Category: Earn Extra Money

Being an entrepreneur is one of the most rewarding experiences you can chase after.

There’s a reason why the United States has over 15 million entrepreneurs as of 2015.

But, not everyone who wishes to run their own business has the luxury of being able to work out of their own home. There comes a time where you’re going to have to pack it up and find a space of your own.

Since having a massive budget isn’t common for most startups, it can be difficult to find a place to set up shop. But, there are plenty of ways to find cheap or even free office space for your company.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.

Co-Work Space

Joining a co-work space is one of the most beneficial things you can do as an entrepreneur if you’re looking for somewhere out of home to conduct business. While you’ll have to pay a monthly rent to join, the price is nothing compared to what you’d be paying in rent for conventional office space. 

You also get the added benefit of sharing the space with other like-minded entrepreneurs who you form a mutually beneficial relationship with.

In some cases, you may even meet the perfect business partner at one of these locations.  

Share With Another Business

Rent’s often not cheap, especially if you live in a larger city. 

But, a great way to save some cash (which is always a good idea when running a startup) is to share rented office space with another business. 

While the ideal scenario is to have two people sharing one space, it’s possible for separate businesses to function if there is enough square footage to do so.

The type of business is flexible, too, as long as it’s not a competitor. For example, a financial advisor could search for therapy rooms to rent in order to share space and save some money.

If you know anyone who you feel would like to split the rent, make sure you reach out to them. You’ll never know if you don’t ask. 

Check For Locations That Have Been Vacant

This is an option that people often forego due to simply being unaware that they can take advantage of properties that have been empty for an extended period of time.

Whether it’s the empty building you drive past every day when going to lunch or property you’ve seen in ads for months, chances are the property owner is ready to compromise.

So, it shouldn’t be too difficult to contact the owner and get a good deal for a lease on office space. The longer it’s been vacant, the more money you’ll be able to save.

Finding Free Office Space Can Seem Difficult

But it doesn’t have to be.

With the above information in mind, you’ll be well on your way to finding cheap or free office space that’ll allow you to get things up and running in no time.

Want to learn more about how to save money? Make sure to check out the budgeting section of our blog!

Home-based businesses are on the rise! eCommerce is currently valued at over $3.3 trillion, globally. A lot of entrepreneurs are starting their own home-based businesses, looking to capitalize on the trend.

Traditional business is evolving, as well. Only 32% of employees work in a traditional workplace full-time at this point. Even regular employees are working from home, thanks to the expanded possibilities of digital technology.

Working from home brings its own set of challenges, however. Yes, you can make money in your PJs. It also requires finding the best work-life balance along the way.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur running your business or a remote employee, here are some ideas on how to keep a clean house while working from home.

How To Keep A Clean House When Working From Home

Entrepreneurs are often overwhelmed. Business owners report only spending 32% of their time working on their business. The rest of the time is spent playing catch-up and doing busy work.

This only gets more severe when you have to keep a clean house on top of your daily activities.

Here are some tips for staying organized and productive while maintaining a clean house.

Perfect Is The Enemy Of The Good

Too often, our perfectionism prevents us from even getting started. You think of the big picture, with all of the little details and tiny tasks that need to be done, and you get overwhelmed.

You need to flip that script if you want to live in a perfectly clean house. Focus on the little things that you can do throughout your day, like bussing dirty dishes into the kitchen when you’re headed that way.

At the end of the day, your house will be nearly clean already. Then you only have to worry about tidying up.

Create A Cleaning Schedule… and Stick To It

You should try and make a schedule for the big cleaning tasks that need to happen regularly, like vacuuming or washing the linens. If you don’t end up getting to that task that day, wait until next week.

The stress of living with a little dust is much less than running around frantically, trying to do it all. Plus, letting something go for a week really lets you see why it’s important to clean regularly.

Tweak Accordingly

Experimentation is the key to every kind of success. It’s the cornerstone of the scientific method — form a hypothesis, test it out, and adjust accordingly.

Not only should you make a list of your daily duties, but you should also make a list of your dreams and goals. Maybe it could be having streak-free windows 24/7, or being able to cook meals at home more regularly.

Once a month or so, check in with your goals and see how you’re measuring up. Maybe you HAVE kept those windows clean for a whole month. You’ll feel invigorated as you’re making your list in the bright, clear morning light.

Of course, if you want a perfectly clean home every time, you can always hire a top-notch cleaning service like AspenClean!

Want More Business Tips?

There’s never been a more exciting time to be an entrepreneur. There are so many options, already, and whole new industries are developing every single day.

Whether you’re looking for tips on how to keep a clean house or how to balance your payroll, we have everything you need to help your startup thrive. Browse our business articles today and get inspired.

