I'd like to be self employed but doing what?

[GalaxyInMyPants]

I'm fed up of working for others and want to work for myself.

Anyone any ideas what I can do?

I don't want to set up a shop or coffee shop, etc.

I have got about 60k I could use if needed to set something up or use while I retrained in something.

I fancy learning how to make something or provide some sort of specialist service. I'd like to clear ideally 1.5k a month but could manage with 1k.

Jobs I've done in the past inc pony trekking leader, cleaner, sales assistant, admin work, clearing blocked sewers and midwife.

I don't really have any talents I can think of. Can't sew, not a brilliant cook. Anyway I want something which pays a better than the "mum does cupcakes" career.

Stuff I've thought of but many of which would probably be unpractical include,

Horse dentist (seems nearly impossible to get trained)
Dog walker (wouldn't earn enough)
Chimney sweep (not sure enough need but fairly cheap training and set up costs)
Tree surgeon (I'm nearly 40 and think I'm too old and not strong enough)

Don't really fancy plumbing or electrician. And don't fancy going back to clearing blocked sewers although buying a jetter and set of rods and doing that would be fairly easy and good money. Just had enough of been covered in shit.

Antenatal teacher? Doula? (full service or just postnatal if you want civilised hours?)
But sounds like you want to do something more practical and kind of outdoorsy...

Off top of head:

Will writer
Bookkeeper

Gardening/garden design? Where I live a lot of people have gardeners and pay from £12-20 per hour. Even if you aren't a specialist gardener people always want their lawns done and a bit of general tidying up - sounds like you are already a very practical person. You could combine it with a bit of dog walking . Or branch (no pun intended) into providing general 'help' for elderly folk - not necessarily a carer - but odd jobs and a sort of taxi/shopping service.

Where do you live? Having midwifery qualifications means you could charge more than usual fee as a doula - doula to the celebs/wealthy?

Want to move away from pregnant women completely so no to doula or classes.

Don't fancy book keeping. Maybe will writing. I'm guessing you can train to do it to make sure you do it right?

Not sure about gardening. I've no real interest in gardening but I can mow a lawn. I can trim a hedge and do weeding.

I'm not in a big city so don't think there would be enough call for a doula. There is one locally and in ten years I've only seen her come into the hospital once.

My first day of freedom in my new self employed life in in 13 days! I run an online ecommerce business (seed subscriptions so sort of a 'service'). I thought I would be scared but I am so sick of working for people I am not!

In your case 60K is quite a lot, could you look at property development/being a landlord (though of course you may have ethical issues with this).

Could you set up a business hiring other people to clear blocked sewers? Or set up some kind of franchise? That way you can sit in an office/home office and not get covered in shit but make an ok margin.

Pony wise, could you set up a stables and pay people to keep their horses their? I know someone who funds their smallholding in Wales this way.

If you are a midwife can you go into private practice? Or become a doula. I think they only take on a certain number of clients due in a certain month so they don't have any clashes so you would be unlikely to feel overworked.

With regard to setting up a specialist service or making things I would go with the specialist service. I produce a product but when I got the point of clearing 1k a month from it it was too big an undertaking to make and run the business so has to be outsourced.

Could you do online hypnobirthing/birth courses for women in rural areas? Just a random thought.

x-post re pregnant/birthing women!

Child minding/self employed nanny/escort to child actors ?

Do you like children?

I've got the 60k from selling a property I inherited. I had thought about renting it out but needed a mortgage for the other 50% and the sums didnt add up to do it. So think its not enough money for been a landlord.

I haven't got any land to rent out for stables.

I think with a sewer unblocking business I'd need to be hands on initially to build it up and maybe then be able to hire people to do the dirty work. But to be honest the people I know who have such companies are one man businesses. They're answering their mobile for jobs inbetween rodding sewers.

No, can't stand kids.

web design?

cleaning / ironing / mothers help service where you just do the admin and employ others?

book keeping?

a service to help bereaved people sort finances etc? A friend of my Mum's lost her mum last week and is swamped with the paperwork / letting people know / paying bills / dealing with stuff - i'm sure there must be a market for this?

sandwich van

exec taxi service

florist?

Things I'd be looking into would def need retraining for:

Networking or software design
A different career in health (pharmacy?)
Business related training (hr maybe?)

Yes I think I'd definitely want to do something which other people couldn't just start doing unless they did some training. So no to ironing, etc.

Floristry is a possibility but it would involve having a shop. And I'd rather work out of home or out a van. I don't want to be committed to having to open a shop every day.

I am a total technophobe so while software design appeals I'd have to do some serious training. I have a mate who is a self employed website designer but he has to do other jobs as well to make ends meet.

I don't fancy doing as much retraining as a whole other degree which I'd need for pharmacy.

I've just been out for a walk and seen some handmade willow duck houses.

I fancy trying to set up a business making something. But something fairly non straightforward to make, so something I'd have to learn how to make and practice.

But maybe something a bit more mainstream than willow duck houses.

In my head I'd like to be a successful potter or possibly artist. But I can't paint and I've never tried pottery.

I doubt there is much demand for handmade willow duck houses unless you target MPs.

Why not go along to a Franchise exhibition to get some ideas? Doesn't mean you have to buy a Franchise but it might help you focus some thoughts?

I still think gardening would be good, gardeners are always in demand.

reflexologist

Years ago I did an ITEC massage qualification so am a qualified masseur. Maybe if I did reflexology and a few other things as well I could set up my own business.

I could buy one of those swish garden offices to put in the big back garden and use as a treatment room.

I quite fancy being a yoga teacher as well but I'm quite shit at yoga. Enjoy it, but not very flexible.

Yes to a swishy garden office where you do massage and reflexology

Why don't you spend a couple of k doing some courses that you might fancy just to check it out - like pottery, yoga, flower arranging or other shit?

It wouldn't be wasted if it would help you find something you like - if you turn it into a business you can write it off against tax too.

I think lovely garden studio reflexology is something a lot of people would pay for.

I have this type of thing (counsellor though)

Doing some other courses while building up the massage/reflexology side of things is a good idea.

Penises, do you find your garden office warm enough to use all year? I know you can get the ones with underfloor heating and fully insulated, etc which is what I'd be looking at.

Could you set up your own domestic cleaning company? You could start off by yourself and build up a team of cleaners as you get more custom, so eventually you just have a nice work from home managerial role?
Boring compared to some of the other suggestions, but could work. I know a lady who has successfully built up such as business over the last 5 years and done very well.

Chiropractor
Osteopath
Alternative therapies - acupuncturist etc
Humanist celebrant