2009 Top 10 Small Business Ideas
January 4th, 2009 | Author: Noobpreneur | 73,338 views
With the highly possible increase in downsizing trends, more and more people are made redundant.
The next logical step for those people are: looking for another job and starting a business.
The former is more desirable for those who place income security high in their list, but the latter is more desirable for those who are being fed up with all the corporate politics and seemingly unfair downsizing.
Whatever step you want to choose, I recommend you to consider the latter for two reasons:
- Throughout the history of small business, being downsized is one of the most successful life changing experience in born new, thriving, entrepreneurs.
- Getting back into the workforce with the standard you had before is not as easy as you think – businesses cut costs, and one of the area that are being heavily cut is payroll – bottom line, businesses want more for less these days.
Without further adieu, the following are the top 10 small business ideas for 2009 that might entice you to plunge into entrepreneurship:
- Do-It-Yourself business
Most of the case, DIY reduce costs. If you can provide products and services that allow people to DIY something, such as creating your own home cleaning products, you are on a roll. - Energy saving business
This idea is definitely hot in the past few years, and in 2009 the emphasis on energy cost-cutting regimes will push any energy saving businesses even further. Producing or distributing LED lightings will be the right business this year. - Online business
Ah, my favourite small business idea. The wonder of the Internet is this: For as low as $50 (a domain name + affordable web hosting fee) or even for free, you can start a lucrative online business and shoot for a chance to create a six figure business before this 2009 ends! Of course, one key factor: your competitiveness in a low-cost, high-competition market. - Baby boomer-related business
The highlight of the year: Baby boomers are retiring from the workforce, creating a mega-problem to the economy – thanks to the flawed MediCare, Social Security and retirement funds. Creating a business that act as a safety-net for those baby boomers will boom your business sky-high. One example of such business is entrepreneurship training business for baby boomers. - Cheap and/or recycled product business
“Turning trash into cash” type of business is very, very lucrative this year. With the increase in material and production costs, making use of ‘useless’ materials and create something out of them will proved to be a thriving business. One example: Creating Converse-like canvass shoes out of wastes – the scrapbooking style. - Home based business
The best cost-cutting innovation of all – work from your home! With the ever-presence of the Internet, working at home - Charity and philantropy
Giving as a business? Never – However, you can be a business that match recipients and givers, such as the web-based Kiva.com that match small business borrowers with lenders. - Outsourcing
There is a better solution in your cost cutting campaign – outsourcing. Outsourcing main benefit is leaning your company so you are more nimble and resposive to changes. The key in outsourcing is finding the right companies to outsource to. The business idea: outsourcing company that manage service buyers needs. - Mobile business
No longer a trend for road warriors out there, but a growing trend for new entrepreneurs who envision themselves as location independent business owners. Again, the Internet plays a major role in mobile business, as well as the more powerful and cutting-edge mobile technologies and gadgets. Your iPhone and MacBook Air will enable you to run your business wherever you are. - Bootstrapping and cost-cutting consultancy business
As every business owner aim to be leaner and more responsive, bootstrapping and cost-cutting consultants will have their moments this year – roles, such as energy consultants, Internet startup consultants, and similar others will enjoy substantial growth this year.
That’s it for my version of top 10 list. ‘Care to share yours?
Ivan Widjaya
Business ideas
Image by normanack.
About the Author
Ivan Widjaya is the Owner/Editor of Noobpreneur.com. He is a web property investor, blogger and web property maker, and currently manages and writes for Franchise Note. He also runs a web design business, Chalcedony Design, specialising in Wordpress theme creation.
Visit Noobpreneur's profile and other posts.
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I couldn’t agree more. Recession is the perfect opportunity to reposition your business and use creativity to redefine your strenghts and identify a niche still unexploited. If you have doubts, just remember that some of the most successful companies in the world today such as Microsoft, Wal Mart and Burger King have been built during economic downturns, just to name a few. Great bolg!
David
David,
It’s great for you to mention the case of Microsoft, Wal Mart and Burger King – they were recession buster, indeed :)
Thanks for your insight and praise :)
Excellent post, and I would say you’re right on the money.
I don’t necessarily have a ‘top ten’ list to share, per say, though I did write an article not long ago about entrepreneurship in times of recession that follows a similar vein.
I particularly like the recycled business pitch. The green movement is gaining enormous momentum, and if done right, entrepreneurs breaking into the eco-friendly market have a lot to gain right now.
