Daycare Centre
A daycare centre provides child care during the day, primarily for children of working parents.
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Start-up cost is Rs. 10,000 or more, depending upon your pocket, also on facilities and staff you are willing to afford.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 5,00,000 or more depending upon the locality, type of clientele and number of children.
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Future growth potential : high.
As more women are entering the work force and two-income families have become the norm, the dilemma of what to do with children during the days is growing more acute. The other reason is the phenomenon of joint family is breaking due to differences among the members of the family and other many reasons. Hence, for these parents, daycare is the only acceptable care alternative. Daycare operations in most parts of the country have great business. Demand simply outstrips supply. Some children are signed up months before they are born. In fact, this scenario is with those daycare centres, which have very good facilities to provide, and the charges are bit reasonable. In western countries such centres are very much successful and hence, have become a great business.
Many observers claim anyone who does not make a comfortable living from daycare suffers from a lack of business sense. Recently it has come to light that a lot of elementary school teachers are really dissatisfied with their jobs due to many reasons and think they can just open a daycare centre of their own.
As such it is not true that only teachers can start the majority of daycare centres, many others team with partners who have some business expertise and reap large profits.
For women entrepreneurs daycare centre is better than other business as it assumes a family flavour. There are many cases where even the grandparents and other members prove very much helping, thus enable in helping in cutting the costs. Also with seed money of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000 one can rent and renovate a house to accommodate 50 or more children.
Parents of infants scurry of find facilities, and one can charge more for little ones than for their older siblings as infants suffer higher health risks, and one needs a greater staff-to-child ratio to care for non-toilet-trained babies. If one can provide transportation facility, it is a big enticement for many parents. But it an expensive affair. One has to manage the costs in such cases. Also serving lunch will be worth the extra personnel and insurance costs in running a kitchen.
Where both the parents are working, they like that a daycare centre should provide more facilities than tuition only. If your offerings range from music, dancing, and karate instruction, to diving lessons in the centre€™s indoor-outdoor pool, parents will love to pay for these ancillary services.
There are some daycare centres, which accept kids, aged 6 weeks to 12 years, they increase revenue by staying open late for parents who work night shifts.
Some operations which have not enough gymnasiums, hospitals, and other required centres and thus manage to provide needed facilities. For sure profits an entrepreneur should select the ideal location for this business where enough clientele can be expected. When your budget does not allow for it start it where you can run it from, but once it clicks, try to shift it to the right place, but make sure that you do not lose a single client.
In daycare, bigger often means better€”or atleast more profitable. If you cater masses of children either in one location or in separate centres, you can buy bulk quantities of everything from apples to cleaning services. When you have enough profits you need€”and can afford€”tools like computers for book-keeping. Thus you can make a well-organised and nicely established daycare centre.
Daycare centres have big possibilities in the future. But the only thing required is that one should not stay with it taking it only a part-time work. Once it clicks, make it full time business and keep on adding good facilities so that your competitors may not hurt your business.
Playgym
A playgym combines play, exercises, and learning with physical activities designed to help young children stay in shape and be more stimulated and aware of the world around them.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs.1 lac or more.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : six months to several years.
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Excellent home-based business.
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Future growth potential : very high.
Playful Parenting is part of a new phenomenon of business that offer improved physical fitness for young children aged 6-weeks to 6 years.
These new programs start with massaging activities for children as young as 6-week.
Parents today are worried about their children€™s fitness and they spend too much time in front of books, TV, and such like.
As ideal play gym emphasizes social and cognitive skills along with physical ones. Among some fitness programs parents are equal participants.
The aim behind such programs is to strengthen the parent-child relationship. Some fitness programs lay the foundation for physical education with cooperative sports and games€”for instance, two children hold a ball between their tummies in a relay race. They have to learn sharing and working together to make the game work.
Likewise there are many such programs that help in the proper development of the young children.
Start-up costs of Physical Parenting centres depend on the type of facility. One can buy play equipment and other things as per his/her budget. You may spend money on equipment ranging from a ceiling mechanism to lower swings and rings to a custom-designed, crawl-through castle. Keep in mind that above all, the exercises have to be safe and fun.
One can charge reasonably for the services given. Operators of less expensive programs agree that the better educated parents are more likely to get entrolled their kids. Not only businessmen, but executive class takes more interest in these centres.
Like other business this business also requires advertisement. But the good thing is that most of the educated parents know that play gym is better than taking the kids to the park.
