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HELP! I need Ideas to start a business

prosperngrowprosperngrow subscriber Posts: 1
edited November 2007 in Selecting a Business
Hello Everyone,
 
I`m in desperate need to fulfill my dreams of working my own thing from home or partially outside the home or whatever.I`m having trouble finding a business to start.  I`m a Personal Assistant now(part time). I have done home and office organization. I`m hoping someone(s) can give me an idea of what i could start that doesn`t require alot of start up cost. I can see the dream but, I`m having the trouble achieving it. I have tried but my problem comes with getting my business exposure, the marketing end of it.
The things I like to do is , organize,decorate, being a personal assistant, I love researching whatever I need to know, I grew up in a home/office cleaning service so I know it like back of my hand, but, I don`t want to solely do that, I know Admininstrative Assistant work(did for years). I have a passion to help people, I love being creative and do something original and different.

Any Ideas with the  background I have...I can  maybe roll into one and do?????
prosperngrow11/10/2007 7:23 AM
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Comments

  • bestofasiabestofasia subscriber Posts: 0
    hello, if you interested in fashion, I have jewelries, handbags etc, these are high end products that sell in high end stores but great items for online biz like ebay etc if interested feel free to send me a mail at best-of-asia@asia.com
  • AimeeAimee subscriber Posts: 2
    Hello Asia,
     
    What is your website for viewing your inventory & prices?
     
     
    Aimee
  • prosperngrowprosperngrow subscriber Posts: 1
    I want to say thank you "Campsteve" and "Best of Asia" for your response.
    The Virtual does sound like a good idea, I need to research it or if anyone knows anything about "Virtual Assistant" please share some info. I would appreciate it.
     
    Bestof Asia do you have a price list or a website??
     
     
  • CMugsCMugs subscriber Posts: 3
    Here is an article I saved from ConsumerAffairs.com a couple of months ago.  It may help you get started as a VA.
     



    Virtual



    assistants

    If you enjoy administrative work and are good at it, you may be a good
    candidate for a virtualassistant (VA) job.
    The best VA’s come from administrative backgrounds, but anyone who is
    detail-oriented, loves to work in a support role, and has a well-rounded
    work history would possibly do well in a career as a VA, said Stacy
    Brice, one of the founders of the VA industry.
    Brice, who provides help and training through AssistU.com
    , said the pay could be rewarding, based on how
    well you do your job.
    Because VAs are business owners, they set their own fees, based on the
    value they can create for their clients. You`ll see fees all over the place,
    but AssistU-trained VAs generally have fees that are $30.00 + per hour,
    Brice said.
    Why would someone hire a virtualassistant?
    Many small business owners, sole-practice professionals and entrepreneurs
    hire VAs so they can concentrate on what they do best, rather than getting
    bogged down in administrative details.
    Oh, and also so they can work at home. You`ll find graphic artists, Web
    designers, technical consultants and all kinds of independent professionals
    working at home and using virtual assistants these days.
    I use a virtualassistant so that I don’t have the responsibility of
    overhead, payroll, etc., said Jonathan Pool, a Michigan-based mechanical
    consulting engineer. In a way, it’s like having a consultant of my own,
    someone with their own expertise.
    In addition to AssistU, you can find valuable information at the
    International Virtual Assistants Association and at
    Staffcentrix.
  • prosperngrowprosperngrow subscriber Posts: 1
    I thank everyone who has answered me so far, you have given me valuable information to search out these avenues and see if it will work for me or if I need to be in another direction with my background. I guess the biggest thing now , is thinking of how to get customers....I think that is where alot of people whom try to start there own thing gets stumped at and don`t continue.
     
    Have a great day!
  • CMugsCMugs subscriber Posts: 3
    One more thing.  I coach small business and those wishing to increase net worth and one book I am recommending right now for anyone wanting to start a business is "Cash Machine for Life" by Loral Langemeir.  You would probably find it useful.
  • smallbizcoachsmallbizcoach subscriber Posts: 0
    Virtual Assistants are a growing profession. The more and more people take their businesses home, the more need their will be for virtual assistants.
    In regards to pay. It`s hard to find a good VA for less than $35 an hour and goes up to about $75 an hour. If you are good, then you will find a ton of work.
    Best of luck.
    Aaron
  • prosperngrowprosperngrow subscriber Posts: 1
    Hi Smallbizcoach,
     
