As I am writing these words, I can’t help but think about all the people who are working from home right now across the globe – a lot of whom have never even thought it would be an option for them.

And I’m also thinking about everyone who has, sadly, lost their job, is on hiatus, or does not know what the future might bring in terms of employment and income.

As we move through these challenging (and might I add, very odd) times, our need to be able to work from home is constantly increasing. Even after we survive our generation’s global pandemic, and no matter how much or how little our societies change, home-based businesses will likely play a larger role in our future.

If you are one of many who is currently contemplating the idea of starting a home-based business, but you’re unsure where to start, here are seven ideas that might spark your imagination in the right direction. Because after all, one thing every business needs is an idea to begin with – which can be the most challenging step to take.

Buying and selling things on eBay

If you are good at spotting deals, don’t mind spending a lot of time online looking for your next purchase or sale, and have space in your home from where you can conduct your storage and shipping, you can use a platform like eBay to start a business.

It’s not that simple, though: you are advised to specialize in a certain type of item, and not just have a very general profile. You will also need to make sure you comply with all of the platform’s policies and cultivate a great seller score.

Creative writing

If you are talented with words, starting a content writing business can be your next logical step.

There are countless success stories you can read online about people who have made prolific careers writing online, and you can start with as little as a profile on a platform like Freelancer or Upwork.

The challenge you will face is standing out among all the other writers online, but if you are talented and persistent enough, and master the art of applying for jobs and reaching out to clients, you’ll be able to create a thriving business.

Cooking or baking

Depending on where you live in the world, you might be able to start your own bakery or another kind of food shop. If you can ship your goods with relative safety or sell them to local restaurants, hotels, and so on, and most importantly, if you love spending time in the kitchen, this can be a great choice.

The key will be making your fares absolutely delicious and getting people to taste them. Once you establish a loyal audience, you may be able to get to work with some more prominent local spaces.

Make sure you are familiar with your local laws and regulations on the sale of edible goods and ensure you comply with all health and safety regulations.

Clothes making

If you are handy at making clothes, you can design yourself a thriving home-based business. Even a platform like Instagram can help you launch yourself as a brand into the world of fashion, as more people than ever appreciate unique and hand-made items.

There will be an initial investment required, as you will need to make some samples and show them off, and you will need to find some mannequins for sewing as well , so you can complete your orders.

Bear in mind that while you can start small, you need to price your items in a way that makes sense both for yourself and the customer. They can’t be too costly, but they also need to be worthy of your effort and time.

Animal sitting

If you have the space and you love animals, you can turn your home into a hotel/hostel/daycare for pets. It might be a bit of a challenge at first, as you will need to figure out the space and the best way to keep every guest happy, but if spending time with cats or dogs is really something you enjoy, it should pose no problem.

You can also easily find clients in your local community, at vet offices, in dog parks, and online. But do be sure you can handle several animals at once and that you know how to get them to play along – otherwise, your clients probably won’t walk away happy.

Crafting

A lot of different businesses will fall into this category: anything from making jewelry to making furniture counts. If you have a hobby you use your hands for, where you create, design, and craft anything from notebooks to flower arrangements, you can turn that hobby into a business.

Selling online is again a great option, but you can also partner with local stores and explore arts and crafts fairs to sell some of your items there.

Tutoring and teaching

Another service that is gaining traction is online tutoring and teaching. Even when we’re not all stuck at home, people like to take classes from their homes, so this could be your way to create yourself a business.

Whatever it is you are good at: math, playing an instrument, a language, or even something like organizing, cleaning, sewing, or entertaining, you can turn your knowledge into a class.

There are all kinds of online platformswhere you can sell your classes, but you can also set up your own website as your base and take it from there.

Final thoughts

All of these home-based businesses will potentially require a bit of an investment, and you may need some time to get your first clients on board. Just as long as you realize that no success can happen overnight, and accept that you will initially need to invest more time in looking for work than in working, you should be well on your way to success.

Remember that client satisfaction is paramount and that word of mouth recommendations can be your best source of new income. So keep doing your best, keep working on your skills or craft, and work towards increasing your customer base.