Today @ TJSN West we discussed the option of starting a business instead of getting a job.

It was a good discussion because there were a few people in the discussion who had either had small business or were considering a small business.

Anthony DiFiglia led the discussion with a bunch of good points to consider

One generally discounted idea is to consider a Franchise. Anthony shared some of his research that uncovered that a Franchise can be as inexpensive as a few thousand dollars. Some online resources to consider for researching a franchise is Entrepreneur.com.

There are two people in the Triad who are great resource for franchise options.

Meg Marion and Bob Kober. They both own their own franchise in The Entrepreneur’s Source. Both of these good folks are eager to talk with anyone considering a franchise and helping them decide if A – is a Franchise a good option and B – what Franchise option should they consider.

Anthony offered a very relevant point about starting your own business instead of getting a job. “If you have a passion for something that can generate enough income to support you, look for someone to fund your ideas to get you in business.”

Some ideas that Anthony researched for us included:

(The Links I provided below are for your use to explore, evaluate and consider for yourself. I make no recommendations or referrals)

United Parcel Service Depot Franchise

Get into a Multi-Level Marketing business (Shaklee, Nature’s Pearl, Amway)

Buy truck route like Boar’s Head Provisions, Wise Snacks, Utz Snacks, Herr’s Snacks, etc.

There are lots of Business Opportunities published thru sites like Craig’s List. – Evaluate carefully

There are also lots of ways to make money thru Online businesses such as Etsy, Online Garage Sales, etc.  Research, references, knowledge and risk assessments are key considerations when starting or acquiring an online business (heck – any business)

A few other ideas that popped up during our discussion were to start a business in

Selling stuff thru Consignment shops

Start a Laundry, grocery, drug delivery business. (Make sure the drug delivery work is for legitimate over the counter or prescription drugs. You don’t want to end up in jail)

Start a Shuttle business where you pickup kids at school and take them to the doctors, after school events, church events, etc. Risk – make sure you have good insurance.

Buy some land and build a Storage Center. Technology can help you build a storage center where you don’t hire anyone.

Another good point raised by the Anthony is to find a business that is resistant to the economy. Some ideas that came up during the discussion is to look at what people are buying or doing for Mommies & Babies, Kids Sports, elder care, etc.

One person in the group counseled us to always put together a business plan. This is important because a Plan is what we use to guide us in our business. Forsyth Technical Community College and Guilford Tech Community College have Small Business Centers that any small business owner or startup can get business startup guidance.

It was a good conversation. If you have the desire, attitude, passion and an idea for a business, consider starting a business instead of getting a job.

Just a thought.