Those who cannot afford to advertise their centres should concentrate on publicity. Befriend same local reporters and tell them about your programs. Publicity through articles is free advertising. And it pays a lot.
You can also contact the daycare centres in your area and make a contract with them. Such centres may take interest in your programs for they will get a few extra bucks, additionally from the desiring parents.
For entrepreneurs who really think big the American company Gymboree is an ideal example. The company generated $ 10 million though 350 franchise centres. In addition to exercise classes, Gymboree keeps the fun€”and revenues€”rolling with such extras as videos, books, dolls, clothing, and toys. But before you think big time, you must build a name€”and an income€”with your gym. Make sure you staff accordingly and provide the best services.
Feature Agency
A feature agency provides articles, features, photographers etc. to various
publishing houses, especially magazines or newspapers.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 2-3 lacs.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : rapid
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Excellent home-based business
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No staff is required.
Anybody who has interest in writing or reading can start his or her own feature agency business. To start a feature agency one needs a computer and a telephone connection. For better start you will also need Internet connection, fax machine and a good library. Also you will have to subscribe some good magazines and newspapers regularly.
A feature agency is an evergreen business. Almost all newspapers and magazines require articles to fill up their pages. Current informations and features on special subject are always in demand.
Most of the feature agencies buy articles, stories and features from various writers on contract basis. They further sell the articles to the newspapers and magazines and then pay to the writer, saving their part. As such, the feature agencies pay very nominal to their authors and earn a good profit. To establish a good feature agency you will have to work hard in beginning for developing good links with the editors of the magazines and newspapers. Most of the magazine houses prefer to have features or articles in computer floppy as that way they need not get it composed and quickly utilize them.
A feature agency business is possible only in big towns, especially metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
Editing
An editor is the person who selects scripts, assesses them and gives the final touch to a fully proof-read script so that it could go to the press.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-your earnings : Rs. 3-5 lacs.
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Breakeven time from the initial investment : rapid.
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No staff is required.
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Excellent home-based business.
An editor plays the key role in print media as well as electronic media. Most of the big companies do have editors duly appointed in their staff. As such an editor sits on the second highest position in a company or business organization that deals in publishing, advertising, and electronic media. If you are an experienced hand and you do not want to work as an employee you have good prospects while working as a freelance editor.
In print media or so, an editor€™s job is to first of all assess the matter in hand whether the same is worth publishing or to be used in any manner. An editor has full authority to reject a poorly written or absurd matter. Once the editor selects the matter he or she can further send it to his or her subordinates to correct it further. After the subordinates complete their jobs the role of editor is to delete or add the necessary things. He or she can reject the matter at any stage.
A good editor should have good command over the language he or she is doing the jobs in, also he should be well conversant with all minute things. Like, in print media, a good editor should be a good proof reader too.
Even in electronic media an editor plays the key role. An editor finalizes the scripts, edits the scripts on computer screen, later on when an advertisement film or a commercial film or documentary is prepared he or she can delete the unnecessary part and joins the effective parts so that it become worth releasing in the market. Those who work for electronic media, earn very handsome.
There are many renowned institutes, which provide effective courses in video editing. Though it is purely your creative mind and knowledge it is good to go for a course to learn the basics of video editing.
Once you are through with all the basics of editing, go for a little experience and later on start it as a business. Undoubtedly you have very good future prospects.
Proof-Reading
A proof-reader reads proofs of various write-ups, reports etc. and tallies the same with the original manuscript or write-ups.
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Start-up cost almost nill.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 1 lac.
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Excellent home-based business.
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No staff is required.
A proof-reader reads proofs that are, computer print-outs and tallies the same with the original manuscript provided by the writers. In publishing world as well as in other fields there are good possibilities for good proof readers. The essential requirement for a proof-reader is his good knowledge of the language he or she has to read the proofs.
A proof-reader should be well versed with all the proof-reading signs as well as he or she should have good knowledge of grammar in regard to the particular language he or she reads the proofs.
Most of the publishing houses, magazine houses and feature agencies distribute work of proof-reading to free-lance proof-readers. Generally, a proof-reader charges per page rate, which varies, from Rs. 5 to Rs. 50 or more. Proof readers do get the jobs in bulk from publishing houses. No any additions or deletions in the proofs are expected from the end of a proof-reader. He or she only reads and tallies what is there in the original manuscript. Now-a-days some publishing houses prefer proof-readers who can read the proofs directly on computer screen, in order to accelerate the production. Mostly, a proof-reader has to read proof two or three times so that no further error is left in the matter. Rest of the job is to be done by the editorial team.
