Newsweek compiled a list of 11 products that on the surface seem silly and highly unlikely to make any money. But each one has gone to generate millions on dollars in revenue.  This goes to show that any idea has the possibility  of being a blockbuster. To make it a reality you just have to believe it's possible….and work night and day to make it happen.

Want to get rich quick? It’s best to have a blockbuster product. But in case there’s no flash of inspiration, don’t worry. There’s still hope. A few lucky inventors, entrepreneurs, and marketers have hit the jackpot with silly ideas that have just the right combination of humor and utility to move tons of units and bring in piles of revenue.

Read the list here.

The shaky economy has obviously created a great impact on the employment rate. Due to this, many companies have decided to let go of some of their employees regardless of their length of time of service or worse, close down their companies before they go bankrupt. In effect, several people are now looking for serious options on how to augment their income. They are after the legitimate perfect home based businesses which are on the rise these days. Good thing, there are several ideas which are offered by the Internet these days.

Ideas for Home Based Business

Although owning a business and running it by yourself may all seem to be a huge task and responsibility on your shoulders, it must not stop you from venturing into it. There are actually too many opportunities available and definitely, there is one that you will like best.

Here are some of the perfect home based business ideas that you may want to look into:

1. Become a yoga trainer. If you have been doing yoga for a long time already and you are confident to teach others, then, you can set up a makeshift studio in your own home. You can get paying students and cover for your daily provisions.
2. Become a tutor. Depending on your capacity, you can decide on the students' educational level to teach.
3. Become a management professional. People need professional advice. You can turn yourself into a business coach and then make money by training entrepreneurs.
4. Become a medical transcriptionist. Doctors and other medical advocates will need your service. This is one thing you can basically do at home.
5. Become a ghost writer. Writing is both a skill and a talent. You can provide contents for website owners and be paid.

Overall, the list goes on for the perfect home based business. All you have to do is explore your choices.

Want perfect home based business ideas?

Entrepreneur Magazine has released its list of the top 500 franchises for 2011.  If you want to start a business but the home business route isn’t for then this list may help decide where to go. According to the article the franchise landscape has reflected the general economic one which has resulted in some shakeups to this year’s list.  Some of my favorites are Dunkin Donuts, Subway, and 7 Eleven (notice a trend?).  I am surprised at the number one pick.  Check up the full list here and leave me comment and let me know which franchise you would be interested in opening (and why).

These methods will certainly put you ahead of the pack in terms of sales. Consider these methods greener pastures. They represent an underutilized resource that too many internet businesspeople don’t take advantage of. Therefore, you can take advantage of an area that, frankly, most are too lazy to commit to. But you’re better, right? I should hope so. It’s possible to generate up to 40% of his business through these methods, and I hope you can attain a similar level of success as well.

1. Go purchase some business cards or flyers. Put a jazzy call to action and include your URL on these, go to your local mall or hotspot, and begin placing these on car windows and under windshield wipers. The results are staggering!

1.5. By the way, don’t stop at shopping malls. Grocery stores, strip malls, local events, and colleges make excellent places to market you product. Use your imagination! Go where the people are.

2. With these same flyers or business cards, pass them out face to face in an area of great traffic. Place them conspicuously in bathrooms and food courts. This is not as sexy an idea as most, but it works. It works!

3. Get a lawn sign with a good call to action and URL on it. You can place these on the lawn or in public places where a lot of traffic is known to be (a busy intersection for instance.). The more eyes, the more online traffic you can expect.

4. Pick up a rubber stamp with your information and URL on it and go crazy stamping everything in sight. Not everything, but you get the idea. You can stamp other peoples flyers, stamp your business cards, or any other correspondence where it’s feasable. Again, use your imagination!

5. Magnets for your vehicle. Available now are large flexible magnets that you can place on the side or back of your automobile without damaging the finish. Excellent idea considering how many eyes you are in front of on any given day in your vehicle! Do an online search for the best ones.

6. Window decals and bumper stickers. Similar idea. I probably don’t have to tell you how to use them, but I will mention again how useful these tools are.

7. Pens, hats, t-shirts, post-it sticky pads, they even have small mp3 players that could have your logo on them at a surprisingly low cost. Pass them out at your disposal, people love free stuff!

