BUSINESS IDEAS
Getting Started
How Do You Want to Live and Work?
The ultimate purpose of a business is to help you live the way you want to live your life! You have to design your life and generate your business as part of your life, not separate from but inextricably linked to who you are. But first you have to start from somewhere -first work out what the life you want looks like and then find ways to get there.
Looking for Ideas?
EVERYONE can think up business ideas. It doesn’t always be have to be original or complicated, and the more you keep your eyes and mind open to new possibilities the more likely you are to hit on an idea you can run with and turn it into a business. The more you can answer all the necessary questions about how the business will work, the better the business idea. One of the best ways to see what is on the market is attend trade fairs and franchise exhibitions. Business has gone global. All sorts of businesses around the world are looking for opportunities to sell in the UK. It also keeps you up to date with what is going on world. You might even spot a gap in the market and invent your own product.
The following resources (websites, books, organisations etc) might be useful for when you are looking for business ideas and also if you have some ideas already but need more information.
Websites & Useful Organisations
• www.mumsclub.co.uk
• www.netmums.co .uk
• www.bizymoms.com (USA)
An American site full of business ideas and start up guides for mums who are looking to start businesses.
• www.homebiztools.com (USA)
Another American site full of business ideas and start up guides for mums who are looking to start their own businesses.
• www.mumpreneurs.com (USA)
Specifically aimed for women who combine running a business with motherhood. Full of inspiration and ideas.
• www.cobwebInfo.com
This company has a very large database on specific business ideas and important industry information to help you with your business plan.
• www.entrepreneur.com & www.womenentrepreneur.com (USA)
This is the site of Entrepreneur Magazine, an excellent general business magazine for start-ups and growing businesses with a huge database of information, advice online, business ideas and also publishes lots of guides.
• www.businessideasandopportunities.co.uk
• www.fabjob.com (USA)
This site publishes guides on over 120 different types of businesses, written by experts who have actually started those businesses.
• Business Link
www.businesslink.gov.uk
Website has some ideas about businesses to fit in with family life. It is also the best place to find information about grants and business regulations.
Magazines and Specialist Publications
• Entrepreneur Magazine (USA, you can buy it from most Borders bookstores)
• Home Business Magazine (USA, also from Borders)
• Start Your Business Magazine (From WhSmiths)
• Business Opportunities Digest www.magazine-group.co.uk
Lots of business ideas, opportunities and how-to guide to operate it. Yearly subscription
Organisations & Courses
• TNG/Inbiz
• Excaliber
• Barclays
‘Lets Talk Business Ideas’
Exhibitions
• The Franchise Exhibition
• Spring Fair
• Autumn Fair
• Mother & Baby Show
Books:
Many small business books will touch briefly on the issue of business ideas. These books focus more on the business ideas, your personality and how to think through what kind business person you might be and what kind of businesses might suit you.
What Business Should I Start?: 7 Steps to Discovering the Ideal Business for You
Author: Rhonda Abrams & Paul Barrow
Publisher: Capstone
Making a Living Without a Job: Winnings Ways for Creating Work That You love
Author: Barbara J. Winter
Publisher: Bantam Books
Start Small Finish Big: Fifteen Key Lessons to Start and Run Your Own Successful Business
Author: Fed DeLuca (founder of Subway)
Publisher: Warner Business Books
Planning a Career Change: Rethink Your Way to a Better Working Life
Author: Judith Johnstone
Publisher: How to Books
A Whack on the Side of the Head
Author: Roger Von Oech
Publisher: Warner Books
Authentic: How to Make a Living by Being Yourself
Author: Neil Crofts
Publisher: Capstone
Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow: Discovering Your Right Livelihood
Author: Marsha Sinetar
Publisher: Dell
Finding Your Perfect Work: The new career guide for making a living and creating a life.
Author: Paul and Sarah Edwards
Publisher: Penguin Putnam
Secrets of Successful Women Entrepreneurs: How Ten Leading Business Women turned a Good Idea into a Fortune
Author: Sue Stockdale
Publisher: Lean Marketing Press
Secrets of Millionaire Moms: Learn How They Turned Great Ideas Into Booming Business – and How You Can Too!