One can do this business on part-time basis. Even the housewives, who have plenty of time at home, can do this job to add to their family income. Undoubtedly, prospects are very good in this field. In case your publisher demands that you should do required sub-editing of the proofs, you can ask for additional payment to be made.
Translator
A translator translates books, reports, research materials etc. from one language to other language. For examples, from English to Hindi or Hindi to English or French to Hindi or vice versa.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 2 lacs.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : rapid.
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Excellent home-based business.
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No staff is required.
Translators are always in demand now-a-days. Be it publishing industry or live media. You may see many programme which were originally in English have been dubbed in different local languages. Tamil or Telugu films dubbed in Hindi or English and likewise.
Discovery Channel and National Geographic Channel always look for good translators who can translate English scripts in Hindi and other local languages. Also in the publishing industry most English books have been translated in local languages, especially in Hindi being it the most popular language in our country. If you have a translation agency you can earn handsome amount every month. There is lot of work to do. The only requirement for becoming a good translator is knowledge of two or more languages. Even if you know Hindi and English only, you can earn a good living by working on part-time basis for various publishing houses, magazines and electronic media. As such no staff is needed in the beginning. If your office is equipped with a telephone set and a personal computer, you can earn more than Rs. 10,000 per month.
Educational Consultancy
An educational consultant provides consultancy to the desiring customers, basically students, for better career selection.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 2.5 lacs.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : rapid.
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No staff is required.
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Ideal home-based business.
Parents do not have sufficient time to spare with their children, as they have to work hard to meet the day-to-day requirements in the family. In that scenario, some children fail to develop confidence, also they are not sure of a particular career they should enter. This is with most of natives of metro cities. Thus educational consultancy has become very good business. An educational consultant is a person trained in human behaviour or psychology, also various good fields where there is bright future. Educational consultants charge on hour basis or in lump sum.
An educational consultant studies the behaviour, taste and background of the customers and subsequently advises which field of education would suit them. It is not necessary that son of a medico would certainly go in the same field. He or she may have different liking. If at all a person is forced or persuaded somehow to adopt a field which he or she does not like or it does not suit to his or her personality, the result will be very discouraging. I know many persons who wanted to become a doctor but became a lawyer and now they are just nowhere.
Due to such shocking results parents do understand the seriousness of proper guidance when their child€™s career is on stake. They do not want to take a chance. They rush to an education consultant and with his or her help decide the career of their son or daughter. Hence educational consultants have big future prospects. They can earn very handsome amount in this pious business.
Vastu Consultancy
Vastu consultants provide office plans, house plans and other building plans.
They also tell the interested customers how they should place various articles in the building they use for office purpose or for living there. Vastu is an ancient art, which has been practised in our country, now in abroad too for family happiness and prosperity.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 2.5 lacs.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : very rapid.
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Excellent home-based business.
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No staff is required.
Now in India Vastu consultants are in big demand as day by day tension is growing among people. Today everybody is after money and hence no peace of mind. To become a Vastu consultant one has to learn this science deeply. There are many professional institutes in our country that provide good education in this field. Vastu is a well practised and proved science. There are many factors that destroys our peace of mind. As we believe in the Almighty we do believe in the position of stars and other heavenly forces. A Vastu consultant provides accurate knowledge how one can achieve peace of mind and prosperity by simple giving right position to different articles like furniture, window, door etc. There are plenty of books available in the market which one can study thoroughly and utilize the same for positive gains.
A Vastu consultant can earn very handsome amount if he performs his work seriously. To increase the number of customers, a professional Vastu consultant should go for free publicity. He or she can send articles on Vastu in various dailies, which in turn can fetch a good clientele to him.
A good Vastu consultant can earn even more than one lac rupees per month. An average Vastu consultant can earn at least Rs. 10,000 per month easily. The only thing required is an office in a good locality, that too in a plush colony. People from low-income group, even middle-income group hardly dare consulting a Vastu consultant but those who belong to upper middle class or rich class they frequently go for such consultancy. And they pay a good visiting fee to a Vastu consultant.
Nowadays in India as well as abroad there is a big scope for a Vastu consultant.
Meeting Planner
A meeting planner arranges meetings for companies, associations, and other big organizations, handling everything from reserving hotel rooms to picking out dinner menus and entertainment.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first-year earnings : Rs. 5 lacs to Rs. 10 lacs.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : rapid.
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Excellent home-based business.
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No staffing needed.