    Thanks for your reply! I was wondering how  and where do you market yourself to get business? I don`t doubt I can be a good one because I have an administrative background also but, I wouldn`t know where to start to get customers.
  • johnqhjohnqh subscriber Posts: 4
    I am going to be a little bit negative here.
    Anyone who ask "I need ideas to start a business" is not ready to start a business. You need to have ideas first, then pursue it as a business.
    Why? Because if you have to get ideas from other people, you are simply not going to be competitive. Whatever business you enter into, you are no better than the next person going into the same business. It probably doesn`t require special skills (administrative background is not a special skill), so anyone can get in. Most likely, you will end up competing on price and work long hours to make the end`s meat. That`s not the way to create a successful business (or even a successful self-employment job).
    This is simply how free market works. When a product or service can be offered by anyone, it is a commodity, and it always end up being a low margin thing.
    You have to dig deeper to find something right for you. "Administrative background" is just a start. You have to find something which differentiate yourself more.
    Let me give you an example - if you have been doing administrative work for a particular industry, that will be a great asset and not everyone can do it. Let me be even more concrete - if you have done import/export administrative work, you can easily do an import and export consulting business, because that is foreign to most people.
    That was just an example. You need to think about your past experience and think hard about what make youself different. A lot of things may be so natural to you that you don`t even see it, but may be very valuable to others.johnqh2007-11-17 20:57:34
  • smallbizcoachsmallbizcoach subscriber Posts: 0
    prosperngrow -
    There are tons of places on the internet to get training and also get jobs.
    The bigger preparation begins in your home/office. Do you have an organized area? Do you have all the office equipment that you will need? Do you have software that is going to be required by your clients? Do you know how to use a lot of various software? Do you have a landline phone? Unlimited long distance? Etc.
    Currently, I use a VA for getting our membership site (www.BusinessOwnersOnline.com) up and off the ground. She writes articles, makes calls, works with my other designers, etc so that I don`t have to do any of that and am able to do other stuff that is more worthy of my time. She is the most amazing lady ever and worth every single penny. Her personality and great attitude make her an absolute breeze to work with, plus she is willing to try new things and also learn (a huge plus for any VA).
    We have gotten into more of a friendship because of our working relationship. We aren`t able to pay her top dollar, but we do other things for her that make up for it. For instance, for her 30th birthday just recently, we sent her a nice assortment of wines from one of our clients that she was working with. Wine is one thing........but it was extra special to her because this was locally made and someone who she worked with on a project.
    Why does she do what she does? She used to be like a paralegal in a law firm working 60-80 hours a week on salary, taking work home, getting calls at all hours of the night, etc. One day her 7 year old daughter said....."Mommy, why are you never home?" Then it hit her and it was time for a change.
    Now she picks up enough work to fill the 6-8 hours a day her daughter is at school plus a bit more if needed. Either way, she is home all the time and has the flexibility to do whatever she wants. She is heavily involved in 2-3 different organizations plus also very active with the PTO at her daughter`s school. We have her get all of our projects done and usually give her 15-20 hours a week or two depending on the workload.
    So that just tells you some of the things about our VA, what you need to be ready for, etc.
    Let me know if you have any other questions.
    Aaron
  • prosperngrowprosperngrow subscriber Posts: 1
    thanks for your reply smallbizcoach. I was wondering if you could ask your VA how she started out to get her customers? I guess that is what is holding me back like a wide range of people can use a VA, so where do you begin.?
  • BrookeBrooke subscriber Posts: 1
    A startup business, home based is on 74% of the American work force`s mind.  The problem with wanting and actually doing it is the start up capital needed.  Most don`t like their current position in life with the type of work they are doing and don`t feel qualified for doing anything else but what they have fallen into.  A comfort zone of zombie affliction I`ll call it.  Do the same thing each day, dreading it but enduring it because of necessity.
    Having the common sense approach to investigate what you might like to do with the rest of your life will probably be plagued with the not so common sense approach of doing it for little or no cost or free.  Also an expectation to make big dollars fast.  I need it and want it now!
    Another desire would be to do something that nobody else is doing or thought of so there would be no competition.  Don`t forget that whatever you end up doing it has to have little cost but be very profitable with it`s perceived value.  In other words buy or manufacture something that costs you .10 cents or less and sell it for 50, 60, 70, 80 cents or more.
    Then comes the marketing of the business you`ve chosen.  Do I have a budget for it, what would be the like-ability of the product or service that referral`s would be created as a high percentage of new business.
    Well, I hope I didn`t sound too much like a soothsayer or palm reader in fantasy wishful thinking.  We are human and it is very natural to dream about such a business and with all that was said above, this business would have to be fun, rewarding, not boring but creative and with ongoing future possibilities to grow both offline and online.
    Oh if only there was a special start up business that had those qualities.  Other than the `free` or small cost (whatever that means to you) I have such a business that is available.  It meets all the fantasy requirements mentioned for $4900.00.  It does not have the fantasy of a `hands off` business and it magically grows itself.  No, that you have to do.  Play with the business.  Notice I didn`t say `work` the business.  If you play with this business, you will be very successful.
    www.businesscardnotecards.com features the product business I`m referring to.  Email bafolk@optonline.com with the request to send the free report that will explain this business in great detail.
    My business is helping others find their own home based business.
    Brooke Folk
    www.thehomebusinessdepot.comBrooke11/29/2007 1:24 PM
  • LouiseKLouiseK subscriber Posts: 0
    Getting started in your own online business can be very intimidating. Working as a VA could be difficult due to the need to establish yourself in the market. For a quick start, I suggest James Brausch`s internetbusinessbox.com. This has everything you need to get your own business started. Where you go from there is totally up to you. The possibilities are endless. I wish you the best of luck!
  • jackierileyjackieriley subscriber Posts: 0
    Hi,
    With your skills and interest, you`d be perfect for home staging, in my opinion.
    Best of luck!
     
  • LiveWiseLiveWise subscriber Posts: 5
    Hey--
     
    I know exactly what you mean!!!  How would you like to have your own website with 4.8 million products of  Books, CDs, DVDs, Video Games, and College Textbooks?  What if these products were priced in a way that they beat the prices of other on-line book stores almost everytime?  What if you didn`t have to do any of the money handling, shipping, returns, etc. and got 40% of the profits?  What if you got coached by some of the brightest business people (Robert G. Allen, Richard Paul Evans, Mark Victor Hansen, etc.)  weekly on how to build your business?  What if those business men gave you a promise that after one year, if you didn`t feel like your life was better, you could get out of the business and get 100% of your money refunded?  What if you paid less than $40 per month for all of this?  I found that this is working for me.  I couldn`t afford a lot of money to start up a business because I am a single mom, but this company is a "no brainer".  I can`t wait until I`m able to quit my JOB (by the way JOB stands for Just Over Broke). 
     
    Natalie
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