Small-sample polls have indicated that between 5 and 14 percent of Americans currently own cryptocurrency.

But, these same polls also show that as many as 21 percent of US residents are considering trading in cryptocurrency in the future. After all, investing is a great way to make money from home and virtual currencies like Bitcoin are said to be the future.

If you’re considering getting into the cryptocurrency business but aren’t sure where to start, here are 10 great cryptocurrency trading tips.

1. Do Your Research

If cryptocurrency is a whole new world for you, you need to learn to walk before you can run.

That means starting with the basics, such as learning how to purchase and store cryptocurrency. Coinbase and Kucoin are beginner-friendly purchase sites that are easy to use if you’re wondering where to trade cryptocurrency.

But, before you start trading, get to grips with basic cryptocurrency theory. That means familiarizing yourself with all the trading terms and understand spread and depth charts. And, always make a point of tracking cryptocurrency news every day.

Then, when you feel ready, a crypto trading bot can help you maximize your potential and put all your research to good use.

2. Only Invest What You Can Lose

The most important advice for any cryptocurrency trader is to never ever invest more than you can afford to lose.

Consider any money you’ve converted into cryptocurrency as lost forever. There are no guarantees when trading cryptocurrency. And, losses don’t just come from market dips. Changes in government regulations, bugs and hackers can all result in watching your money disappear.

If you can’t handle that worst-case scenario then it’s time to reconsider your maximum investment amount.

3. Follow Bitcoin News

When it comes to cryptocurrency you have Bitcoin, and then you have altcoins, which are all other types of cryptocurrency, such as Ethereum and Litecoin.

Most altcoins are traded according to the current Bitcoin value. When Bitcoin goes up in value, altcoins tend to lose value. But, if Bitcoin prices dip, altcoin prices can suffer as people revert back to physical, or fiat, money.

The best times for altcoin growth are when Bitcoin value remains steady, or sees organic growth or decline.

4. Diversify

You wouldn’t head to Vegas and put all your money on the black, and trading cryptocurrency is no different.

While your earning potential increases with the amount you invest in one type of coin, you also have more potential to lose. Divide and conquer to reap bigger benefits across the whole cryptocurrency market.

For example, Bitcoin might be the most famous cryptocurrency but between January 2016 and January 2018, its value increased by 34 times. Pretty good huh? Well, not when you consider than Corgicoin’s value increased by 60,000 times during that same period.

5. Justify Every Trade

One of the key rules when it comes to learning how to trade crypto is to always have a clear strategy in mind.

Rely on your research to ensure that you justify every trade with sound analysis. As a beginner, you’re a small fish in a big pond full of whales waiting for you to make a wrong move. For every gain, someone else loses, so don’t trade if you’re not convinced about your strategy.

6. Know When to Take Some Profit

When you start riding a profit wave, it can be too exhilarating to let go. But, no one ever lost money by cashing in on a little profit on the way.

For example, if a coin’s value increases by 30 percent, consider taking some profit, even if your goal was a 40 or 50-percent increase.

Leave it too long and you run the risk of losing profit you had in the bag, or even turning that profit into a loss. Play it smart this way helps protect your original investment and keep a steady stream of profit coming in.

7. Consider the Bigger Picture

As learn how to trade cryptocurrency, you’ll realize that some coins have more staying power than others.

Place these into medium or long-term holds and don’t even consider panic-selling if their progress isn’t linear.

BNB is a good example of a good long-hold coin. It may have dipped by 20 percent for a period, but its value increased by threefold soon after.

8. Set Stop Losses

For any coins that aren’t in your medium or long-term holds, always set a point of acceptable loss. If their value starts to dip, this is when you sell to avoid more loss.

As well as helping to mitigate your losses, deciding on your point of acceptable loss means you now have a reference point to judge future trades.

9. Don’t Believe the Hype

Everyone loves a freebie. But, be cautious of getting caught up in the hype of free ‘advice’ when it comes to cryptocurrency.

People will often pump up the value of a coin by praising it on social media. This results in mass FOMO and an increased interest in that coin, meaning the pumpers can dump it on eager buyers for a higher price.

Cryptocurrency is volatile, but a sudden increase in value often evens out. Non-organic pumps are often followed by dips so keep your FOMO in check and stay cautious.

10. Learn from Your Mistakes

As with anything in life, it’s inevitable that you’ll make mistakes when trading cryptocurrency.

But, don’t let these losses discourage you. Evaluate the situation and try to understand what happened. Maybe you sold too early out of fear, or perhaps you held on too long riding that profit wave.

Wherever you went wrong, learning from your mistakes will make you a better cryptocurrency trader in the end.

