What about having a business is attractive to you? I've run my own home business for about 25 years and you will work a lot harder at that than you will at a regular job. You have start by doing something you really, really love or else your chances of success are not good. So, what do you love?
I don't share the same philosophy--I don't think anyone gets into heavy machinery or shipping, for example, because they love the business. It's easier for people to say they "love" their work when they are chefs, fashion designers, talkshow hosts, etc. I think people get into business to make money and they start to enjoy their job when they begin getting good at it. That being said, I'll bite. Things I'm passionate about that I've thought about businesses relating to:
- Tennis
- Paleo dieting
- Frequent Flyer Miles/Credit Card points/Traveling in general
- Wine
- Food (specifically, creative food)
I've thought about the obvious--yes, I could start a tennis retail shop (high-risk, lots of inventory). Maybe I could write a book or a blog about paleo dieting or frequent flyer miles (those are over saturated markets). I thought maybe I'd start my own bar or restaurant, but with the failure rate in the US I'd rather not take on that risk.
Honestly, what I'd really love is to be a successful business owner who knows the industry, treats his employees well, and feels good about what I do.
I disagree. I think that you can be passionate about shipping, or you can be passionate about the money you make from shipping. I'm into logistics, and I love making operations work. I'm an INTJ, the classic Strategist.
Ramit Sethi makes millions off of us poor schmucks who want to have our own business but just don't have the idea. I resisted Earn1k for years and years and years, and then I finally caved in 2014, five years after his first launch. He constantly referred to it! It does not get you that far.
If you're interested in paying Ramit $1,200 to get an idea and your first few clients, then read
http://keithferrazzi.com/content/how-do-i-earn-more-money , which is the downsell, Find Your First Profitable Idea. If it works for you out of the box, then great. Earn1K is more in depth, but it's also $1,200 more expensive than free. Ramit charges $97 for FYFPI IRL, but he's left up the link on Keith Ferrazzi's blog.
I've thought often of creating a food delivery service for people who are Paleo. My dad used to be a chef with his own restaurant, so I'm familiar with the food service business. Frankly, it's a nightmare. However, I'm abominably lazy, and I would have the spare cash to pay someone to cook for me if 1) I didn't work at a software company that has a good Culinary team (that's what we call them, like we call the maintenance dudes Facilities) and 2) I wasn't Mustachian and valued money. Ramit's classic two qualifier method, where you niche it down! I'd sell to Paleo professionals in Chicago who had incomes over $75,000/year and value time over money.
Anything that you can get 3 clients for is fair game. :) +1 on being an ethical business owner