We've been brainstorming ideas for the kids and I to each have our own micro businesses that we can work from our home, have fun doing, and really learn something about doing business. Probably the experts would tell us to stick to one business for the family, but we all had different ideas and our own excitement about them, so there you are.
During brainstorming, one must be careful to allow for every answer, no matter how ludicrous. Evaluating the ideas comes afterwards. With that in mind, here is the list of possibles and what we (think) we've decided upon.
- Baking muffins and selling. (Daughter makes great muffins, but I don't want to worry about food safety.)
- Fixing lawnmowers.
- Piano teaching. (Possible, but I don't enjoy this.)
- Small group music classes.
- Writing classes for kids.
- Writing e-books.
- Inventing a game. (Son1 already has one that we play.)
- Writing for contests and publications.
- Dog-sitting. (We've "sat" anoles and guinea pigs, why not dogs?)
- Jewelry making. (Chainmaille is preferred.)
- Designing crochet patterns.
- Book making and selling. (I love mini books.)
- Hand-painted greeting cards. (Daughter really enjoys this, but each is unique and therefore, take a bit of time per card.)
- Themed birthday parties for kids. (Take a craft, games around a theme.)
- Themed babysitting in our home for group of kids at once. (Every Friday night from 6-9, pay is prorated.)
- Growing miniature plants for sale.
- Cleaning - specifically decks, cars, garage floors.
- Wrapping gifts at your home with our supplies. (Seasonal)
- Reading mentor or math/science tutor.
- Plant gardens or flowers. Plant flower pots, deliver, and maintain through season.
- Lawn mowing with trimming or edging.
- Clean dog poo on regular basis. Could combine with dog walking.
- Decluttering garages or single rooms.
- Running a garage sale. (Customers provide items, kid does pricing, set up, sale, and clean up.)
- Putting scrapbooks or memory books together from client's memorabilia.
Son One found out that creating a card game for kids costs thousands in testing for child safety. He decided to go with writing for publications and contests.
My daughter is still investigating three options. First, what it will take to create jewelry (earrings and bracelets) and sell on etsy.com as well as by word of mouth. Second, the feasibility of hand-painting cards and selling in terms of time. Third, creating images to scan on items for sale on cafepress.com.
Son Two and I are working together to create a booklet annotating a list of adventure books for boys.
And myself? I have one writing class beginning in two weeks. I have a few things published, but will up my writing efforts for publication.
What ideas for micro businesses do you have?
Image via Wikipedia
Robin
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