Business Idea - Mini Massage Service

On my other blog I talked about simple self-indulgence in general and quick and easy foot pampering specifically. This morning I indulged myself with a foot massage and thought about how cool it would be to have someone come to my office and give me one. I've purchased those water foot massaging machines but they are not as effective as a real person. So an idea popped into my head that I'd like to share with you. Why not offer foot massages as a side business and charge $10-20.

Now some people have problems with handling feet so this is not an idea that's for everyone. The good thing about this service is that you can do it in your spare time, in the evening and on the weekend. If you are not sure that there is enough demand consider placing a small ad on Craigslist and see if you can make $100 from it. If you can, then you might have a winner.

All you can do is try and all that's required is lotion/oil and your hands. Be sure to let your clients know that you are not a professional massage therapist and that they are hiring you at their own risk (have them sign a disclaimer). A small amount of people care but the vast majority won't because they are getting a need met. So go forth and get your foot massage service started. You really have nothing to lose.

Rich Single Momma

Side Hustle Anyone?

You may not be able to start a fulltime business right now but you can get a side hustle. A side hustle is a part-time venture for making extra money for a short or long-term period of time in addition to working a fulltime job. Use the side hustle to make quick cash for building up an emergency fund, paying off a bill quickly, saving up for a trip, saving up to start a fulltime business, or getting your kid (or any loved one) a cool gift. You may just want to go on a shopping spree because of an upcoming wedding or class reunion. Whatever the reason for starting a side hustle, it's a quick and easy way to get cash fast.

So what can you do as a side venture? The options are endless and it's just a matter of taking one thing you already know how to do and offering it to others. Classic side hustles are Friday night fish dinners to neighbors, hair or nail services, selling candy or ice cream to the neighborhood kids, and typing term papers for students. These are all excellent ventures and most customers come from word of mouth referrals.

If you are still unsure about what you want to do consider this list of 10 side jobs. They were taken from a list of money making ideas for kids, but adults can do them too.

1. Selling lemonade
2. Selling toys at a yard sale
3. Bringing their old clothing to consignment
4. Growing and selling produce
5. Growing and selling flowers
6. Lawn mowing and yard work
7. Selling pencils, stickers or small toys (get them in a gross at Oriental Trading or at a wholesale supply)
8. Cleaning out someone's garage
9. Baby sitting
10. Pet sitting and dog walking

What other side hustles can you think of? Do you have any unique ideas for advertising your side hustle?

Rich Single Momma

Tips for Starting a Virtual Assistant Service

8-Point Checklist When Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Venture

Virtual Assistance is a profession which is fast growing and becoming extremely popular. Virtual Assistants are individuals who work from the comfort of their own homes to provide valued services using technology to clients globally. As women try to juggle their work and family life, more and more prefer to stay at home and work as a virtual assistant.

Are you interested in starting your own home based virtual assistant venture? Then follow this simple checklist.


1. Evaluate Yourself

Before jumping into starting your own virtual assistant business you should first evaluate yourself and see whether this is the right career path for you. Possessing great administrative skills, communicative skills and being computer literate is a must in this profession. In addition if you are a self motivated person who loves to learn new things, enjoy working with dynamic people and dream of having your own business this is the correct path for you.

2. Decide on the Service You Want to Offer

The nature of work that you provide to your clients will depend on your area of expertise. You should decide which service you want to offer by analyzing your background and the experience that you have already acquired. Depending on the above it could be billing and book keeping, meeting and travel planning, market research, business writing, desktop publishing, website creation, etc.

3. Determine Your Commitment to Your Business

You should decide how much time and energy you have to commit to your business. Whether you want to become a full time virtual assistant or a part time virtual assistant? The advantage of being a virtual assistant is that you get to set your own working hours. You can work “on call” or you can setup a work schedule with the client according to the time convenient for you.

4. Verify the Equipment & Software

Now that you have decided which service you would be offering to your clients, you should examine and see whether you have the correct equipment and software to provide it. Also since most of the communication and data delivery between you and your client would be done through the computer, you should ensure that you posses the required connectivity and software. For example email, instant messaging, etc.

5. Identifying Your Clients

You should identify which type of clients may need your service and where they are located and how you can have access to them.

6. Making a Business Plan

It is essential that you create a business plan for your venture. In this you should include information such as the business history, summary of the business, management information, designing & production plan, financial plan, etc. As your business grows and expands you can refer to it to manage your growth and change.

7. Creating a Marketing Strategy

A very important aspect to your venture is your marketing strategy. Now that you have decided on your services you need to spread the word about your venture. You should decide on a marketing strategy which suits you and your budget and start working on it.

8. Fees and Pricing

You should have a competitive fee/price for the service you offer. When you are starting off it is always better to do some research and find out what the competitive rates are in the market. Always remember never to overprice or to sell yourself short.

Starting up a home based virtual assistant business would not involve a high cost. By following the above guidelines, you can build up a very successful virtual assistant practice.

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Got Typing Skills?

Typing is fundamental.....well for many people, but there are many people in this world who either just can't do it or won't do it. That where you came in. I provided typing services for people in my life for many years. It can be a lucrative side business if you just let people know that you can do it and charge a reasonable price. It can turn into a booming business if you add proofreading and editing services to the mix.

You can find customers at local colleges and universities, at the library, and among small business owners. If you target a special group of people and service just them, word will spread about your services and you may get more than you can handle.

After a while and with the basic home office equipment you will be able to call yourself a personal assistant or virtual assistant. I will discuss the Virtual Assistant business in another post. So dust off your keyboard and fire up the printer and get started as a freelance typist.