becoming a blogger, I won’t go into detail here, but I will say this: If you choose to blog, be aware that competition is tough. It takes long hours and tremendous dedication to set yourself apart from the ‘herd’.
And blogging can be costly. Some of the expenses include your domain, hosting and platforms just to get started. Then there are plug ins, newsletters, podcasting, designing digital products, setting up courses, and other expenses down the road.
We've already talked some about teaching and consulting. Determine what you are skilled at, and teach classes, or offer your services to help small companies get started.
Depending on your willingness to do the work, a home-based business can be an exciting and fulfilling venture. It will take some time, dedication, efficient scheduling and learning how to deal with interruptions and distractions. But overall, working from home can be a lucrative venture, and maybe just the job you’ve always been looking for!
Let me know if you decide to start your own home-based business, and if this series has helped. And don’t forget to check out my Amazon Shop page for books and other products that can help you get started. Who knows? I may even end up being one of your customers!
If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, you can support the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!
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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.