Dog and Cat Detective Business?

This is an interesting one that I thought deserving of a mention. If you are looking for ideas for a home business to start, you might want to add this one to your list.

It is a detective business for locating lost pets. Basically, the companies will respond to "911" type calls from owners whose pet has gone missing. It is very professional, with the expert pet finders being trained and certified through The Missing Pet Partnership. Detectives often use Search dogs trained to follow scents. These dogs are often able to find missing cats, dogs, and even reptiles.

There are a few sources you can check out to get more information if you are interested in getting certified and starting your own Pet Detective Business, so grab some coffee or tea, and enjoy!

Pet Search and Rescue

Finding Paws

Missing Pet Partnership

Lost Pet Detection

And an interesting article on the finding lost pets through a pet detective agency

Home Business Idea---Pet Photographer

There is no denying that people love their pets. And I doubt this will change anytime soon. People spend a lot of money on their best furry-footed friends, from daycare to clothing to pampering! So if you are thinking of starting some type of home business, maybe a pet photograpeher will interest you.

The best way to find out if this career is a good fit for you, is by taking photos of animals every chance that you get. Many photographers use their love for their own animals and turn their pets into full-time models. This is a great way to begin to practice your techniques with subjects that you are already familiar with.

Part of the secret to pet photography is having a certain connection and trust with the animal that will give the final product a natural and honest appearance. The best photo of animals are the ones that will show the animals in a state of carefree spontaneity, in which the animal is comfortable in showing their true personality and candor. Even the type of equipment and training is often times less important than the simple love of the subject you are shooting. The animal can sense when they are liked and will become more at ease with that person.

Photographing pets with their owners would probably appeal to most animal lovers too. Most owners won't struggle to take a photograph with their pet all by themselves. You can be the one who makes it easy on them. Not only can you charge for the service and your time, but you can offer the photograph in it's digital form or as a print that you can mail to them later - either created by your own photo printer or by a photo servicing center.

Pet photographers, for the most part, will probably get the best results from using surroundings that are comfortable to the animal, which means traveling to the clients most of the time. Which is a bonus for someone starting out because it alleviates the immediate need for a studio.

Later on, a mall shop or rented studio would come in handy if you are interested in commercial work and/or a portrait styled photography in a controlled environment. Plus you could potentially bring in a lot of customers by having your studio in a mall.

But to just get started and get your first customers, here is an idea you could try:

You simply create “Free Portrait Certificates” that you print off on your computer.

Think about it. Who wouldn’t like a free professional portrait of their lovable precious pet? And what pet owner could possibly resist purchasing some of the adorable extra poses you will be taking and showing them?

This is one of the most effective and low cost ways you could ever use to start and market your own full time or part time home based pet photography business.

Leaving your coupons at veterinarian offices, dog parks, pet stores, etc... would be an easy and free way to potentially get customers. Hopefully the pet owners will be so in love with the free photo, they will buy more copies, and /or refer other customers to you!


If you love animals and are good with a camera, give this some thought. It could be a business you can satrt small with, but keep growing year after year.

Breakfast In Bed

I have a friend who is thinking of starting a home delivery service for breakfast only. I think it sounds like a great idea...the thought of lying snug and warm in my bed while waiting for my breakfast order to be delivered sounds pretty tempting and decadent. Hmmmm. Anyway, my friend is trying to come up with advertising ideas, brochures, etc... And the image she really wants as the main focus is a really great looking bed, probably with a tray on it.
So, we surfed the web a bit checking out different styles of beds to find just the right image. The choices have been narrowed down to a sleigh, a big comfy queen bed, and an even comfier looking king bed. The site we were on made it hard it choose because they had so many great choices!
Anyway, my friend, the beginning entrepeneur, ended up falling in love with a Cherry Wood Entertainment Center while browsing around , and if her new business takes off, she plans to reward herself with it! She even printed out a picture of it to use as her motivation, lol! I think we ended up spending too much time on our virtual "window" shopping though, and not enough time working on her business plan. Oops--that's what happens I guess when you stumble upon a cool site that you just keep clicking away on!
Tomorrow we'll be surfing around again in pursuit of other things needed for my friend's breakfast delivery business. I suppose we will have to try and stay focused...focus..focus...focus, lol.

