[DisplacedTeacher]

Any great ideas for starting a business in West Michigan? I'm looking to move back from N.C, and there aren't many jobs in my field... so I'm looking to start something of my own.

[Coldjensens]

Green Power. Get a grant from the state and build or instal windmills, solar panels, fuel cells, etc.

Become a consultant on how to make existing buildings/businesses more "green"

the other decent options are tourims related or medical related businesses.

[YAZ]

Cut grass in the summer, plow driveways/parking lots in the winter.

Charter fishing on Lake Michigan.

Pasty shop. Not the kind at the gentlemen's clubs...

Make custom golf clubs.

Career counselor.

[michmoldman]

If you are prepared to work your tail off for what you want, you can do almost anything. Even in this economy.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by DisplacedTeacher

Any great ideas for starting a business in West Michigan? I'm looking to move back from N.C, and there aren't many jobs in my field... so I'm looking to start something of my own.

What are you passionate about? It's a lot easier getting through the tough times and long hours if you have a passion for the business.

I remember a business professor I had in college who said that the best ideas for business grow out of frustration. If you can find enough people who are frustrated about something, who will pay for something better, then you might have a good business idea. Or anything safety or security related. People are just basket cases lately with oversensitivity to security, hence the sheer explosion in anti-anxiety medication. Think about how much sales have probably exploded for those silly face masks due to swine flu. Before swine flu it was SARS. Before SARS it was some other pandemic.

Also, for the foreseeable future, we're going to be in the economic doldrums. Sales of candy and comfort foods has exploded. Sales of guns has gone through the roof. Sales of electric generators and water jugs, same thing. So think about what else people might be "stocking up on."

Also think about this, if you want a global business: China wants to have 220 cities with 1 Million residents each by 2025. What kinds of frustrations or innovations will need to be developed to handle that kind of urban influx? How about buses? Or products that go on buses? How about fire trucks? Or products that go on fire trucks? How about bikes? Or products that make biking easier? Keep in mind that China is horrible at making products with exacting specifications (their quality sucks basically on manufactured goods).

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08...ties/index.htm

1 Billion people in China and India moving from "developing" country status to "developed" status by 2025 (on the brink of middle class).

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/carbonfree-living-chinas-green-leap-forward-435208.html (broken link)

Just throwing out some ideas. Does China have a facebook? Does the culture of China, India, and other Asian countries, and how people interact, make developing a facebook more challenging? Or create opportunities?

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by DisplacedTeacher

Any great ideas for starting a business in West Michigan? I'm looking to move back from N.C, and there aren't many jobs in my field... so I'm looking to start something of my own.

I seen a machine that can turn 4 x 6 photos into digital form for your computer. I am actually thinking about starting up a second business making short picture videos for people who want a picture dvd. I already have some awesome software for my own picture dvds, but I know people are passionate about their photos, and I think this would be a nice little "side" income for me or anyone.
I used to be a welder, welding 12 hrs. a day, and I came up with many an idea. If I had the time I could make as much money as I wanted from any one of these ideas. I actually gave up a nice side business of one of my inventions, that I could have made an even bigger business, because I followed my other bigger passion. Like I said in my earlier post, if you want something bad enough...you can do anything.
Magellan is right on. Find something you love to do, that you can maybe even go global in the future, and you have a great shot to succeed.
Go to your most favorite quiet spot with a paper and pencil and think about a product or service that you would love to make or do, that you think people will buy. Write down all your ideas and go from there. For instance....my passion is yards, gardens, things like that, so I noticed people love cement statues. Well, I went from there and started my business.
If you love what you do, you will most likely do ANYTHING to make it work.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

I seen a machine that can turn 4 x 6 photos into digital form for your computer. I am actually thinking about starting up a second business making short picture videos for people who want a picture dvd. I already have some awesome software for my own picture dvds, but I know people are passionate about their photos, and I think this would be a nice little "side" income for me or anyone. I used to be a welder, welding 12 hrs. a day, and I came up with many an idea. If I had the time I could make as much money as I wanted from any one of these ideas. I actually gave up a nice side business of one of my inventions, that I could have made an even bigger business, because I followed my other bigger passion. Like I said in my earlier post, if you want something bad enough...you can do anything.

ha, too funny. I made a video that incorporated pictures and video from our Spring Break trip to Florida, and added in music, all on software that came standard on my Sony Vaio laptop. People thought I had paid $500 or more to have the video made. Nope. Charge people $200 or so, find 50 people who would like the same thing, and that's $10,000 for something that's actually pretty fun to do.

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by magellan

ha, too funny. I made a video that incorporated pictures and video from our Spring Break trip to Florida, and added in music, all on software that came standard on my Sony Vaio laptop. People thought I had paid $500 or more to have the video made. Nope. Charge people $200 or so, find 50 people who would like the same thing, and that's $10,000 for something that's actually pretty fun to do.

Exactly. Especially the "older" folks who have no clue how to do this, and are amazed you can even do it! People will eat that kind of stuff right up, and pay good money. Especially the "niche" crowd, like people who have tons of pictures of their dog, or a guy who has a ton of fishing pictures. Fun money...and its a blast to do!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

Exactly. Especially the "older" folks who have no clue how to do this, and are amazed you can even do it! People will eat that kind of stuff right up, and pay good money. Especially the "niche" crowd, like people who have tons of pictures of their dog, or a guy who has a ton of fishing pictures. Fun money...and its a blast to do!

Wow. Yeah, older dog lovers would be huge. Spin in some goofy music like America's Funniest Videos does and you might have a pretty good market. That seems like a good facebook business. Do you know how to send out advertisements through facebook? A guy I know does it for his website quite a bit, but I've never looked into it. They do charge, but not that much apparently. And I think they can be sent out to people outside of your network (like to dog lover fanpages maybe).

I had an idea a few years ago, after hearing about a dozen car alarms going off in Chicago and nobody answering them, to have car alarms send a radio signal to your key-fob and vibrate, to let you know the alarm was going off. Key fobs already have radio transmitters, why not a radio receiver? You could then check on your car or just shut it off. Apparently they're already on the market. After-market though, nothing standard in the OEM world yet.

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by magellan

Wow. Yeah, older dog lovers would be huge. Spin in some goofy music like America's Funniest Videos does and you might have a pretty good market. That seems like a good facebook business. Do you know how to send out advertisements through facebook? A guy I know does it for his website quite a bit, but I've never looked into it. They do charge, but not that much apparently. And I think they can be sent out to people outside of your network (like to dog lover fanpages maybe).

I had an idea a few years ago, after hearing about a dozen car alarms going off in Chicago and nobody answering them, to have car alarms send a radio signal to your key-fob and vibrate, to let you know the alarm was going off. Key fobs already have radio transmitters, why not a radio receiver? You could then check on your car or just shut it off. Apparently they're already on the market. After-market though, nothing standard in the OEM world yet.

I think your on to something! Thats a great idea!!
LOL! yeah, some goofy AFHV's music and your good! The music really makes the video. I did one of our camping pictures with Gordon Lightfoots "Carefree Highway" and its awesome! I would have paid someone some decent money to do it for me.
How about a wallet alarm. I start to panic when I cant find mine!!
I dont know much about facebook believe it or not, just never really had the time. I guess I better before someone calls me an old timer.
Another thing is that google thing where you post sites and make money. I never really thought about doing it, but my brother in law told me he tried it (in the little spare time he has), and made $80 in a few weeks. I paid the .99 cents, and I'm gonna see what I can do with it.