A household clearance business can be a huge help. They enter the homes of those who have deceased or vacated and essentially clean them out top to bottom. They get rid of everything inside from garbage to collectibles and everything in between.

How Does a Household Clearance Business Make Money?

A household clearance business generally makes money by selling the items they find inside the home. A home that’s been foreclosed on is often left full of furniture, appliances and equipment that the previous owners just couldn’t take with them. A clearance business can sell all of these items for a profit. In the case of foreclosure or a death, that’s generally how they profit. However, a clearance business can also charge by the hour or by the home or project.

What Do You Need to Start a Household Clearance Business?

If you’re going to be removing and transporting garbage, you’ll want to look into your local licensing regulations. Many communities require a special license for transporting waste. Additionally, you will likely want to make sure your business is insured.

You’ll need vehicles to transport all of the waste and items found inside the home. Storage for the items you find inside the home and intend to sell is also helpful. You may also need a few employees unless you are content to work long and laborious days on your own.

You’ll want to have some basic cleaning equipment as well. These might include gloves, shovels, and containers for waste and items to be removed. While no formal training or education is required, if you’re looking to sell collectibles then knowledge of antiques and collectibles will help.

Marketing Your Household Clearance Business

In this business it pays to have connections. You will want to connect with funeral homes that can pass out your card when a client asks for guidance. You can also connect with real estate agents who will be aware of foreclosed homes. You can also market your business online and in local business directories. Think about where someone would look for your service and then make sure you’re represented there.

Owning a household clearance business can be a lot of work but it can also be a lot of fun. You’re able to see real progress as you clear out a home. You might find rare and valuable items inside a home and you’re providing a service. If you don’t mind working the occasional long day and you do enjoy clearing, cleaning and selling items, then a household clearance business may be your dream opportunity.

If you’re looking to start your own business and work from home, consider starting an errand running business. An errand running business offers you the ability to help people, make personal connections with customers, and make a nice income. Here’s what you need to start an errand business.

Customers

An errand running business has a number of potential customers. New mothers and mothers of young children are a fantastic audience. Additionally, the elderly or people that are home bound can also benefit from an errand running business. Finally, consider also targeting affluent customers who work twelve-hour days and don’t have time to complete many tasks.

Services

As a concierge or the owner of an errand running business, you have many options. You can offer a number of services or you can specialize. Some options include:

* Dry cleaning
* Grocery shopping
* Shopping
* Post office/shipping
* Banking
* Appointment making
* Buying tickets
* Walking/caring for pets or taking them to the veterinarian

You can also specialize in a specific type of task or service like financial errands which would require a high degree of trust. Research your competition to choose what services you offer and how you price them. You can charge by the hour, by the errand or offer package or membership pricing.

Start-Up Equipment

The wonderful thing about an errand business is that the start-up costs are extremely low. If you already own a reliable vehicle, your costs may be less than $100. However, you’ll also need a telephone and email address. If your phone has email capability and texting and instant messaging options, that will help your customers stay in touch with you. You’ll also want a computer, a website, and the means to invoice your customers.

Marketing Your Business

Initially your marketing campaign will be local. You’ll want a website for customers to reference and you’ll want to be listed on local search engines like Google Places. You will also likely want classified advertisements in your local papers, Craigslist and the yellow pages. Networking and word of mouth are perhaps your biggest sources of clients. Help your clients spread the word and consider offering a referral bonus. Flyer and brochures will help spread the word too.

An errand running business is a wonderful business if you’re personable and responsible. Additionally, it’ll help if you’re excited to start and grow a business focused on helping people. Research your competition, plan your business, and help meet the needs of your community. Get started today!

More and more of us want to eat healthier and get in better shape. The demand for health products has been huge for years and the trend continues to rise as more and more of us become more concerned about our weight and wellbeing.

How Do You Start a Healthy Meal Business?

It’s not all that difficult. The first thing to realize is that you’ll want to have knowledge of healthy eating and just what makes a healthy meal (and what doesn’t). You’ll also, of course, have great cooking skills and the ability to prepare tasty, fresh meals.

The way it tends to work is that customers will sign up for your healthy meals delivery service. They may sign up on a monthly basis or weekly basis. You may also have an option of daily delivery if you choose. The reason most companies tend to sign up customers on a monthly basis is because this sets a commitment and they know how much food they’ll need ahead of time, as well as running costs. How flexible you are in this area is entirely up to you.