Starting A Home Business As A Children's Etiquette Coach

You probably don't have to be an Emily Post to start this type of a home-based business, but you certainly could use some of her tips and ideas! Good manners, etiquette, and kids don't seem to always go together...ay least in my house they don't! But what a fun idea this could be for a home business. Just think of the smiles you could put on parents' faces as they see their young child behaving politely and respectfully in social settings!

Such instruction is essential, say experts, for a generation raised on Bart Simpson and Britney Spears. "Kids are being encouraged by pop culture to be disrespectful and self-destructive, and their parents are frightened and looking for help," says Diane Diehl, whose quarterly Petite Protocol classes at the swank Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles last four hours and cost $250 a session.

Polite Is Right is an etiquette and manners program started by Denise Honaker in 2000. "When a lot of parents see how their kids interact with playmates and other adults, they're horrified," says Denise. Her successful business has boosted the self-esteem and confidence of hundreds of children. A work at home opportunity is actually available through Polite is Right-- You can apply to be an Etiquette Instructor with the company. Potential instructors need to clear a background check, and if their application is approved, an Instructor will then go through a training program before teaching their own class.

But if you are feeling that you would rather venture out on your own Etiquette Training Business For Children, then do some reading and researching. Study other similiar programs, such as Honaker's, and PoliteChild, another etiquette program started by Corrine Gregory in 2001. Her firm, based in Woodinville, Wash., began in 2001 as an after-school program and is now a national enterprise with 2,000 alumni. Gregory's pupils are taught to mind their p's and q's and remember their three c's: caring, compassion and consideration.

You might want to do some homework on sites such as The Emily Post Institute, and reading books on etiquette and children such as, The Guide To Good Manners For Kids, by Peggy Post and Cindy Post, ED.

Think about starting your business in conjunction with your local community or recreation center, if they do not already offer such a course. You will probably have to work out a split of the revenues with the center, but the plus side to this idea is that you'll have access to the recreation center’s membership base for promotional purposes.

Good Manners could mean Good Business for those with an inner "Emily Post"!!

Scrapbooking ....This Could Be A Work At Home Business For You

If you are passionate about scrapbooking, you might want to think about turning this passion into a business you could run from your home.If you have ever thought about owning your own home-based business, the scrapbooking and stamping industry is booming As a scapbook consultant, you would share the art of scrapbooking and stamping with others through workshops or home parties. You would share how to create beautiful scrapbook pages, cards, and craft projects exclusive line of top-quality papers, inks, stamps, and accessories.You can be your own boss, set your own hours, work around your priorities, and share new products in the industry. An easy way to get started in the scrapbooking business is by becoming a consultant with an established company. There are several companies that you can check out online, and compare the consultant opportunities they offer. Check out Close To My Heart,the items shown in the picture are from Close To Your Heart...cute stuff... Creative Memories, and Stamping Up! Good Luck!

Starting A Home Business......Some Inspiration For You!

Here we are ...the last few days before Christmas! Then will come the ringing in of the New Year! In between
wrapping, baking, decorating, and such...you might want to take a
minute and read an inspiring story about how "Heidi's Heavenly Cookies"
was created.

Heidi explains how she became motivated to start
her home business and all the help and encouragement she received from
family and friends along the way. I love reading about women and the
businesses they started. It helps me stay motivated and encouraged.

So if you have a few minutes to spare, check out Heidi's Heavenly Cookies and read her story.

Home Business----With The Body Shop At Home Opportunity

The Body Shop has been around since 1976, and their stores can be found in malls everywhere. This is a well known and trusted company providing cosmetics to women internationaly. The Body Shop offers women the opportunity to run their own home business by becoming an Independent Consultant with the company.

If you love all things beauty, this could be something worth checking into. You do need to purchase a beauty kit, and you have a choice between the standard kit and the deluxe kit. During December, The Body Shop is offering the Deluxe Kit for half price--instaed of $220, you'll pay $110. Each kit has more than $600 worth of products. So, not too bad of an investment.

