5 Clues for Spotting Business Ideas Ideas are everywhere. The trick is knowing where to look.
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(YoungBiz.com) - If there's anything you know forsure, it's that you want to own your own business. There'sjust this little matter standing between you and success--findingthe right business idea.
Don't despair. There are business opportunities all aroundyou--if you know where to look. Here are five signs of money-makingopportunity to watch for wherever you go:
1. Things people are too busy todo. Business owners are some of the busiest people inthe world. Shea Allen, 14, of Destin, Florida, thought a flierdelivery service could be one way to help business owners in hishometown save time. So Allen visited all the sub and pizza shops inhis area and offered to deliver their fliers to the 2,000 homes inDestin. The owners took him up on his offer, and he was inbusiness!
Other jobs busy people may not have time to do include:shopping, ironing clothes, leaf raking and outdoor painting.
2. Things people don't like todo. Cooking for a big crowd isn't most people'sfavorite thing to do, so when they plan a party, they usually wanthelp. Sixteen-year-old Kelvis Patrick likes to cook, so he decidedto capitalize on this need.
The Atlanta, Georgia, teen started Kelvis's Catering. Andhe's got an edge on the competition: Not only are Patrick'scooking skills a draw, but so are the secret-recipe BBQ sauces andseasoning mixes he's created.
Other jobs people may be happy to be rid of include: organizingclosets, garden weeding, washing windows and lawn care.
3. Things that get dirty over andover. There's nothing more frustrating than washingyour car and having bad weather the next day that gets it dirtyagain. But Sheila Gallegos, 18, of Alcade, New Mexico, enjoyswashing cars, and bad weather doesn't bother her at all. Sowhen it comes to keeping their cars clean inside and out, plenty ofpeople are happy to let Sheila take over.
That's one of the reasons her business, Sheila's AutoDetail, has been a success. Another reason is that Gallegos alsooffers car-detailing services. Not only does she work for privatevehicle owners, but she's landed a few contracts with local cardealerships, too.
Other jobs that fit this bill: boat and RV cleaning, swimmingpool maintenance, fish aquarium services, and cage and stallcleaning.
4. Things people throw away.When Kevin Hanks' neighbor gave him eight broken bicycles thatwere gathering dust in a shed, Kevin immediately recognized abusiness opportunity. He repaired five of the bikes and displayedthem in his front yard with a "For Sale" sign.
When Hanks quickly sold all the bikes for $35 to $40 each, hedecided to turn his one-shot deal into a business called Mass-Bike.The Wilbraham, Massachusetts, teen, now 18, has invented somecreative ways to deal with his business's biggest challenge:finding more used bikes. He places ads in local advertising papersand bids on bikes at police auctions.
Recycling isn't limited to aluminum cans, newspapers andglass. With a little creativity, items such as leftover buttons,wire and wood can be turned into saleable craft items.
5. Things that make use of specialtalent or experience. An advertisement for JeremyScott's business could read: "Have Saxophone, WillTravel." But the Racine, Wisconsin, teen is already so famousin his hometown and surrounding areas that he doesn't need togo far.
This jazzy 18-year-old, who plays the tenor, alto and sopranosaxophone, has turned his talent into cash by giving concerts andperforming at special events. Scott has even opened for famousartists like Smokey Robinson.
Got a talent you could capitalize on? How about one of these:foreign-language tutor, face painter, clown, computer consultant orsports coach.
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