I am still trying to finalize a decision on which business is the right one to go into.

Here are a couple of key points that factor into my decision.
1. I need a business that fits the needs and the market of a small rural community.
2. I need a business that offers a minimal investment, I do not have a lot of additional income to spare
3. I need a business that will yeild profits in a short time, doing it supplementally on the side would not be feasible, I am in a dire situation and I need to do something to generate income and jobs in my area are very very difficult to find.

I have gone back and forth about providing business support services in area businesses, however, with the economy the way it is I question how much business I will actually be able to obtain.

I have also thought about going in to the pet industry. I have breed dogs in the past and would like to do more of this, however, this will take a year or two in order to have dogs of proper breeding age and actually it is something I just want to do as a supplemental income and my kids can help with it as well. But I have considered doing either a doggie day care, pet sitting, baking dog treats, or selling unique items for pets.

People will spend money on their kids, their pets, and in order to save time. Does anyone have any other suggestions that would be good ideas that I may not have already thought of, if so please let me know. Living in the small rural area is what worries me, but moving is not an option right now.

Thanks,
Tam:o

Hi Tam,
I am in a similar situation but possibly worse as i no longer
live in the uk. Am living in a small community in eastern
europe and business ventures, even employment is difficult.
I have been toying with several ideas but there is one that i
am still developing which may be of interest to you.
I run a small pc network at home, my two laptops have built in
wifi, and i added wifi to my desktop pc, so they are all
connected wirelessly!
Now i did not need to add a wifi router as mine are all built
in, but if i did i could broadcast further, and with a booster
and good antenna, even further still. I believe 200 metres is
about right with an external router, and more if amplified.
Now, i have a brochure here from a company called air live,
ovislink corp, and they offer all sorts of pc products
including a router intended for hotels. The idea is that
guests can buy a card from reception which gives them x amount
of wifi access on their laptop.
It also allows the provider, ie the hotel the ability to
display a home page. 
So my initial idea was to feed out my internet connection at
home by wifi and put prepay cards in local shops. I could even
ask local businesses to house repeaters, which would further
my coverage.
But i have since expanded on the idea.
If i can add a homepage and maybe my own site to the broadcast
signal,that means people would pick up my homepage which could
include local gossip, maybe news and local people,
competitions etc.
It could also provide a list of local services and businesses.
With or without also providing web access! I have downloaded a
server programme, and have a web building programme which i
would be happy to email to anyone interested, and can also
provide details of what i consider would be an appropriate
router. Anyone who is maybe more technically minded than me
(former electronics engineer, but a messy knowledge of pc's)
may understand the viability or problems of such an idea, but
i welcome any comments. Finally, costwise it would not cost
much to set up, these routers are around 100 pounds, i can
send free the server and webbuilder programme, so most of the
cost would go on local advertising, which shouldn't be much.
What do you think?

Hi there,

Start by looking carefully at your community. What areas could benefit the most by introducing a new service business? What is the strongest industry and what can you offer to assist that industry?
What kind of income are your target market making? Can they afford extra services?

Do some hands on research by going out into the community and establishing where your energy would be best focused.

As for some possible business ideas, where do your skills and talents lie? What experience have you got that can be adapted to your own business? Is your ideal market established business, new business or a public household service?

A good place to start, particularly if you are in urgent need of income, is to look into a childcare or cleaning related business. They would both be fairly accommodating of your own children and can bring in some extra cash. Admittedly cleaning is fairly competitive but you could start by approaching business directly with a professional pamphlet outlining your services and offer a special deal for any new clients.

Do mail drops in residential areas that can both afford your fees and would be receptive to a cleaner. Again, offer an introductory special for all new clients. Obviously you will need to register your business for legal and taxation issues as well as insurance so do your research.

If your good with children and enjoy caring for them you could look into a home day care business. Again this will require thorough investigation into legalities, requirements and insurance issues.

Once you find your niche I'm sure you will be successful. Keep an open mind and I'm sure the answer will come to you.

All the best,



Tamara Lyster Online
www.tamaralyster.net
A marketing concept for businesses focussed on health, wellness, personal development and human growth.

-Strategic Brand Development
-High Impact Business Writing
-OnDemand "Cost-Per-Query" Marketing

Hi Tam

Did you every consider doing an private duty non-medical company?

Sharon

It may be different in your town, but in my community of 1,800, people generally treat their pets very poorly. Take a close look at your community. If people chain up their dogs outside or let them run free, catering to the pet market may not be the best idea.

I have recently started a business that sources promotional products, trophies and apparel for customers. All you really need for this is some basic desktop publishing skills and good internet research skills. Last week, I laid out a business card size magnet, found a dirt cheap price on the internet and ordered 7,500 of these for a customer. The customer would have paid their last supplier $.28 per unit. I was able to source these for a dime and charge a quarter for a cool $1,100 profit!

This was a pretty big customer in the neighboring town of 25,000....a non-profit that does a lot of promo throughout the year. But, think about all of the potential customers you have right there...school, Boy Scouts, PTO, civic groups, Little League, churches, etc. Start in your town, then all the surrounding towns.

Good luck with whatever you decide to undertake!