Thrive in the Cryptocurrency Business

As these tips show, thriving in the cryptocurrency business takes a lot of research and careful planning.

But, if you’re willing to take the risk, you could become the next cryptocurrency success story, or at least make a tidy profit in your spare time.

Of course, trading cryptocurrency is just one of many ways to make money. Check out my other blog posts for more thrifty business inspiration!

Did you know the pet industry in the US is worth $86 billion dollars?

If you’re looking to start a business in a booming industry, then this is it. It’s a huge niche with a staggering variety of jobs. And plenty of those jobs are things you could start a business with today. If you truly want to work with animals, there’s little to stop you.

Not convinced? Here are 9 pet business ideas a businesswoman can launch today.

Training

Few people want an unruly pet, so training is often one of the first things pet owners think about when their pet is young. That’s the perfect chance to sell your services.

You don’t need qualifications to start dog training, but they’re recommended if you want people to take you seriously. You might struggle to attract business without recognition. But if you’re ready for a little commitment, you can build a quality business from pet training.

Grooming

There are plenty of pampered pet prince and princesses out there. Setting yourself up as a pet groomer gives you a chance to borrow a pet for some quality petting time.

Even better, you can hand them back when you’re done! All the stress-relieving joy of pet ownership, none of the fuss.

Of course, you’ll need to have some real skills for grooming. No one wants their pet back looking like a ten topiary collision. But once you have some experience, the quality of your service will speak for itself and make it easier to attract new custom.

You’ll need to spend some time and effort marketing a grooming service for it to get off the ground, but word of mouth will help you spread awareness through your community.

Walking

Looking for more exercise and a job in the open air? Offering dog (or other pet!) walks is a great way to provide a service that pet owners are always looking for.

You’ll need to prepare yourself for all weather conditions and maybe some early starts, but an outdoorsy person could do worse for a day job.

Walking also benefits from having low overheads — there are few expenses besides travel and marketing. Although it’s not a scalable job when taken alone, you could hire other people to transform a side hustle into a full-fledged business.

Pet Sitting

Whether it’s children or pets, sitting is a time-honored classic of a job. Providing pet sitting services to your town is an excellent way to gain experience in working with pets.

Sitting might sound like the small time, but you can bring others into the fold to establish a company name that pet owners will trust.

Pet sitting also offers some great opportunities to branch into other services. You can combine it with one-to-one training, grooming, or walking services for a multi-purpose package.

Pet Boarding

Pet owners often overlook the realities of owning a pet when vacationing time comes around.

It’s tough to leave a beloved pet with a kennel. There’s no guarantee of quality care, even from a well-reviewed business. Many pet owners would instead choose to leave their pet with a trusted individual.

You can run a pet boarding house from your own home if you have enough space. You’ll need to kit the place out, but start with these products and you’ll soon equip yourself.

Luxury Spa

It’s not just people who love to get some luxury treatment on occasion. Offering health and beauty services is a fantastic way to spoil some pets rotten and show them at their best.

Many animals respond as well to massage as humans do. On top of that, there’s styling, breath freshening, bathing, and a host of other treatments to destress a beloved pet.

As a business, running a spa is also a great chance to earn a profit. While some of the ideas on this list have slimmer margins, a luxury spa has more prestige you can leverage to charge more. That only becomes truer as your reviews give testament to the quality of your services.

Yard Cleaner

Okay, this might not be one for the faint of heart. But many owners would love to be rid of the practical responsibilities of owning a pet so they can focus on the love and affection.

If you have a strong stomach and a strong back, cleaning up pet mess in yards is a good earner. You don’t need too much specialist equipment for it, either. It’s not the most glamorous of the options on this list, but it’s of definite value for pet owners.

Toymaker

If there’s anything more idyllic than working with pets, it might be making toys for a living. So why not combine the two?

Many pet toys are the product of faceless companies churning them out on assembly. There’s no care, no soul, and not even a guarantee that they’re using pet-safe methods.

As an artisan pet toymaker, you can guarantee all three. And the only thing more wholesome than giving toys to children is giving toys to good boys.

Prestige will help you make a profit here, too. When it comes to handmade goods, skill adds value above and beyond the cost of materials, and that’s where you can make the real money.

Pet Bakery

If there’s one business where artisans will always win out, it’s in food. There’s no level of mass production to match the care and attention of a dedicated bakery.

Many pet owners want the absolute best for their companions. Special treats, cakes, cookies, you name it — they just want to spoil their fur babies.

Much like being a toymaker, starting a pet bakery gives you a chance to deliver the kind of quality that comes from the heart.

