Creative Income Ideas

Ideas are a dime a dozen. It has been said we all have 2 or 3 ideas every year that if put into action, would make us wealthy. The problem is--most people don’t do anything with their ideas. Here are a couple of examples of those who have taken action on their ideas:

Jim Miller enjoyed planning celebration events, so he came up with the idea of putting corporate picnics together for companies. He earns $1,500 to $7,000 net profit per picnic after all expenses and has also written a 355 page manual How to Start and Operate a Corporate Picnic Business which retails for $49.95. He also puts together kid’s entertainment parties as well. Check out his web site: www.kidsentertainmentbusiness.com.

Marco Johnson, 38, a firefighter from Lancaster, Ca. saw too many deaths in his profession that could have been prevented if someone at the scene had taken action. He began offering medical training classes in 1997, teaching first aid and CPR. His wife, Sandra, organized the time and place and secured the students for him as well. In the last seven years, the demand has increased and he now employees 42 staff members and certifies 8,000 people per year in CPR and first aid. What started out as offering classes each week has exploded into Antelope Valley Medical College which now offers certification programs for medical assistants, vocational nurses, paramedics, and EMTs. The projected sales for 2004 are estimated to be close to $7.5 million.

Carmel Sullivan felt isolated and alone after her sudden divorce, and attempted to find a roommate, preferably a single mother like herself. She found that no service existed to help her, so she placed her own ad and eventually found a match. This gave her the idea to help other woman like herself who were in similar circumstances. She found that there were 14 million single mothers many who were struggling financially and emotionally. She decided to create a web site with member profiles dedicated to helping single mothers look for roommates. The web site also offers a “Circle of Friends” page where members can go to get support. How does she earn an income doing this? She has over 4,800 users who pay a $30 annual fee for membership. That adds up to $144,000. Her business has been featured on CBS News, Good Morning America and Inside Edition. Her web site can be found at www.co-abode.com.

What do you enjoy doing that serves a need in the public? Remember, the key word is ENJOY. Don’t start a business you don’t enjoy for the sake of being an entrepreneur or for money alone. If you find something you enjoy doing, the money will follow. Picasso once said that being a success is having no line of demarcation between “work” and “play” in one’s life. To read more of Jonathan's articles, visit www.careercalling.com/Archives.htm!