to ask you to give me your business ideas?

[BumptiousandBustly]

I want to start a small business from home (looks like I won't have a job to return to). I just need an idea.

I have: Access to someone who is very good with the internet - so could do most e-commerce ideas.

1. Two small children, neither of them in school yet - so couldn't do something very intensive - or where I had to pay for childcare.
2. not a huge amount of money not invest - but am happy for it to start small and gradually build up - don't need a profit right away.

The question is, are you prepared to share, or do you plan on starting it yourself at some future point?

Just looking for ideas really - the ones I come up with usually involve huge start up costs - which I don't have.

Part time tutor?

Model?

Doula?

Oven cleaner going from the demand that seems to be indicated by recent MN threads :D

I'm never going to do this, but I have an infant, so: burp cloths in interesting attractive modern prints, with a velcro strip to keep them attached to the shoulder. Because, really.

in general a business starts because people see a gap in the market

not because they want a business that fits into their needs and lifestyle, which seems to be your primary goal

Punchthosecalories - Model (I wish) - nothing to tutor in, Doula - not viable at the mo - children too young, no one to take them if I had to rush off to a birth -

Oven cleaner - URGH - again, childcare issues

tortoiseonthehalfshell - that is a very interesting thought - will have a think about that one.

porcamiseria - that is why I am asking if anyone has spotted a gap in the market I can exploit - in a way that fits in with my current life! - and of course people start businesses that fit in with their current needs and lifestyles - they just need a gap in the market to exploit!

I've got a book at home called a bit on the side which has some good ideas in it, I'll have a look when I get home tonight.

Porcamesaria that's not particularly helpful is it?

Did you know you can be a hand or foot model?

What are your skills?

alicethehorse - thankyou very much, I appreciate that. and no I had no idea I could be a hand or foot model though still not sure I would qualify.

wilsonfrickett - customer services, product management - all that side of it really - so dealing with suppliers, supply chains, pricing, talking to people etc.

Direct selling business like Avon, Bodyshop, Jamie at Home, Phoenix Trading. (Must admit that I do Phoenix!). Small start up costs and very flexible.

2madboys - I have to admit I worry about all those - as they seem to involve getting your friends around to your house - and I am not that social. Or do you manage to get invites from strangers to do parties at their houses? and if so how? (if you don't mind me asking)

Childminding but with2 under 5's would limit you to 1 preschoolers and then some after schoolers?

There's a fair demand for virtual PA's and you can build your CV to your particular skills.

A good place to find clients is breakfast meetings. Assuming you're in a relationship, the day of the week you do that your DP gets the kids ready and drops them at your meeting (mine runs 6.45-8.30am) and you drive them back to start your day answering emails and providing support between childcare duties.

I'm a copywriter among other things and am working from home building a client base while we're TTC in order to be a SAHM.

Hi Bumptious - I'm not that social either! I think I am the only trader who didn't hold a launch party in their own home! I sell a lot from catalogues, do a few events, sell at toddler groups, and basically word of mouth. I've been doing it just over two years now and grown it slowly alongside a part-time office job. Hoping that one day Phoenix will be the main job as it's a lot more fun!

waitingforme - that sounds really interesting - what do you mean by "breakfast meetings"? I would appreciate any more details you can give me.

south345 -I am just not cut out to be a childminder!

2madboys - that is interesting - will have a think about that - could do catalogues and toddler groups - just don't want to do the "pressure sell to friends" thing. - hmmmm

Party plan is foul, don't do it. If you have the slightest doubt that you will be able to force people into buying stuff - don't do it. I did Body Shop for a few months and it was awful, awful, awful. You don't make any money unless you are out there hustling and pretty much forcing people to buy stuff.

I would not do it again unless we were living in a box.

I don't tend to need the "pressure sell to friends" thing as the product is mostly cheaper than in the shops. I do make some money and don't force people to do anything. I am the last person to make any kind of success of something like that.

nope - not doing any party planning - was interested in what 2madboys said - because I can see her point about going to toddler groups etc - but honestly think I can't do that with my youngest - who is an escaper - and by the time he has grown out of that, i won't be going to toddler groups.

The virtual assistant thing is very interesting - will have more of a think about that one!

Have you seen www.peopleperhour.com ?

Telesales from home
Dog walking
Babysitting in the evenings
Childminder
Ironing Service (thinking of giving this one a go myself!)
Cleaner (could take the DCs with you if your clients didn't mind, I used to go to cleaning jobs with my mum)
Cake making
Organising kids parties
Selling on Ebay
Pet sitting service where you go to clients homes whilst they are on holiday to feed and clean out their pets
Mobile spray tanning service (can do a course for £100 or so to enable you to get insurance)
Gardening
Clothing alteration service

BumptiousandBustly - I found my breakfast meeting via Twitter.

Basically it's a Networking event that finishes before the working day. You get breakfast as you might expect and the chair goes around the room giving everyone an allotted amount of time to say what they do. Then one person generally gives an extended presentation.

We pass business to each other and I've found an odd job man, an investment advisor and when I need an accountant will probably use that one. More significantly, people pass business from people they know so if I'm doing writing for a client and they require a photographer I'll pass on details of our photographer.

The best thing is you have a room full of people who know what it's like chasing business and we've all got areas where we can advise and help each other.

We had a 'travel buddy' idea wher you could link up students who needed a financial contribution towards their flight and an elderly / disabled person who needed a travel companion. Would both register on website. But we couldn't see a way to avoid vulnerable people getting taken advantage off... and the whole idea was to avoid this! (Friend with elederly mother unhappy to fly on her own)

I am another one who tried selling avon and could not do it

selling on ebay is harder that it looks
selling at bootfair even harder
but if you have a interested in something and get to know shops where you can sell stuff and how much stuff is worth you can do quite well but you need space to store stuff and has to kept out the way of kids

booking keeping is skill you can use and work and home with it.

another working from home skill that my ex did years ago was working out the bill of lawyers .you have count how many phone letter and meeting they had with the clients. there was a company that did but cant remember what it was called law costs draftsperson. is job title google for more details

waitingforme - thankyou so much for your suggestion - I think have a real, workable idea based on that, and one that I can build up slowly as DS2 starts pre-school.!

Thankyou so much all of you for your ideas and thoughts - its really helped at a time when I am feeling really scared about future finances and work.