Author: Tamara Monsosoff
Publisher: McGraw Hill
Entrepreneur’s Ultimate Start-up Directory (1,350 great business ideas)
Author: James Stephenson
Publisher: Entrepreneur Media
Think Up a Business
Author: Barrie Hawkins
Publisher: Rushmere Wynne
Find Your Light Bulb: How to make millions from apparently impossible ideas
Author: Mike Harris
How to Make Millions from your ideas
Author: D.S. Kennedy
A Bit on the Side: 500 Ways to Boost Your Income
Author: Jasmine Birtles
Publisher: Piatkus
How I Got My Idea: 30 entrepreneurs reveal how they come u their ideas
Author: Rachel Bridge
Publisher: Kogan Page
How to Generate Great Ideas
Author: Barrie Hawkins
Publisher: Kogan Page
Turn Your Passion into Profits: How to Start a Business of Your Dreams
Author: Janet Victoria Allon
Publisher: Hearst Books
The Creative Economy: How People Make Money from Ideas
Author: John Howkins
Publisher: Penguin Business
Product Leadership: Pathways to Profitable Innovation
Author: Robert G.Cooper
Publisher: Perseus Books
Products Juggernauts: How Companies Mobilize to Generate a Stream of Market Winners
Authors: Jean-Philippe Deschamps, P. Ranganath Nayak
Publisher: Harvard Business School Press
Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime of Unlimited Wealth
Author: Robert G. Allen
The Big Idea
Author: Robert Jones
Niche and Get Rich: Practical ways of turning your ideas into a business
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
202 Services you can Sell for Big Profits: The only book that identifies the choicest service businesses and show you how to start them
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
202 Things You Can Buy and Sell for big profits: This is it-the bona fide insider’s guide to cashing in on the huge boom in reselling new and used products for big bucks
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
202 Things You Can Make and Sell for Big profits: Turn a hobby into a money maker
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
The Weekend Entrepreneur: 101 Great ways to earn extra cash – on your spare time
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
No Cash, No Fear: Entrepreneurial Secrets to Starting Any Business with No Money
Author: Terry Allen
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd
How to Make Money From Ideas and Inventions
Author: R. Rogers
Publisher: Kogan Page
Business Idea Checklist: Questions to ask yourself
• What do I want out from a business, is it make a little extra money, a make a decent living or build a business empire. When you dream of running your business, how do you imagine you will be operating it day to day? Will it have to be part-time? Will I just be self employed or a fully fledge business with staff etc? How much money do I need to earn?
• What skills experience and hobbies could I develop? What sort of business interests me most? Could I do it as a business day in and day out?
• Realistically, how much time can I give to developing and running the business. (For example if you have children how would you work around them?) Will I need childcare and how often?
• Research, research, research! Who is doing what I want to do? (and or nearest to it) Look around, surf the internet, go window shopping, pick up brochures, compare prices etc.
• Work out how your business will be different? What is unique about your business or service? Why should a customer buy from you and not the competitor?
• How much will I need to get started? What is the minimum amount I need? What other ways can I get credit? How much stock will I need to buy to get started. (For example, if you a new business you sometimes have to pay the goods in advance)
• Start putting together a business plan to help you answer the questions.
• First things First- what foundations will your business need in place? What is my business name, logo, business address, website, a way to receive credit card or debit card payments.
• Who can help me? Organisations, experts etc
Great Tip No.1
Always have a notebook handy to
jot down ideas and questions
as they come to you, and to
check off things off your to-do list.
Great Tip No.2
If you have time and no money,
use it well and develop the business ideas
so that when do (and you will)
find some money,
you will be ready to start.
Great Tip No.3
Momentum is the key!
Doing a bit towards your
business everyday are the
habits of successful people.
Great Tip No.4
Try doing some voluntary work
in the field you want to
start a business in to get
familiar with the industry.
Surf some of the internet sites aimed at women, you will find that there are communities of other women like you with similar stories and challenging circumstances, sign up get newsletters and their forums and talk your ideas over with potential customers.
So reach out get connected it is easy when you know how.
Happy hunting!