Design can cover different industries ± arts, music, media, advertising, even construction. If you have an eye for detail and a creative mind, you could start a small business as a designer. You will need to invest in some equipment and materials, however, such as a computer, design software, scanner, color printer which can handle high resolutions and paper materials. For clients, you can target neighborhoods, communities or even companies. Michael Fallone and Doug Bartow co-own id29, a small design company but they weren’t afraid to take on the big guys. Their chutzpah worked. In 2007, the firm (which has only four employees) announced that they were looking at $1 million in sales.

Everybody eats. This is why no matter how badly the economy is doing, there’s always someone somewhere starting a food or restaurant business. You don’­t have to start big at all. This is a small business opportunity you can start right in the comfort of your own home if you want to cut down on the rent and other overhead expenses. To compete, offer something with a twist ± something that is yummy but different, something that will stand out. Matisse and Jack’s in San Francisco, for example, is a small business that offers delicious baked snacks using healthful, organic and all-natural ingredients. Or if you prefer good old comfort food, do so with a blast. Reese’s Chicken Pot Pies in Detroit uses chunky cuts of chicken breast, a flaky, light outer crust and gravy so special, its recipe is kept secret.

Among the first decisions to make will be what you are interested in setting up. Are you going to sell a product or a service? Are you going to be a Sole Proprietor or a C Corp? Maybe an S Corp is the right way to go. Whatever the decision, consulting with a small business expert or accountant is in order. You can usually find one through the small business bureau in your state government or through the Federal Small Business Administration office in your state. Some colleges and universities also have small business service offices. Whatever the venue, talk to someone who has the experience of starting up an independent home based business. The point to realize is that you are not going to be perceived as the wonderful individual you are, but as a hard nosed capitalist out to make a buck. This perception is the same for the customer to whom you will be selling your product or service, and the government, local, state and Federal, who will see you as a source of tax revenue.

The next decision has to do with the nature of the online business. If you are going to sell a product, then the affiliate marketing world is going to be the world you will need to master. Your choice will be to sell other people’s product or service in return for a commission or to create your own product or service to sell to the online world. Both of these options involve a host of skill sets and software packages that can be daunting for the newcomer.