Ideas for home business despite... ?

[HalfDollar]

I'm disabled, but I'd like to have a small business that I can manage by myself or with very little help. I am limited in what I can do, and I don't expect to earn that much.

It needs to be something I can do without leaving the house, except for a brief errand. I also cannot communicate verbally enough to "sell" or support customers (unless it is text), and it has to be physically light work. (Multiple disabilities.)

Despite the limitations, I have dabbled in many different home-businesses for about 5 years, with mostly low success. I have read everything I could find about businesses, but I have to eliminate 90% of it because of my limitations listed above.

I'm not too particular, but with most of the businesses I tried, I always ran into problems getting and keeping clients. Even with a web business, I ran into issues with the marketing because it was very social. I am fine with some text communication, but I wasn't able to put in many hours of that to get the web business really going.

The possible good options I see for myself keep dwindling because of outsourcing overseas, and technology making my skills obsolete as fast as I can learn them. I have a couple of options I was planning on exploring (writing and art), but I was hoping someone could give me a much better idea that I would feel more confident about. I don't want to invest time, energy, and money into another side business that's like the last 20 I tried. (Literally 20.)

I know this is not a business board but I know many people here are very smart and nice. Feel free to send a private message.

I don't think I have any special skills except for being pretty good at some kinds of computer stuff. Nothing that lends itself directly to an income: I am not good at coding, graphic design, transcription, etc.

On the positive side, I have a partner who could help a little. I think I'm very willing to put in hard work, as long as I believe in the idea. I'm also willing to put myself through (at home) training for a new skill if that will help.

Please be gentle because I'm going through a rough patch now.

[former player]

The things that you do have going for you (and I'm taking this from a single shortish post but they still come across very clearly): you are intelligent, educated, determined, articulate on screen and write very well.  Combined with your disabilities that gives you a very unusual view of the world and one which is not heard from nearly enough.

Have you got a blog?  I think you might make a go of that.

There are some people on the boards who have made a good go at self-publishing.  Romances in particular can make a lot of money, but just about anything that people read can be self-published.

[HalfDollar]

Thanks.

Yes, writing is one thing I plan to try more, but I have tried it a little. Writing ebooks is one of my two remaining good ideas, which I'm not that confident about. I hear there is a lot of marketing involved, building up your pen name. I will be trying both of the ideas unless I come up with something much better.

Blogging is really hard for me because I don't like to talk about my personal life in a public arena (and so much of it is boring), and these days you can't market and promote without photos and personal stories. (It's the bloggers who share their lives with readers who keep their readers interested.) I may try it out sometime, but I think blogging isn't as good of an option as the other two.

[deborah]

They say that you should blog about what you know. What about a website/blog that captures disabilities. How people cope with different sorts of things. Positive spins. People don't have to tell their personal history - what people like is personal touches - and stories about what works and doesn't - that asks others to say what works and doesn't - might work out.

Have a look at how much personal life mmm talks about - it is more his philosophy than actual life.

[alsoknownasDean]

What about proofreading? I'm sure there's plenty of small organisations producing booklets and the like (along with annual reports, etc) that would need them proofread before publishing.

Perhaps buying (small) items from China and re-selling on eBay?

Maybe some small business bookkeeping? (although this would depend on the verbal communication required)

Good luck :)

[HalfDollar]

These are good ideas, all of you :) I'll keep thinking about them.

[sandandsun]

If you are able, how about keeping pets in your home while their owners are away?  This is something I think I would love to do if I was home all day :)
Most people charge about $20-25 per day in our area to do this...  and the biggest thing owners are looking for is a safe environment and someone who will be home most of the time and who will love their babies while they are away....