Lesson 1: Before You Start
Find what you can do, like doing and do well
We can all do lots of things and we all do some things better than others. Finally, there are some of those things we enjoy doing. To get at this in a structured way, the things we do can be divided into three categories.
1. Things you know how to do
People will pay you to do things which you know how to do and they don't. Often you've had training or work experience or you could be self-taught. Typically these are things like fixing computers, book-keeping or making things. You have to be careful not to infringe on the professional disciplines like medicine, law or engineering but there are lots of things with which you can help people.
If there are things like this which you can do, put them on a list and also put a number from 1 to 5 to indicate how good you are at that activity, 5 being the best.
2. Things for which you have a talent
People will pay you to do things which they could also do but not as well. While you may also have had some training or experience with these things, you're just naturally good at them. Typically this category includes cooking, gardening, woodworking, writing etc. While not everybody is really good at something, many people have several things for which they have a special talent. All these should be added to the list you have made. Again, put a number from 1 to 5 to indicate how good you are.
3. Things anyone can do.
People will pay you to do things which they could also do but don't like doing or for which they don't have the time. A good part of everyone's day is spent doing things anyone can do. Anyone can wash the windows, mow the grass and do any number of other common tasks. It's not so much the question of doing these things well - it's doing them adequately and efficiently. If you are considering a business in any of these areas, those activities should go on your list along with a number from 1 to 5 indicating how well you could carry out the tasks.
You should now have a list with a fair number of things you can do and a number beside each item showing how good you are at it. Some people will have no trouble putting down ten or fifteen items and others will have less. If you don't think you have enough, think through what you have been spending your time doing over the recent past, what you used to do or what you have done. You can also get our recommended text, "101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women," for some ideas on activities which can be turned into businesses.
Once your list is complete, put a second number from 1 to 5 beside each item showing how much you enjoy doing it, 5 being the most enjoyable. Multiply the two numbers beside each item and the highest numbers will indicate what you should be looking at doing as a business. Keep the list - you're going to need it because we'll now look at who is going to pay you for doing these things.