I think #11 would be “The Shotgun.” It’s easy to earn a small amount of money per month with surveys and GPT sites (I like DealBarbiePays), and when you add that to minor freelancing, you are quickly approaching FT income from PT work.
Chanie,
Cheers!
From the article on your site: “More hard-working people taking that leap of faith means a stronger economy both locally, and globally.”
I couldn’t agree more!
Great List!
Came across a great example on entrepreneur . com the other day where a women was creating a photographers bag, called the “shoot sac” She got camera store to let her do display for free as the fashionable bags were bringing in women in droves, A great marketing concept I thought.
Hi there,
Collaborating with others that share the same niche as yours is always a great marketing concept. Your product receives targeted traffic and it does help you securing more sales (than putting the bag to display in a general fashion retail store)
Thanks for sharing!
Great information thanks heaps
Cheers, Nigel.
My top #1 business idea for 2009 is to work with Noob on my blog.
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for dropping by! :D
It’s nice working with you, and hopefully there are more projects to come ;)
Cheers!
This is very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
good insight, noble of you to share.
Thanks, Mian!
Noobpreneur, I couldn’t agree more with the direction of your post. Recession or depression brings difficult times to many. But it also opens the doors to opportunities at unprecedented levels.
Many people function pretty much by habit during normal times. When our beliefs are shaken as they are in uncertain times, we begin to look for value for the money that we do spend. So our eyes, ears and minds pay attention to things that we would otherwise ignore. Because of this, the current economic climate allows us to touch people who would otherwise not consider our messages.
If we can show value to them, by helping them solve their problems, there are wonderful opportunities available. I think that is the value you convey in your list. Essentially every one of your suggestions is about solving a problem of the times.
Thanks for such great suggestions.
Shallie Bey
Smarter Small Business Blog
Shallie,
Thanks for your comment :)
In fact, what else can we do to improve current economic climate, except being smarter, stronger, and wiser :) By doing so, you can infuse your optimism and positive outlook to help the people around you, like you’ve said…
Good luck on influencing people to ‘capitalise’ this economic situation into a life-changing business ventures :)
I think online business is the best way to go, it is one sector that won’t go away. I am currently visiting Nigeria from Charlott and thinking of starting something down here – for less than $100. Any thought?
Hi Elie,
I’m not sure – $100 for off line business? Hmm… How about negotiating with local suppliers of unique ethnic items to send the items to back home with Net 30 term? Maybe if you want to do it locally: Set up office to connect local businesses to overseas buyers?
Well said.
Hi, I have been coming to the realization that I’am behind in the times. I have been stuck in construction jobs and only use the internet to search for employment or specific topics of interest. After reading through your blog which is also something that seems to be now clearing in my mind about what they truly are, and what I see them as is similar to “Seinfeld”. They can be about nothing or every great disaster coming or past…… My question is do you make money talking about what somebody decides to wake up and search about? My keywords brought me here and I see advertising all along the sidebars that I know others will venture into, is this how the money is earned and how does one start up freelance blogging/writing and get to the top of the search giants such as Google and Microsoft? Thank you very much from the early morning surfer!
Shawn,
Well, nothing is too late ;)
About your question: “do you make money talking about what somebody decides to wake up and search about?” Partly, yes. Blogs are notoriously difficult to monetise, unless you can create great content days in and days out (which is, rather difficult to maintain.) There are methods, such as advertising, affiliate sales, etc. but advertising is one of the most common venue in making money online, including in blogs.
Nevertheless, I don’t really focus on how much money I can make from Noobpreneur.com – I do shuffle ads around, but I admit I still finding the right formula. For Noobpreneur.com, my focus is content, content, content – Those, with quality, will lead to higher rank in Google, Bing, Yahoo! and others. Income will follow anyway…
Thanks for your big question… And I do respect early morning surfer – You will get a lot of idea in the morning. Good luck with your make money online endeavours.
Here is what I am thinking in term of making money or start any kind of business.
You dont have to master in any kind og skills. As long as you know what to utilize resources around you and you have good antisipation. You can make money in any kind of business.
rayoflight,
Agreed – The key is to hire and employ people who are better than you, so that you can leverage their talent to grow your business.
Cheers!
l am looking for idea to invest in my city here is touristic place and there are good investment here espcially real estate
l can help who wants to invest here..