This country, once a thriving, vibrant, economic hub, has suffered a severe blow over the past couple of years.
The real estate market crashed, people lost their homes, and businesses began releasing workers in record numbers.
For the first time in years, many people are unemployed and are looking for new job opportunities.
Searching for a new job is often a long process.
Although the wait is often arduous and stressful, it is the perfect time for you to find your niche and start a home-based business.
Much like the stay-at-home mother revolution, unemployment is the perfect time to find out who you are as a person, what you enjoy doing, and then figuring out how to make money doing what you love.
To start your journey towards a home-based business the first thing you need to do is to identify your niche.
Take some time to find out what you enjoy doing and what you are good at.
How many times have you said to yourself, if I had more time I would take the time to travel more, or to read, paint, sew, golf, etc.
? Ask yourself, "What is it that you enjoy? Why do you enjoy doing it? Can you see yourself spending a great deal of time doing what you love?" Once you have answered the previous questions and have narrowed your responses down to one or two things that you really love to do, then you start working on ways to make a profit from it.
Starting a home-based business takes research, time, and most importantly, dedication.
Many people believe that starting a home based business also requires a great deal of money but that simply isn't the case.
To start some businesses you need nothing more than creativity, determination, and knowledge of the particular business.
Below you will find a couple examples of how to turn your niche into a home-based business with little or no money.
Niche: Reading.
If you have a genuine love to read consider starting a home-based business in used books, book re-sales, or book reviews.
Creating an online book store is a low-cost business that can be started immediately.
To create your online book store, you will need to purchase a website domain name and be able to set up a website.
You can get used books from your local libraries, friends and families.
Let them know that you have come up with a great way to recycle books.
Many people will be happy to donate their unwanted books if they know that you are going to do something with them besides throw them away.
Launch your website with your current inventory.
Get additional profit through Google ads, Barnes and Noble ads, GoDaddy ads, etc.
Niche: Travel.
If you love to travel, turn your excursions into profit by becoming a freelance travel writer.
Various magazines and websites pay freelance writers for articles on their travels around the globe.
In order to truly make a profit from freelance writing you will have to be consistent and dedicated to your writing.
You may even consider starting a website on travel writing.
Niche: Writing.
Writing provides various markets for you to make a profit.
One of the most common methods of writing for profit is through blogging.
If you have a hot topic that you want to write about start a blog.
Make additional profits on your blog by uploading Google ads and other advertiser's ads.
The most important factor in blogging is that you have to blog on a regular, frequent basis.
You can also become an expert writer for sites like About.
com.
These sites pay writers for their expertise in a certain field or about a certain topic.
Niche: Speaking.
Consider starting a public-speaking business.
To do this, you will have to identify those areas that you are good at speaking about.
Consider your previous work history.
What was your area of expertise? If you feel that you can speak about a topic and motivate others to action, public speaking could be for you.
Prepare some brochures identifying those areas that you would like to speak about.
Distribute the brochures to people and places that you feel would be interested in that topic.
In the beginning of your business you may want to offer reduced rates.
This will help build up your clientele and establish "word-of-mouth" marketing.
As your business grows you can consider increasing your prices.
Once your business is established you will also want to consider writing a book on your area of expertise; it adds credibility to your presentation.
Starting a home-based business doesn't always require a great deal of money.
With time, dedication, and determination you can often turn your niche into a profitable business.
If you are currently unemployed or under-employed, now is the perfect time to find your niche and to make money doing what you love.
Give it a try.
After all, what do you have to lose?