For most of last year, I tried to develop multiple internet/home businesses that would free me from a 9-to-5 job. Initially, the most difficult part was deciding exactly what business to start. After much brainstorming, soul-searching and web research, I started:
1) this blog,
2) a wedding favors e-commerce site,
3) a microISV,
4) and, I’m almost ashamed to admit, a “flycatching” adsense site.
All are still up and running, and collectively contributing about $20 in monthly income on average (plus a great book and a coffee mug!).
Obviously, none are runaway successes. In fact, judging from the ultimate goal of freeing me from my day job, all are failures. But I did gain something very important from all this: a change in mindset and perception.
I mentioned earlier that it was difficult in the beginning for me to conceive of businesses to start. Now, after starting all these mini-ventures and thinking about all this almost non-stop for the past year, I can see potential business opportunities everywhere. Not to say that all my ideas are good. They aren’t; some are just plain awful. Not all are feasible. And some just aren’t for me. But ideas are filling my mind. I know now that I just haven’t thought of the right opportunity yet, but that it’s only a matter of time. And that’s a great feeling.
So if you’re in the same boat as I am, I urge you to do something, anything, and see where it takes you.
