95 Best Home Businesses of the 90's reviewed for the Noughties - [51-60]
If this is your first day here you might want to check out the introductory page and also [1-10], [11-20] , [21-30], [31-40] and [41-50].
51. Scopist
Court hansards record notes word-for-word during court proceedings and produce transcripts for future records. A scopist then takes these notes and turns them into legible and grammatically correct notes that allow lawyers and judges to read.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Computer software is being used to perform some of this translation but it's early generation programming and still makes mistakes. However, it won't be long before this software can correctly interpret and collate these transcripts into legible reports and therefore usurp the need for human intervention.
Expected Lifespan
<5 years.
52. Security Consultant
Security consultants can be hired for many different reasons. They may be employed for advising a company on how to secure their premises adequately or even how to ensure that confidential information is not leaked through their processes and systems. A security consultant may even be hired by events managers needing to be consulted on their event security obligations.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Security is a growing industry that can only increase as populations grow and as things fear becomes more prevalent. Crime continues to grow thus requiring security to become a bigger issue. I can only see more and more opportunities opening up for this home based business.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely.
53. Specialty Consultant
Consulting is one of the biggest fields available to people wanting to work from home. While the world will continue to require management and computer consultants there are many niche opportunities to people wanting to consult on a range of specialty items.
For instance, here in Western Australia, the government has opted to go with an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) which has confused many people employed in the education industry. Opportunities are available for those that are willing to get a handle on specific items and therefore consult on them.
Relevancy in the Naughties
The more complex society becomes and the more diversified and regulated we are will allow the creation of many opportunities in specialty areas. These areas may not always be ongoing and may have a limited lifespan but others will replace them.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely but dynamic.
54. Tax Preparation Service
Tax preparation doesn't require you to be an accountant or a CPA. It doesn't even demand that you have a bachelor degree in accounting. Tax preparation can quite literally be performed by almost anyone with knowledge in tax areas. However, it usually pays to know what you are doing and so learning how to prepare tax returns makes sound advice.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Taxes will always confuse the majority of the population and while many software programs have been written and will continue to do so they won't alleviate the fear that many people have of either preparing them incorrectly or missing out on a tax refund.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely.
55. Technical Writer
A technical writer is someone who is able to able to write technical editorial particularly about evolving technologies or new products. These articles are either used in trade magazines, for company brochures or websites and even as press releases.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Technical writers are still in short supply and most probably will continue you to be considering the skills that are required. However, the remuneration for a technical writer can be quite high and opportunities will continue to abound.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely.
56. Temporary-Help Agency
This home based business has many opportunities available ranging from offering temporary workstaff for business situations to starting an agency for temporary home relief.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Even though this area seems like it may be saturated by larger players there are many niche opportunities available especially where employers are looking for specialised staff. Home business operators can develop quite profitable niches but competing with an already overcatered for area may be a waste of time.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely.
57. Transcript-Digesting Service
Lawyers receive many depositions, statements and reports that relate to individual cases. However, this paperwork may run into the hundreds of pages and lawyers aren't prepared to read them all. Therefore a transcript-digesting service is employed to summarise the content into a mere few pages.
Relevancy in the Naughties
While this may be another home business that will fall foul of technological advances it is highly likely that technology will not be able to produce what is required within the short term. Reports will come to the lawyers in many different formats and most are hard copy. Until OCR techology becomes fool-proof lawyers won't trust these advances and will rely predominantly on digesting services.
Expected Lifespan
>10 Years.
58. Wedding Consultant
If you've seen 'Father of the Bride' or the 'Wedding Planners' then you have a fair idea how this home based business works.
Relevancy in the Naughties
The only down-side to this area continuing to grow will people's perceptions whether marriage is relevant. Many people are foregoing nuptial bliss or opting for much smaller gatherings if they do go ahead for weddings. However, I would predict that this is still a viable home based business but it may be a moderately shrinking market.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely but limited.
59. Wedding Make-Up Artist
As the name suggests, a Wedding Make-Up Artist offers clients a service to have their faces plastered with assorted cosmetic goodies. This home business can work well for people who are willing to work weekends and can be supplemented by other income in the wedding off-season.
Relevancy in the Naughties
As above.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely but limited.
60. Word-Processing and Office-Support Service
Many offices are run on skeleton staff or with limited space available to house more staff. Therefore opportunities exist for what is commonly referred to as a Virtual Office Assistant. A VOA can easily work from home and contract out to more than one business at a time.
Relevancy in the Naughties
Technology has actually aided this home based business making it much easier to work from home. It is also unlikely to replace the VOA because their activities are fairly sporadic and dynamic changing from situation to situation. This would most likely be the biggest are for home business success.
Expected Lifespan
Indefinitely.
Tomorrow we will review the next ten from [61-70].
If you want more specific knowledge of setup costs, educational prerequisites and experience required then try reading the book - The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century
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