How to Start Photography Business

Photography is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, recreational purposes, and mass communication. A home-based photography business can provide steady revenue and requires relatively low start-up and operating costs. Moreover, it allows the freedom to work in different areas. "As a home-based photographer, you can work on a broad range of subject areas, from fashion, portraits, underwater, weddings, product photography and others," according to the Power Home Biz website.

How to Start Your Astrology Business

Advocates have defined astrology as a symbolic language, an art form, a science, and a method of divination. Though most cultural astrology systems share common roots in ancient philosophies that influenced each other, many use methods that differ from those in the West. These include Hindu astrology (also known as "Indian astrology" and in modern times referred to as "Vedic astrology") and Chinese astrology, both of which have influenced the world's cultural history. Growing an astrology business requires many of the same techniques people use to grow most home-based businesses that provide personalized services to clients. As with growing any business, if you look to the tactics used by other successful astrologers -- and business owners more generally -- you can gain valuable insights for increasing your customer base.

How to Start a Rental Car Business

A car rental, hire car, or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time (generally ranging from a few hours to a few weeks). It is often organized with numerous local branches (which allow a user to return a vehicle to a different location), and primarily located near airports or busy city areas and often complemented by a website allowing online reservations. With airline prices soaring through the roof, more people than ever are turning to the rental car industry to help with their transportation needs. That means this could be a very lucrative area for a would-be entrepreneur. However, you can't just wake up one morning and open up such a business. You need to do some careful planning and preparing. The nicest part of such a business is that you don't necessarily need a lot of capital to get started. With just a couple of cars, a website and a phone number, you can get your business off the ground, especially if you follow these steps. 

Home Maintenance and Repair Service - Business Ideas

Home repair involves the diagnosis and resolution of problems in a home, and is related to home maintenance to avoid such problems. Many types of repairs are "do it yourself" (DIY) projects, while others may be so complicated, time-consuming or risky as to suggest the assistance of a qualified handyman, property manager, contractor/builder, or other professionals. Repair is not necessarily the same as home improvement, although many improvements can result from repairs or maintenance. Often the costs of larger repairs will justify the alternative of investment in full-scale improvements. Maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical, plumbing or electrical device should it become out of order or broken (known as repair, unscheduled, or casualty maintenance). It also includes performing routine actions which keep the device in working order (known as scheduled maintenance) or prevent trouble from arising (preventive maintenance). MRO may be defined as, "All actions which have the objective of retaining or restoring an item in or to a state in which it can perform its required function. The actions include the combination of all technical and corresponding administrative, managerial, and supervision actions."

Owning a home maintenance service business can be very rewarding in today's market. Whether you are skilled in carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, painting or roofing, many homeowners prefer having a reliable contractor to go to when a repair issue arises. Even if you specialize exclusively in a particular home maintenance area, there are steps you can take to increase awareness of your business and, therefore, your client base. Identifying potential clients, offering promotions and collecting referrals are a few ways to can successfully grow your business.

Roof Maintenance Repair and Coating Service - Business Ideas

Roof contractor businesses perform maintenance, coating, installation and repair services to clients in the consumer, business, nonprofit and government sectors. Virtually every building used for commercial or residential purposes needs a roof, which needs repair services at some time, making this a vast and growing market all around the world. Starting a roof maintenance, repair and coating business can turn your roofing skills and experience into an opportunity to achieve financial independence for you and your family. Knowing how to start a roofing contractor company is the first step in entering this industry.

Swimming Pool Sanitation and Maintenance Service - Business Ideas

Swimming pool sanitation is the process of ensuring healthy conditions in swimming pools, hot tubs, plunge pools, and similar recreational water venues. Proper sanitation is needed to maintain the visual clarity of water and to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. Contamination can be minimized by good swimmer hygiene practices such as showering before and after swimming, not letting children swim with intestinal disorders. Effective treatments are needed to address contaminants in pool water because preventing the introduction of pool contaminants, pathogenic and non-pathogenic, into swimming pools is impossible. Swimming pools abound in the Unites States, with 8.6 million counted in 2007, according to a market research report titled “U.S. Market for Swimming Pool Equipment and Maintenance Products.” Consumers spent nearly $3 billion on pool equipment and maintenance products in the years 2002 through 2006. This figure is projected to reach $3.8 billion in 2011. With organization and some planning, it’s possible to launch a successful and profitable swimming pool cleaning and repair business.

If you want to start a pool cleaning small business, you'll find plenty of opportunities -- meticulous pool maintenance is critical for homeowners, gyms, and apartments and motels.

How to Open a Bar | Business Ideas

A bar, also known as a saloon, is a retail business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises. Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go dancers, or strippers. Bars which offer entertainment or live music are often referred to as music bars or nightclubs. Many bars have a happy hour to encourage off-peak patronage. Bars that fill to capacity sometimes implement a cover charge or a minimum purchase requirement during their peak hours. Such bars often feature entertainment, which may be a live band or a disc jockey playing recorded music. The term "bar" is derived from the specialized counter on which drinks are served. Patrons may sit or stand at the bar and be served by the bartender, or they may sit at tables and be served by cocktail servers. The "back bar" is a set of shelves of glasses and bottles behind that counter. In some establishments, the back bar is elaborately decorated with woodwork, etched glass, mirrors, and lights. Opening a bar can be a risky business. Learn as much about the business as you can before jumping in. Here are some steps to help you.

