Auction Articles

How to Profit from Creative Home Businesses

By: Randy Wilson

Ideas for creative home businesses are everywhere. Many of them are already in your head, and you just don’t know it. Here are some questions to get your own creative business ideas flowing:

What hobbies do I enjoy?
What do I already know how to do?
Do I want to pursue this full-time or part-time?
Am I good with my hands?
Do I want to learn a new craft?
What do I love?

When it comes to creative home businesses, the last question may be the most important one of all. What do you love to do most? Write? Paint? Embroider? Sew? Build things? Decorate? This is where your passion is, and what you’re passionate about, you’re most likely to be successful at doing.

Too many people spend their days at jobs they don’t even like, much less love. If you’re considering starting a creative home business, this is your chance to do what you truly enjoy.

One idea for a creative home business is a home sewing business. Handmade wedding gowns and bridesmaids’ dresses are always in demand. There are also opportunities for machine embroidering everything from sports teams’ jerseys, caps, and jackets to beautiful beach towels.

Handmade draperies are also hot items these days. So if you’re great at sewing or machine embroidery, this is a great area for your creative home business.

Maybe you like to build things. Handcrafted birdhouses, doghouses, toys, as well as many other things, are always in demand. Many times you can sell these items right from your front yard. Or you can sell them in online auctions. If you have a special niche item that you love to build, you may even want to have a kiosk at your local mall to sell your goods.

Jewelry making is one of the hottest trends going. This makes selling your handcrafted jewelry easier than ever. Specialty stores and upscale boutiques will buy all you can make, and at a premium price. You can also sell the handmade jewelry from your creative business on your own website. The cost of websites has come down drastically in the last few years, and they are great for selling to a much larger group of people than you could otherwise.

If you love to paint, get your paintings to a local art gallery that focuses on local artists. Your creative home business can get a turbo charge this way. Good art galleries are always on the lookout for fresh, new talent and are willing to have shows where you can sell your paintings. Another idea for selling your paintings (that not a lot of artists think of!) is through interior decorators. They, too, are always looking for unique art for their clients’ homes and apartments. So arrange to show some of them your work and you’ll likely make several sales immediately.

Now that you hopefully have your own creative business idea, here are a few things you need to consider:

What supplies and/or equipment do I need?
Should I hire an accountant?
Do I have the space I need in my home?
Does my area/state require me to get a business license?
How do I prepare for tax time?
Is there a market for my items?
What’s my competition doing?
How do I advertise?

After you’ve done the needed research, write out a business plan. And then follow it. You can’t make a wedding gown without a pattern or plan. You can’t build a business without one either. But with a good business plan, effort, determination, and patience, you CAN have the successful creative home business you’ve always dreamed of having.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Randy is owner of How to Plan a Baby Shower where you will find further tips on baby showers and baby shower games. Randy owned and operated a very successful storefront/mailorder business from 1988 to 2003. Currently full time owner/operator of several online businesses.

AUCTION