Small Business Ideas for 2013

Have you ever thought of starting your own business? Maybe you have but you weren't sure what to do or what service to provide. After the country's economic recessions which resulted in job loss and never ending unemployment rates, many have looked to other employment and career options. This includes business start ups and online entrepreneurships. So if you fall into any of these categories, here are some great small business ideas and trends for 2013.

1) Design a mobile app. Mobile apps are still where it's at. However, the market has become flooded with them. There is an app for just about everything imaginable, even down to the most ridiculous. The advice here? If you've got a good idea for an app, run with it. But take the time and do research and invest in proper programming and development.

If you are unsure of where to start your market research, consider using social media. You can post general updates or questions on Facebook or Twitter and get feedback from fans. You can even create a Facebook fan page devoted entirely to your app. This will help give you some idea to your app's potential popularity, reviews, and revenue.

2) Tech start ups. Although this seems like another area that has flooded the market, companies based in both the U.S. and overseas are still looking to outsource IT departments and and even looking for consultants to help them with their technical needs...especially with the constantly changing technology.

Also, a recent article published on the New York Times states that tech start ups are worth billions and are most definitely in high demand for 2013. Of course this requires a background and education in a technical or related field, but if you've got a technical background, make it happen. You can't afford not to.

3) Personal training. Who doesn't want to get in shape today? Personal training is another area in high demand. Although it may seem like most people can't afford to feed themselves let alone hire a personal trainer, there are many out there desperate to get in shape and are seeking out reputable and affordable personal trainers. Personal training does require some knowledge and background. There are several certifications and trainings required, including CPR, but it is not as vast as what is required to establish technical training, knowledge, and expertise.

All in all, personal training is said to be one of the least stressful jobs out there. Not to mention you can make and set your own schedule, you have the choice to work at a gym or visit clients in their homes, and you would be working in a field that helps and makes others feel good about themselves. What is better than that?

Advice for your new start up.

Becoming an entrepreneur and investing your time and money in a start up is definitely something to give careful consideration to. It takes time, money, research, and even a little business savvy up front. However, regardless of what kind of start up you choose or in what industry, here are some areas of additional advice to consider:

1) Consulting. If you've got to jump into business with limited or no capital, consider becoming a consultant. This can be accomplished in just about any field, whether you are a lawyer, teacher, a project manager, human resources, or a health care physician of any kind, you can most certainly use your skills, knowledge, experience, and expertise and work independently.

The only out-of-pocket expenses you may incur is for any necessary certifications, insurance (such as a professional liability insurance), and/or having business cards printed up. However, if you choose to really function as a business, set up and register a DBA, and you will be able to claim any out-of-pocket expenses when you file your yearly income taxes.

2) Use social media and start a blog. In order to promote your business or your start up idea, consider creating a Facebook fan page or other social media site or medium to share what you are doing. You can also write and start a blog and post articles, share information, or write press releases on what's going on in your business or even in your industry.

If you aren't a writer, you can always hire a freelancer or ghost writer to write and post content for you. You can write and post content as often as you want, but be sure it is on a regular basis. At least once or several times per week. This will keep visitors returning to your site, which will increase your site's overall traffic as well as your Google rank. Taking advantage of social media will also increase your audience, your fans and "likes", and even your client base.


3) Take Copyright seriously. Yes, I saved one of the most important bits for last. Copyright is no joke. Regardless of whether you are creating or designing an app, putting together a website, using a logo or any photo, or even writing your own blog, please, please, please consider Copyright laws. Most think when they are posting a blog post, or using a photo or logo on their social media sites, or even "sharing" photos on Facebook or Pinterest that it's okay. It's not. Just because it's online doesn't mean it's free. In fact, there are many laws out there that now protect businesses, particularly online businesses from plagiarism, or "borrowing" material.

My advice? Use your own photos, write your own material, research logos before you use them, and register your own published work through the official Copyright office. Protect yourself, protect your business, and respect others' works.

The moral to this story? If you've ever thought about creating your own start up, what are you waiting for? There are many new start ups and small businesses on the market more than ever before. Regardless of what product or service you offer, you are bound to offer something unique that others will find valuable. Make 2013 count for your business.



 © Photo credit: Anatoliy Babiychuk | Dreamstime.com

 © 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Content written and owned by J.H. Language Solutions. Usage by permission only.

The Myths: Publishing vs. The Recession

I’m here to tell you that despite popular belief, publishing and printing are still very successful industries today. Yes, publishing was also one of the industries to be hit hard by our country's serious recession. I was actually a lonely Assistant Editor who worked for a vendor (development house) in little ‘ol Worcester, Massachusetts. At the beginning of 2008 when I started working there as an Editorial Assistant, there was approximately 75 in-house employees. During the next year and a half, more than half of the employees were laid off. In May 2009, I was included. On the day that I was laid off, there were only 20 employees remaining, and another handful were let go later that year. I’m pretty sure the company is still open. How, I don’t know. But I climbed the ladder to the top and now I work for the biggest publisher in the world. Life is pretty good up here (literally “up here” on the seventh floor The Newbury building in downtown Boston).

But enough about me. It IS true that with the release of the Kindle and the Nook, that publishing sales have decreased, but on the education side, media components and print are still in very high demand. Also from what I’ve seen, there is also a huge demand for blog and article writing. It’s all about SEO and SEM today, isn’t it? Blog and article writing is a huge thing. Everyone, including companies today have a Facebook page or Twitter account and a blog that they contribute to on a regular basis. Gee, I should jump on the bandwagon, huh? And since many companies today depend on websites for marketing, networking, and business, the blog is a must-have and it must be maintained. So, they hire writers for cheap to write 300-500 word blogs to keep their information fresh, their readers reading, and their Google results successful. Not a bad idea.

From my knowledge and personal experiences with language and publishing, the translation of documents, books and ebooks, etc. are still in high demand. It’s not even that the U.S. is packed to the high heavens with minorities and non-English speakers, but it’s the cross distribution of documents or information and data between countries as well. There’s the translation of government documents, letters, medical device instruction manuals, school textbooks and things of the like that require translation and localization before they can be marketed or distributed.

The world and the economy are constantly changing. There's no doubt about that. Especially with technology readily available and easily accessible. It’s difficult as merchants and consumers to keep up with the demand, but we tend to do it somehow. As far as the recession goes, it’s still very much among us. Less people may be collecting unemployment overall, but there are still not enough jobs to replace those that were lost. I know people that have been out of work for two and even three plus years! Unfortunately, we’ve still got a long road ahead of us, but we’re making do. It can’t be like this forever. And despite popular belief, publishing is still a very successful business. It’s not a dying industry, but rather a changing industry.