The Body Shop has a strict policy about not testing their products on animals....something you can feel very good about! Also, they have a Community Trade Program and buy ingredients from small-scale farmers at fair prices.

If you want to check their consultant opportunities out some more, here is the website. Just click on the section at the top, "The BodyShop At Home" for more info on their consultant program!

A Green Home Business Idea

"Going Green" is important to the environment in so many ways, and to our children's futures. With all the focus going on these days about ways to be green, and ways to protect our environment, it is an excellent time to start a home based cloth diaper service.

New Parents and Parents-To-Be are faced with diapering choices. Cloth diapers or disposable diapers. I believe a strong deterrent in choosing the cloth diapers is the inconvienence. Mainly--the laundering of the diapers. So much easier and quicker to toss the disposable into the trash.

A diaper delivery service can offer a perfect solution for parents that really want to do the green choice and use cloth diapers, but may not have the time or energy needed to keep the diapers laundered.

You can do your delivery service and launder the diapers as well ( maybe hire some help when your business grows !), or take the dirty diapers to a commercial cleaners to have them cleaned.

You can locate new clients for your Cloth Diapering Service through resources such as local hospitals, Lamaze Classes/Teachers, Midwives, and Doula Services. New moms often get baskets of goodies from the hospital as they prepare to go home with their new baby; Ask the hospital if they would like to include a gift certificate for free cloth diaper service for a week. Baby showers are another good way to spread the word about your new business.

There is a great site full of resources and information on setting up a home business in cloth diaper services.

And an added perk to this business: The cutest clients ever!!

Home for the Holidays

So we are back home from our Thanksgiving travels. It actually feels good to be home though I enjoyed our family gathering tremendously. No computer for 4 days! Hehe...just the thought made me stressed and distraught the first few hours away. But now, I can honestly say I am so greatful that this was the case. The quality time with my kids was immeasurable, and my husband was very happy as well. Even if I thought I could be firm and disciplined and not spend more than 20 minutes or so on the computer each day, chances are that wouldn't of happened. Besides, 20 minutes each day not spent with my family while on vacation would have been not good.

We were in Cambria...one of my most favorite places ever! The air is wonderful and the ocean right there in front of you while gorgeous pine trees and forest is behind you is beyond nature at its best. We shopped in the charming little town, walked the beach collecting shells and shiny stones, gazed at the outrageously gorgeous sunsets every night, and ate too much and drank too much with our extended family every night. Our rental had a view of the crashing waves from most of the windows and decks, and we woke up every morning to the sounds of the ocean and seagulls.

It is good to be home though. There really just is no place like home, mushy as that sounds, lol. So, on to Christmas we go. Today we will get out decorations and lights, and get to work. I think today I am going to try and add some ideas to my earlier post about brainstorming for some extra Christmas shopping money.

BTW, we saw someone driving home yesterday with a christmas tree tied to the roof...how will they keep that tree fresh until Christmas?? Its always fun to spot the first car with a Christmas tree on the road...really makes me feel like it's Christmas. But how will they keep it fresh?

Home Business Idea-----Selling Used Books

Starting an online used bookstore is easy to do with sites like Abebooks. You list your books that you want to sell on their website, and they will email you when your book sells. You ship the book, and Abebooks can collect the payment from the customer, or you can directly accept payment from the seller using Paypal or money orders. You can also check sites such as Amazon and Half.com for their selling programs.

To find used books to build your inventory, try a site like BookSaleFinder. This site lists book sales that are often put on by non profit organizations such as "friends of the Library". Check for book sales listed in your area.

Explore other sources such as:

Garage Sales
Friends
Family
Craigs List

There are places online that offer programs for you to easily track your inventory. If you start listing and selling large quantities of books, it is important to keep track of books you have, books that have sold, and books that are shipped. If you have listed a book on different sites, you need to remove it from all of the sites once it sells. Having an inventory program in place will help you do this much more easily. Check The Art Of Books to see their inventory program.

When you do start collecting used books to list and sell, research online to find out the market value of your books so you can determine your list price. It may take a little time for you to know which types of books will be worth selling and which might not be worth it. You'll become an expert in used books before you know it!