Winter 2003-04
How many e-mails with this subject line do you get every day? If you're like me, you get tons of them. They go in your junk mail with the mortgage refinance offers and the dreaded male member enlargement "breakthroughs."
Can you really make money from these magical plans just by sending out 50 trillion e-mails or stuffing envelopes? Not likely. Of course, there are alternatives: Consider passion parties and Mary Kay. But what if you're just not a salesperson? What if all the other wives on your block are doing the same thing and you just can't compete?
I propose starting your own business and building it from the ground up.
Anyone can start a home business with little money and a lot of motivation. Being a business owner really does make you "your own boss," but it takes work. If you are able to drag yourself out of bed in the morning and go to work without having the urge to call in sick, this is for you.
Your business success will rest squarely on your shoulders. If you don't have the capability to be your own accountant, marketer, web designer, business manager, author or laborer, then this is not for you.
Most military wives, of course, should be decently equipped to multitask. Now all you need is "the idea."
Every business starts with an interest. You have interests, right? You have hobbies and talents, do you not? You have experience with things that other people don't, correct? Then with the right drive, you can start your own business.
There are thousands of hobbies that can be turned into businesses. Your only skill is sewing? How about making custom baby blankets for customers! Do you make candles? Can you create beautiful paintings? Are you a mean computer programmer? Can you make professional looking greeting cards or invitations?
The question is: What are you good at that you enjoy? If you don't enjoy it, then don't bother. You don't want to be the boss of Misery Inc.
For now, we will use scrapbooking as an example. Scrapbooks are a growing hobby and, believe it or not, most people out there don't have the same talent and ability that you do. Once you have an idea, let your imagination run wild. What could you do for your customers?
- Service: You will create scrapbooks/pages for others.
- Supplies: You will provide unique supplies for reasonable rates.
- Knowledge: You will provide great tips/ideas for other scrapbookers.
For example, in the service/supply area, you can personalize your scrapbook by covering it with fabric and putting her name on it. What a novel idea! Who would pay to have a personalized scrapbook that no one else has? I know I would. Would I get off my lazy butt and do it myself? Probably not.
If you're not into service, check out supplies. A lot of people don't want to go to the scrapbook store and spend hours deciding which paper to get for one page. It's so much easier to jump online and buy an all-inclusive packet. How about creating themed kits? Gathering paper, die cuts and corners into a kit isn't too hard, is it? Why not sell "all you need to make a scrapbook" kits!
If those fail, you have the old standby: knowledge. How many fabulous creations have you turned out? How about writing pamphlets or e-books on how to imitate that project? What is the secret to making your scrapbook look so good? Take some pictures and throw it up on a website and offer your creations to the world.
Of course, there is always the clincher: What will you offer that others don't? What niche within the scrapbooking community will you fill? As a professional scrapbooker, you know what the market is missing, so just dig for it! What have you looked everywhere to find? What services do you wish were available to you that aren't? What do you wish you had known when you were a beginner? Think hard! This will be the reason people come to you instead of your competition.
So put on your thinking caps, grab a piece of paper and write down the things you are good at and enjoy. Do some brainstorming. Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas to get started.
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Hilary Martin is the author of Solo-Ops: A Survival Guide for Military Wives, and the founder of the Solo-Ops website, a support site for military wives. She is a work-at-home mother and wife of a U.S. Marine.