8. Some small business owners will allow you to put your business cards or post cards in a small stand at their check-out counter. Don’t be afraid to go door to door to find out who will allow it.

These methods will take a little more ambition on your part, but rest assured that so few people are doing it that it makes pure business sense to do them. It’s something I like to call ‘stomping the concrete’. You may have to sweat a little, but who ever said this was a bad thing? It gets you outside in the fresh air and away from the computer as well. Whatever you do, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of these methods. These also enable you to stretch out and hit all angles of your potential market.
 

Whether you’ve been a professional writer for years; someone who’s always dreamed of seeing your name in print; or just have something important to say, than chances are you could make a living (or at least a few extra bucks), writing articles for pay and profit!

Gone are the days when a fledging writer had a limited amount of print sources to submit ideas and articles to. Competition was high and the chance to make it to the big time slim. The Internet has changed all that. A whole new world of opportunity is now open to the writer, offering thousands of new writing outlets. From formal magazine articles, newsletter content and marketing or sales copy, to short ebooks, blog entries and SEO keyword articles, just about anyone with a basic understanding of an article form, a good grasp of the English language and the ability to do basic research can write and sell a myriad of web-based articles and copy.

Just one simple search for freelance writing jobs online will result in hundreds of hits for sites that specialize in teeming writers up with potential clients. To be honest, many of these buyers want extremely cheap (as little as or each), articles that they can either use on a variety of websites or sell to other again and again, but even these low-paying clients are a great place to begin to build a portfolio and learn the ropes of freelance writing online.

Once you’ve learned how to quickly turn out quality work, not only will your client base expand, but so will the amount of money you can earn. It’s not uncommon for a highly seasoned professional writer who is capable of taking a simple idea and come up with a thought-provoking and unique slant, then contacts the appropriate sources and turns out an informative and entertaining 2,000 word piece to garner 0 or more for a single article!

But, even if you never quite hit that level of professionalism and talent, just about anyone who’s willing to hustle can make to an hour writing dozens of smaller 100 to 400 word articles and blog entries per day.

So, where can you find clients for your online writing? There are several types of sites available. The first is a content related site that allows writers to submit already written articles, set a price and sell them through their site for a 10-30% cut in the profits. These sites usually charge a hefty fee when an article is sold, bit does not charge a monthly or annual membership fee in order to participate.

The second is a type of bidding clearinghouse where a variety of buyers post specific assignments for writers ranging from short articles to ebooks and press releases, and allow providers (writers) to bid on their projects. These sites usually charge both a membership fee and percentage of each sale. However, they usually all handle client payments and offer additional provider portfolio and marketing services.

The third way that some writers market their work is through their own websites that feature their portfolio, stock articles for sale as well as an invitation to submit work proposals for consideration. These sites are normally reserved for seasoned professionals with an established client base and other marketing tools available.

As you can see, online writing is becoming a hot side job for many would-be as well as professional writers. With s many people looking for writers to keep their websites and email newsletters up to date and current it seems as if there’s currently enough work out there for any writer willing to work hard and make their services available.

Internet marketers and those new to Internet marketing are looking for the best Internet marketing programs for the best home business opportunity on the web. The two are inseparable.

That nagging thought of knowing that thousands of people are turning to the Internet and learning how to make money online doesn’t go away. What is it that makes them different than you? Maybe you just haven’t found that perfect home business opportunity.

The truth is, that many of these people who are making 6 figure incomes could make a good living with a number of different systems or businesses because they have learned some very important information, mostly through trial and error, failure after failure. These people pick themselves back up, dust themselves off and get back in the game. They are entrepreneurs and they do not quit – ever. You can do it too by following these people, and without making costly mistakes.

Below is a list that I believe are requirements for the best home business opportunity using the best Internet marketing practices.

It Must Have Integrity

You do not need to spend much time on most Internet marketing sites to learn that it is not something you would be proud of or acquire a deep passion to share with others. Think of it this way, when someone asks you what you do for a living, are you ready and willing to tell them what you are involved with, what you do? I have seen all too many so called "best home business opportunity" company’s that I would not associate myself with. Find a business you can be proud of.