Every day, you’ll deliver fresh, healthy meals to the customer’s home or place of work. You’ll also provide a menu each week for customers to choose their meal options for the following week.

Who Is This Business Right For?

This is a great business for someone who loves cooking and all things healthy. The more enthusiastic you are about spreading your company’s message and ethos about healthy eating and wellbeing, the better your success will be.

Of course, great cooking skills are essential, as is being highly organized and people-friendly. Organization will be crucial in your day-to-day management such as scheduling delivery times and routes, as well as organizing the cooking side of things.

Being confident and people-friendly will also help as this will help you gain new customers and keep old ones happy. If you’re doing the deliveries yourself, there may be a lot of interaction between you and your customers.

What about the Legalities?

Different areas will require different things, but you’ll want to check with your local county office to ensure you meet all their requirements. There will be special rules and regulations to do with food handling. These may vary depending on whether you start from your home kitchen or from a business premise.

If you love cooking and healthy eating, this may be the perfect business for you. With an upward trend in our drive to be thinner, healthier and happier – a healthy meals delivery service fits right in.

The demand for housecleaning has been on an upward trend for years. As more and more households now have two working parents, the need for extra help with the household is often necessary.

And now there’s a trend that’s growing even faster – green housecleaning. As more of us are becoming aware of the dangers of using toxic chemicals in our home environment – as well as the conscious drive to take better care of the planet, we’re aiming to be a little more “green” when it comes to cleaning.

This is where the green housecleaning business model comes into play. By starting your own green cleaning business, you’ll set yourself apart from the general cleaning companies and you’ll target a niche customer base – those that want green housecleaning services.

How Do You Get Started?

The first step is to find an area where the demand for green housecleaning is evident. Your customers will tend to have disposable income and have an interest in all things green, such as recycling and hybrid cars. It’s important to identify who your key customers will be and whether or not they are in your current locality. If not, then you’ll want to target a different area.

The next step is to take care of all the paper work. A housecleaning service is not difficult to start but you’ll want to ensure your business is registered and that you have the necessary insurance to cover yourself as much as possible.

If you’re going to start as a one-person operation you won’t need to worry about hiring employees just yet. But if you’re starting out with employees, you’ll need to advertise to hire the right people and ensure that you have the correct insurance to cover your employees.

You’ll also want to ensure that your business really is “green.” All of the items you use from your cleaning products to your car should aim to be environmentally friendly. Your potential customers will be interested to know just how green your credentials are, so be prepared to tell them.

Finally, you’ll need to find customers. Good marketing is the key to success for any business. You can start small by printing and sending out flyers in the local area. A small ad in the local paper may also be relevant for this type of business. And don’t forget the internet; even local customers may use the net to find you.

Ensure you have a user-friendly website that represents your business in the best light possible.

Green housecleaning is a growing trend that looks to increase in the future. If you like the idea of starting your own housecleaning service, this may be a great option as you’ll have a tight, targeted market with plenty of disposable income. You’ll also feel great for helping others and the planet at the same time.

Do you love gardening and being outdoors? If so, starting a gardening service may be ideal for you.

What Does a Garden Service Business Do?

A garden service can provide a variety of services – from grass cutting and weeding to full garden design and planning. The services you provide will be up to you. However, it’s a good idea to know ahead of time just what you’ll be providing.

Start by writing a list of the services you feel able to offer. Do you have experience with garden design and a great eye for detail? If so, you may want to help people plan and design their dream garden. Be aware that potential customers may ask about your qualifications and ask for samples of gardens you have previously designed.

If design isn’t quite right for you, you may want to simply offer maintenance and/or planting services. In this case, you may advice clients about certain plants, and help them choose new plants and then plant them and care for them. Or you may simply want to offer light maintenance on existing gardens such as scheduled grass cutting and weeding. Again, the services you provide are entirely up to you.

How Do I Get Started?

If you’re going to get started as a one-person business then you simply need all the relevant equipment. Of course, you’ll have good knowledge about gardening and plants. If you’ve never taken a formal course that’s usually fine; you can always brush up on your skills as necessary with a home-study course or by studying gardening books.

Once you have all your equipment, you need to ensure you’re meeting all the legal business requirements. Your local county office can advice you and help with this step.

How Do I Find Clients?

This is a business that will largely depend on word of mouth. If your customers are happy with your services, they will likely recommend you to their family and friends. Ensuring you do a great job is important!