Everything that a meeting planner does, depends on the clients€™ needs and your own specialties. Hereunder we are giving a sampling from a much longer laundry list of meeting-planner functions compiled by a famous company:
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Establish meeting design and objectives.
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Select and negotiate with site and facilities.
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Budget.
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Manage exhibits.
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Manage food and brokerage.
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Establish registration procedures.
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Plan and program.
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Handle housing and transportation.
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Select speakers.
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Schedule promotion and publicity.
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Produce and print meeting materials.
You can very well plan everything from educational seminars for 1000 to a 25-member board meeting to an international junket for a franchise group. Sometimes you will have to do everything including program design, or sometimes just site selection. On most of the occasions a meeting planner is paid by the clients to manage an event but sometimes a meeting planner puts his/her own capital.
Some planners specialize in particular functions, such as registration or publicity, while others concentrate on specific industries or a particular area. Those planners who work for just one particular industry usually branch out over time a contact in one field recommends them to a colleague in another area. If you are able to manage three large meetings every year, you have got a good living wage.
Looking for clients
You can hunt for clients either through others in the industry or directly through your own clients. Most planners are one-to-five-person firms and often subcontract when they are overloaded or a job requires some special skills. So, it will be better for you if you let your competitors and in-house meeting planners know your areas of expertise. Also talk with convention and hotel managers and ask for referrals.
Once you have good track record, you will probably want the income that comes from developing your own major accounts. Telemarketing and direct mail set the stage for in-person interviews, followed by formal proposal. You can call on groups that mount their own meetings and try to interest them in farming out duties.
Once you and your client remain interested in each other, next comes the formal proposal.
Some planners take commissions from hotels, airlines, and ground transport, which allows them to hold down their own fees to the client. Other planners take fees directly from the clients.
Increasingly, big business and professional societies are turning to outside professional meeting planners, which creates a lot of opportunities for you to hang your own shingle.
In this business opportunities are bright, hence you can try your luck without any problem.
Seminar Producer
A seminar producer often hosts, and arranges seminars for clients, corporations, associations, businesses, and others.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first year earnings : Rs. 5 lacs to Rs. 10 lacs.
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Breakeven time from initial investment : rapid.
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Ideal home-based business.
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No staff is required.
The seminar business can be cutthroat. It offers easy entry. It has a huge and ready market of students. This business can very profitable. Hence you can enter the wonderful world of seminars without second thought. Nowadays, the thirst for knowledge and know-how is enormous and hence the number of seminars is going to grow.
As seminar production is a relatively cheap business to get into, there seems no end to the types of people entering this business.
Overhead for a seminar producer can be minimal. One needs an office, staff, marketing and the cost of staging each seminar, including the instructor and renting meeting facilities. Some producers cut deals with hotels and line up accommodations as well. In addition to live-instructor courses, technology offers new outlets to the seminar business.
Seminars often generate substantial income, and, if you are a consultant or other professional selling your expertise, they also introduce you to potential clients.
Computer Consultant
A computer consultant advises his/her clients on computer topics. He/she tells his/her clients what type of system to buy, how to integrate it into the business, and what type of hardware and software to buy.
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Start-up cost as low as Rs. 50,000.
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Potential first year earnings : Rs. 5,00,000.
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Breakeven time initial investment : rapid.
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Ideal home-based business.
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No staff is required.
Nowadays as computers are being just accessible to even smaller business houses, there is big possibility of great business in becoming a computer consultant. Initial costs are quite low and hence one can easily afford to start this service oriented business. Business houses also well understand the utilization of computers in developing their business manifold, that too very accurately. Everyone, now, sees benefits in owning a computer. As the cost of processing vast amounts of data falls and the use of computers as a standard tool of competition rises, most companies latch on to PCs. But, the prevalent problem is: They often do not know which system they should buy that can serve their needs. Computer consultant serves two basic functions:
In fact they help people understand the profit potential on computers.
Overheads Very Low
In case you want to be a computer consultant you do not build any inventory hence you can start in expensively. You do not need more sophisticated hardware, but only a personal computer. As your clients expect you to visit their job sites, a spare bedroom can provide your office. Your biggest costs will invoke marketing. However, the Internet can provide you a low-cost marketing opportunity. Keep in mind that you do not consume your start-up capital with travel expenses.
There are plenty of business houses, corporations and other units that require the services of a computer consultant to get their offices fully, computerized. The only thing is that you set up flexible fee schedules and let your clients know how you can help them in day-to-day management.
