 |
Fascinating Ways to Make a Living Doing What You Love May Be Closer Than You Think...
You don't have to look very far to find fascinating ways to make a
living. Opportunities are literally everywhere? if you're looking, that is. It seems I can't turn on the television or radio or open a magazine or newspaper without seeing at least one good business idea.
Maybe that's why, as we were winding down a consulting session the other day, one of my clients said to me, "Boy, you sure have a lot of information in your head." I appreciated the compliment, but Julie was only half right. When you've been in the business of helping people change course for as long as I have, it's only natural I'd know a lot about creative income streams. But most of them aren't in my head - they're in my Opportunity File.
What's an Opportunity File? Basically anytime I happen upon an
interesting story about someone who is making money doing what
they love, I add it to a big file called Opportunities. If you don't
yet have an Opportunity File, I encourage you to set one up. It's
positively addicting!
I thought it might be fun to just pull a couple of examples from the
top of my Opportunity file and share them with you. Since they're on top, that means I've come across them in just the last week or so.
Collecting is all the rage these days. As I looked more closely at my
top of the pile examples, I realized that in one way or another, they all have something to do with collecting. Read on and you'll see what I mean.
First there's antique Christmas decorations collector, Gerald Nixon
(aka Mr. Pink? I'll explain in a moment). Gerald had so many
antique Christmas decorations in his personal collection that he
finally had to open a shop just so he could move about his
apartment. Today he has over 10,000 ornaments as well as light
reflectors, aluminum trees, rotating color wheels, rotating musical
tree stands, vintage holiday cards, and wrapping paper.
Okay, why is he called Mr. Pink? Well, it seems the guy owns a
very fuzzy pink Santa suit that he happily dons every weekend
in December. You can imagine how many tourists ask to have
their picture taken with him! You can visit Gerald at his shop
in Manhattan at 223 16th Street or online at MrPinkInc.com. If you hurry, you may even catch him in his furry pink suit!
And speaking of winter? after his grandfather died and left him his
old wooden skis, Mark Miller began collecting vintage skis. Soon
neighbors in his small hometown in New Hampshire started
dropping off their old skis. Then Mark began buying skis at auctions. Before long, he had over 100 pairs!
In 1994, he decided to turn his hobby into a business and moved
himself and his collection to Park City, Utah, where he became a ski instructor. Today Mark has the largest collection of antique winter sports equipment in the world. Two warehouses hold his collection of 3,000 pairs of skis, 2,000 pairs of snowshoes, 500 vintage sleds, and 400 pairs of wooden skates.
Increasingly, Mark's collection comes from Europe where he
managed to track down 500 pairs of American snow shoes used by
the Army's 10th Mountain Division in World War II. The shoes were
just sitting in an old barn in Turkey. Mark does all the refinishing
work himself before selling his vintage finds through his web site at
AntiqueSkis.com and through home décor shops in
four western states.
The next opportunity I found in an article in FSB magazine about
hot franchises. I'm not usually very interested in franchises. I've got nothing against them mind you? it's just hard for me to picture
someone who wakes up in the morning excited about opening their
own Subway or Jiffy Lube shop. On the other hand, franchises can
be the ideal solution for someone who basically wants to run his or
her own business but doesn't want to build something from scratch.
Anyway, it was my keen interest in recycling that peaked my curiosity about Canadian Brian Scudamore's franchise entirely geared around turning trash into cash. Brian got into the business of clearing out unwanted things from people's basements, garages, attics and the like when he was 19 and still in college.
He bought an old truck for $700, and in an attempt to make his
business sound bigger than it was, he named it Rubbish Boys.
(Even though Brian was the only rubbish boy he thought big).
His business was so successful, he ended up dropping out of school
to haul junk full time.
The junk hauling business itself is nothing new. But over time Brian
got the bright idea of modernizing the business with uniformed
drivers driving fancy trucks who show up when they say they will.
So he decide to start a company called Got-Junk (think UPS but with junk pick up). Today this 33-year-old's Vancouver-based company is one of the fastest growing franchises in North America with 74 territories - most in the U.S.
Is there really that much money in junk? This year Got-Junk expects to post revenues system-wide of $12.6 million. To learn more, go to 1800GotJunk.com.
A lot of people skip over articles or entire publications if they don't
see an immediate application to their life. Not me. The more
unrelated to my life, the more intrigued I am. Case in point was a
supplement in my local paper that was dedicated to equestrians.
I like horses and all, but am not even remotely connected to the
horse world.
While I scanned the articles, what I was really drawn to were the
advertisements. Why? Ads reveal all kinds of interesting ways people with a particular interest have found a way to earn a living. Among the ads for such obvious businesses as tack shops and veterinarians was an ad for "quality equine laundry." Who knew?
I quickly discovered that the company will "clean, refurbish, and
return each blanket spotless, repaired, and wrapped with tissue in a zippered plastic case." They also promise to make Velcro stick again and to air-dry the blankets on a special rack to avoid shrinkage. This enterprising company will arrange for pick up anywhere in New England.
This last one is not so much about collecting things as it is about
collecting and using experience. A headline in my local paper featured a guy who recently bought a local trophy and engraving shop. I don't have a big need for trophies, but I know when it comes to entrepreneurs, there's always more to a story than the headline.
I was right. It seems the new shop keeper, 51-year-old Russell
Wilkinson, has had a pretty varied background. According to the
article, Russell has worked in construction, been an electrician,
owned his own shoe repair shop, been a security chief at a local park, delivered packages for UPS, owned a local restaurant, and trained to be a scuba diving instructor in Key West.