How to Open a Liquor Store | Business Ideas

A distilled beverage, spirit, liquor, or hard liquor is an alcoholic beverage produced by distillation of a mixture produced from alcoholic fermentation, such as wine. This process purifies it and removes diluting components like water, for the purpose of increasing its proportion of alcohol content (commonly known as alcohol by volume, ABV). As distilled beverages contain more alcohol they are considered "harder" – in North America, the term hard liquor is used to distinguish distilled beverages from undistilled ones, which are implicitly weaker. Owning a liquor store is the ideal business for many entrepreneurs, as well as for many customers. It is a business that is in demand and has no shortage of consumers. It is also a business that generates a degree of loyalty among customers, creating a base of core customers who only shop at one liquor store and shop there one or more times a week. If you run a liquor store and have recently noticed that your takings have been going in the wrong direction, you need to take action sooner rather than later. Fortunately, you can boost your bottom line in a number of ways. A combination of cost cutting and taking a long, hard look at how your business operates should help you turn things around.

Some of the fundamental requirements when it comes to opening a liquor store include: completing all paperwork, choosing what kind of store you want to set up (franchise, self-owned, or part of another store,) acquire a list of licensed liquor suppliers, and setting up security measures for your shop.

Start a Weight Loss Home Business to Earn Money

Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness refers to a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other connective tissue. Weight loss can either occur unintentionally due to an underlying disease or arise from a conscious effort to improve an actual or perceived overweight or obese state. "Unexplained" weight loss that is not caused by reduction in calorific intake or exercise is called cachexia and may be a symptom of a serious medical condition. Intentional weight loss is commonly referred to as slimming. This article just scratches the surface of what it takes to run a profitable weight loss business today. For more in-depth guidance, case histories and detailed descriptions of each type of diet business (center, website, book, etc.), see below. This time obviously is the right time to start a weight loss home business with the obesity cases in America is high and many of these adults are aware and even planning to correct this weight problem right away.

How to Start a Modeling Agency | Business Ideas

A modeling agency is a company that represents fashion models, to work for the fashion industry. These agencies earn their income via commission, usually from the deal they make with the model and or the head agency. The top agencies work with big-budget advertising agencies and fashion designers. They invest money into developing their talent so they can increase their status within the industry. These top agencies will help train models, get test shoots, layout portfolios, and put together comp cards (composition photo cards) and other printed materials models need. The agencies find work for models by presenting them to designers, photographers, and ad agencies. The agencies are also responsible for booking the jobs, billing for the jobs, and eventually paying the models for their time. By handling the details, an agency allows a model to focus on modeling and not on the business end. Because modeling is a very competitive, fast moving business that extends beyond the traditional 9 AM to 5 PM business hours, an agency generally conducts business 24 hours a day, to handle emergencies such as cancellations or rush jobs. Most agencies have a service or an operator to handle emergency issues after hours.

Opening your own modeling agency, and promoting the talented people associated with your agency, can be a rewarding career choice. It can also be financially rewarding for you and your models. As you promote your business, find work for the models and become well known in your area, your agency could quickly grow to reach outside your local region to markets in other states or countries.

How to Open a Dating Service Business

Dating is a part of human mating process whereby two people meet socially for companionship, beyond the level of friendship, or with the aim of each assessing the other's suitability as a partner in an intimate relationship or marriage. It can be a form of courtship consisting of social activities done by the couple. While the term has several meanings, it usually refers to the act of meeting and engaging in some mutually agreed upon social activity in public, together, as a couple. The protocols and practices of dating, and the terms used to describe it, vary considerably from country to country and over time. The most common idea is two people trying out a relationship and exploring whether they are compatible by going out together in public as a couple who may or may not yet be having sexual relations. This period of courtship is sometimes seen as a precursor to engagement or marriage. Finding a partner helps many peoples' lives feel complete. Sometimes finding the perfect date means seeking assistance from an experienced matchmaker or relationship expert. If you find that either one of those situations rings true for people you know, consider starting a dating services business that helps people meet potential life partners. You can open and operate this low-cost start-up business from home, if you have a private home office where you can meet with potential clients to discuss their dating needs and preferences.

How to Start Your Own Online Dating Business

Online dating or Internet dating is a personal introductory system whereby individuals can find and contact each other over the Internet to arrange a date, usually with the objective of developing a personal, romantic, or sexual relationship. Online dating services usually provide un-moderated matchmaking over the Internet, through the use of personal computers or cell phones. Users of an online dating service would usually provide personal information, to enable them to search the service provider's database for other individuals. Members use criteria other members set, such as age range, gender and location. Online dating sites use market metaphors to match people. Match Metaphors are conceptual frameworks that allow individuals to make sense of new concepts by drawing upon familiar experiences and frame-works. This metaphor of the marketplace – a place where people go to “shop” for potential romantic partners and to “sell” themselves in hopes of creating a successful romantic relationship – is highlighted by the layout and functionality of online dating websites. The marketplace metaphor may also resonate with participants’ conceptual orientation towards the process of finding a romantic partner. Most sites allow members to upload photos or videos of themselves and browse the photos and videos of others. Sites may offer additional services, such as webcasts, online chat, telephone chat (VOIP), and message boards. Some sites provide free registration, but may offer services which require a monthly fee. Other sites depend on advertising for their revenue. Some sites such as OK-Cupid, Plenty of Fish and Badoo are free and offer additional paid services in a premium revenue model.

Searching for a real labor of love? An online dating site may be the perfect match

We are rapidly becoming a nation of single people. The well-documented rise in cases of separation and divorce is lining the pockets of lawyers, and is also providing a growing market for the online dating site. According to a recent report, the number of single adults in the United Kingdom will rise to 15 million in 2011, while the online dating industry will turn over more than £1bn. Finding love or friendship online is becoming increasingly popular for a generation of people too busy to find partners on their own. This adds up to a very satisfying and viable business opportunity which, as an added advantage, can be set up on a shoe string from your home - with just a computer for company.