Time Investment

Do you believe that your time is valuable? My time is precious to me! If you would like more time for yourself and your family then you must look for the best business opportunity that will help you use your time wisely. Just writing this article is all about investing my time wisely because I know I can help readers who want more for their lives than the dead end jobs or businesses they are now in.

ROI – Return On Investment

A wise person will spend their time on things that offer the most money for the time spent. If you are not spending the time on your business opportunity doing things that are profitable, you are wasting your time – a big difference. If you are spending time you are purposely setting goals to make money for your business. You are wasting your time if you are never moving in a direction to make a change to your present situation.

Product or Service

You want to find a company or business with the best home business product or service opportunity. Let me ask you this question… Do you really want to sell health products or some health drink? Do you want to sell mobile phones or fat reducing diet pills? Really? When it comes to a product or service, you want to be in business promoting the very thing that Internet marketing is all about. You are reading this because you want the best Internet marketing system, the best home business opportunity available for you and others. Bottom line, you want to make money, so find a business that promotes the education and creation of money. You see, people who are selling health products do not really want to sell health products, oh they will tell you they do, but they want the money it produces. So, why not pursue a business where the very purpose of it’s existence is teaching others how to make money?

Step by Step Mentoring

I have found that more legitimate company’s are realizing that whether things can be automated or not, the company’s that understand the value of mentoring over time, with time tested material and step by step processes are the ones that are making the biggest impact on growing and lasting wealth. When looking for a website that offers a best business opportunity, are they promising complete automation without anyones help – run! (that would be the back button on your browser). The best home business opportunity is one where 6 figure earners are ready and willing to help you become a master marketer.

MLM vs GPT

Many MLM (multi-level marketing) systems will never bring the amount of money that will give the lifestyle that people want for themselves and their families unless you where there at its inception. Using affiliate based MLM systems may be good for bringing in enough money to support advertising costs. However, it is a new concept called GPT (Get Paid Today) that makes more sense, and in fact is more in line with traditional business practices. You want a business that pays you now for your work.

Residual Income

Residual income probably goes back in history a ways, but the Internet has made residual income a reality for many. Our home builder websites for example are one of our income streams, or residual income streams. If your looking for the best home business opportunity, find a company that offers residual income, and the more income steams you can create and manage, the more money you can make, and later invest into wealth building assets.

Important things you must do now to succeed

Building Assets

The wealthy put their money into assets, which in turn make more money for them. Your house is not an asset. Most people think it is, but the maintenance and taxes alone make it a liability. That’s a topic that people write books on. Read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. The best home business opportunity is one that has a focus on wealth education, educating you on wise investment opportunities

Reading

If you are not reading books and articles on Best Internet Marketing practices, how to become successful and others, than you will struggle in any business. With each of my employees I required them to take my home design books home and read them cover to cover so they could become good designers. Years ago when I was a tool-maker, I read a number of books on parts and products to best tool and die practices. This knowledge helped me create a system to reduce a die change from 8 hours, down to 37 minutes. Reading is very important to the understanding required to become creative, and then to practical use. Start reading today.

Dreaming (A Plan)

Without a dream you will go nowhere – fast. Behind every wealthy person was a dream realized. Every entrepreneur needs to start with a dream… a plan. Sit down and write your dream down. Fine tune it over time with every detail you can imagine. Do not worry about how you will make it happen right now, just make sure you know exactly what it is that you want.

For Example, we have drawn thousands of house plans for people wanting the dream of home ownership. How did it happen? We drew a house plan with every detail that made up everything that was required to meet the home owners dream. Without a plan, not a single person could do anything to help make that dream come true.

Most people do not have a dream, no plans. They have a desire to have money and to live free from their bills and credit card dept, but without a focused detailed dream you will lack the desire and the passion to create the means by which you will realize your dream. Once you know exactly what you want, you will begin to find and create ways to see your dreams become a reality. Read "Put Your Dream to the Test" by John Maxwell. This will help you get started.

Never Give Up

The winners are people that never give up. 97% of the people searching for the best home business opportunity will give up. Some only months before they would have seen the fruits of their labor. Frustration is a normal part of anything new that we learn. Internet marketing is a business. There are many things you need to learn. If you keep learning and applying what you learn, and never give up, you will own a profitable home business. Never give up!

Well, you are probably wondering if such a business exists, it sounds to good to be true. I’m no different than you. When I read an article that explained some of the items I covered in the list above, only in much more detail, I had to know more.

