The United States is in full-blown bounce back from the recession, and there’s no better time than now to strike out on your own and discover how to turn your passion into a business. Building a small business from the ground up is one of the most rewarding professional experiences out there, and watching it grow is even better. However, that doesn’t mean that every industry is at its peak of potential. Here are four great ideas for small business ventures that have excellent prospects for 2015.
#1. Odd Jobs, Full Time
In a list of 15 new business ideas for 2015, Business News Daily focused mainly on the gaps in services that both companies and individual clients alike need to fill. Ranging from more traditional services like freelancing, to mobile salons for the elderly; there’s a host of services that are needed by many different entities today, but that don’t require a full-time staff position to fulfill.
One of the biggest parts of the American dream is having a great idea. The concept is the seed of your business, and being a self-employed, professional jack of all trades who can offer services where they’re needed is in demand. Go ahead and combine your Excel savvy to work on a project in the morning, and then spend the afternoon copy editing a blog article.
The best way to start doing odd jobs full time is to search for listings on freelance sites where companies can advertise their projects. One important element to watch for while browsing these types of sites, though, are jobs that don’t pay. Never accept projects that promise “exposure,” instead of monetary compensation. This is particularly true of writing, but also applies to other types of skilled services.
Remember that if you’re trying to make a living by being a full time freelancer and your own boss, you need to maintain income. The world of paid odd jobs and one-off projects are full of companies trying to find cheap labor by ensuring exposure or references, so beware these listings. Many sites that advertise freelance jobs also frequently have policies about paid postings. Try to stick with sites that only allow positions that pay to be listed. Usually you’ll be able to find odd jobs organized by category, or sites that cater to a specific field. Whatever your skill set is, it fits somewhere where there’s currently a gap in service.
#2. eCommerce… With an Edge
Financial consultant Roger A. Silvera writes for LinkedIn that one of the best industries this year for a home or small business venture is eCommerce. The buzzword “eCommerce” has been thrown around so much by now, that you may think that it’s impossible to make a splash. However, this isn’t the case if you have the right edge.
Mr. Silvera emphasizes using the newest tools at your disposal to manage and automate your eCommerce business. Between social networking strategies and inventory management; there’s a lot to take care of with an online business. However, while once upon a time you’d either have no free time or be forced to hire an assistant, there are lots of eCommerce tools that make managing an online business a painless, streamlined process.
If you want to go the extra mile, invest your best ideas in your business. When you’re going to a desk job and taking orders, it’s easy to get burned out, and you may not want to waste your effort on tasks that go unappreciated. Running your own online business, on the other hand, is completely different since you call the shots. Innovation is key to success, so don’t hold back for fear of wasting your emotional and creative energy. It’s time to go the distance.
#3. Social Media Guru
Whether your expertise is building apps or establishing a solid social media marketing plan for a business, if you know the nitty-gritty of today’s social media trends, then you’re in demand. According to the Pew Research Center, based on a survey conducted in September 2014, 52 percent of American adults who use the Internet use two or more social media sites. This is a ten percent increase on 2013, which indicates that social media usage across networks and platforms will only continue to grow.
If you know anything about “shareable content” or how to successfully evaluate analytics, businesses are in the market for someone with this skill set. The days of traditional marketing and advertising are waning, and businesses are looking for more creative and clever ways to connect with their existing and desired customer bases.
One of the best ways to learn social media is to use it yourself. Pick a topic that you’re passionate about, and then go out and create a few social media accounts. Hit up all the typical social networking sites, such as Facebook, which is the most common, and then visit Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and even traditional blogging sites.
There are also different demographics that frequent these sites, so keep that in mind when you’re experimenting as a user. The best way to learn is through practice, and it’s one of the most marketable skills out there today.
#4. Task Master
Service is instantaneous these days, and most consumers expect to have their desired product or service delivered immediately. Forbes refers to this type of experience as “extreme service” in their list of billionaire business ideas in 2015, citing the startup Instacart which picks up and deliveries groceries to a customer’s door in under an hour. The company generated $100 million dollars in revenue in 2014.
Therefore, become a task master in 2015 and figure out a way to offer immediate services in your area. Whether you decide to embark on this task yourself and then expand as you go, or get together a group of investors for a startup, service delivery is at a premium thanks to consumers being spoiled by the Internet. In a world of fast, instant gratification, this area is a goldmine of opportunity.
Although the Internet is chock full of information and business ventures, it presents opportunities where the world truly is your oyster. Whether you opt for an online business, or you just use it to freelance over a distance, the best small business ideas for 2015 are mobile. The more you can move and flex, the more successful you’ll be.
Images: ”Small Business Owner Green Road Sign with Dramatic Clouds and Sky./Shutterstock.com“
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