Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hello everyone,

I work with a government agency for about 10yrs. I do not see myself doing the samething for the next 5yrs. I have a degree in Political Science and in my late 30s.

From the above its obvious I have very little knowledge of the internet world. However, I want to go into private venture.

Can anyone advise me in the aspect of the internet buiness I can venture into. I`m ready to purse any part time course if its call for. I have very little saves which I`m ready to invest, but this is not much

I look forward to your advise.

Kaay 

Don`t be a novice ... there`s a lot of info out there. Start by reading this site.

There is room for anyone if you can make smart decisions and find yourself a good niche business.

Think like an entrepreneur - where is a market that is untouched or under-represented? Where is there a problem you can fix?

The Internet and e-commerce is like the Wild West, back around the 1850s and the gold-rush days. It`s wide open, filled with novices, experts, and everyone in between.

The first recommendation I`d make would be to lose the "I`m a novice with the Internet" viewpoint. :-) So? Half the rest of the world is also a novice, but as long as you believe that`s a bad thing, it`ll hold you back. Do like Nikole says, read these forums, read books, research online, and get a sense of what it is you don`t know.

Then focus on what you DO know. What else do you love to do beside Political Science? I`ve heard that a few people like to talk about politics, from time to time, and they have "blog" sites (Internet-based diaries and journals) that even make money. That would be like an "informational" site.

Or you might want to sell a product. What product? What do you like to mess around with? In other words, what gets you fired up when you have time off from work? :-)

CraigL,

Thanks for the suggestion.

How can I use `blog` site (internet based diaries....) to make money? It sounds very interesting to me. Do you know any site I can visist to have a clue of how it works. 

I will apprecite more information if possible.

Kaay

Kaay, unless you`re a brilliant writer, and the evidence thus far would tend toward that not being the case, the likelihood of making money with a blog is slim.

I`d use a blog to begin by doing some sort of political analysis, if that`s your passion. IF people start reading it, and you`d want a way for them to subscribe so you could count your readership, THEN you might pick up a few dollars with some advertising.

The more likely way to make money from a blog is to be noticed, then hired to write similar content for a paying organization like a newspaper, magazine, or other media outlet.

Hi Kaay,

There`s already been some great comments and advise. The opportunities on the internet are really wide open. I`d say figure out what you love to do and then figure out how you can market that.

 Don`t get overwhelmed by the prospect of having to learn everything in a single day if you know what I mean. Take it one step at a time and you`ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

Just be aware that you`ll  likely have a lot more failures than successes along the way. Just fail fast and be persistent.  Just keep going foward step by step. 

Something that I really try to keep in mind is that I like to be in the business of helping people. If you have a product or service that solves a persons problem you`ll be successful.

 Also, don`t get stuck into the mindset of having to know everything before you take action. Get your plan together and then start to implement it. In most cases you`ll have to keep learning and adjusting your plan along the way. 

I guess what I`m trying to get at is that taking the wrong action is better than taking no action at all. You`ll learn and become more knowledgable and little by little you`ll find out what works for you. 

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For profitable insider secrets, tips and simple effective business stategies visit, www.denstokes.com

Kaay,

I just read your posting. It sounds very humble.

However, I am also in a situation where I can not advise on business. I guess if you persist you might be lucky to get a good Tip.

People in SuN often try to encourage you, but I guess the reality is much more than that. That is to say, its not as easy as they sounds. So if you try and fail don`t ever give up. Goodluck.

 

you could always pose nude on the internet

 

you could always pose nude on the internet

 Do you think this is still a mean of  income? I guess not. However, that is another form of making money on the net. Not a bad idea Kaay?

I wish I can advise you on something better. Goodluck

Kaay,

Your basic steps are the same as any business.   Answer the following:

What product or service am I going to offer (what problem am I going to solve)?

What is my competition?  What are they offering? What do I like or not like about what they are doing?

What is my unique selling proposition?  What sets me apart from the competition? 

What is my business plan . . . my marketing plan?

The advantage the internet has for offering a service or product is the speed and ease of market research.  One very bright (but occasionally sarcastic) person once said:  "Sell it over the phone first.  If you can`t sell it over the phone, what makes you think you can sell it over the internet?"  or something similar.

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"You are not here merely to earn a living. You are here to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand." -Woodrow Wilson