Pet Business Ideas You Can Start Today

See what we mean? These are pet business ideas you can use to start a business today. There are plenty more out there, too. If you have your heart set on working with animals, there’s no better time to start than right now.

Looking for more business ideas? Why not take a look at our blog?

Everyone loves a good photo booth. They’re a huge hit at weddings, birthdays, company parties, and holiday events. They can fit pretty much any party theme and they’re a wonderful way to make sure everyone has something to remember the memories made.

But, have you ever thought about everything that goes into setting up a photo booth? Most people would rather hire a photo booth business than go the DIY route.

This means someone has to offer photo booth services, though! That person can be you. Owning a photo booth business may be one of the best decisions you ever make.

Here’s how to actually make it happen!

1. Identify a Target Market

Although a photo booth is easy to work into any celebration, it’s better for your business if you identify a target market. You can’t just assume that you’ll open for business and all of a sudden be setting up a photo booth all over town. You need to figure out whether you’d prefer to do corporate events, weddings, birthdays, or some mixture of these things.

Then, really get to know your target market. Figure out how much a corporate event usually costs. Understand how to get attention from soon-to-be brides and their wedding planners.

Whatever kind of event you’d like to focus on, get a deep understanding of the people who plan them. This is your first step in generating leads and making sales!

2. Research Your Competition

Keep in mind that you’re probably not the only person who’s decided to start a photo booth business. Do some research to figure out who your competition is in the local area.

Figure out how long they’ve been in business and what events they specialize in. Learn more about what sets them apart, then start thinking about how to differentiate yourself.

3. Figure Out a Funding Strategy

Here’s the thing: you can have the most amazing photo booth business ideas ever, but you won’t succeed if you don’t have enough funding to start your business.

Luckily, you can avoid a lot of the overhead traditionally associated with small businesses. You don’t necessarily have to pay for things like a photography studio space or a whole lot of high-end photography equipment, either. You do still need to set some money aside for things like marketing campaigns and branding tools, basic photo booth equipment, and employee salaries if you plan to grow a team.

4. Buy All the Essential Materials

The basic materials of a photo booth include the backdrop, the camera, and the props. A photo booth business, though, should have multiple of these.

Invest in at least 10-20 photo booth backdrops so you’re able to provide your clients with options. Figure out what kind of camera and printing system you’d like to set up with as well, and always have one or two back-ups ready to go. Get storage and transportation devices for your equipment, too.

As far as props go, the more you have, the better.

5. Invest in Marketing and Advertising

Once you’ve done all your market research, budgeting, and bought all your supplies, you’re almost ready to open for business. The next step is to start branding your photo booth company and marketing your services!

This is huge. You need to have a marketing campaign going before you’re actually ready to launch. Such planning helps you hit the ground running and make sales as soon as you do open for business.

A few great marketing tools to do this with are:

• SEO and content marketing
• PPC
• Radio advertising
• Print marketing
• Event marketing

Digital marketing is non-negotiable. It’s up to you whether you want to go the SEO or PPC route – or create a mix of both – but you need to do something to create a strong digital footprint.

Radio ads will help you reach your local audience, and you can gear them to the stations/time slots that make the most sense for your target market.

Print marketing means buying business cards, flyers, and maybe a billboard ad or two. Event marketing, on the other hand, means showing up to networking events to talk about your business and attending conferences like wedding expos or entertainment events.

6. Ask for Help

There’s no shame in reaching out to friends and family members when you’re getting your small business off the ground. Think about it: how great would it be to see if your cousin wants your photo booth at her wedding or if your sister can talk her boss into having a photo booth at the Christmas party this year?

Using your personal connections to generate business is genius. It boosts the amount of work you’re able to do in a short amount of time. It helps you get customer reviews and a bit of experience under your belt, which are both necessary when appealing to the photo booth clients you don’t personally know.

7. Celebrate Your Wins

Keep in mind that success doesn’t happen overnight. Creating a thriving small business takes lots of time and sacrifice.

But, soon enough, the fruits of your labor will start to show! Celebrate them.

Congratulate yourself when you book your first client that isn’t a friend or family member. Set specific milestones to reach as a business owner and do small celebrations every time you hit another one. Each new success story is a big deal. It’s a sign that you’re going in the right direction and that all your hard work is paying off.

Plus, these moments are what keep you going during the times that business does slow down or things don’t go as planned.

Start Your Photo Booth Business Right Now!

What are you waiting for? If you’ve already thought of the perfect name for your photo booth business or you can’t help but daydream about the kind of clients you’ll have, you clearly want to do this.

So, just go for it!

Start making all the plans today to launch your new business in the near future. For more tips to help you go from the career you have now to being your own boss, click here.