People often ask Russell why he doesn't just get a regular job.
His reply? "If I'd done that, it would have been the biggest waste
of the most expensive education a person can have." Russell's story serves as a good reminder that despite all the pressure to find that one thing you're good at and then stick to it for the rest of your life, having a varied occupational life can make life a whole lot more interesting.
It also reminds us that no experience is wasted. So many people went to school for things that have nothing to do with the work they do today? myself included. I never view past training, jobs, or even relationships as wasted time. All of our past experience adds up to who we are today.
Do you want to work at something you truly love? Opportunities are all around you. Get a note pad and a file folder and start your own Opportunities File. Let it be a source of inspiration and ideas.
And one of these days, the right opportunity will click for you.
"Off the beaten career path" consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur's Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she's presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people.
MORE RESOURCES:
Skilled jobs show council's diversityHills News, Australia - Aug 11, 2008BAULKHAM Hills Shire Council one of the top 10 shire employers, with an attrition rate of more than 15per cent a year offers many jobs. ... |
Careers-Employment - Google News
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it!
Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a mistake; sometimes they die because someone who screened a resume did.
The Best Business And Economy Solutions
In todays Business and economy, starting any business service requires a good business plan. A little money wouldn't hurt either.
Preparing For An Interview
When preparing for an interview, you need to know your skills, experiences and achievements, and how to answer interview questions.Your Skills
Become an expert about yourself.
Resume Writing and Preparation is Free Online
Creating a strong resume is a very important part of applying for a job, either online or off line. There are many resume writing services that will help you build an impressive resume for job interviews.
How to Ask For a Salary Increase and Get Your Raise
Feeling overworked and underpaid? If you're starting to feel
like you deserve a raise, here are eight DO's and DON'Ts to build
your confidence and tact (and what to avoid!) in asking for the
salary you feel you deserve.DO1.
We Rejected Your Résumé Today
Hi, I am Mr. Employer.
How to Manage Your Career Like a Business
Look upon yourself as a company with a product or service to sell. Understand your market and devise a dynamic marketing campaign, remembering that companies hire employees who offer them the best results and the best value for money.
The Big Mo : Momentum and the Hiring Process
Momentum as defined by Webster's is: strength or force gained by motion or through the development of events. For our purposes, the interview process is a "development of events".
Job Search Techniques: Smashing The Gray Ceiling
For decades, women have chaffed at the invisible glass ceiling which prevents their moving into the high executive brackets that their competence, knowledge and skills have earned. The same amorphous barrier confronts older workers both in terms of advancement within a company and, most especially, when a job change is required.
When The Going Gets Tough -- The Tough Keep Going
If you've been in a job search for more than a few weeks you may be experiencing the feelings of defeat and despair, not to mention the urge to give up. It's been a tough year, and then some, for those who have lost jobs for whatever reason.
Career Tips: How To Start A New Career
These days most people accept that jobs are not for life anymore. People are more mobile and much more likely to change jobs every few years and even careers a number of times throughout their lives.
Your Job Search Is A Marketing Campaign (Part 2)
Here's a continuation of my article from a few months back on how the successful job search is really just a personal marketing campaign.To recap, the same marketing techniques that have sell billions of dollars worth of products and services on TV, in print and via direct mail can also help you find a job.
Fascinating Ways to Make a Living Doing What You Love May Be Closer Than You Think...
You don't have to look very far to find fascinating ways to make a living. Opportunities are literally everywhere? if you're looking, that is.
Competency Based Interviews - 6 Steps to Success!
Competency based interviews are intended to get the best from you, the candidate, whilst also fulfilling the needs of the organisation to get the very best person for the job. There are some easy steps to make the most of yourself and have a much better chance of success.
Three Myths About Resume Writing
Your perspective on resumes - what they are and how they function - will doubtless influence how well you can write your own. To create an outstanding resume, begin by questioning and replacing some of the commonly held assumptions about resume writing.
Overwhelmed and Overworked: The Myth of American Productivity
Employment finally seemed back on track during the first few months of 2004. Politicians crowed that "Our tax cuts are working.
Powerful Phone Interviews
Phone interviews are de rigueur with many organizations.Companies conduct phone interviews for a number of reasons.
Last Year Physician Resident Checklist
Here is a last year resident checklist not to forget:LICENSING:Licensing is becoming increasingly complex as identity and medical fraud become more common. Therefore don't wait till the last minute to start the process.
Is Your Resume Doing ITS Job?
Is it opening doors to new opportunities? Does it compel the reader to think, "Hey! This applicant can ?put that one on top of the 'call in for an interview' pile!" Does it showcase what you have accomplished for past employers as well as what you can accomplish for the potential employer?Your resume is your personal marketing tool that must immediately convey to the reader that you CAN and WILL be a positive driving force to further their organization's mission. They have a need to QUICKLY get thru all the resumes received in response to their job posting so you've got to QUICKLY grab their attention.
Do I Have to Provide a Salary History?
Often you see job postings with a request such as "Send resume with salary history to?" I don't know about you but the first thing that pops into my mind is what do they expect to pay? The next question I ponder is whether or not it's legal to request this information. Who will see my salary history when my resume and accompanying documents are received? Will it be the hiring manager, someone in the human resources department, or will it be a notoriously nosy employee whose job it is to open the mail? Will that individual broadcast my confidential information to other employees?Some employers use this tactic to save themselves time and weed out applicants that expect more than they are willing to pay or, based on their view of your past compensation, don't appear to have the skills or experience necessary.
|