No matter what you do in your search for the best home business opportunity you will also need the best Internet marketing system. You owe it to yourself and your family to find something soon, because today’s economy and taxes will crush many of those people who do nothing about their future.

Disclosure Notice: I was a member of WBE.net about 3 years ago.  My membership has been inactive for at least 2 years.  I hve had no further dealings with World Business Exchange or anyone associated with them.  I recieve no financial benefit if you decide to do business with them. 

What is World Business Exchange Network?

According to their site, World Business Exchange Network (WBE) is a company set up to help people that are looking to start and internet import/export trading business that can be run out their home. WBE accomplishes this by providing training to its members on how to research, setup, and execute a trade of goods from one country to another. WBE also provides on-going access to a database it maintains of companies and individuals looking to trade.  Finally, WBE offers coaching/mentoring to assist its members in all aspects of the trade.

How do You make money?

You would take a percentage of the money being paid as fee for setting up the trade. You are, in essence, a middleman or broker that gets paid to bring two parties together. To get a visual of how this process works, click here

Does this business require any special licensing or permits?

Each state has different rules regarding licensing for this type of business so check with your local authority. Additionally, certain countries may have other requirements in order to do business there.  WBE claims to help you navigate these types of situations.

How much does this opportunity cost?

There is one time of $499. With this you get:

• Demonstration Video
• WBE.net user manual
• 1 year coaching and support

Additionally, there is a $25.00 recurring monthly fee for continued access to the WBE trade database.

Is this a franchise?

No. This is an independent business opportunity.  You will need to setup your own business entity in order to do trades.

WHAT’S BEING SAID ABOUT WBE

Ripoff Report:

"…almost 7 years, I still have not closed a deal and I feel that everything Mr. Roby has promised is a lie and a scam. It has not been like "having a garage sale" and I have not come close to closing a deal.

I have been a member since early 2008 and CEO of BT International in the MD/DC area and closed 7 deals in the first 15 months of involvement. The key factor in this business is to be committed and consistent and do lots of research in International Trade. Build relationships with the Ambassadors of the various countries, visit your local Trade Centers in your area, they have staff that will assist you.

‘Their leads are no good because they copy it from some other trade website and 99% are not current or have wrong information, therefore you cannot contact anyone.

Read more…

Programcritique.com

I bought the WBE.net program believing that I was going to be coached every step of the way until I made my first deal. However, I was told that I needed to go back and read a manual. I haven’t made any money with this business since I bought it and the coaching is no good, so I gave up. Also I asked for my money back on the second week. But guess what, NO refunds! I guess I should have checked in to that one before I used my card.

Complaintsboard.com

….In the meantime I was still making my monthly payments and was never late. When I called for help getting started again, I was told that my account was no longer active and had to pay the fee again to be reinstated…

Scam.com

One big Scam, they charge and even when you cancel, they charge you monthly. I joined and was told my account was finished, and I was charged every month after that. Only after looking over my CC statements, I found they had been charging me for over a Year after I canceled. Called them back to say I wanted to get my money back (because I could not activate the members section); they said they will have to call me back later – which they never did… however they did give me access back to the network which I did not want… they just wanted to cover their a.sses.

YouTube
 

Better Business Bureau

WBE currently has D rating with the BBB. They’ve had 9 complaints against them in the last 36 months, mostly regarding refunds. Here’s a excerpt of their report:

Most complainants are dissatisfied with the quality of counseling they receive. Most complain the company fails to respond to requests for assistance, information given is unreliable, or the company fails to adequately answer questions. Other complainants allege that lead information on the website is outdated or fictitious

Read the full report here. 

