The prospect of starting out on your own in business should not be a decision made on a whim. And it is usually not. But despite the “allure” of being an entrepreneur, many people never take the plunge.
However, with today’s economy, technology and conditions, there has never been an easier time to start your own company. I am amazed every single week at the sheer number of ideas that are floating around out there — many of which have the makings of a serious business waiting to happen.
I’ve recently been reading Chris Anderson’s “The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More.” Anderson makes the point that today’s technology allows virtually anyone to be a publisher, distributor or retailer. There are so many goods and services that can be made available today at a profit that one decade ago would have been a failing business model.
There are so many possibilities here, it would be impossible to mention them all. But here are a few ideas:
— Publishing: In literally minutes, you can have an Internet presence by starting your own blog, an online, interactive newsletter. This kind of online forum is critical to telling your particular story.
— Advertising: If you have a site with a decent number of visitors, this can be monetized by becoming an advertiser. Google, Microsoft and many others offer ad programs you place on your site and make money every time someone clicks on the ad.
— Retailing: Launching an online store has never been easier, nor have more options been available. You can let other companies like Amazon.com do most of the work for you, you can have your store hosted on Yahoo Stores, or you can run the entire site yourself with free software on your own server. If you aren’t a…