A young man approached me and inquired about going into business part time. My response to him was phrased in the form of question. I asked him, “What are you good at? What do you like to do?” I then began to elaborate and advised him to explore his options. I suggested he find a way to supply what’s in demand — good and/or services — that do not compromise or interfere with his current job or profession.
Sales has always been a great “side hustle” that can easily emerge into a part-time business. Many full-blown business ventures began in this manner. Again, despise not small beginnings. There are many items and services that can be sold: beauty products, books, secretarial services — Do you remember the days of girl and guy Fridays? You may want to venture into real estate, insurance; just to name a few.
For those who are a bit more hands on and don’t mind getting dirty, lawn mowing and handy man services, washing cars, and residential or commercial cleaning are other options.
His question also posed an opportunity for me to share with him many of the things we did to earn money when I was growing up as a young man in the south. Though they may not all be feasible today, the same premise applies. Use your creativity and what you have available. You’ll be surprised at the outcomes when you combine hard work, creativity, and a desire to service the needs of those around you.
Til next week. Tune in again for more thought provoking ideas.
Clarence V. Matthews
The Elder's Ledger
Reclaiming the Village, One Topic at a Time
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The blog post this week is directed toward the consumers, yes, the customers. We have a tendency to be very hard on the merchants in our community. We place more stringent rules and guidelines for patronage on our local merchants than on the larger stores and mall merchants we often frequent.
We raise our children, then instruct them to go to school, study hard, get good grades, attend college and “GET A GOOD JOB.” Now, I absolutely agree with the importance of getting a good education, yet realistically, college is not for everyone.