From Home Business magazine

For most people, recessions are times when they tend to cut back on their spending on promotions. Or perhaps they hold off on expanding their operations until ‘better’ times. But there are some who see these slow periods as opportunities to expand their businesses and their revenues. Home Business magazine’s August issue profiles 10 home based millionaires that grew their business in bad economic times as well as good ones. Here’s a list of the people they profiled and the businesses they’re in:

1. Matt Morris- Personal Coaching, Mentor, and Author
2. Melissa Evans- Mentor and Author
3. Frank Mckinney-Real Estate, Author, and Philanthro-Capitalist (??)
4. Leisa and
5.  Mark Bates- Hotel/B&B owners, Entertainment, and Inventors
6. Jordan Wirsz- Serial Entrepreneur, Author, and Motivational Speaker
7. Mario Barth-Celebrity Tattoo Artist, Manufacturer of Tattoo Supplies, E-Commerce
8. Lisa Harrington and
9. Kimberly Martinez-Decorative designs for work apparel, E-commerce
10. Robert Shrob-Publishing, Coaching, and Seminars

Common Bonds

As you read through the profiles of these millionaires you pick up on few common themes.

• Each one of them followed their passions.
• Each one took risks.
• They all decided where they wanted to be, figured out a way to get there, TOOK ACTION, and never looked back.
• They all have multiple streams of income.
• All of them came from humble backgrounds and really worked hard to get where they are today. And they still continue to work hard.
• None of them are really that much different from you or me.

Original article written by Priscilla Y. Huff.

From knitting to skydiving, most of us have an interest or hobby that fills us with enthusiasm. Your passion may be the key to extra income or an entirely new career; many businesses–small and large–began with an enthusiast who turned a passion into a profitable enterprise. Leveraging a passion for profit may take some initial time, effort, and strategic thinking; but you have the advantage of expertise in your product or interest to carry you forward. Here are four ways in which you can turn your passion into cash:

1. Sell it

If other people love your handcrafted articles, you may consider selling them locally or online. Local outlets include home sales or demonstrations, fairs, shows and conventions, or retail businesses that accept articles on consignment. There are also a number of websites that sell handmade articles; they generally charge a small fee for posting the article, and/or a percentage of the selling price. For these, good photography is necessary.

2. Teach it

It is often more profitable to teach other people how to make things than to sell the things themselves. You can hold classes at your home or at a local community center. You can also look through the catalogs of community colleges and high school districts to see if they offer courses in your field of interest. If no instructor’s name is given, it is possible that the organization has not yet hired someone to teach the subject and there is a job opening for you. You may be able to demonstrate your passion at a special event and teach a short introductory lesson to encourage people to sign up, or have your products available for sale.

3. Write about it

If you’re good with words, writing about your passion may be profitable. Magazines and websites like to publish well-written, lively pieces that demonstrate how to make attractive or useful articles, or get started in a leisure activity. Professional-quality photos will enhance your written work and make it more likely to sell. Another way to use the written word to make money from your passion is through blogging. This is a long-term strategy, as it takes time and persistence to build up blog traffic. The key to successful blogging is clear, authoritative writing, authenticity, consistency (posting frequently at regular times) and being responsive to people who comment on your blog posts or ask questions. Money can be made through blogs either by selling your own products or by attracting advertising revenue.

4. Team up

Finding a business partner whose passions complement yours can be the start of a whole new synergy. This could be someone who offers similar products or services to your own, so that you can effectively double your output and share administrative tasks. Or it could be someone whose product or service can be used in conjunction with yours. Look out for possible partners online, at trade shows and at your local retail outlets, and take your time to find the right fit.

Louise Baker writes about online degrees for Zen College Life. She most recently wrote about getting an online criminal justice degree.

My collection of articles, blog posts, or videos that I found this past week that might be of  some value to you.  Read, digest, discuss. [Click on the headline to read the full article]

17 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Shouldn’t Listen to “Experts”:

There will always be naysayers. And some of them may have even been right in the past about an idea, thought or event. Even if they have been right about something in the past, it doesn’t mean that they’re opinion is always correct. Are you willing to risk your business on someone else’s opinion of it?

IRS Agent Didn’t Report $41,842 in EBay Sales

…claimed her EBay sales were not a business, and characterized it as an online garage sale, according to the court document. She said she liked to shop for designer clothes and that this was a way to clean out her closets.

5 Tax Advantages of a Home-Based Business

The perks of a home-based business are many: freedom, independence, tax advantages … yes, tax advantages. Here are some tax advantages that your home based business may qualify for.

Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."-Helen Keller

Tenacity vs Intellect: What Makes an Entrepreneur? [Video] 

3 Things You Must Have When Starting A Online Home Business To Be Successful

Desire, Discipline and Discretion is the answer to your dream to be self-employed without failing.