To gain your first few clients, sending flyers out locally as well as placing a magnetic sign on your car (which has your logo and details) is an easy and inexpensive way to start.

You may also want to place an ad in your local paper. Building a relationship with a local garden nursery or garden center is a good idea as well. You can commit to buying your plants and equipment from them if in exchange they tell their clients about your services. Most garden centers will be okay with letting you place a flyer on their bulletin board.

If you love gardening and have a great knowledge of plants and their care, starting a garden service business may be ideal for you. This is a flexible business with a lot of potential.

If you love gardening and consistently have good crops, consider starting a local produce business. More and more people are seeking local fresh produce instead of supermarket or processed foods. It’s the perfect time to make some cash from your hobby.

Research – Will Your Community Support a Produce Business?

The first step to starting a local produce business is to make sure there’s a market for it in your community. Do you have a farmer’s market? Would it make sense to set up a roadside stand? Does your community already have a few roadside stands? If so, what do they sell? Can you sell something different or better than them?

Take some time to research your market and your competition. Also explore what it would cost you to grow, harvest and sell your produce. How much could you sell it for? This will help you estimate profits and make good business decisions.

Getting Started – What Do You Need?

Ideally, once you’ve done your research, you’ll create a business plan. This plan will include what you’re going to grow and how you’re going to sell it. It will also include how you’re going to market your produce business.

You’ll also want to make sure you have the necessary land and tools to grow and harvest your produce. And you’ll want to make sure you have the equipment to sell it as well. For example, if you’re selling at a Farmer’s Market then you’ll need:

* A truck for hauling food and equipment
* Tent
* Table
* Signage
* Packaging for the food
* Cashbox/credit card reader

While you don’t need a formal education or training to start a local produce business, you do need a plan. You need to know what you can sell, how much you can sell it for and how you’re going to sell it.

Marketing Your Produce Business

Marketing your produce business will likely involve a couple of tactics. You’ll have signage at your roadside stand and booths. Also look into posting flyers around town and advertising in natural food newsletters. Consider creating a website for your business. Offer an online newsletter and special coupons or promotions. Use the internet to drive traffic to your produce business.

The Legalities

There are a few legal items you’ll want to take the time to plan. In your business plan you’ll want to cover how you’re going to manage if there are bad crops. You can get insurance to cover that risk. You will also need a system to collect payment and record income and taxes. Finally, consider how you’re going to handle customer service issues.

Starting a fresh produce business is a dream come true for many. They enjoy growing and providing people with the best that nature can provide. If this is your dream, take the time to plan it carefully first. Know your market and what it can support and then grow it. To your success!

A home photography business doesn’t necessarily require formal photography training. What it does require is a passion for photographic art, an artistic flair, the technical skills to operate the equipment and the ability to market the business.

Someone who is still in high school or college can start out preparing for a home photography business by taking photos for the yearbook or the student newspaper. A basic photography course would be very helpful as well. Nowadays it’s good to know how to operate both a 33 mm and a digital camera. Local community colleges often have very reasonably priced community education courses, many that involve just one class in the evening or on the weekend. Colleges that offer Lifelong Learning Centers for folks 50+ have courses as well, and some of these are taught by very experienced retired home photography business professionals and little or no cost.

There are many types of photography and the home photography business entrepreneur may want to specialize, perhaps in photography for news organizations such as the local daily or weekly paper, in advertising photography for local magazines and local firms that need to market their products. One of the most common forms of home photography business is for events and celebrations such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, anniversaries, and other events. These can be especially lucrative as repeat business and excellent multiple referrals.

Travel photographers have exciting home photography business lives, although it takes a lot of skill and a lot of travel expense and practice photography before that first paid vacation is finely paid for.

Some folks create a home photography business working as photojournalists or specializing in medical or science photographers. While quite lucrative, these almost require a four year degree with extensive photography and communication training. A college photography internship is a wonderful foot in the door for a home photography business as well.

A portfolio is a must for building clientele for a home photography business. This means taking lots and lots of unpaid photo shots to show off exceptional talent to potential clients.

Helpful ways to learn the ins and outs of home photography and a home photography business are by working as an assistant to a photographer, by joining associations and organizations of fellow photographers and by attending seminars and workshops on home business and photography.

There are also much cheaper ways to learn them directly from your home by downloading eCourses from the web.